Discounted Internet Service Program for Low-Income Households Extended, Transition Effective Jan. 1
CONTACT:
Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager
ckohlman@cityofdubuque.org
Dec. 23, 2021 -- For Immediate Release
DUBUQUE, Iowa – Discounted internet service for low-income households will continue, but the monthly subsidy will be reduced from $50 to $30 in 2022.
The Federal Emergency Broadband (EBB) Program, a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, was recently extended. Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the program will be replaced with a long-term, $14 billion program, called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and the benefit will be reduced to a $30 monthly discount.
Households fully enrolled in the EBB program as of Dec. 31, 2021, will continue to receive their current monthly discount until Mar. 1, 2022. Internet service providers will provide information to current EBB recipients about steps they must take to continue receiving the ACP benefit after Mar. 1, 2022.
The EBB Program is still available to eligible households. To receive up to a $50 monthly discount through Mar. 1, 2022, you must be fully enrolled in the EBB program before Dec. 31, 2021. A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Meets federal poverty income guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, or the FCC’s Lifeline program;
- Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program in the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year;
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
- Experienced a substantial loss of income through job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020, and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers.
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