Whidbey Telecom to participate in FCC, Emergency Broadband Benefit program

The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms. For more information about the FCC program check out the FCC website fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit.  The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households. Whidbey Telecom participates in the FCC Lifeline program for low income households and is honored to be a provider of the Emergency Broadband Benefit when the FCC opens the enrollment window.  

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below: 

·         Qualifies for the Lifeline program;  

·         Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;  

·         Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;  

·         Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or  

·         Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating providers’ existing low-income or COVID-19 program. 

The FCC has not yet announced when the enrollment process will begin, Whidbey Telecom has created a webpage with information about the program and will have links for consumers to apply for the benefit as soon as the FCC opens the processing window: bit.ly/3ocxXOH.