Launch to connect community members in need with internet access
(Jackson, MS): June 7, 2021 – Comcast today announced the launch of its latest Xfinity WiFi-connected Lift Zone in Jackson in partnership with Voice of Calvary Ministries. The new Lift Zone is located at 531 West Capitol Street.
Through Lift Zones, Comcast provides free Wi-Fi hotspots in safe community spaces like Voice of Calvary Ministries, allowing students and families to get online, participate in distance learning and do their homework. Many sites also serve adults, connecting them to online education, job searches, healthcare information and public assistance. The initiative provides free internet connectivity inside community centers and access to hundreds of hours of content.
“We are dedicated to providing internet connectivity in an effort to close the digital divide,” said Jason Gumbs, Regional Senior Vice President at Comcast. “We are proud to partner with Voice of Calvary Ministries and support the community through the new Lift Zone.”
Voice of Calvary Ministries is a faith-based development center that focuses on providing programs to uplift the community. Since 1975, its mission is to rebuild lives and communities in the Jackson area.
In 2020, Comcast announced a multiyear program to launch more than 1,000 Xfinity WiFi-connected Lift Zones in community centers nationwide. This effort is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to help low-income families connect to the internet while providing resources to help them fully participate in educational opportunities and the digital economy remotely.
In nearly 10 years, Comcast Internet Essentials has become the nation’s largest and most successful low-income internet adoption program and has connected millions of people. It offers households low-cost, broadband service for $9.95/month, the option to purchase a heavily subsidized computer and multiple options for free digital literacy training. In 2020, Comcast committed to providing 60 days of free Internet Essentials service for qualifying low-income families that are new customers through June 30, 2021. Additionally, the company increased speeds for all new and existing Internet Essentials customers at no additional cost.
