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The past 24 months have proven that access to the internet is crucial for all children and adults. Companies like Cox are dedicated to ensuring digital equity for households of all incomes and economic status in our communities.
On May 9, leaders from Cox and other internet providers gathered at the White House to announce a partnership about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which makes high-speed internet more affordable and accessible to households across the nation.
By participating in the ACP, eligible households will have access to Cox’s 100 Mbps high-speed internet service at no cost.
According to the White House, nearly 40% of American households are eligible for the $30-a-month subsidy through the ACP, and 11 million households have already signed up to lower their monthly bills and access affordable high-speed internet. In Clark County, 39% of eligible households have already enrolled, and many thousands remain eligible.
Cox has a long-standing commitment to narrowing the digital divide and has connected more than 1.4 million people to the internet through Cox-enabled Digital Equity Programs — including thousands of families in Southern Nevada.
This includes a strategic partnership with the state of Nevada early in the pandemic to ensure that children learning virtually had internet access – an effort that helped connect 15,000 local students to the internet at the virtual start of the 2020-2l school year.
For years, we’ve supported our communities through the donation of Cox Innovation Labs and Cox Technology Centers, which now number 15 in Southern Nevada in partnership with organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, YMCA, Salvation Army, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, the Strong Future Technology Training Center at the Historic Westside School and others.
As we move forward, we’re also expanding our footprint to reach underserved and rural communities. To this effort, Cox has pledged $400 million over the next three years to provide fast and reliable internet services to new homes and business in communities near our existing footprint.
Our commitment to digital equity continues to be our guiding purpose in ensuring that families stay connected at an affordable cost. Several affordable internet programs are offered in addition to the ACP to qualifying households. Visit
cox.com/digitalequity to check eligibility and sign up.
Janet Uthman is Cox Las Vegas market leader and vice president.
