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County News Center | Office of Communications and Public Affairs
County News Center | Office of Communications and Public Affairs

Households Encouraged to Apply for the Federal Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

December 11, 2021

Only half of the 2 million eligible Californians have applied

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF., - The County of Santa Clara encourages eligible households to apply for the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. This new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) benefit will help lower the cost of broadband service to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The EBB program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households, and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. The benefit also provides up to $100 per household toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet through a participating broadband provider. 

People can apply at The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (getemergencybroadband.org). The deadline is Dec. 31, 2021. 

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

  • Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;
  • Gets Medi-Cal;
  • Gets EBT (CalFresh or CalWORKS) benefits;
  • Approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;
  • Qualifies for Lifeline phone benefits;
  • Gets Tribal TANF or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations benefits;
  • Received a Federal Pell Grant this year;
  • Experienced a substantial loss of income due to 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; or
  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

Additional information about the EBB is available at www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit, or by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. any day of the week.

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ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA  
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multi-cultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, California, making it more populous than 14 states in the U.S. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.

Media Contact: María Leticia Gómez/Matthew Rudig,  Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119, [email protected]