Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Congress appropriated $3.2 billion to the FCC to help low-income households pay for broadband service and connected internet devices. On February 25, 2021, the FCC adopted Report and Order 21-29, officially establishing the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program.

The EBB Program provided a discount of up to $50 per month for broadband services for eligible consumers. Consumers who live on qualifying Tribal lands received enhanced support of up to $75 per month toward broadband services. Additionally, the program provided a one-time device discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider. The one-time discount required a consumer co-payment of more than $10 and less than $50.

The EBB Program was a temporary program that transitioned to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) on December 31, 2021. ACP stopped accepting new applications and enrollments on February 7, 2024. The last fully funded month of the program was April 2024. Please refer to the FCC’s ACP webpage for more information.