Google offers free internet under Obama plan

Google and other companies will offer free or low-cost internet to more than 275,000 low-income households as part of US president Barack Obama’s effort to expand broadband, the White House said.

The programme, called ConnectHome, is designed to bridge the so-called digital divide between poorer residents in cities and their wealthier neighbours.

Google will offer some residents of public housing communities free subscriptions to Google Fiber. Firms including CenturyLink and Sprint will offer free plans or prices as low as $9.95 (€9.03) a month, according to a White House statement.