Comcast offers cheap Internet to low-income community college students

A new program from Comcast Corp. makes Internet service available to 90,000 low-income community college students in Illinois for $9.95 a month.

Comcast announced a pilot program this week extending its Internet Essentials high-speed Internet program for low-income families to Illinois community college students who are federal Pell Grant recipients.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, community colleges enroll as many as 40 percent of all college students each year. As low-cost, open-access institutions, they serve a high percentage of nontraditional students, including those who are low-income, are financially independent, have dependents, are first generation, and are older.

"For millions of Americans, community college is one of the most accessible paths to a postsecondary education and a brighter future," said David Cohen, Comcast senior executive vice president. "Internet Essentials will enable low-income community college students to access educational resources not just at school but also at home."

Since its inception in 2011, Internet Essentials has been available to eligible primary and secondary school students and their families. More than 55,000 families in the Chicago area have been connected through the program.

Comcast last month doubled the download speed to up to 10 Mbps, the third time in four years the speed has been increased at no additional charge. The program includes the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150. And Comcast offers free Wi-Fi routers to connect any Internet-enabled device, such as a tablet, laptop, or smartphone.

Families must have at least one child eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program, including public, parochial, private, charter and home-schooled students. For information, go to www.InternetEssentials.com, or call (855) 846-8376, or for Spanish, (855) 765-6995.