Emergency Broadband Benefit for Connecticut Families

Emergency Broadband Benefit for Connecticut Families

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) recently shared information pertaining to the Emergency Broadband Benefits program (EBB) for qualified families. The EBB program provides a series of monthly discounts for broadband service and associated equipment to qualifying households. Currently, 1 in 12 eligible households have enrolled in the program nationally, meaning a large share of the $3.2 billion in funding remains. Feel free to download the attached for additional information or click in this link to find out more about the Emergency Broadband Benefits (EBB) program. Highlights about the program are summarized below:

Benefits Overview

  • $50 / month discount on broadband service and associated equipment rentals;
  • Up to a $75/month discount for qualifying Tribal land households; and
  • A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer.

Eligibility Criteria

Households qualify for the Emergency Broadband Benefit with incomes at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines OR any member of the household:

  • Qualifies for Lifeline benefits through participation in SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit;
  • Participates in one of several Tribal specific programs: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal Head Start (only households meeting the relevant income qualifying standard), Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
  • Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 due to job loss or furlough AND has a total household income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers;
  • Received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year;
  • Received approval for 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; or

Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program, and that provider received FCC approval for its eligibility verification process.