Google Fiber is now set to become a part of life for people living in low-income households.
The search engine giant has announced their plans to now offer their Internet service for free to less to affluent families.
Google has also announced that they will be providing the free service to regions where Google Fiber is already present or in places where the service itself may be rolled out in the future, according to Techno Buffalo. As of now, that would mean that the free Google Fiber service for low-income households will come to places such as Atlanta, Durham, Kansas City and Nashville.
Google's efforts are also part of the White House's initiative to finally bring the Internet to households that typically would not be able to afford such a service. The initiative, known as ConnectHome, is aiming to bring free or inexpensive broadband services from Sprint, Google, and other Internet providers to families living in low-cost housing, according to Engadget. The White House's baseline for what they want as free or at least inexpensive broadband service is anything south of $10 per month.
As of now, the initiative is still in the testing phase, and there is no guarantee from the parties involved that the services being provided will stay the same or even be available in the future. Despite the lack of a guarantee, the White House remains firmly behind their ConnectHome initiative, citing it as a way for children in low-income households to keep up with their classmates by being provided with a means to stay online even after they leave school. Free Internet is being as cited as one of the easiest ways to keep students engaged even after the school day.
An earlier trial run of the program prompted more than 90 percent of the residents in one low-income neighborhood to sign up for the free Internet service.
