Bottom line: With today's eligibility expansion, Comcast estimates that more than three million additional low-income households will now be eligible to apply for Internet Essentials. Given how paramount Internet connectivity is in modern society, having Internet at home is more important than ever.

Comcast on Tuesday announced the most significant change to date for its Internet Essentials program, a service designed to help bridge the digital divide for low-income families.

Since its introduction in 2011, more than eight million low-income individuals from two million households now have Internet connectivity at home - many for the first time ever.

Internet Essentials affords a 15 Mbps connection with Wi-Fi and comes with no installation fee, no credit check and no contract for $9.95 per month (plus tax). If you qualify for public assistance programs like the National School Lunch Program, Medicaid, SSI or SNAP, you may qualify for Internet Essentials.

David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast NBCUniversal, said the Internet is arguably the most important technological innovation in history. "It is unacceptable that we live in a country where millions of families and individuals are missing out on this life-changing resource," he added.

Once you are a customer, Comcast will even sell you a desktop or laptop computer at a discounted price of $149.99. The systems aren't anything to write home about but given their price, you can't exactly expect a powerhouse of a gaming system.