The Federal Communications Commission has announced a new Emergency Broadband Benefit program utilizing $3.2 billion to provide qualified households with a discount towards broadband or cellular data service. The temporary benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The original release from JDSUPRA.COM states…

The $3.2 billion EBB Program, established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), allows eligible households on “tribal lands” to receive a discount of up to $75 off the cost of internet service per month and a subsidy of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. Each household is eligible to receive only one subsidy for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. The program will end when there are no remaining funds, or six months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declares an end to the pandemic, whichever comes first.

Tribal lands are defined as “any federally recognized Indian tribe’s reservation, pueblo, or colony, including former reservations in Oklahoma; Alaska Native regions established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688); Indian allotments; Hawaiian Home Lands – areas held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii, pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920 July 9, 1921, 42 Stat. 108, et. seq., as amended; and any land designated as such by the Commission for purposes of this subpart pursuant to the designation process in § 54.412.” 47 CFR § 54.400(e).

The Department of Hawaiian Homelands reports that the program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and an enhanced benefit of up to $75 per month for qualifying lessees on Hawaiian Home Lands. The benefit also provides up to $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.

A loss of $25 a month for beneficiaries still waiting on the list.

The original Qualifications are…

Households that qualify for the EBB Program include:

• households that already participate in their broadband provider’s existing low-income or pandemic relief program
• households where an individual qualifies for the FCC’s Lifeline program, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) general assistance, tribally administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard) or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• households with children receiving free and reduced-price lunch through the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or school breakfast under Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966
• households where an individual receives a Pell Grant under Section 401 of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 in the current award year
• households with recently laid-off or furloughed workers who have experienced a substantial loss of income since Feb. 29, 2020

Department of Hawaiian Homelands amended for Hawaii

A household is eligible if at least one household member meets one or more of the criteria below:

• Has an income that is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, or Lifeline;
• Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
• Experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

The participating Hawai‘i internet service providers for the Emergency Broadband Benefit program currently include:

• American Broadband and Telecommunications Company
• AT&T
• Charter Spectrum
• Cricket Wireless
• Hawaii Dialogix Telecom
• Hawaiian Telcom
• Selectel Wireless
• T-Mobile
• Verizon

Enrollment for the Emergency Broadband Benefit will begin on May 12, 2021. To learn more or apply online visit getemergencybroadband.org or call (833) 511-0311 between 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. HST.