Cable conglomerate Comcast announced Monday that it will continue to provide free Internet service for new Internet Essentials customers as well as free access to more than 1.5 million public Xfinity Wi-Fi hot spots through June 30.
The extension of services will help families and individuals connect to the Internet during the coronavirus pandemic as millions of people continue to work remotely from home and while schools operate virtually, Comcast said in a press release.
“Our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure our network is operating at peak performance and help our customers and our communities navigate this unprecedented crisis,” Comcast CEO Dave Watson said in a statement. “For nearly a decade, we’ve been on a mission to ensure students have the resources they need to be successful.”
Comcast’s commitments are part of the nationwide cable network’s efforts to help families and individuals stay connected while helping to empower small businesses during the pandemic.
Since the onset of the pandemic in the United States, network teams have worked around the clock to triple network augmentations, install new hardware and upgrade network software to meet the rapidly growing needs of its customers, the company said.
Hundreds of thousands of non-Xfinity customers have taken advantage of the free hot spots, while usage by consumers has skyrocketed, Comcast said.
Comcast will also continue to waive the requirement that customers not have back debt due so that more families can apply.