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AT&T offering $5 internet to low-income families (under deal with FCC)
CNN ^ | April 22, 2016 | Heather Kelly

Posted on 05/02/2016 9:12:07 AM PDT by reaganaut1

Any home where at least one person receives food stamps will be eligible for the new program, called Access from AT&T.

The offering is part of an agreement AT&T (T, Tech30) made with the FCC as part of last year's DirectTV merger and will be available until 2020. The company is the latest to offer discounted internet to low-income households in the United States, joining Comcast (CCV), Google Fiber, and some local government and nonprofit.

These programs help close the so-called "digital divide" for families who would otherwise be forced to rely on school connections or cell phones. A lack of reliable internet access can have countless negative implications, including for students who need it to complete homework and adults who are searching for jobs.

In March, the FCC voted to expand its Lifeline program and add a $9.25 subsidy that could go toward broadband internet for low-income households. Another government initiative called ConnectALL wants to bring internet access to 20 million homes by 2020.

Access from AT&T will offer 3Mbps connections for $5 a month, and faster 5Mbps or 10Mbps connections for $10 a month. All installation and equipment fees will also be waived. People don't actually get to choose their speed, they'll automatically be assigned the fastest available where they live.

(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: att; comcast; fcc; foodstamps; googlefiber; internet; internetaccess; lifeline; lowincome; obamanet; welfare
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Paying for what you consume is for suckers. If you get free food, you should get almost-free high-speed Internet.
1 posted on 05/02/2016 9:12:07 AM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

As long as they don’t raise rates on normal people. If the shareholders are happy with giving away profits, then more power to them!


2 posted on 05/02/2016 9:14:29 AM PDT by Cowboy Bob
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To: reaganaut1

Socialism at it’s best. Make X dollars or less for $5.00 internet. One dollar over X dollars and you’re paying full. You’re evil and rich and can afford it. It’s only fair. I’m sure Bernie applauds this!


3 posted on 05/02/2016 9:15:20 AM PDT by albie
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To: reaganaut1
playstation 4 photo: playstation 4 41kxtajfNZL-300x200_zps80685444.jpg

Walk into a home with that $5 low income internet and I guarantee there will be a Playstation 4 with more games than you knew existed.

4 posted on 05/02/2016 9:17:30 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: Cowboy Bob

Last week received notification from AT & T of price hike. Now we know more of the why.


5 posted on 05/02/2016 9:22:00 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists Call 'em what you will, they all have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: Cowboy Bob
"As long as they don’t raise rates on normal people."

Well, Sherlock, you can be sure that the cost is not being paid from the stockholders' profits or the AT&T executive bonus pool.

That leaves the normal ratepayers or the normal taxpayers spreading their cheeks.

6 posted on 05/02/2016 9:23:17 AM PDT by Carl Vehse
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To: Cowboy Bob

“As long as they don’t raise rates on normal people. “

You must be dreaming.


7 posted on 05/02/2016 9:24:04 AM PDT by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day".)
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To: reaganaut1

Good luck collecting even $5 from them. Cutting off their Internet would be... racist... can’t do that.


8 posted on 05/02/2016 9:25:18 AM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: Cowboy Bob
As long as they don’t raise rates on normal people. If the shareholders are happy with giving away profits, then more power to them!

You are acting like we have some semblance of a free market, but we don't. To close a business deal AT&T had to agree to this blackmail by FedGov. And of course subscribes will pay for this. Who else can?

9 posted on 05/02/2016 9:25:20 AM PDT by Jack Black ( "Disarmament of a targeted group is one of the surest early warning signs of future genocide")
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To: reaganaut1

The big carriers are not doing the continued infrastructure upgrades to support the addition freeloaders, thus lowering the quality for those of us who pay for it.


10 posted on 05/02/2016 9:26:24 AM PDT by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
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To: Jack Black

That reminds me of when we lived in PA - when a home builder wanted to obtain permits to put 9 or 10 homes on a piece of land he had acquired he had to promise all sorts of “improvements” to the Township. Sometimes it was adding trees to the perimeter, and sometimes it was widening a road....but always seemed like blackmail to me as well.


11 posted on 05/02/2016 9:29:18 AM PDT by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
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To: reaganaut1

I’m in favor of giving them free dial up, but free internet is CRAZY. You’ll have the FSA/gimmedats playing HALO and GTA all day long (while still making more money than us suckers).


12 posted on 05/02/2016 9:34:54 AM PDT by DCBryan1 (No realli, moose bytes can be quite nasti!)
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To: reaganaut1

Paid for by other people.


13 posted on 05/02/2016 9:36:04 AM PDT by I want the USA back (The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it. Orwell.)
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To: reaganaut1

A lack of reliable internet access can have countless negative implications, including for students who need it to complete homework and adults who are searching for jobs.

HOHOHO hahaha heeheehee.

X1000


14 posted on 05/02/2016 9:50:26 AM PDT by Gasshog (CruZ is Romney's spork weasel sock puppet)
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To: reaganaut1

You don’t “make a deal” with the FCC. You either grant their demands with a smile, or force them to hog-tie you and take it from you.


15 posted on 05/02/2016 9:50:47 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: reaganaut1

Some pigs are more equal than others.....................


16 posted on 05/02/2016 9:51:02 AM PDT by Red Badger (WE DON'T NEED NO STEENKING TAGLINES!...........................)
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To: Cowboy Bob
"expand its Lifeline program and add a $9.25 subsidy that could go toward broadband internet for low-income households. "

Part appears to be subsidized by you and me ?
17 posted on 05/02/2016 10:10:37 AM PDT by stylin19a
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To: reaganaut1

Reduced rates on streaming porn, too?


18 posted on 05/02/2016 10:25:43 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Keep calm and Pray on.)
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To: rockinqsranch
Last week received notification from AT & T of price hike. Now we know more of the why.

Last month they raised my uVerse bill by $90 !! I flipped out. Called, finally got an American, he worked w/ me and after cutting a few channels got the bill down to about what I've been paying for several years.
Just got this month's bill, jumped $50. calling in a couple minutes.

As much as I hate to, I may go back to (gulp)..Time Warner.

BTW..Google announced they are going to provide fiber to low income housing free. Us poor schmucks would pay out the nose for it.

19 posted on 05/02/2016 10:27:08 AM PDT by Vinnie
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To: reaganaut1

Just what America needs: another incentive to stay poor.


20 posted on 05/02/2016 10:28:35 AM PDT by AZLiberty (A is no longer A, but a pull-down menu.)
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