Comcast Announces Partnership With Connect
Direct, A Subsidiary of Communication Service for the Deaf, to Help
Close the Digital Divide
Since 2011, Comcast’s Internet Essentials
Program Has Connected More than 8 Million Low-Income Americans to
the Internet
Comcast and Connect Direct, a subsidiary of Communication
Service for the Deaf (CSD), today launched customer service support
via American Sign Language (ASL) for Internet Essentials, Xfinity
Internet, and general Xfinity billing questions, called ASL Now.
With the combined expertise of both companies, Internet Essentials
and Xfinity customers can now connect with customer service agents
in their native language, ASL – the fourth most-used language in
the United States. This is a first for the cable industry and it
helps to further address the digital divide for Americans with
disabilities by ensuring that members of the deaf community can get
connected to the Internet at home without barriers.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191203005739/en/
Comcast and Connect Direct today launched
a customer service program for the deaf community in American Sign
Language, called ASL Now. (Photo: Business Wire)
The announcement was made at a digital inclusion rally at the
Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD) to celebrate Comcast’s
Internet Essentials program, which is the nation’s largest, most
comprehensive, and most successful Internet adoption program for
low-income households. The launch of ASL Comcast customer support
is a continuation of Comcast’s commitment to the disability
community. It follows on the heels of the largest eligibility
expansion in the history of the Internet Essentials program,
announced earlier this year, to include all qualified low-income
households, including people with disabilities.
According to Pew Research Center, the need to address the
digital divide for people with disabilities is clear. The study
found that 23 percent of people with disabilities say they never go
online, and 57 percent say they do not even have a home broadband
subscription.
“The Internet is an incredible resource so long as you have the
skills and the tools to use it,” said David L. Cohen, Senior
Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Comcast
Corporation. “By partnering with Connect Direct and working with
the deaf community, we want to address and break down the barriers
to broadband adoption that are unique to this population. That
starts by being able to speak with customers in their native
language.”
“We are especially happy to partner with Comcast on this
initiative, which represents a significant leap forward in
broadening the reach of services available in ASL and creating more
avenues for fuller participation of deaf people in society,” said
Christopher Soukup, Chief Executive Officer of CSD. “Comcast’s
commitment to launching an ASL customer service center underlines a
shift in attitude by major corporations in recognizing the value of
deaf people and the benefit and ease in delivering exceptional
customer service through their customers’ language of choice.”
In line with Comcast’s commitment to make products, services,
and experiences accessible to the widest possible audience
including people with disabilities, Comcast also announced today
that it created an internetessentials.com/accessibility landing
page, with direct links to the new ASL Now chat function, the
ability to order collateral materials in Braille and large print,
and an accessibility-specific FAQ. Additionally, the Learning
Center on the Internet Essentials website now includes nearly 50
Internet safety and digital literacy videos with closed captions
for the deaf. Topics include: online safety and security, basic
uses of the Internet, and how to get various things done online.
The website is also operable with assistive technologies, such as
screen reader software, for the blind or visually impaired. Earlier
this year, Comcast announced a partnership with the American
Association of People with Disabilities and, working together, the
two organizations will continue to add even more digital literacy
training content to the Learning Portal that will be specifically
designed for people with disabilities.
At PSD, Comcast also surprised 90 students by giving them free
tablets and six months of complimentary Internet service at home
through the Internet Essentials program. Additionally, in
partnership with Dell Technologies, the Company announced it will
donate new computer equipment to PSD for students to learn vital
digital skills.
At a second event at the Nationalities Services Center (NSC),
Comcast announced the grand opening of NSC’s new computer lab.
Funded in part by a Comcast Foundation grant, the lab will become
part of the City of Philadelphia’s KEYSPOT network of public,
private, and nonprofit organizations that provide technology,
training, and other opportunities through community-based public
access centers computing labs. Additionally, a second accelerator
grant was announced to fund increased instructor hours and provide
for a wider range of classes, including basic word processing and
office productivity. At that event, Comcast surprised 75 clients of
NSC’s employment programs with free laptop computers and six months
of complimentary Internet service at home.
“We in local government have a critical role to play in
increasing opportunities and improving equitable outcomes for all
Philadelphians,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Promoting digital
inclusion and literacy, along with job readiness to support
immigrants and refugees who are building their careers and
foundations in our city, is key to realizing the goals outlined in
our workforce development and inclusive growth strategies. I
applaud Comcast Foundation and Nationalities Service Center for
adding this new computer lab to our citywide KEYSPOT network.”
Since 2011, the Internet Essentials program has connected more
than eight million low-income Americans to the Internet at home, 90
percent of whom were not connected to the Internet at home until
they signed up through Internet Essentials. This number includes
nearly 290,000 in the City of Philadelphia.
Internet Essentials has an integrated, wrap-around design that
addresses each of the three major barriers to broadband adoption
that research has identified. These include: a lack of digital
literacy skills, lack of awareness of the relevance of the Internet
to everyday life needs, and fear of the Internet; the lack of a
computer; and cost of internet service. The program is structured
as a partnership between Comcast and tens of thousands of school
districts, libraries, elected officials, and nonprofit community
partners. For more information, or to apply for the program,
please visit www.internetessentials.com. The accessible website
can be read in seven different languages and there is also a
dedicated phone number 1-855-846-8376. Information about the new
ASL website can be found at
www.internetessentials.com/accessibility. Spanish-only speakers can
call 1-855-765-6995.
About Connect Direct &
CSD
Connect Direct, a division of CSD, is leading business and
technology solutions for contact center programs, specifically
geared for deaf and hard of hearing consumers, while creating
employment opportunities for the deaf community. Connect Direct
benefits include: custom technology solutions developed by and for
the deaf community; overall improved customer service and
efficiencies for existing and potential deaf and hard of hearing
customers; the elimination of third-party services creating
increased and more accurate brand representation; the recruitment,
hiring and training of deaf talent to provide direct ASL service;
and increased productivity with the decrease of call times by as
much as 42 percent.
Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is the largest deaf-led
social impact organization in the world. For more than four
decades, CSD has been a leader in creating and providing accessible
technology solutions for the deaf community. Today, CSD continues
its work to create opportunities for personal and economic growth
within the deaf community, specifically addressing leadership and
employment. CSD’s Social Venture Fund is one of the first angel
funds and incubators in the world supporting deaf entrepreneurs and
deaf-owned and operated businesses. For more information about CSD
and Connect Direct please visit www.csd.org and
www.csd.org/whatwedo/connect-direct/
About Comcast
Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and
technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable,
NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’
largest video, high-speed Internet, and phone providers to
residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides
these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and
security and automation services to residential customers under the
Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news,
entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo
broadcast networks, television production operations, television
station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and
Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment
companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content
through its pay television services. It also provides
communications services, including residential high-speed Internet,
phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast
network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original
content, and has exclusive content rights.
Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191203005739/en/
Charlie Douglas charlie_douglas@comcast.com (215) 264-8020
Jennifer Bilotta jennifer_bilotta@comcast.com (267) 443-0427
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024