Low-Income Families To Benefit From Internet Plan

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a new effort to bridge the digital divide. The government is unveiling a plan today to offer cheap broadband access and computers to low-income families. It's easy to miss if you're online all the time, but about one third of Americans - that would be 100 million people, give or take - do not have Internet access in their homes. The fear is they'll be left behind as schools and employers rely more on that technology.

This plan will be overseen by a nonprofit, but private companies will provide the goods. Companies including Time Warner and Cox will offer broadband service to eligible families for $9.95 per month. Microsoft and a PC refurbisher will sell computers for as low as $150.

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