Charter Expands Free Broadband Eligibility

Charter Communications said it has expanded the eligibility for its 60-day free offer of broadband and WiFi access to include educators (K-12 teachers and College/University professors) who do not already have a Spectrum account.

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Charter, along with most of the cable industry, began offering free broadband and WiFi access on March 16 to non-customers who have school-age children for 60 days as the coronavirus outbreak has forced schools to close and employees to work from home.

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Charter continues to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, a high speed broadband program available to eligible low-income households that delivers speeds of 30 Mbps. Charter also has agreed as part of the Federal Communications Commission’s Keep Americans Connected initiative, not to disconnect service for non-payment issues related to the outbreak, not to charge late fees for those customers and has opened its WiFi hotspots to the public. In addition:

  • Spectrum News has opened its websites to ensure people have access to news and information
  • Charter has also donated airtime to run 1,000 COVID-19 public service announcement (PSA) spots per week, including on all Spectrum News Networks, for four weeks to our full footprint of 16 million video subscribers and on our digital video and streaming apps. Additionally, Charter will run PSAs for the American Red Cross and other relief organizations.

Educators who live in a Spectrum market and do not currently have broadband, should contact Spectrum at 1-844-488-8395 to sign up. A free self-installation kit will be provided to new student and educator households.