$50 off your Internet bill (In the US. If you need it.)
Added 2021-05-01 19:45:10 +0000 UTCStarting May 12, 2021, many households across the US will be eligible for a $50 per month broadband subsidy. This new subsidy was actually of the of the stimulus package back in December.
According to the FCC, quote:
"As of May 12, 2021, eligible households will be able to enroll in the program to receive a monthly discount off the cost of broadband service from an approved provider. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting https://getemergencybroadband.org,""The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will provide eligible households with discounts of up to $50 a month for broadband service, and up to $75 a month if the household is on Tribal lands. It also will provide a one-time discount of up to $100 on a computer or tablet for eligible households,"
To qualify for the subsidy, you can make no more than 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. Or, as explained on the "Do I Qualify" page:
Qualifies for... SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Housing Assistance, or Veterans and Survivors PensionsParticipates in one of several Tribal-specific programsExperienced a substantial loss of income since February 2020
Or a few other other ways to qualify.
Now, these subsidies won't last forever. They'll last until either the $3.2 billion in the emergency fund runs out OR six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares the pandemic over--whichever comes first.
I know this is not the usual kind of content I do on my channel and I have a lot of viewers outside the US--but I also personally know many people and families who this will help and I wanted to get the word out there.
One of the most interesting provisions of the legislation that enacted this subsidy is that it allocates $1.9 billion for ISPs with fewer than 2 million customers to replace equipment made by Huawei and ZTE. This is a fascinating move and, in my opinion, one that makes a lot of sense from a cybersecurity and national security perspective.
