Emergency Broadband Benefit Workshops

City of Orlando Host Emergency Broadband Benefit Workshops at John H. Jackson Neighborhood Center 

October 27, 2021 – ORLANDO, FL – To connect more residents with needed digital technology, the City of Orlando is working to help build awareness about the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. The temporary benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  

As part of these efforts, the city is hosting two workshops to educate residents about the program at the John H. Jackson Neighborhood Center. This program advances the goal of the city’s Future-Ready City Master Plan to explore strategies to get residents better internet connectivity and bridge the digital divide in the Orlando community.   

The $3.2B Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to a $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.  

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

• Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or the FCC’s Lifeline program; 

• 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 years; 

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

• Experienced a substantial loss of income through 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. 

Emergency Broadband Benefit enrollment opened on May 12, 2021. Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application.  Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit 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. 

WHEN: 
Thursday, October 28, 2021 
12 p.m. & 6 p.m. 

WHERE: 
John H. Jackson Neighborhood Center 
1002 West Carter Street 

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