Comcast States Lifeline Broadband Providers Should Support Digital Literacy

Comcast is encouraging the Federal Communications Commission to require Lifeline broadband providers to support digital literacy training. We say Hurray! To substantially increase broadband adoption, we must address both cost and digital literacy. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance encourages Lifeline broadband providers to partner with community-based organizations and libraries who have digital literacy expertise and the trust of low-income community members. Comcast made their statement regarding the necessity of training in ex-parte comments to the FCC (which means they documented a verbal conversation with FCC staff members).

The final paragraph reads, "In light of the research, we discussed that the Commission should promote the development of comprehensive broadband adoption programs. We further discussed that a way to do this would be to include in Lifeline reform a requirement that broadband providers accepting Lifeline support implement digital literacy and relevance training programs...We also discussed that the Commission could track digital literacy and relevance training initiatives by having providers submit information regarding their training programs on an annual basis." And lastly, wow, it would be great to know how Lifeline broadband providers are supporting training programs. We also encourage the FCC to require providers to submit publicly available information regarding training programs.