Broadband market in the U.S. is gearing up for tough competition with Comcast offering up to six months of free service for any new family.
However, there are conditions. The new family should not have yet applied for Internet Essentials, said Comcast.
Families who are approved for Internet Essentials between August 4 and September 20, 2014 will receive up to six months of Internet service.
The free Internet service is in addition to doubling of broadband speed announced last week.
On Friday, Comcast increased Internet speeds for customers in almost all of its residential service areas in California, as well as select markets in Kansas, Missouri and Texas.
Comcast said Performance will offer speeds up to 50 Mbps against 25 Mbps earlier; Blast speed will be 105 Mbps against 50 Mbps; Extreme 105 users get 150 Mbps.
The changes impact all California customers (except those in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Isleton, Lodi and Rio Vista), as well as those in the Olathe, KS, Independence, MO, and Houston, TX markets.
Since 2011, Comcast’s broadband adoption program has connected more than 350,000 families, or about 1.4 million low-income Americans in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
In a statement, Comcast said the company’s amnesty program for certain low-income families, who could qualify for Internet Essentials, but have a past due balance, will enable them to connect to digital life. Customers who have an outstanding bill that is more than one year old are now eligible for the program. Comcast will offer amnesty for that debt for the purpose of connecting to Internet Essentials.
In April 2014, Comcast made similar speed changes for customers in the company’s Northeast Division, which includes 14 states and the District of Columbia.
Comcast has increased its Internet speeds for customers 13 times in the last 12 years. In second quarter of 2014, 47 percent of Comcast’s Internet customers select a speed tier faster than 50 Mbps.
