The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB) enrolled over 2.3 million households in its first three weeks, according to the FCC. Since mid-May, households in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and American Samoa were approved to receive a discount on their monthly internet bills and have selected a provider to receive internet service at home.
FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is thrilled. “We need good data to know how the program is progressing and to inform any long-term efforts to address broadband affordability. This information is now available to the public as we always intended,” she explained.
At the agency’s direction, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) on Monday debuted a new data dashboard for advocates, members of Congress, and the general public to track the progress of the program. The dashboard contains information related to nationwide and state-specific enrollment figures; it will report the amount of funds disbursed once participating providers start to file claims and will be updated regularly by USAC staff. Access the EBB data dashboard here.
Over 1,000 broadband providers have agreed to take part in the program. The benefit is available to eligible new, prior, and existing customers of participating providers. Customers can sign up by contacting a participating provider, enroll online, or sign up via mail. To learn more or learn where to access a mail-in application, call (833) 511-0311.
Households can qualify several ways, such as using assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Lifeline — or if a child received reduced-price school meals programs in the last two school years. The EBB is also available to households who are eligible for a broadband provider’s existing COVID relief program, to those who have received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year, and to low-income households who suffered a significant drop in income during the pandemic due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020.
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