As we learned earlier this month, the release of Comcast's seven-year progress report of the Internet Essentials program indicated that internet adoption programs have reached more than six million Americans. But Internet Essentials—the largest broadband adoption program in the U.S.—is doing more than just expanding internet-connected households across the country. It's helping to improve the lives of low-income families and individuals in almost every way possible.
While discount incentives and initiatives for low-income Americans are making an internet connection inside the home more accessible than ever before, free digital literacy classes and training offered through these programs are giving people the opportunity to learn how to make the most of their internet experience. These opportunities include applying for and landing a job, completing a homework assignment, connecting with family and peers, receiving current news, streaming shows, and filling out medical or government assistance forms—all of which would not be possible without connectivity or the skills necessary to navigate the internet.
Comcast's $550 million investment in digital literacy training and awareness over the past seven years is definitely paying off as participants report upward mobility in various areas of their lives. Since 2011, the Internet Essentials program has hosted more than 2 million people in its online learning centers where users can access a wide range of training videos, guides and reports on accessing the internet, online safety, and media literacy.
U.S. broadband providers are committed to not only bringing an internet connection and the equipment necessary to homes and communities that lack connectivity, but also to empowering all Americans with the knowledge and resources they need to overcome the obstacles they are challenged with everyday—obstacles that are preventing them from leading their best lives and competing in the global marketplace. Every year, these barriers continue to be broken as more families are connected to the internet and gain access to the resources and tools that will help them thrive in their home, in the workplace, in school, in the economy, and in their personal lives.
See the chart below to learn how internet adoption programs are impacting families.
