Federal Aid Can Help Cover Internet Cost

(KNSI) – You could get help paying for internet service thanks to a provision of a COVID relief package.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that temporarily halts disconnections on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households.

Eligible households can get up to a $50 a month discount on service and equipment rentals.

Tribal members could qualify for up to $75 of assistance.

There is also money for a one-time discount of up to $100 for laptops, tablets, or desktop computers. (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 announced that consumers could begin applying for and enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program on May 12, 2021.

You may be eligible if your household gets food stamps, you have a child in the free or reduced-price school lunch, use Medicaid, or lost income during the pandemic, and made $99,000 or less for a single person, or $198,000 or less for joint filers.

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.

The $3.2 billion program is part of the $900 billion December pandemic-relief package.

To sign up, click here.

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