Cable ISPs Support After Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Hurricanes Helene and Milton left widespread devastation in their wake, disrupting lives, communities, and critical infrastructure. In times of disaster, access to communication networks and the internet become essential for coordinating relief, accessing emergency information, and reconnecting families.

To help meet these needs, internet service providers (ISPs) like Charter, Comcast, and Cox have taken steps to provide financial support and keep communities connected. These efforts are crucial in supporting recovery and ensuring that people in impacted areas can stay informed and in touch with vital resources during the long road to rebuilding.

Charter Spectrum has been actively supporting communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

• For Hurricane Helene, Spectrum committed $1 million in aid, with $250,000 in cash donations to regional relief funds and the remaining $750,000 dedicated to public service announcement airtime to support fundraising and awareness efforts.
  • Nearly 90,000 free Wi-Fi access points were opened to the public to provide crucial connectivity in affected regions.​
• In response to Hurricane Milton, Spectrum pledged an additional $400,000 to assist with relief efforts, including $100,000 to the Volunteer Florida Foundation.
  • The company kept 45,000 Wi-Fi hotspots open across Florida to ensure residents could stay connected during the storm.
  • Their technicians and engineers were on standby to swiftly restore service as soon as conditions allowed​.

Comcast NBCUniversal has also stepped up to aid recovery efforts for both hurricanes.

• Following Hurricane Helene, Comcast NBCUniversal committed $1 million to relief efforts, with $500,000 supporting regional relief efforts and $500,000 going towards advertising time for public service announcements in the southeastern U.S.
  • To support team members affected by the storm, Comcast also donated $200,000 to the Comcast NBCUniversal Employee Disaster Assistance Fund, which provides financial help to employees impacted by natural disasters or other life-altering events.
• For Hurricane Milton, Comcast is providing $500,000in cash and in-kind contributions to community organizations in Florida.
  • They also opened 261,000 Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots across Florida, providing free internet access to anyone in the affected areas​.

Cox Communications is supporting local organizations and its staff in the aftermath of the storm.

• Through its James M. Cox Foundation, Cox contributed $450,000 amongst three nonprofit organizations to support Hurricane Helene relief efforts, ensuring that communities in hard-hit areas received essential resources.
• The Cox Employee Relief Fund has provided more than $50,000 to affected staff for food, lodging, and any other immediate needs and is reviewing an additional $100,000 in longer-term requests.

These efforts by cable ISPs highlight their role in maintaining connectivity and supporting recovery during natural disasters. Whether through financial contributions, opening public Wi-Fi hotspots, or deploying teams for service restoration, their actions are helping communities rebuild in the aftermath of these powerful storms.