Emergency Broadband Benefit

  • The federal Emergency Broadband Benefit can help you pay for your broadband internet costs.

    Benefit details

    The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides:

    • $50 a month off your broadband internet bill
    • $75 a month if you live on Tribal lands
    • $100 discount towards the purchase of a laptop or tablet

    Who’s eligible

    You are eligible if someone in your household:

    • Gets Medi-Cal
    • Gets EBT (CalFresh or CalWORKS) benefits
    • Gets Tribal TANF or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations benefits
    • Lost a job or was furloughed
      • And your income is below $99,000 if filing taxes individually or $198,000 if filing jointly
    • Gets lunch through the free and reduced-price school lunch program this year or last year 
    • Got a Pell Grant this year
    • Qualifies for Lifeline phone benefits
    • Qualifies for an internet provider’s existing low-income (or COVID-19) broadband program
    • Has an income of less than $12,880 for a family of 1 and up to $44,660 for a family of 8.

    Have more questions about eligibility? Tell us.

    A temporary program that will end

    This is a temporary program, and should end sometime later this year.

    Before the program ends:

    • Your internet provider will tell you it is ending.
    • Your internet provider will provide options for other low-cost broadband programs, if they are available.
    • Your service will end unless you tell your broadband provider that you want to continue paying for a plan without the discount.

    How to sign up

    There is a list of broadband providers that are participating.

    After you decide which broadband provider you want to choose, you can apply. You can sign up for the program directly with some providers.

    Other providers will ask you to sign-up using a form provided the federal government. See the application form provided by the federal government. Click here.