Octorara Area School District will partner with cable and Internet provider Comcast to launch a new program to offer discounted Internet service and computers to low-income families across the district.
According to an article in USA Today earlier this week, the program, called Internet Essentials, will provide "low-cost access to the Internet and affordable computers as well as digital literacy training to families with children who are eligible to receive free lunches under the National School Lunch Program," according to the company's blog.
Internet service provided through Internet Essentials features download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 384 Kbps.
The plan costs $9.95 per month (plus tax) and is available for families that:
- Are located where Comcast offers Internet service (currently in 39 states)
- Have at least one child receiving free school lunches through the National School Lunch Program
- Have not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days
- Do not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment
Upon enrollment, qualifying families will have the opportunity to buy a "notebook-style laptop computer" for $149.99 (plus tax).
The laptop supports wired and Wi-Fi Internet connectivity and includes the Windows 7 Starter operating system and Internet browser software.
Internet Essentials is a by-product of the recent Comcast-NBC merger, in which the company agreed to "increase broadband deployment in low income households" as one of a number of conditions to the acquisition.
Octorara will start promoting Internet Essentials in the next few weeks as students come back to school. Teachers and administrators will be sending flyers home, have materials at back-to-school nights, as well as placing information about the program on the District's website.
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