FCC Expanding Broadband Access By Offering Families In Need Discounts On Bills, Equipment
(CBSDFW.COM) - People across the nation are catching a break with Internet costs — especially students — after the Federal Communications Commission announced a program earlier this week.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is saving the day for many families who struggle to access the Internet. This program offers $50 off of monthly Internet bills and a one-time discount of up to $100 off of electronic equipment for families who qualify.
These people include those who have an income below $30,000 a year, those who qualify for free or reduced lunch, or people who can document financial hardship because of the pandemic.
University of Texas at Dallas professor Timothy Bray says more than 25,000 students in Dallas do not have access to the Internet which stops them from completing their homework. He's hoping this benefit can change that narrative.
"Children who grow up in these low income households, often times, they don't have the devices that other kids have and so, when a teacher send home homework, a lot of the times these kids have to stay at a computer lab to get that same work done," said Bray. "And so it's not just the convenience, it's become a necessity now. School is becoming more and more dependent upon technology."
To see if you qualify for a discount, visit the Emergency Broadband Benefit website.