Today, Citizens Telephone Cooperative announced it is working to help build consumer awareness about the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. The temporary benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households during the on-going COVID0-19 pandemic.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households.
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing and Veterans Pension Benefits, or the FCC’s Lifeline program;
- 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 or 2020 -2021 school year;
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
- Experienced a substantial loss of income through job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers.
Emergency Broadband Benefit enrollment will begin (opened) on May 12, 2021. Eligible households can enroll through a participating provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail -in application. Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at https://getemergencybroadband.org/, or by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 am and 9 pm any day of the week.