The Federal Communications Commission’s subsidy program, the Emergency Broadband Benefit, can be used for $50 monthly discounts for individuals on SNAP or Medicaid, recipients of Pell grants, and families with children on free and reduced-price lunch plans. Low-income households on tribal lands can apply for $75 in monthly broadband subsidies. earlier this week also approved a $7.2 billion program to give students high-speed internet access through schools and libraries. The Emergency Broadband Benefit program comes late in the pandemic, with schools and workplaces beginning to open again. And it’s unclear what will happen once the one-time emergency benefit fund runs out.

Source: New York Times May 12, 2021 15:59 UTC