Bridging the Digital Divide
Mediacom Communications Brings Internet Access to Students in Over 2,000 Low-income Households
WEST DES MOINES, IA – April 23, 2019 -- Mediacom Communications announced this week that over the past 12 months, it has doubled the number of K-12 student families who receive low-cost Internet service to extend educational learning from classrooms to home. Today, more than 2,000 families who did not previously have home Internet service use Connect2Compete, a product Mediacom makes available to low-income families with K-12 students.
Connect2Compete provides low-cost, high-speed Internet service to students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The offering, which Mediacom subsidizes as an educational initiative, includes robust home WiFi. Eligible families pay $9.95 per month to receive the home Internet service, and equipment and installation fees are waived.
“Technology and the Internet play an essential role in student learning. As one of America’s leading broadband companies, Mediacom recognizes the importance of closing the achievement gap between students in homes with access to high-speed Internet and those without it,” said Mediacom Senior Vice President Ed Pardini.
The number of Connect2Compete participants has grown each month and doubled from one year ago. The 2,000-plus families who currently use the service live in 408 communities across Mediacom’s multi-state service area, mostly in communities with populations below 5,000.
“Access to quality broadband service is a topic that policymakers are concerned about, especially in non-metro areas. With Mediacom Connect2Compete, the results are real and the impact is transformational for the students and their families,” Pardini said. “In the past year, we’ve doubled the number of families who use this discounted service to provide digital learning for their sons and daughters, and we plan to continue our local investments to ensure that students don’t miss out on the benefits of living in an Internet-connected home.”
Connect2Compete is available in all communities along Mediacom’s fiber-rich digital network. Families can retain the discounted home Internet service during the school’s summer break to further support student learning. New participants can sign-up at any time to be ready for the 2019-20 school year. Families who live in Mediacom service areas and have K-12 students who qualify for the NSLP can sign up to participate. Information is available online at www.mediacomc2c.com or by phone (toll-free) at: 855-904-2225.
Contact:
Phyllis Peters, MediacomSenior Director, CommunicationsAbout Mediacom Communications
Mediacom Communications Corporation is the 5th largest cable operator in the United States and the leading gigabit broadband provider to smaller markets primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. Through its fiber-rich network, Mediacom offers high-speed data, video, phone, and mobile services to over 3 million households and businesses across 22 states. The company delivers scalable broadband solutions to commercial and public-sector customers of all sizes through Mediacom Business and sells advertising and production services under the OnMedia brand. More information about Mediacom is available at mediacomcable.com.