The cable industry this week is busy patting itself on the back for a new initiative they've dubbed "Adoption Plus." According to the cable industry's chief lobbying and PR arm, the National Cable And Telecommunications Association, Adoption Plus has been created to "promote sustainable broadband adoption for a vitally important-but-vulnerable population" -- namely middle school-aged children in low income households without broadband. As such, the industry says they're offering discounted broadband to low income homes. In a blog post, NCTA boss Kyle McSlarrow highlights the plan as such:The NCTA was quickly praised by its usual group of yes men organizations and loyal lawmakers. AT&T's top lobbyist Jim Cicconi called the proposal "creative," while expressing how AT&T was eager to participate in the new program. Even new FCC boss Julius Genachowski issued a statement (pdf) praising the industry's "considerable investment" in the new project. Trade mags highlighted the new program with the usual lack of skepticism.

It's not particularly clear if any of them actually looked at the proposal first.

For one thing the program is simply a proposal, and it's not fully cooked yet. As it stands, the cable industry is promising to offer broadband to new families only for half price for two years, modem rentals for half price, free installation of the service, and free parental control and online security software. It also asks for $100 million in federal funding to create "digital media literacy programs" under the Adoption Plus "brand." It also proposes to offer schools discounted hardware, if the NCTA can find hardware vendors to play along (none are signed on so far) and Uncle Sam ponies up a good chunk of the cash.

Not everybody was as easily impressed as the FCC was. Digging a little deeper into what the cable industry is actually offering has left consumer advocates underwhelmed. According to consumer advocacy group Free Press' Research Director Derek Turner, the new program is "vaporware, a PR stunt, and offers no 'deal' at all."

Using Comcast pricing as an example, 50% off of Comcast's $42.95 3 Mbps Performance broadband tier would be $21.48 (plus fees). But Comcast offers any Joe off the street the same tier for $19.99 for the first 6 months. They do offer a 1 Mbps economy tier for $24.95, but the tier's usually reserved for those who threaten to cancel. Meanwhile, offering "half off a modem rental fee" is equally specious, given the modems involved can usually be bought on Amazon for $30, and Comcast just raised their modem rental fee $3 to $5 (a fifty cent savings). As for throwing in "free security software?" Regular customers already get that too.

The program was designed to get FCC kudos and taxpayer funding for a program that essentially acts as little more than a PR campaign for the cable industry, says Turner. "This doesn't cost NCTA's members a dime," says Turner, "because the bulk of those homes who do participate wouldn't have been a customer at all, or they might have been a DSL customer," he says. "They are merely bringing NCTA's members a 60% profit margin per participating home versus an 80% profit margin," argues Turner.

According to Turner, taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing Comcast's 80% profits or their advertising campaign disguised as altruism. "Comcast should have to offer a $10 package, then it can get a subsidy," he says, noting how the price of broadband isn't regulated. "If NCTA were serious, they'd offer a flat $10 per month fee, after a 6 months of free service," he suggests.