We are now just days away from the new year, but there is one more stimulus check that you can still get, and it is the coronavirus stimulus check for internet. The official name for this stimulus check is the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, and December 31 is the last date to apply for this program.
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The Emergency Broadband Benefit program is part of the COVID-19 stimulus package, which was approved in December last year. The primary objective of the program is to save families from losing access to an essential resource during the pandemic.
Under the program, eligible recipients get up to $50 off per month on broadband service and associated equipment rentals. Also, the program gives a discount of up to $75 per month on broadband service for homes on qualifying tribal lands, as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 on a laptop, tablet or desktop computer.
A point to note is that the benefit under the program is limited to one monthly broadband service discount, as well as one hardware purchase discount per family.
However, you need to hurry up to avail yourself of these benefits as the deadline to apply for the program is Friday, December 31. If you register for the program on or before December 31, you will be able to enjoy the above benefits until March 1, 2022.
A new program, called the Affordable Connectivity Program, will replace the Emergency Broadband Benefit program once it ends. This new program is part of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which President Biden approved last month. Not many details are known on the new program, but it is expected to reduce the maximum discount on internet for most families.
Emergency Broadband Benefit Program: How To Apply
Talking about the eligibility criteria for the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, a household is eligible for the program if one of the family members meets one of the below requirements:
- Income must be at or less than 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or he or she must be a participant in certain assistance programs, such as Lifeline, SNAP, or Medicaid.
- He or she must be approved to get benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program.
- He or she must have got a Federal Pell Grant in the current year.
- Any member of the household must have experienced a significant loss of income due to a job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020. Also, the total income of the household in 2020 must be at or less than $99,000 for single filers ($198,000 for joint filers).
- He or she must meet the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's current low-income or coronavirus program.
To apply for the program or get a mail-in application, you need to go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org. Then you need to contact a participating provider and select an eligible plan. After this, you will be able to apply a discount on your bill.
Some service providers may ask you to fill out an alternative application to request the benefits of the program.
