Comcast is adding to their efforts of making sure that everyone has quality internet. The telecom giant has doubled the speed on its Internet Essentials package and beginning on March 1. The $10 package will give new and existing users download speeds of up to 50 Mbps, and uploads up to 5 Mbps. At the beginning of the pandemic, the company initially pushed the package to 25/3 Mbps.
The initiative is part of the company’s efforts to “closing the digital divide” and give internet to all customers no matter what their economic background is.
Comcast is also promising to bring free, high-speed WiFi to 1,000 community centers across the country. The community centers or designated “Lift Zones” are “designed to let kids access the internet in a safe area, letting them access remote learning and complete their homework when outside of school.” The company aims to reach 1,000 Lift Zones by the end of 2021.
The news comes days after the company recently came under fire for they’re desire to impose data caps in Massachusetts (and Nationwide). Democratic state representatives Andy Vargas and Dave Rogers filed legislation to stop Comcast from placing a data cap and hiking prices for Massachusetts residents.
After push back from legislators, Comcast delayed their data cap in their Northeast region until June. Originally, customer were receive a two-month grace period until March. The markets that will have the new June data cap start date: CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VA, VT, WV, the District of Columbia, and parts of NC and OH.