Thousands of Waller residents and businesses now able to access high-speed Internet through Comcast’s Next-gen Network
Comcast to give $35,000 in local grants and free laptops to help close the digital divide
Comcast announced the activation of its new $1.4 million fiber-rich network in the City of Waller, bringing Internet speeds of up to 1.2 gigabits per second (Gbps) in homes and up to 100 Gbps in businesses to thousands of local residents and business owners. Comcast also announced it will be investing $35,000 in digital equity grants to help close the digital divide in Waller, along with a donation of 150 free laptops for students in need.
“Reliable access to technology is a powerful driver of economic growth and innovation,” Waller County Judge Trey Duhon said. “We recognize Comcast plays a very important role in building and connecting the City of Waller and Waller County to all the opportunities broadband offers.”
To build the new network in the City of Waller, Comcast installed about 52 miles of hybrid-fiber coaxial infrastructure that offer supersonic WiFi speeds faster than 1 Gig. The new network is now available to nearly 600 City of Waller households, including the Beacon Hill Community, and more than 200 businesses. To ensure everyone who needs access can afford it, Comcast is proud to participate in the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and offer free high-speed internet to qualifying low-income households.
“We treasure our rural communities, and we are investing in them,” Mitch Danklef, Comcast Senior Director of Business Development, said. “Our investments ensure that the City of Waller residents and business owners will not only have access to the fastest and most reliable network, but now have a network that will be sustained and paid-for by Comcast for decades to come.”
The City of Waller network is the latest example of the investment Comcast is making to bring more high-speed internet access and services to businesses and households in Waller County. Comcast is also investing more than $4M to build a network that will serve thousands of residents in Prairie View; it is slated to complete construction by the end of the year.
Comcast Invests in Community Vitality
To celebrate the new City of Waller fiber-rich network, Comcast, joined by Waller County Judge Trey Duhon, announced more than $35,000 in grants to organizations that serve low-income families in the Waller area. Comcast presented a $25,000 grant to the United Way of Greater Houston – Waller County and a $10,000 grant to Waller County Assistance and Restoration Ministries (WARM). Following the grant presentations, Comcast announced it would give 150 free laptops to Waller ISD families. According to Waller ISD, more than 60 percent of district students are considered economically disadvantaged.
“Having an equal opportunity to connect to the power of the internet opens doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators,” Misha McClure, Comcast Director of External Affairs, said. “This investment in the City of Waller with the United Way, Waller ISD students and others will provide families with the resources and opportunities needed to participate and excel in today’s economy.”
Comcast Products and Services
Residential customers in these areas will be able to take advantage of Xfinity’s full suite of internet products, including:
- Supersonic WiFi: With the fastest gig-speed WiFi, and our new WiFi 6E capable gateway, customers can power a house full of connected devices — all at once.
- Ultimate Security: Help keep loved ones safe and secure online with xFi Advanced Security, included at no extra cost. Advanced Security helps protect customers’ devices from billions of cyberthreats a year, and customers can add xFi Complete to extend that security on the go.
- Powerful Connection: The newest Gateway provides a more reliable connection for all connected devices. And with xFi Complete, get wall-to-wall WiFi coverage throughout the home, with an xFi Pod included if recommended.
- Unprecedented Control: xFi, a digital dashboard provides control over the in-home WiFi network so customers can set screen time rules, seamlessly onboard new devices, and more.
Xfinity Mobile, built for the way consumers use mobile today, with the Internet at the core of the experience, the top-ranked service in customer satisfaction can save customers up to $400 a year on their mobile bills. Flex, a free 4K platform for internet-only customers that seamlessly delivers streaming content.
For local businesses, Comcast Business offers a suite of connectivity, communications, networking, cybersecurity, wireless, and managed solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest-growing providers of Ethernet services.
City of Waller residents can enroll in Xfinity services by visiting Xfinity.com.
