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Families who qualify for free school lunches will be able to sign up for $9.95 a month high-speed internet services from top cable providers.

Further, families eligible for free or reduced school lunches will be able to buy low-cost computers from leading technology companies.

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The initiative is part of the Federal Communications Commission's effort to extend affordable broadband internet access across the United States.

A third of Americans, some 100 million people, do not have high-speed internet services in their homes, with cost being among the top barriers to broadband adoption.

"We think we're going to move the needle on the broadband adoption gap," FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said of his hopes for the new commitments made to the Connect to Compete initiative launched last month.

Connect to Compete had already garnered commitments from nonprofit groups and companies including Microsoft Corp and retailer Best Buy Co to help boost digital literacy and computer skills.

Now the public-private initiative will see cable providers, including Comcast Corp, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision Systems Corp, offer internet service at a fraction of the national average of $45 a month price, an FCC official said.

Eligible families will be able to sign up for the service during a three-year sign-up window starting in the spring in some areas with the offer going nationwide by next September to coincide with the school year.

Oh, what? AOL dialup not good enough for you?

It's good they remembered that discounted internet is useless without an affordable computer.

I really think the Post Office should be re-purposed for the 21st century with the mission of providing broadband access to every home.

they haven't got the infrastructure. how will they convince the fed govt to put up the money? no way the corporations now in charge of doling out broadband wouldn't lobby against it. afterall, private industry is so much more efficient than public.

but it would be great if they could do this. that and charge UPS and fedex more for shipping their shit.