Emergency Broadband Benefit Program: Eligible Households Can Now Apply For $50 Off Their Monthly Internet Bill!

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Emergency Broadband Benefit Program: Eligible Households Can Now Apply For $50 Off Their Monthly Internet Bill!

  • As part of the December 2020 COVID-19 stimulus package, households can apply for $50 off their monthly internet bill if any adult, child, or dependent in the household is eligible via the following methods:
    • SNAP recipients
    • Medicaid recipients
    • Supplemental Security Income recipients
    • Federal Public Housing Assistance recipients
    • Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit recipients
    • Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 with a total household income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers
    • Received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year
    • Received approval for 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 or 2020-2021 school year
    • If your income is 135% or less than the federal poverty guidelines.
    • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program

The $50 monthly discount will last until the program runs out of funding or 6 months after the end of the COVID-19 emergency, whichever comes first. There will be a 60 day advance notice provided.

Eligible households can also get a $100 discount off a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet, with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50, from your internet provider.

Will you take advantage of this benefit?

HT: Lurker, via DDF

70 COMMENTS

Older First
  1. Nissim

    Can those living in Israel do something to get in on this?

    • Dave

      Are you kidding me…. Are you going to tell them that you have Comcast as your internet provider over there?

    • Cressida

      Why would someone in Israel need to apply for this, which is in the United States? That’s not nice for people in another country to use our tax dollars.

      • Yochi

        You realize Americans in Israel have to file US taxes right?

        • Ivezdad

          My understanding is that they file but can deduct from what they need to pay any taxes they pay to Israel.

          • \"ask not what you can do for your country...\"

            they still pay huge amounts of federal taxes

      • Jacob Green

        It’s a Jewish thing, do t criticize it too harshly.

        • Rivka

          That’s not right where in Torah said Jews should do that ? Please don’t generalize cause Most of people never ever do that & U never say bad things about UR own kind of U want contact him privately & correct him but not on public

      • Dave

        I would assume this is a US citizen paying US taxes

    • Tami-Jo Hutchins

      I applied and qualify and I am a USA citizen. It’s April 12th and I have nothing! But someone overseas can get it? That makes me sick. It is just like the vaccine. My mom is bedridden with an extremely low immune system and just got the first shot today. But they rushed overseas to give them their vaccine. Land of the free? Yep, land of the freeloaders from others countries being supported! I bet people like Abe Lincoln and JFK are rolling over in their graves!!

      • Rivka

        Who said they got it , he asked if they can get it , May B is a US STUDENT IN ISRAEL OR MOVED THERE temporarily or some thing !

      • Sara

        What makes me sick is the way some people rush to judge without even thinking for a second that maybe he is ALSO a US citizen and has as much rights as you do!

  2. Yapchik

    Sorry if this is silly question but anyone know if my kids are on NJ FamilyCare qualifies as Medicaid recipients?

    • \"ask not what you can do for your country...\"

      not a silly question.
      here is a quote from the website:
      “Any member of your household can make your household eligible. For example, if your child or dependent participates in the Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program, your household qualifies for the Emergency Broadband Benefit.”

  3. Smart Guy

    welcome to future Venezuela

    • Michael

      can i bill them my Kosher Filter that my Moised asked me to put on?

    • GUWonder

      Venezuela tries to cut access to information and internet connectivity to people based on ideology. The US is trying to expand access to information and internet connectivity regardless of ideology.

      Perhaps future Venezuela can one day emulate the US in expanding access to information and internet connectivity regardless of ideology.

      The expansion of internet use in the US leads to things like Trump’s election win in November 2016 and the anti-American storming of the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021. It also gets the crazies to get others to believe in lies and fictions.

      • Stumped

        When you say” expand access to information regardless of ideology” were you referring to Trump’s Twitter account or Facebook account?

        • GUWonder

          Perhaps you should first try to quote others properly before trying to get an answer.

          Facebook and Twitter are corporations that are not state-owned enterprises. If Facebook and Twitter wants to block Trump for his anti-American activities or because they don’t like what Trump’s chemical tan and makeup does to the environment, you’ll have to take it up with Facebook and Twitter. If they were government internet companies illegally restricting content access, that would be a different story. But Facebook and Twitter are for-profit corporations that can moderate content even if it means deplatorming a major government or political figure.

          If you want a government takeover of Facebook and Twitter, then there would be a First Amendment issue in deplatorming Americans. Are you now going to call for a Venezuelan style takeover of these internet companies so that you can continue to worship at our Lord Trump’s online presence too? You know that Trump has a blog that wants more traffic?

      • schlemiel

        “It also gets the crazies to get others to believe in lies and fictions.”
        You mean like all that drivel about the weird Orange man inciting a riot?
        Oh wait, that comes from CNN not “the internet”
        Also, I don’t see how or why this forum got politicized

      • Rivka

        IUS IS JUST TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE & More dependent on Government, if they mean good the should give these people better jobs that the don’t need this kind of help This is a Democrat vicious Trick !

  4. m

    Website appears to be down if you actually click on “Apply”

    • Cgr

      Apply with your provider. Easier/faster than going through the FCC.

      • Boss

        What do you mean by your provider??

  5. Cressida

    Oof. Our tax dollars at work ladies and gents.

  6. Question

    Thanks I applied and it went through quickly and got an email thst I am approved. I didn’t see anything about a tablet/laptop though….how do you find out about that?

    • Dan

      Contact your internet service provider.

      • Nick Berti

        Not sure about other internet service provider, but both Spectrum and Verizon refuse to do anything and they keep pushing back to the EBB website.

      • A. m.

        I called safelink, and they didn’t know anything about the $100 towards a computer. Does anyone know any more info about that?

  7. R

    Here we go. More freebies as the gov’t keeps taxing and printing money like it’s going out of style.

    At this rate, $50 isn’t going to get you a carton of milk

    • g

      at least you can get it in the free food boxes that they’ll be giving out at least through next year.

  8. Lester

    Site is being hammered all of the W the B and the CH are trying to apply.

  9. Mike

    I’m already signed up for lifeline and save 20 a Month how to I get them to apply the 50?

    • Paron

      I’m having the same issue. If you figure out let us know!

      • Aron

        Update: I called my provider (fios) and they applied the new higher discount instead

        • \"ask not what you can do for your country...\"

          The fcc says you can get both discounts

  10. Avrumi

    If my school gave out free lunches via kiwikids do I qualify under the “Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program”?

      • Avrumi

        When applying, that’s not one of the options to choose as reasons for qualifying.

        these?Is your child or dependent in any of these?
        Check all that apply.
        SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or Food Stamps
        Medicaid
        Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
        Federal Public Housing Assistance
        Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit Programs
        Tribal Specific Program (only choose if you live on Tribal lands)

    • Linda

      I believe the answer is no, you need to have filled out an application to see your status. Kiwi kids hand out boxes to anyone hat shows up.

  11. Andy

    I’ll be interested to see how many of the recipients of these benefits actually come back to say “Thank You” to us taxpayers. Of course nobody ever does. They just complain that they need more free stuff.

  12. Moishy wilson

    Internet providers Are blocking access to this website turn off wifi on your phone and apply

  13. jd

    Does anyone know how to get the $100 credit for a tablet?

  14. B

    Substantial loss of income no longer an option?

  15. ys

    does the “free and reduced-price school lunch program” include all the food boxes the schools give out?

    • CtownBin

      From the FAQs on the FCC site:

      Q: Everyone at my child’s school receives breakfast and lunch at no cost. Do we qualify?

      If a school is offering lunch or breakfast free to all students regardless of income based on a program other than the Community Eligibility Provision, such as through COVID-19 waivers extending the Seamless Summer Option or Summer Food Service Program, then the household would not be eligible through the free and reduced price school lunch program or school breakfast program by virtue of an extension of the SSO or SFSP. Households may still enroll in the EBB Program if their school also participates in the Community Eligibility Provision, or the household separately applied for and has been approved for benefits in the free and reduced price school lunch program or school breakfast program in 2019-2020 or 2020-2021, or through other bases of eligibility, such as income or participation in SNAP or Medicaid.

      So looks like the answer to your question is no, the free boxes for everyone wouldn’t count.

  16. Joe

    Is it limited to a one time $50? Or is it monthly?

  17. Abey

    All we need is Netflix now Joe…

  18. Mendel

    Nice seeing the words “the end of the COVID-19 emergency”
    Wonder when we’ll see the 60 day warning for that…
    🙂

  19. Tami-Jo Hutchins

    It is now April 2021. I have SafeLink and applied for ebb several times since they changed dates often. I think it’s a gimmick. It was supposed to start today. Nope. They sent me a notice to buy more time. Who are they giving it to? I think they will say they have it until the time runs out and I get nothing. How many people are going through this? If you have it through SafeLink, then how?

  20. Moishy wilson

    I applied and was approved but I already have optimum how does it get applied?

  21. Missouri

    I applied and was approved. I chatted with spectrum who verified my approval and am all set up. You need to certify that you make less than 135% of the federal poverty level to qualify.

  22. Mendy

    https://www.pcsforpeople.org/ Has cheap computers and mobile hotspot. Most of the others only seem to have phones or hotspots. So check em out if you want the $100 off laptop or desktop option

    • \"ask not what you can do for your country...\"

      are they a qualified provider?

  23. dave

    how do you get this applied to existing accounts?
    I have AT&T Fiber, do I just call them and ask them to apply it?

  24. Gaby

    If you already have Lifeline service then you can go to the Lifeline National Verifier website and sign the application.

    I’m just wondering for someone that currently doesn’t have an internet provider if there will be some interesting offers. Like a $50 discount on mobile data or possibly a $50 monthly hotspot or some company offering free data when signing up through this program.

  25. :)

    Still “Pending review” since yesterday

    • Abe

      Same here.
      They may accept quicker based on how one applies i.e SNAP vs lifeline vs pull grant

  26. \"ask not what you can do for your country...\"

    Does anybody know what laptop/tablet is worth getting from this?
    I could use a new one, but I don’t really know what you can get in that price range

  27. Mo

    Does this program work for cell phone bill as well?

  28. exShoYoGuy

    Maybe I am confused, but doesn’t everyone who has kids qualify for the free food program since Covid? And that is not income based. SO basically anyone with kids at least a year old qualifies for free internet?

  29. Chim

    Anyone have any idea how much optimum is giving off for the EBB program? I called them to get it and they said the bill is $58, but they can’t answer me how much the credit will be until the 2nd billing cycle. It seems really crazy to install optimum and then find out how much the discount will be… they told me on the phone that it’s up to $50 but not for sure will I get 50 off. Anyone know? Thank you!

  30. COVID

    I was rejected 3 times… I called because all documents were submitted. Approved seconds later

  31. Tehila

    I’m applying under my dependent. Did you give your dependents last 4 SS?

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