Obama plans with Google to Provide Low Income Households Free Internet

Google helps Obama offer free internet access to low-income families.

Since the internet became a utility, it’s reasonable to say it’s become a necessity in our day and age. The internet is used by a majority of people during work, for school, and as an extremely useful tool in everyday life. So when considering the low-income families that lack internet access, it only makes sense that there should be a program to supply the necessary demand, right? Well the President and Google seem to have decided so.

On July 15, 2015 ConnectHome was announced in Oklahoma by Obama. The program is designed to provide internet access across the country to low income families. “While many middle-class US students go home to internet access, allowing them to do research, write papers, and communicate digitally with their teachers and other students, too many lower-income children go unplugged every afternoon when school ends,” The White House released in a statement, originally reported by Bloomberg.

ISPs including Google, Sprint, Cox and Century Link are reported to be involved in the program. While most are willing to provide cheap alternatives that are more affordable for low-income families, it’s Google who has decided to provide no strings attached, completely free internet service through Google Fiber for families that apply in Atlanta, Durham, Kansas City, and Nashville.

Launching in 27 cities and potentially reaching 275,000 families, ConnectHome is a service that could help students in K-12 develop enriching opportunity through online services, and could ultimately be the difference between researching colleges and flunking high school classes that have a high emphasis on internet activity such as research, or online forums.

You can read more on the service at the White House Fact Sheet. Perhaps the services are provided near you.

Sources include: The Verge | Bloomberg | Connect Home

Writer: angeldamion.com