Today the FCC announced a measure to offer $75 a month off of home internet services for qualifying customers in high-cost areas through the Affordable Connectivity Program as directed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act).
This is for customers who qualify for the program but can demonstrate that the standard $30 monthly benefit would cause them to experience “particularized economic hardship.”
This comes as Congress has directed the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in partnership with the FCC to identify high-cost areas that would be eligible for the new program.
At this time, we do not know what areas will qualify, but this is great news for anyone who struggles to pay for home internet.
To qualify for this program, you, or your child or dependent, are enrolled in government programs like Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, or others, or, based on your household income.
You can apply for this program to find out if you qualify on HERE. Once this new benefit rolls out if you qualify you will be able to apply for the higher $75 monthly benefit.
What the Order Does:
· Adopts rules to implement the up-to-$75 monthly ACP benefit in high-cost areas, as defined by NTIA and as required by the Infrastructure Act.
· Defines “particularized economic hardship” and establishes the showing that ACP providers must make to demonstrate they are experiencing a particularized economic hardship in a high-cost area.
· Sets the processes for reviewing and making determinations on providers’ economic hardship submissions, and appealing those determinations.
· Creates a requirement for providers that are approved to offer the high-cost area benefit to annually resubmit an economic hardship showing to continue offering the high-cost area benefit.
· Outlines the steps providers must take to provide advance notice and a transition path for ACP consumers if the provider no longer qualifies to offer the high-cost area benefi