Philadelphia and Comcast finally reach a deal

After eight months of negotiations, Comcast and the City of Philadelphia (PA) agreed to the terms of a new 15-year franchise agreement. Both sides favorably described the deal, which includes added discounts for low-income Philadelphians, commitments to paying workers a living wage, and installation of a new network in more than 200 city buildings. Comcast officials called it the best in the nation. With the ink barely dry, City Council's public property committee signed off on Dec 3, sending the agreement for a vote of the full body the following week.

The negotiations were far-reaching. Chief among Council's concerns was Comcast's Internet Essentials discount program, open to low-income families with school-age children. Under the deal, Comcast would expand that program to seniors. The company said it would also provide up to $2.7 million over the next five years to allow other low-income Philadelphians to enroll. The money would help about 1,000 Philadelphians in the first year. Council also asked Comcast to drop the stipulation that only those without Internet service for 90 days qualify for the program. Instead, the city said it would give $170,000 per year to provide discounted Internet service to those excluded by the 90-day rule. The money, estimated to cover about 700 users, would come from the franchise fee Comcast pays to the city, officials said.