Comcast on Friday said it's extending free access to its 1.5 million public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots to everyone, including people who aren't customers, for the rest of the year. This follows a Thursday update in which the company said it was extending its free Internet Essentials offer, which provides 60 days of internet service to low-income households with students, for the remainder of 2020.
The move comes as the US looks to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We saw a huge jump in usage after we opened up our public hotspots, and we're excited to keep them open through the end of the year as the nation begins taking steps to reopen," Dana Strong, president of Xfinity Consumer Services, said in a statement.
In March, Comcast and more than 700 other wireless and broadband providers signed on to the Federal Communications Commission's Keep Americans Connected pledge. As part of the pledge, companies promised not to charge late fees or disconnect service for customers who can't pay their bills. In April, the companies extended their pledge to June 30.
