Comcast Corporation is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products in the nation. Several years ago, they launched Internet Essentials, a new nationwide program which provides families with children who are eligible to receive free or reduced lunches under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) with low-cost Internet service, affordable computers and digital literacy training. The goal of Internet Essentials is to help close the digital divide and ensure more Americans benefit from all the Internet has to offer.

Service Details:

Internet Essentials participants will receive:

• Residential Internet service for $9.95 a month + applicable taxes;
• No price increases, no activation fees, or equipment rental fees;
• A voucher to purchase a low-cost computer for $149.99 + tax; and
• Access to free digital literacy training in print, online and in person.
• Additional benefits include the Norton™ Security Suite ($160 value) for comprehensive online security protection at no additional cost.

Eligibility: 

A household is eligible to participate in the Internet Essentials program if it meets all of the following criteria:

• Is located where Comcast offers Internet service;
• Has at least one child who is eligible to receive a free school lunch under the NSLP;
• (As an example, according to the Department of Agriculture, a household of three would have to make less than $25,000 a year in income);
• Has not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days; 
• Does not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment.

Comcast will sign up eligible families in the program for at least three years, through the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Any household that qualifies during this three-year period will remain eligible for Internet Essentials provided a child eligible for a free lunch remains living in the household.

For general information about Internet Essentials, visit www.internetessentials.com for English orwww.internetbasico.com for Spanish. Educators or third parties interested in helping to spread the word can find more information at www.internetessentials.com/partner. Parents looking to enroll in the program can call 1-855-846-8376 or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995.