According to Pew Research Center, less than half of people age 65 and older have high-speed internet at home. When it comes to income level, only 25 percent of seniors with household incomes below $30,000 have home broadband, compared to 82 percent of seniors with household incomes at or above $75,000, according to the research.
Comcast reports its taking aim at that issue through its Internet Essentials program, and made an announcement on Thursday that it plans to conduct a pilot program for low-income senior citizens in Boston. The operator reports that to date, its Internet Essentials has connected 750,000 families, or about 3 million Americans, which includes nearly 80,000 residents in Massachusetts.
Comcast also announced a $100,000 grant to Boston’s Tech Goes Home, which will use the funds to provide digital literacy training for senior citizens. Comcast also donated 110 laptops to seniors at the South Boston Neighborhood House and high school students throughout Boston.
Boston is the fifth region where Comcast offers an Internet Essentials pilot program for low-income senior citizens, following Palm Beach County, Philadelphia, San Francisco County, and Seattle.
“Closing the digital divide for low-income parents and children across the country and in the City of Boston has never been more important to Comcast. Seniors, too, need internet access at home to break down barriers of isolation and connect them to their friends, family, and caregivers,” David L. Cohen, senior executive VP and chief diversity officer at Comcast, comments.
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has reportedly been working with Comcast to bring affordable internet access to senior citizens in particular.
“Seniors are the fastest-growing segment of our population, and we are committed to making Boston an age-friendly city,” Walsh notes. “Our low-income seniors need both training and access to internet services, and I thank Comcast and our partners for their work to create equitable internet access for our City’s seniors.”
In addition to Internet Essentials, which includes low-cost internet service for $9.95 a month, the option to purchase a subsidized computer for less than $150, and access to digital literacy training in print, online, and in person, eligible senior citizens in Boston can also sign up for a 10 percent discount on basic cable TV or digital starter cable TV, according to Comcast.
