The Internet has become a huge part of an individual’s personal and work-related responsibilities in their daily lives. The Federal Communications Commission has recently stepped in to provide assistance for those who are struggling with financial limitations and sufficient connectivity.
The New FCC Discount Program
The FCC voted on Feb. 25 to give low-income households a discount on broadband internet service. This was using a $3.2 billion part of the $900 billion that Congress allotted for coronavirus relief in December. The program hopes to assist people by giving these households $50 each month (or $75 for those on tribal land) and a one-time $100 discount on computers and tablets.
It was calculated by the Wall Street Journal that the average bill for broadband services is $66 a month. Obviously, this is too much for some to swing and it is especially vital right now that low income households have access to the internet.
Those that are eligible are the households who already receive low-income benefits, those who receive free or reduced school lunches, those on Medicaid, SNAP and Pell Grant recipients, along with those who were unemployed due to the pandemic.
The program is currently set to be first come first serve and once the $3.2 billion is gone, the program will end.
A Deep Issue When Looking At Connectivity
This program does not acknowledge that many households can’t even access broadband at all. The FCC estimated that 18 million people don’t have reliable enough connections to access the internet, but these figures may be inaccurate due to being based entirely on ZIP code-based census blocks alone. In order for the census block to be counted as broadband compatible, only one household within it must have internet capabilities. Hopefully, this discount program is only the first step in helping households get access to the internet they need.
What do you think about this program?
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