Comcast-Time Warner Deal May Hinge On Low-Cost Internet Plan

techpolicy (3586897) writes "Comcast Corp.'s proposed $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable Inc. has brought the issue of the digital divide and the federal government's failing policies to decrease it back onto center stage, according to an article by the Center for Public Integrity. Comcast has told the Federal Communications Commission that it will offer its discounted Internet program for low-income customers to residents living in Time Warner Cable's service areas — if the FCC approves the purchase. Comcast offered FCC the same deal in 2011 when it bought NBCUniversal. But the low-cost program, called Internet Essentials, has signed up only 12 percent of the 2.6 million families eligible for the service since it was launched nearly three years ago. While the FCC and other federal agencies have spent billions of dollars trying to provide broadband access and training programs to the poor to close the divide, so far the policies haven't worked much. The percentage difference between Americans earning below $30,000 who have an Internet connection in their home and those earning $75,000 or more who have an in-home connection has narrowed only 4 percentage points from 2009 to 2013. As the Comcast purchase moves through its regulatory approval process, the center reports that it may be time to revisit the policies that will get more poor Americans connected, especially because to function in society today you have to be online."

Jesus H. Christ, I hate Comcast

[paiute]

You are in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and the CEO of Comcast. You have a gun with two bullets. What do you do?

You shoot the CEO twice.

Re:Jesus H. Christ, I hate Comcast

[digismack]

Hitler and Stalin are already dead. Might as well make sure the CEO joins them.

Re:Jesus H. Christ, I hate Comcast

[Andrio]

That reminds me of a joke by John Mulaney, where he told his friend how he wasn't sure if he believed in the death penalty. His friend goes (This is all a rough paraphrase, couldn't find a transcription "So you're telling me, if you saw Hitler walking down the street, you wouldn't kill him? You wouldn't kill Hitler?"

"Well, what do you mean by Hitler? Do I see some guy who looks like Hitler walking down the street, with the uniform and mustache and everything? Then I would assume it's just a guy on his way to a costume party. I wouldn't kill that guy. His costume is a little insensitive, but nothing worth killing him over. Or do you mean like, an old version of Hitler? Like an old man that I think might be Hitler? I wouldn't kill him either, because I'm often wrong."

"You killed this man!"

"He looked like Hitler!"

"Yeah a little, what's wrong with you?"