Image via Comcast Instagram
This post is sponsored by Xfinity.
It’s been two years since many of us first started to work or study from home, and one of the very first things a lot of us realized was that our old, basic Internet was just not cutting it anymore. With multiple devices running at once, several Zoom meetings going on all across the house and evenings largely spent streaming and gaming, it was time for an upgrade!
Here in the Pittsburgh region, Comcast has served residential customers for decades no matter your budget for home and business internet. However, this month Comcast announced new ways for qualifying customers to get connected to the Internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP. Right now, you can enroll in their Internet Essentials Plus package and receive Internet service with 100 Mbps download speeds, a cable modem, and a wifi router – all for free after the ACP credit is applied!
Good Internet service shouldn’t have to break the bank. That’s why the ACP was introduced: to help households across America get essential Internet service that’s within their budget by offering a $30/month benefit for qualifying households. For customers who choose the Internet Essentials Plus package, that equals a monthly bill of $0.
Comcast can also package Xfinity Mobile for Internet Essentials customers, who can receive their Internet service and one line of Unlimited 5G mobile phone service for just $24.95/month after the ACP benefit is applied.
To find out if your household is eligible for the ACP benefit, visit www.xfinity.com/acp or call 844-389-4681 to talk to a rep who can help you get started.
Image via Comcast Instagram
Earlier this month, Comcast also announced a major upgrade for nearly all of its Xfinity Internet users: increased speeds at no extra cost! From its Performance Starter package, which saw its upload speeds double, all the way up to the Extreme Pro tier that features download speeds of 900 Mbps, millions of residential customers can now work, study, stream, and game faster than ever before.
This is Xfinity Internet’s 21st speed increase in 21 years, and if you’ve been a customer for a while, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that your upload and download speeds have been on the rise. With seemingly endless streaming content to enjoy and many of us still working or studying from home, speedy Internet service like Xfinity is essential!
According to Comcast’s latest WiFi Trends Report, the number of household devices like mobile phones, computers, tablets, and even smart devices and appliances that connect to WiFi has multiplied by 12 in just the last few years, and Comcast alone connected nearly one billion devices to WiFi in 2021.
The Trends Report also found that health was the fastest-growing category for at-home wifi use: smartwatches, fitness trackers, and wifi-enabled exercise equipment dominated 2021. You may not even realize how essential having high-speed Internet can be to achieving your personal wellness goals at home – that is until your live-streaming workout class starts to buffer and lag.
Image via Comcast Instagram
If you’re a business owner, check this out: Comcast wants to work with you to get your business the high-speed Internet you need to succeed. The Comcast RISE program has already provided over $60 million in grants, marketing, and technology services to small business owners across the counter – more than 6,700 already – since launching in November 2022. If your business is owned by people of color or women-owned, you can visit comcastrise.com to apply for a technology makeover with Internet essentials or advertising on local TV.
In addition to providing WiFi to its home and business customers, Comcast has been investing in the Pittsburgh region by installing free WiFi at more than 100 community centers across the state. Students, veterans, seniors, and anyone in the community who needs access to high-speed Internet can visit Lift Zones to access WiFi for applying for jobs, completing schoolwork, and just keeping in touch with loved ones across the world.
Comcast has even announced that they will be making a $1 billion investment over the next decade to help close the “digital divide” and bring Internet access to all as part of its Internet Essentials program. Expect to see even more Lift Zones in the community coming soon!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.