The FCC announced that more than one million households have enrolled in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program in only one week since the program began on May 12, 2021. That program was established pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which created a $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund for participating providers to offer discounted broadband services and devices to eligible households during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, eligible households may receive a discount on broadband services of up to $50.00 per month (or up to $75.00 per month on Tribal lands) and a single reimbursement of up to $100.00 for certain connected devices (i.e., a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet) supplied by the broadband provider.
This incredible demand is not surprising - the pandemic has highlighted how important it is to remain connected. And that is unlikely to change even as we begin to return to a new normal. The fact that more than 900 broadband providers have agreed to participate also shows that industry is ready and willing to step up. The remarkable success of this program in such a short time will likely encourage the FCC (and Congress) to continue its efforts to close the digital divide and could serve as a model for future opportunities for providers to obtain federal support.
The high demand we’ve seen for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program demonstrates what many of us already knew to be true – too many families are struggling to get online, even in 2021.
