Comcast extends free internet services for low-income families through end of 2020

Comcast announced on Saturday that it will be extending free internet services with their Internet Essentials package, which will be available to new and/or eligible customers.

The offer was originally set to expire on June 30, but the company elected to extend it through the end of the year amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Comcast also plans to continue to waive the requirement for customers to be clear of past-due balances on their account in order to allow them to qualify for the extension.

“For almost a decade, Comcast has been helping to level the playing field for families in need so they can benefit from all the Internet has to offer. So, we’re happy to be able to extend this 60 days of free Internet service to new customers,” said Dana Strong, president of Xfinity Consumer Services. “Now more than ever, connectivity has become a vital tool for families to access educational resources for students, important news and information about their community and the world, telehealth applications, or to stay in touch with family and friends.”

The company hopes to help bridge the gap for students who are learning from home and don’t have the same “digital equity” as their fellow alumni.

Comcast’s Internet Essentials initiative began in 2011 and has connected more than two million low-income families to the internet, according to a news release.

The offer may come as welcome news as millions of students in the United States learned Friday that they are unlikely to return to classrooms full-time in the fall because of cases surging throughout the states.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.