The acting chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission announced on Monday a proposal to use $ 3.2 billion in emergency funds to significantly subsidize broadband service for millions of families, an attempt to bridge the digital divide that has punished low-income families during the pandemic.
The president, Jessica Rosenworcel, announced that, under her proposal, eligible families would receive $ 50 a month in discounts for high-speed internet services. The discount would be $ 75 for families on tribal lands. Ms. Rosenworcel sent the proposal to the other three commissioners for a vote, but did not specify when that vote would take place for the program, which is called the Broadband Emergency Benefit.
Congress allocated the money last December as part of a Covid-19 relief bill. The money will be available to families 135% above the poverty line, those who qualify for free, reduced-price school meals, or who have had a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020.
At least 14.5 million households do not have access to high-speed internet. For many families, especially in urban and suburban areas, the high cost of broadband has prevented them from purchasing the service. The consequences of the digital divide during the pandemic were severe. Children were prevented from learning online and adults were unable to work from home or find vital health information.
“No one should have to choose between paying their internet bill or paying to put food on the table,” said Rosenworcel in a statement. “With the help of Emergency Broadband Benefit, we have a new way for families to access virtual learning, for patients to connect to telehealth providers and for those struggling with this pandemic to learn new skills online and look for their next job. ”
The digital divide has been one of the most difficult problems for the federal government. Although federal grants of more than $ 8 billion are allocated each year to Internet service providers to bring broadband to every American household, adoption and access rates have improved by leaps and bounds. Broadband maps, for example, significantly overestimate the number of families that have access to the service. If an Internet service provider like Verizon or Comcast reaches just one house in a census block, the entire block appears connected to federal maps – even when in reality all houses do not have the option of broadband.
Last week, Rosenworcel announced a task force to study the broadband access data agency’s tracking.