What is the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program?

[douglas9]

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. If your household is eligible, you can receive:

Up to a $50/month discount on your broadband service and associated equipment rentals
Up to a $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands
A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)
Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household.

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 declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.

https://getemergencybroadband.org

[jimfields33]

1. A lot of different scenarios included

I do get a veterans disability but also a retirement. But then eligibility for 99K and below? I definitely fall under that. It say 50 bucks off the bill which would bring mine to 150 to Comcast which is nice. And I just bought a tablet 2 weeks ago and getting a hundred dollars refunded would be great. But it says the program is temporary. I wonder if it’s worth having a lower bill for awhile only to have it go back up later is a good idea for me. You tend to get used to those extra dollars and then they disappear. Yieks.

[AndyS]

2. Take half the savings and spend it like income and the other half goes to savings or just remains in

the bank account. That makes the saving program painless and if/when it goes away also painless.

[jimfields33]

3. That's a good idea.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. EBB does not apply to Verizon DSL

only to FIOS.