Emergency Broadband Benefit Update

The Emergency Broadband Program is transitioning to the Affordable Connectivity Program for 2022. The maximum monthly benefit is changing from $50 per month to $30 per month. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.

Who:

A household is eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:

• Has an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in specific assistance programs, including SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, and Lifeline.
• Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year (to see a list of schools that participate click here: https://frac.org/community-eligibility-database)
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income program.

When:

Applications will be accepted beginning December 31, 2021.

How:

Visit https://acpbenefit.org to apply online or print out a mail-in application. You must also contact your internet provider directly to select a plan and have the discount applied to your bill.

Further Details:

• Households enrolled in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program as of 12/31/21 will continue to receive their current monthly benefit until March 1, 2022. They will be asked to provide additional documentation to determine eligibility beyond March.
• For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit: https://www.fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program-consumer-faq