Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Launch

The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will begin May 12. Providers participating in the EBB Program can begin enrolling eligible households into the program to receive EBB-supported service, and households will also be able to check their eligibility directly by using the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) consumer portal available at www.GetEmergencyBroadband.org.

Participating providers can assist households in applying for the EBB Program through the National Verifier or through the provider’s own application process. Households should contact the provider they are interested in receiving EBB-supported broadband service from to learn more about how to apply and enroll with the provider. To view a list of participating providers in each state, visit https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-broadband-benefit-providers. 

Current Lifeline customers and households already enrolled in a provider’s existing low-income broadband program also may not need to apply for the benefit, but households should contact their provider for more information on how to enroll in the EBB Program and to apply their benefit to their existing broadband service. Current Lifeline subscribers may choose to apply their Emergency Broadband Benefit with their Lifeline provider or another participating provider, and Lifeline providers cannot require their Lifeline subscribers to apply their Emergency Broadband Benefit with their Lifeline provider in order to continue receiving Lifeline service.