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gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er to gpatrick900

Member

to gpatrick900

Re: Does Comcast have low income discount for the disabled...

from the link posted right above my last, by you....its in the letter sent by comcast to the fcc
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

gpatrick900

Member

said by gar187er:

from the link posted right above my last, by you....its in the letter sent by comcast to the fcc

»siliconangle.com/blog/20 ··· he-poor/

The deal requires Comcast to provide approximately 2.5 million low income households with high speed Internet for less than $10 a month. To this population the ISP must also sell PCs, netbooks, or similar computer equipment at prices below $150, and offer a host of digital literacy educational opportunities.

In addition, Comcast must grow its broadband networks to about 400,000 new homes, get fast Internet service to six additional rural areas, and offer free video and ISP offerings to 600 new anchor institutions in low income regions (anchor here means schools, libraries, and such).

This cant be too painful a condition for the company. A little over a year ago the National Cable and Telecommunications Association announced a similar initiative to offer half price รข€˜Net connections to poor kids. The Adoption Plus Program would provide students who qualify for the National School Lunch Program access to two years of 50 percent discounted broadband, a subsidized computer, and free computer classes and technical support.

The key words are "In addition" The last paragraph states they already do what some of are saying. No where does it say "Only for household that are low income that have students"

offer a host of digital literacy educational opportunities",



Comcast will offer this but you can say no. Does not mean you have to say yes.
gpatrick900

gpatrick900

Member

That article may be incorrect

I saw the original proposal to the FCC, until we see the actual new agreement in pdf we will not know if the article is correct or incorrect.

If it is incorrect. I agree with djcrazy. We shouldn't have to provide internet services to Schools or groups we already pay taxes or donate money to them. Plus it is discriminatory to offer low income internet to just students. That could cause them legal problems.

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er

Member

they can offer programs to whom ever they want....its their internet service....its not electricity, or heat in the winter.....

and you arent providing anything to the organizations....police, fire, EMS, schools, etc....most are able to get free internet due to local franchise agreements....so your tax dollars have nothing to do with it......

i dont know how you can say its discriminatory to offer free internet to poor school children..... (just cause one group is excluded doesnt make it discriminatory; cause again, they dont need to offer it to ANYONE)

there is zero legal issue there.....
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

1 edit

gpatrick900

Member

said by gar187er:

they can offer programs to whom ever they want....its their internet service....its not electricity, or heat in the winter.....

and you arent providing anything to the organizations....police, fire, EMS, schools, etc....most are able to get free internet due to local franchise agreements....so your tax dollars have nothing to do with it......

i dont know how you can say its discriminatory to offer free internet to poor school children..... (just cause one group is excluded doesnt make it discriminatory; cause again, they dont need to offer it to ANYONE)

there is zero legal issue there.....

They have to offer it now for students, because they supposedly agreed to it to get the NBC network. Franchise agreements are state controlled not local. I am not going to donate to an origination that gets free internet. It would be a different story if they offered it, without including it with the NBC merger. I have nothing against poor children getting Internet it is the way comcast did this. I think all low income people should get discount or free internet, it could help them get jobs or older people to go to school. (Some states have this program and people got jobs, which helps the economy.)