This is better news for communities in Comcast services areas (so not as helpful in reaching the unserved) but it is good news for increasing adoption, and it looks like St Paul, …

Comcast Corporation Executive Vice President David L. Cohen today announced the company will continue Internet Essentials indefinitely — beyond its initial three-year commitment. Internet Essentials is Comcast’s acclaimed national broadband adoption program for low-income families. The company also announced more than $1 million in grants to dozens of non-profit organizations across the country to create Internet Essentials Learning Zones. The grants are part of a multi-faceted Gold Medal Recognition Program for communities that have done the most to help close the digital divide. In addition to the grants, Internet Essentials-eligible families in the Gold Medal-recognized communities who are not currently customers can receive six months of complimentary Internet service if they apply and are approved for the program by March 18^th, 2014. (See below for the list of communities.) [List includes St Paul MN]

The Comcast press release includes interesting research on successful broadband adoption programs…

Top research findings include:

• Institutions are important drivers in encouraging non-broadband users to adopt broadband.

• 98% of families said they signed up for Internet Essentials because their kids needed it for school.

• 83% said their child’s school expected that students have online access at home.

• Training makes a difference in how people engage with the Internet.

• 48% say the most helpful way to learn new things is to teach themselves through reading or online videos.

• 29% took advantage of in-person or online training resources and these users are more likely to say the Internet helps their kids with school work, how they access government services, and look for or apply for jobs.

• Broadband adoption programs are an important resource for economic advancement.

• 62% said they needed Internet service to look for or apply for jobs.

• 57% said the Internet helped them “a lot” or “somewhat” for job searches.