AT&T Makes $2 Billion, 3-Year Commitment to Help Bridge the Digital Divide

AT&T announced it will invest $2 billion over the next 3 years to help address the digital divide. 

Expanding affordable broadband through AT&T’s low-cost offers and the Emergency Broadband Benefit program administered by the Federal Communications Commission

• Education Offers: We continue to offer discounted wireless solutions to more than 135,000 public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. These offers help keep students and teachers connected in a 1:1 learning model to assist in transforming education beyond when schools reopen. High-speed internet should enable new learning opportunities, not be the barrier to them. That’s why we’ve stepped up our support over the last year to address education inequality for the almost 17 million students, predominately children of color in low-income and rural households, who don’t have internet connectivity.
• Access from AT&T: Introduced 5 years ago, this AT&T-funded program makes the internet more affordable for customers by providing qualifying households with wireline internet service at $10 or less per month. This voluntary offer from AT&T has no contract or installation fee. Plus, it includes in-home Wi-Fi at no additional cost. We are continuing to waive data overages for these customers, and we’re keeping the expanded eligibility to qualifying households and those participating in the National School Lunch Program and Head Start. Hundreds of thousands of Americans enjoy Access from AT&T, and we aim to build upon this voluntary program, partnering with government policymakers to ensure sustainable funding to keep broadband options affordable for qualifying households.
• Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB): In another move to make the internet more affordable for more people, eligible customers will be able to temporarily reduce their monthly broadband costs by taking advantage of the Federal Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB). This government program administered by the FCC will allow more than 30 million eligible¹ households to receive an additional subsidy of up to $50 a month. Those on Tribal lands are eligible for up to $75 per month. The monthly cost of broadband – after applying the Emergency Broadband Benefit – can fall to as low as $0 a month.