Charter Introduces Stay Connected K-12, Making It Easier For Students And Teachers To Participate In Online Learning

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With many school districts opting for full or hybrid distance learning this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Charter Communications, Inc., today announced Stay Connected K-12, a new Spectrum Enterprise solution that enables schools to offer high-speed, cable broadband Internet access direct to their students, educators and staff in their own homes so learning and teaching are uninterrupted. Residences are not billed for the service.

Stay Connected K-12 combines the robust speeds and rich features of Spectrum Internet with simplified program management and billing for local districts through Spectrum Enterprise and is a turnkey solution for their students and educators. Users can enjoy:

• Download speeds up to 50 Mbps to support video collaboration and large file transfers.
• In-home WiFi to connect all of the WiFi enabled devices in the residence.
• Unlimited usage with no data caps, providing schools/districts with a consistent cost per user.
• 24/7/365 technical support, relieving schools/districts of the responsibility of technical support for the end-user connections.
• Self-installation kit with modem and router that allows end-users to get connected quickly and easily, with no intervention required from schools/districts.

Stay Connected K-12 also maximizes flexibility for districts, allowing them to add students to the program when needed, with no minimum term commitment on any of the connections.

"Through Stay Connected K-12, the Spectrum Enterprise team is providing the high quality connectivity students, teachers and staff need to have a successful educational experience," said Bill Archer, Charter Executive Vice President and President of Spectrum Enterprise. "The turnkey solution is easy for school administrators to put into place, freeing them to maximize their focus on learning and student achievement."

Charter is already connecting thousands of students and educators through Stay Connected K-12 agreements in 30 communities in Alabama, California, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin, and is working with districts throughout its 41-state footprint, including the Menasha Joint School District in Menasha, Wisconsin.

"Every child possesses unique talents and skills, which is why we pride ourselves in providing personalized learning opportunities for our students and families," said Brian Adesso, Director of Business Services, Menasha Joint School District. "We're relying on the Stay Connected K-12 program to help us continue to meet the high expectations of our community even when the classroom is online."

Stay Connected K-12 builds on the company's dedication to expanding broadband access during the COVID-19 pandemic, which through the second quarter of 2020 included connecting 448,000 students, teachers, and their families to broadband service for 60 days at no cost; protecting from disconnection 700,000 customers who indicated economic hardship due to COVID-19; and forgiving $85 million in customers' overdue balances.

Charter's advanced communications network serves more than 30 million customers ? including government offices, first responders, health care facilities and businesses ? across 41 states. During the pandemic, Charter's network has proved able to accommodate the surge in daytime demand associated with distance learning and remote work and has extensive business and workforce continuity plans in place that adjust as needed to best serve all our customers and employees.

About Charter
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 30 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Over an advanced communications network, the company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet^®, TV, Mobile and Voice.

For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business^® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach^® delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The company also distributes award-winning news coverage, sports and high-quality original programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks and Spectrum Originals. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.

SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc.