Michigan residents who need financial help to pay for home broadband connections and internet-enabled devices may be eligible for the Federal Communications Commission Emergency Broadband Benefit program.
Federal lawmakers appropriated $3.2 billion to help low-income households pay for home broadband service and equipment.
Through the new program, eligible consumers may receive a $50 monthly discount on their broadband bill — $75 a month for eligible consumers living on qualifying tribal lands.
The broadband benefit program also provides for a one-time device discount of up to $100 for a laptop or desktop computer or tablet purchased through an eligible provider. Consumers receiving the discount are required to make a co-payment of more than $10 and less than $50.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, having high-speed internet access at home isn’t a luxury, but a necessity so that people have access to critical services such as remote learning and telemedicine and maintain the ability to stay in contact with family and friends during a difficult and isolating time,” said Michigan Public Service Commissioner Tremaine Phillips.
According to the FCC, a household is eligible for the Emergency Broadband Benefit program if a member of the household meets one of these criteria:
- Has an income at or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines or participates in assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, or Lifeline;
- Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, 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 due to job loss or furlough since Feb. 29, 2020; or
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
There are three ways to apply for the benefit:
- Contact your preferred participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process.
- Go to to apply online and find participating providers near you.
- Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application and return it along with proof of eligibility to:
Emergency Broadband Support Center
P.O. Box 7081
London, KY 40742
© 2023 - 910 Media Group
