Comcast has recognized Retail Market Manager, Oliver Hoang, as one of our 2021 Internet Essential Ambassadors of the Year.
11 years ago, we launched Internet Essentials to help bridge the digital divide and advance digital equity for everyone. Today, we’ve connected more than 10 million students, parents, veterans and seniors, and committed $1 billion to advance digital equity over the next 10 years as part of Project UP, our comprehensive initiative to help build a future of Unlimited Possibilities.
This incredible milestone is in large part thanks to the work of our 3,000-plus Internet Essentials Ambassadors, who like Oliver, are Comcast employees who volunteer their time to share information about Internet Essentials with families who need help connecting at home. To celebrate their hard work, each year we acknowledge select Ambassadors for their commitment and dedication to connecting their communities.
As an Ambassador, Oliver provides members of his community with customer service to get them connected to the Internet. His passion for working at Comcast and supporting his employees, coworkers, and community is abundantly clear in his day-to-day work and his involvement with Internet Essentials.
Hoang was born in France but currently lives in Renton, Washington with his family and two dogs, Nikko and Nala. He speaks three languages (English, French, and Vietnamese), and in his spare time loves playing video games, camping, snowboarding, and spending time with family.
“Learning a few different languages really helps me connect with people who have come to our Internet Essentials events to sign up that may not be able to do it in English and I have been able to translate for them,” said Oliver.
Oliver’s ability to adjust and excel as an ambassador during the pandemic was one of the reasons he was selected for the honor. Working as an ambassador at Internet Essentials events also allowed him to gain a full understanding of the value of the program for the customers it serves and the benefit of offering events in the community which brought the ability to sign up to customers in-person.
“The families which came to these events may never have had the ability to sign up for Internet Essentials otherwise. Whatever their situation was, they may not have been able to get a full Internet account and really being there to support them and giving them a chance to connect, especially this day and age, through a pandemic, was incredibly rewarding,” said Oliver.
Being an ambassador also helped Hoang understand the escalated importance for everyone to be able to connect to the Internet during the pandemic.
“Internet connection is now required for work. It’s required for schools. It’s really showing how important the program is in connecting our people and the community across Washington, and the nation,” said Oliver.
Those honored as Internet Essentials Ambassadors of the Year were surprised by Comcast with $10,000 to donate to a non-profit organization of their choice. Recognizing the importance of digital equity, Oliver donated his $10,000 to Literacy Source, which provides free learner-centered basic education to low-income adults in the Seattle area with a focus on immigrant and refugee families.
Internet Essentials offers free digital literacy training in print, online, and in-person, the option to purchase a heavily subsidized computer, and low-cost, high-speed Internet service. To learn more about Internet Essentials visit www.InternetEssentials.com.
