Americans can begin applying for $50 off their monthly internet bill in an emergency broadband benefit program to keep people connected during the pandemic.
However, only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households.
For example, an American household is eligible they receive food stamps, have a child in the free or reduced-price school lunch program, use Medicaid, or lost income during the pandemic and made $99,000 for single filers, or $198,000 for joint filers, or less.
Moreover, people in tribal areas are eligible for up to $75 off their bill. There is also a $100 reimbursement for desktop computers, laptops or tablets — in that case there's mandatory payment of $10-to-$50 for the cost of the device that is to be purchased through respective broadband providers.
The $3.2 billion program is part of the $900 billion December pandemic-relief package. The government is increasing spending on broadband as the pandemic made stark that millions of Americans did not have access to, and could not afford, broadband at a time when jobs, school and health care was moving online.
The program will end when the fund runs out of money, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services of the U.S. declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.
The FCC has announced that consumers can begin applying for and enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program on May 12, 2021.
The program will end when the fund runs out of money, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services of the U.S. declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.
The FCC has announced that consumers can begin applying for and enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program on May 12, 2021.
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