Comcast rolls out Internet Essentials upgrades and selects San Francisco as a pilot for low-income seniors

At a community event recorded in the transcript, Comcast executive David L. Cohen said Comcast has doubled Internet Essentials speed to 10 Mbps, will provide free Wi‑Fi routers to Internet Essentials customers at no additional charge, and is launching pilot programs to extend Internet Essentials eligibility to low-income seniors — with San Francisco named as one pilot site.

Cohen said the program has connected hundreds of thousands of families nationally and that the company will couple the service with digital-literacy programs and nonprofit partners. "We are now providing a free WiFi router to all Internet essentials customers," he said, and announced that San Francisco will be among the pilot cities to expand eligibility to seniors in partnership with local organizations such as Self Help for the Elderly.

Acting Mayor Katie Tang, Supervisor Julie Christensen and representatives of Self Help for the Elderly and other nonprofit partners praised the pilot and emphasized the role of digital literacy and local partnerships in reaching low-income seniors who lack broadband access at home.

Why it matters: Expanding low-cost home broadband and digital training for seniors aims to reduce isolation and improve access to health, financial and social services. San Francisco’s selection as a pilot site puts local agencies and nonprofit partners in a coordinating role.

Provenance: David L. Cohen's remarks and supporting statements by city officials and nonprofit partners appear in the transcript of the event following the commission meeting.