▁charges ▁$ 2 0 ▁for ▁internet ▁installation , ▁but ▁the ▁fee ▁is ▁wa ived ▁for ▁customers ▁who ▁opt ▁to ▁install ▁themselves . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Com cast ▁launched ▁its ▁" Internet ▁Ess entials " ▁program , ▁which ▁offers ▁low - cost ▁internet ▁service ▁to ▁families ▁with ▁children ▁who ▁qual ify ▁for ▁free ▁or ▁reduced ▁price ▁school ▁l unch es . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Federal ▁Communic ations ▁Commission ▁( F CC ) ▁required ▁this ▁budget ▁service ▁as ▁a ▁condition ▁for ▁allowing ▁Com cast ' s ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁N BC Univers al ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Of ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 2 . 6 0 ▁million ▁households ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁the ▁program , ▁about ▁ 2 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁households ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁program ▁as ▁of ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁A ▁similar ▁program ▁is ▁available ▁from ▁other ▁internet ▁prov iders ▁through ▁the ▁non - pro fit ▁Connect 2 comp ete . org . ▁Com cast ▁has ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁program ▁will ▁accept ▁new ▁customers ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁three ▁years . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁as ▁he ▁met ▁with ▁F CC ▁concerning ▁the ▁Time ▁Warner ▁C able ▁mer ger , ▁Com cast ▁vice ▁president ▁David ▁C ohen ▁told ▁rep or ters ▁that ▁the ▁internet ▁ess entials ▁program ▁will ▁be ▁extended ▁in def initely . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Cons umer ▁Electron ics ▁Show , ▁Com cast ▁un ve