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India's prime minister reportedly working on giving free handsets to low-income families
We've seen companies like Microsoft help out low-income people by dropping prices on its hardware and software in the past, and now India's prime minister's allegedly taking a similar approach but with mobile handsets being the focus behind this nice gesture -- and better yet, at no cost whatsoever. Per the Times of India, sources have told the publication Manmohan Singh's got a plan in the works that'd bring one mobile device to "every family living below the poverty line," with said "Har Hath Mein Phone" scheme expected to be announced as early as next week. Notably, if all goes according to the purported plan, this would help over 6 million Indian families, most of which are currently lacking any sort of communication device in their household. There's still a few days until we find out whether the project is indeed real, for now let's just hope our friends in India don't experience some more power outages anytime soon.
Comcast's Internet Essentials program expanding as digital literacy project soars
If everyone needs the internet, then poor kids need it more -- since so much learning material is dependent on technology. Comcast teamed up with the FCC to produce Internet Essentials: a $10 a month broadband plan and $150 computers to get the nation's poorest families online. Six months later, the program's been a colossal success, leading to the company adding some sweeteners: eligibility is being relaxed to include any family who qualifies for discounted lunches (swelling the catchment group by a further 300,000). It's also doubling the speed of the available connection: 3 Mbps down and 768 Kbps up and is allowing community groups to bulk-buy packages to directly supply the most impecunious households. It's also pairing up with the "connect to compete" initiative to reduce computer costs, enrich digital literacy materials and connect those outside of Comcast's core service areas. You can head on down to our source link to read the extended report and see how families are benefiting from a little corporate good deed.
Comcast's Internet Essentials offers $10 internet access to low-income families
Earlier this year, when Comcast bought up NBC Universal, the company made a promise to boost broadband access in underserved communities and, with the launch of its new Internet Essentials service, it looks poised to follow through on that commitment. Originally laid out as the Comcast Broadband Opportunity Program, the plan offers internet access for only $10 a month to families with children who qualify for free lunch programs. Taking its commitment even further, the outfit is offering a $150 voucher for the purchase of a computer, access to free digital literacy training, and a Norton Security Suite. Of course there are a couple of requirements -- one being that you have to have made good on previous Comcast bills -- but we're hoping this will help the old red, white, and blue climb a couple rungs on the broadband adoption ladder. Full details of the ambitious plan await you in the PR after the break.
