Comcast Launches $10 Internet Access for Low-Income Families

Cable and Internet provider Comcast is launching a new program to offer discounted Internet service and computers to low-income families.

The program, called Internet Essentials, will "provide low-cost access to the Internet and affordable computers as well as digital literacy training to families with children who are eligible to receive free lunches under the National School Lunch Program," according to the company's blog.

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Internet service provided through Internet Essentials features download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 384 Kbps. The plan costs $9.95 per month (plus tax) and is available for families that:

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• Are located where Comcast offers Internet service (currently in 39 states)
• Have at least one child receiving free school lunches through the National School Lunch Program
• Have not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days
• Do not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment

Upon enrollment, new customers have the opportunity to buy a "netbook-style laptop computer" for $149.99 (plus tax). It supports wired and Wi-Fi Internet connectivity and includes the Windows 7 Starter operating system and Internet browser software.

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Comcast has launched websites in English and Spanish to promote the offering.

The program will continue to accept new customers for "three full school years," according to the product's FAQ page. While this project seems like a goodwill initiative on part of the giant communications provider, it is actually a by-product of the Comcast-NBC merger, in which the company agreed to "increase broadband deployment in low income households" as one of a number of conditions to the acquisition.

Whether Comcast plans to continue the program after the terms of the condition expire or not, we hope this initiative helps push the United States one step closer to closing the digital divide between the "haves" and "havenots."

nowaday internet using man are incresing in all over the world.we know anything by using internet with a few minutes or seconds. 
Young boy are very much interested for using internet.At last i can say that internet bring  a lot of change in modern world.

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Gayle hopeful of speedy national return

Chris Gayle, who was named the 2010 West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Cricketer of the Year as well as Test Player of the Year during the eighth annual First Citizens WIPA Awards in St Ann’s on Thursday night, is hopeful about getting back into the national side “as quickly as possible”.Gayle, who had been omitted from the West Indies limited-overs squad for the Twenty20 and first two ODI games against India, following his ongoing dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over his controversial radio interview in April, wrote in his column in the Hindustan Times that he wanted the “issue to be sorted out”.”We have a meeting scheduled sometime in the next few days,” Gayle wrote, “[and] I want to be involved in the game. But it is out of my control. The WICB people are the ones in charge. I have to see if we can resolve the issue. As I had stated to the board, they have known that I am fully available.”Gayle, who watched the Twenty20 game between West Indies and India in Trinidad on Saturday from the stands, wrote it was “disappointing to actually be on the sidelines” and “strange not to be involved in the game, not to be walking out to open the batting”.”The atmosphere was great but the stands are not a great place to be. I want to be in the middle.” Gayle had called on his fans to give him “a wake up call to go and watch cricket, wake me at 9-30am T&T plz [sic]” on Twitter the day before the match. After the game he tweeted that he had a “blast at cricket It was really nice to see the support and appreciation by fans thank you all for d [sic] support!!” During the game he had tweeted “WI Fans Don’t worry about a thing,cause every little things gonna [sic] be alright”, suggesting that that there could soon be a reconciliation between him and the board.The WICB was angered by Gayle’s decision to play in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore but Gayle had said the way he had been treated by the West Indies board (WICB) had left him with little choice but to join Bangalore and miss the home series against Pakistan. Gayle, who ended the IPL as the tournament’s top run scorer, called his stint “memorable.”"The people and fans there showed a lot of warmth,” he wrote. “That was in contrast to how one’s own people fail to recall, tend to forget the things you have done for the team.”From a player’s point of view, that kind of respect is definitely deserved. In your own region you are made to feel like an outsider. It is sad but that is how it is. Yes, here I’m definitely talking about the administration. It is always important that you should feel absolutely relaxed to feel an integral part of an environment.

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