Xfinity Mobile is a wireless cellular service by Comcast that functions under the mobile network operator model; the carrier uses Verizon’s network. Internet Essentials is a broadband Internet service at a reduced cost, provided to households that meet certain low-income criteria.
Although these are Comcast-based packages, they are different products with different criteria for enrollment. So can you obtain Internet service Provider Mobile in addition to Internet Essentials? So let’s look at the details of the artifact.
Internet Essentials Eligibility
Internet Essentials is available to households that meet the following criteria.
- The household is in a neighborhood that has Comcast internet provisioning.
- The household has at least one meals eligible child in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
- There are no past due balances or outstanding equipment returns that are owed to Comcast within the household.
- The household has not signed up with Comcast or internet within the last 90 days
If you qualify by those criteria, you are eligible to enroll to get Internet Essentials for $9.95 monthly. This offer offers download speeds up to fifty Mbps and WiFi through an Xfinity gateway.
Xfinity Mobile Eligibility
The eligibility requirements are different for Xfinity Mobile
- You currently use an Xfinity internet connection (but are not part of the Internet Essentials program).
- You reside in an area that is covered by Comcast Gigabit internet service.
- Comcast – you have no past due amounts owing to the company.
Basically, to join Xfinity Mobile, you need to already be an Xfinity Internet Xfinity TV Packages who is not currently receiving Internet Essentials service, which is their low-cost broadband service provided to eligible low-income households.
Why Internet Essentials Isn’t Compatible with Xfinity Mobile
However, there are some regulations that the FCC has placed on Comcast in offering the Internet Essentials Program so that it can still be a cheap source of internet to the low-income populations. This is especially important to understand when dealing with an MVNO, such as Xfinity Mobile that depends on the parent company’s networks.
If the Internet Essentials customers were also to be allowed to access Xfinity Mobile then the customers would be receiving the full suite of services that Comcast offers at a very cheap and subsidized prices reserved only for low income earning families. From a regulatory perspective, that would directly contradict the goal of the Internet Essentials program.
Thus, in order to provide its Internet Essentials at the price range compliant with the FCC guidelines, Comcast cannot incorporate Xfinity Mobile into the bundle and increase the prices. This is why Xfinity Mobile is unavailable to Internet Essentials subscribers.
This Is How You Could Eventually Get to a Place of Qualifying for Both
However, you cannot sign up for Xfinity Mobile when you have signed up for Internet Essentials, but you can sign up for both at a later time if you still meet the requirements.
Here is one scenario where that would be possible
1. You register for Internet Essentials based on the newly customer eligibility since you are qualified for it.
2. One year later, you feels that it is enough and decides to cancel Internet Essentials service and switch to a regular Xfinity internet service with no discounts.
3. After you are a member of the Xfinity family with regular Xfinity internet, Xfinity Mobile can be added through the same account.
In this scenario, you first used Internet Essentials for one year before switching to traditional Xfinity service options. That would be the case where you would be able to use both the Xfinity internet services and the Xfinity Mobile in combination.
You can always go back if you need to since Comcast is flexible with enrollees in Internet Essentials, allowing them to re-apply each time their circumstances change. However, the two discounted services can’t be sold together, as the FCC has put in place rules that require Internet Essentials to operate independently from all other Comcast services.
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