Our May
19, 2021, blog post outlined the parameters of the Emergency Broadband
Benefit, then available to US residents who met certain low income
qualifications. As of March 1, 2022, that benefit is transitioning to the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The Affordable Connectivity Program, also administered by
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is funded at $14 billion to
institutionalize essentially the same function as the Emergency Broadband
Benefit: “help ensure we can afford the
connections we need for work, school, health care and more for a long time.”
The new Affordable
Connectivity Program will provide the following benefits:
·
Maximum monthly
benefit of $30 toward internet access for qualifying households not on tribal
lands. (This is a reduction from the $50/month emergency benefit.)
·
Maximum monthly
benefit of $75 toward internet access for households living on qualified tribal
lands. (No change from the emergency benefit.)
·
Up to $100 to
purchase a laptop, desktop computer or table for eligible households (you need
to contribute $10-50 toward the purchase price). (No change from the emergency
benefit.)
·
Only one monthly
benefit and one device purchase benefit per household. (No change from the
emergency benefit.)
·
To qualify for the new benefit, a household
needs to meet one of these criteria:
o
Income less than or equal to 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
(This is a change from the 135% limit under the emergency benefit.)
o
Participates in certain federal assistance
programs (SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, Lifeline,
WIC). (Several programs were added under the new program.)
o
Participates in
Tribal-specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance,
Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.
o
Participates in
the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including
through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
o
Received a federal Pell grant during current
award year.
o
Meets eligibility requirements for participating
in a broadband provider’s existing low-income internet program.
If a household was fully enrolled in the Emergency Broadband
Benefit as of December 31, 2021, they should have continued to receive their monthly
benefits under that program until March 1, 2022. They should also automatically
start receiving benefits under the new Affordable Connectivity Program.
Households that qualified for emergency benefits because they experienced
substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since Feb 29, 2020, and
total 2020 income was below $99,000 for single filers or $198,000 for joint
filers will have to reapply for benefits under the new program and qualify on
some other basis.
There are two steps for new participants to enroll in the
Affordable Connectivity Program:
o
Fill out and submit the application found at the
program’s website.
o
Contact your preferred internet provider to
select a plan and have the benefit applied to your bill.
