Program to expand Internet access in Chicago

More than a million Chicago residents will be eligible for low-cost Internet service through a program aimed at expanding digital access to underserved areas.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Tuesday that Chicago will be a pilot city for the national EveryoneOn campaign. The program provides low-cost Internet access and training to residents in neighborhoods where the median annual income is $35,000 or less.

Emanuel says digital skills are vital in today’s workforce. He says access to digital literacy training and affordable high-speed Internet service is a “game changer” for kids and adults.

The program is expected to reach 1.1 million residents.

It builds on the Comcast Internet Essentials initiative, which has connected more than 11,000 low-income families to affordable high-speed Internet since 2011.