FCC Launches Computer Recycling/Donation Program

Effort to close broadband adoption gap among low-income households

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/6/2012 1:14:10 PM

The FCC and its Connect2Compete public private partnership are launching a computer recycling and donation drive Tuesday.

Redemtech, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Latin American Youth Center are partnering in the effort to get broadband into the hands of more low-income families.

Computer costs are one of the major obstacles to broadband adoption, with almost 60% of low-income families lacking either a laptop or desktop, and over a third of those without broadband citing computer cost as a barrier.

In November, major cable operators including Time Warner Cable and Cox followed Comcast's Internet Essentials model in pledging to the FCC that they would offer low-cost ($9.95 per month and no activation fee) broadband for households with kids eligible for school lunches.

Mexican Telecom entrepreneur Carlos Slim Hel's Carlos Slim Foundation in May donated $3 million to the Connect2Compete broadband adoption effort and the Ad Council committed to a multi-year, multilingual PSA campaign to close the broadband adoption gap.