The $3.2 billion temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit program opens for enrollment May 12, offering eligible households monthly financial assistance to get high-speed internet service, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Five things to know:
1. The funding for the program comes from the COVID-19 pandemic relief package that Congress passed in December.
2. The program will offer about $50 per month to help eligible households pay their internet or mobile phone bills.
3. Households are eligible for the program if they have lost a job or significant income in the past year.
4. Households can also be eligible for financial assistance if one member participates in another aid program such as Medicaid, student Pell grants or emergency pandemic programs from private broadband providers.
5. Individuals living on tribal lands will receive a $75 monthly subsidy as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 to buy a computer or tablet.
To sign up for the program, households can visit the government website by clicking here, or call (833) 511-0311.