311 Help Desk
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City of harrisburg logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               

Contact: Matt Maisel
Communications Director, City of Harrisburg 
717-255-7295
[email protected] 

Contact:  Josephine Posti
Director of Public Relations, Comcast Keystone Region
412-491-6481

August 29, 2022 

HARRISBURG – Families in the Capital Region getting their kids ready to head back to school may be eligible for free internet.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. Families who qualify for programs like Federal Pell Grants, National School Lunch vouchers, SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, and others would likely also qualify for the ACP.

Comcast, which provides high speed internet throughout the City of Harrisburg, recently introduced two new ways for customers to benefit from the ACP:

Internet Essentials Plus

Internet Essentials Plus is a new tier of service for Comcast’s hallmark digital equity program that is available in all Comcast service areas to any customer who qualifies. It includes 100 Mbps Internet speeds, a cable modem, and unlimited data for $29.95 per month. Existing Internet Essentials customers can upgrade to this new, faster tier at any time. Customers who subscribe to Internet Essentials Plus and enroll in ACP will effectively get broadband for free after the $30/month government discount is applied.

Xfinity Mobile

Comcast’s top-rated Xfinity Mobile service, which includes 5G, is now available to customers enrolled in ACP, giving them the ability to save money on their connectivity needs inside and out of the home. Internet Essentials customers can use their $30/month ACP discount to pay for both Xfinity Internet and Xfinity Mobile service. For example, an Internet Essentials customer (paying $9.95/month) can add one line of Unlimited on Xfinity Mobile ($45/month) for $24.95/month after applying the ACP discount.

New and existing Xfinity Internet or Internet Essentials customers can visit www.xfinity.com/acp or call 844-389-4681 for more information, to determine eligibility, and sign up.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a $14.2 billion government program that extends and modifies the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB), ensuring households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and stay connected to the Internet with a monthly credit. 

Comcast is one of the many providers that has been participating in the EBB program since its inception in May 2021 and is proud to continue participating through ACP. In addition Comcast has established the Internet Essentials Partnership Program (IEPP) to provide opportunities for schools, school districts, government entities, foundations, and other organizations to pay for students’ and families’ broadband Internet service at home, and Comcast Lift Zones at community centers across the country to help provide safe environments for students and adults to learn and have access to high speed Internet.. 

Within the City of Harrisburg, Lift Zones are currently set up at Boys and Girls Club locations, Brethren Community Ministries, Camp Curtin YMCA, Shalom House, The Journey, and Heartshine, which provides free WiFi-enabled Gig service.