Comcast's Internet Essentials jumping from 25/3 to 50/5. https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/2/22261402/comcast-internet-essentials-doubling-speed-uploads

Many users, nonprofits, and others have advocated for this change for a long time. We should celebrate the success but note the limitations.

FCC still classifies 25/3 as broadband, but it's not enough for multiple users using high broadband applications. This needs to change.

No federal regulation requires ISPs to offer lower cost Internet plans for low-income households - even in the middle of the pandemic. Additionally, even $10 a month is too much for families.

One of the the requirements for Internet Essentials is that a household can't be an existing customer. So, if you lose your job, you can't jump down the lower-cost program.

Without regulation, ISPs can choose what rules to set, what bandwidth to offer, and at what cost.

You can see a list of known-programs across the US. https://www.digitalinclusion.org/free-low-cost-internet-plans/ As you can see the offers and regulations vary widely. You also need to know what provider serves your area.

Comcast offers one of the better, wide reaching options for low-income households. Other ISPs should be held accountable as well as the FCC.

I want amplify the work of SOMOS, a group of Baltimore students that have been putting pressure on Comcast for this change: https://twitter.com/SOMOSCityKnight/status/1356641340738711556?s=20 https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/teenagers-take-on-comcast-internet-essentials