In this day and age, more young people who are renting or buying homes in East Boston are turning away from corporate cable providers who offer cable, phone and internet bundle packages and finding alternatives to stream television shows and surf the web.

Most young people today use only their cell phones for communication and at home devices like Apple and Google TV that provide hundreds of hours of programming without having to pay the hefty price for cable.

Now there is a new internet provider in Eastie that will providing low-cost internet service to customers.

NetBlazr, in partnership with the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and the City of Boston, held a kick-off event to celebrate the arrival of the company’s affordable, high-speed Internet in Eastie. NetBlazr offers businesses, property managers, residents and homeowners a low-cost local alternative to expensive packages from the major cable companies. Not only is netBlazr more affordable, the company also offers fiber-optic Internet speeds to the community.

At the kickoff last week, NetBlazr CEO Jim Hanley and Representative Adrian Madaro spoke about the importance of affordable Internet and its impact on the local community. Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Chief Information Officer for the City of Boston was also on hand.

“East Boston has not been well-served by the existing Internet Service Providers,” said Hanley. “Now, East Boston residents will be able to get affordable access to the Internet, without an expensive cable package. And businesses will have access to fiber-optic speeds previously unavailable in Eastie.”

Madaro said access to the Internet is no longer a luxury.

“From operating small businesses, to doing your homework, the Internet is an essential resource that our residents need to compete and succeed in today’s connected world,” said Madaro. “I have worked for nearly two years to bring high-quality and affordable internet access to East Boston residents, and am thrilled that netBlazr is partnering with the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center to make this a reality.”

EBNHC CEO Manny Lopes said the Health Center is an appropriate site for the kick-off of this important service.

“We believe that we can better serve our community through the use of technology and innovative new tools,” said Lopes. “For example, we were among the first health centers to adopt electronic medical records. And, by hosting a transmitter on our facility, we can support the entire neighborhood.”

Over the next few weeks NetBlazr will demonstrate how it has created its own network across Boston by working in concert with local property managers and owners. For example, there was no competitive fiber available in Eastie so netBlazr built airFiber links across the harbor to serve the community. NetBlazr broadband is delivered light-of-sight via a network of transmitters that have been placed on top of dozens of buildings around the city.

Learn more at http://www.netblazr.com/