Charter Communications (NASDAQ:CHTR) has launched a low-income Internet program, dubbed Spectrum Internet Assist, intended for seniors and families of students across its national footprint. The service will feature 30 Mbps downstream and 4 Mbps upstream for $14.99 per month, plus taxes and fees. Activation fees are waived, and the rate will not be increased during the life of the program. Charter WiFi is available for an additional $5 a month.
"Charter is excited to bring a whole new world of digital access and opportunity to hundreds of thousands of low-income families and seniors," said Charter Chairman and CEO Tom Rutledge. "Spectrum Internet Assist is an important next step in providing true high-speed connections to those who would otherwise continue to face digital inequality in this country."
Starting today, Spectrum Internet Assist will be available throughout Charter's legacy service area, and will continue to be rolled out market by market with a goal of covering the remaining Charter footprint by mid-2017. Providing a low-income broadband program was one of the conditions of Charter's purchase of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
The service is available to families with students who participate in the National School Lunch Program and seniors who are 65 and older who receive Supplemental Security Income program benefits.
