Comcast Lights Up 21st Lift Zone with Free High-Speed WiFi for All Baltimore City Residents

In Addition to Existing Free and Low-Cost Internet Options, Eligible Customers Also May Sign Up for the Federal Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) to Receive Up to $50 Per Month Toward Internet Service While Funds Last

With the school year about to begin, Comcast continues to help Baltimore students and families stay connected to the internet. Comcast is now providing free high-speed WiFi in 21 Baltimore City community centers and growing – to customers and non-customers alike – to help students get online for distance learning and to do their schoolwork. Adults, veterans and seniors also can use the centers to search for employment, connect with friends and family, or access medical and health information.

In addition, Baltimore City residents who sign up for Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program that has connected a cumulative total of 10 million people from low-income households to high-speed broadband internet service nationwide, including 48,000 households in the City, can receive free internet service for the first 60 days and free access for all to its thousands of public Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout Baltimore City through June 30, 2022.

Comcast is also participating in the federal government’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, a temporary discount program available on all tiers of Xfinity Internet service, including Internet Essentials. New and existing eligible customers who are interested in participating can receive up to a $50 per month credit on their internet bill from Comcast and can visit www.xfinity.com/EBB to see what options are available to them, and register.

“Our commitment to keep our customers connected to the internet remains vital as our students and families prepare to go back to school,” said Michael Parker, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Beltway Region. “Our teams have continued to make our network in Baltimore both smarter and stronger while also ensuring we continue to drive adoption of the free and low-cost internet service options that already exist in the City.”

For the last decade, Comcast has been on a mission to help connect low-income Americans to the internet. The company recently announced a $1 billion commitment over the next 10 years to help even more people access the tools and resources they need to succeed in a digital world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Comcast has continued to build on all these efforts with comprehensive commitments to help families, individuals and small businesses stay connected with fast, safe and secure internet service. These efforts include:

• 60 Days of Free Internet Essentials Service – New customers who sign up through June 30, 2022 will receive 60 days of complimentary service. Comcast also will continue to waive the requirement that customers not have back debt due so more families can apply.
• WiFi-Connected Community Lift Zones – The Lift Zones in Baltimore City providing free high-speed internet to city residents including students, veterans and seniors include:
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore – Brooklyn O’Malley – 3560 3rd Street Baltimore, MD 21225
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore – O’Donnell Heights – 1200 Gusryan Street Baltimore, MD 21224
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore – Webster Kendrick – 4130 Callaway Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore – Westport Homes – 2343 Norfolk Street Baltimore, MD 21230
  • Carroll F. Cook Recreation Center – 5061 E. Eager Street, Baltimore, MD 21205
  • Delta Community Center – 2501 Springhill Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215
  • Fayette Street Outreach – 29 N. Smallwood Street, Baltimore, MD 21223
  • Goodnow Community Center – 5311 Goodnow Road, Baltimore, MD 21206
  • Greenmount West Community Center – 1634 Guilford Avenue (Lanvale Entrance),
    Baltimore, MD 21202
  • Harvey Johnson Community Center (Union Baptist Church) – 1211 Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217
  • Herring Run Recreation Center- 5001 Sinclair Lane, Baltimore, MD 21206
  • Irvington Community Center – 4115 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229
  • Langston Hughes Community, Business & Resource Center – 5011 Arbutus Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215
  • Learning How! Child Development – 4908 Hamilton Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206
  • Mora Crossman Recreation Center – 5900 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21224
  • North Harford Recreation Center (E-Sports Facility) – 6800 Hamlet Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21234
  • Oliver Recreation Center – 1600 N. Spring Street, Baltimore 21213
  • Safe Alternative Foundation for Education (SAFE) – 1501 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21223
  • The Club at Collington Square – 2102 Mura Street, Baltimore, MD 21213
  • The Y in Druid Hill – 1609 Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217
  • The Y in Waverly (Weinberg) – 900 E. 33rd Street, Baltimore, MD 21218

“We strongly believe that all students should have access to a quality education and the tools and environment that will help them achieve their goals,” said Van Brooks, founder and executive director of Safe Alternative for Education (SAFE). “Through our partnership with Comcast and this Lift Zone, we are carrying out our mission.”

• Network Investment & Innovation – Comcast has invested more than $30 billion to expand and evolve its network over the last decade – and currently provides service to every neighborhood and zip code in Baltimore City. Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis in the United States, network teams have worked around the clock to triple network augmentations, install new hardware, and upgrade network software – to expand capacity and ensure that it could meet the rapidly growing needs of its customers.
• Free Educational Resources – In partnership with Common Sense Media, Comcast has curated thousands of hours of free educational programming into an education destination for Xfinity video customers to support kids K-12.