ConnectHome: Affordable subscriptions to the internet
President Barack Obama announced a new initiative Wednesday to continue nationwide expansion of high-speed internet access. The project, ConnectHome, will bring high-speed broadband to low income families. ConnectHome is a collaboration between private sector businesses, the federal government and communities, and will launch in 27 states.
Housing Secretary Julian Castro
An analysis released by the president’s Council of Economic Advisers explains that some Americans are unable to benefit from high-speed broadband. While nearly two-thirds of households in the lowest-income quintile own a computer, less than half have internet at home.
“Having internet access, whether it is wired or wireless, for a young person growing up in a public housing community, both of those things are a plus,” says Julián Castro, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “The big win for these young folks is that now they’re are going to actually have internet access. And they’re going to have a chance to do the homework that before they weren’t able to do.”
ConnectHome is a partnership with private companies, who will be footing most of the bill. They include Cox Communications, Sprint and Google.
The program will be free for some communities and up to $10 a month for others.
The administration says getting into the internet business will help bridge the digital divide for about 275 thousand households.
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