Federal Broadband Benefit Program for Students

The FCC announced that the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will open for business on May 12. (Please see https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-372014A1.docx for more information.) The program will allow eligible households—which include those with a Pell Grant recipient or that have experienced significant income loss since February 2020—to receive substantially subsidized broadband service ($50 monthly subsidy for most, $75 monthly subsidy for those on tribal lands) and devices ($100 one-time subsidy for a device).

The program offers a significant opportunity for eligible students who have struggled with getting and staying online to resolve those problems. Because of issues with the FCC’s pre-existing eligibility verification system, however, it may take more time for postsecondary students to get through the process.

Students who might qualify should familiarize themselves with the registration site at https://getemergencybroadband.org so they can make sure to register at the earliest possible point. The program goes live on May 12, 2021.

Free Internet Access

Altice USA

Altice Advantage 30 Mbps broadband solution for free for 60 days to any new customer household within the service area for households with K-12 and/or college students who may be displaced due to school closures and who do not currently have home internet access.

Charter/Spectrum

Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wifi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
Charter will continue to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, high speed broadband program to eligible low-income households delivering speeds of 30 Mbps.
Charter will open its Wi-Fi hotspots across our footprint for public use.

Comcast

Comcast is offering access to its 1.5 million WiFi hotspots to everyone until the end of 2020. This includes non-customers of Comcast. They are also offering unlimited data for 60 days, no disconnects for late fees, free internet essentials, free educational collections.

Free and Discounted Internet Access

Hargray

Hargray will offer free Internet service for 60 days to households in its service area with K-12 or college students who do not already have a Hargray Internet subscription. Free Installation is also included.

Hargray will also offer discounted packages to new customers and discounted upgrades to existing customers to ensure they also have the necessary bandwidth to accommodate higher Internet usage during this time.

Discounted Internet Access

AT&T

Unlimited home Internet and 50% off for business customers with an AT&T World Connect Advantage package

Cox

Cox is offering the following over the next 60 days, through May 15:
1) A $19.99 offer for new Starter internet customers with a temporary boost up to 50 Mbps download speeds, no annual contract or qualifications to help low income and those impacted from Coronavirus challenges, like seniors and college students.
2) Eliminating data usage overages beginning today to meet the higher bandwidth demands. Customers with a 500 GB or Unlimited data usage add-on plan will receive credits.

Sparklight

Beginning March 19, a 15 Mbps internet plan for $10 per month is available for the next 60 days to help low income families and those most impacted from coronavirus challenges, such as seniors and college students. Beginning March 13, 2020, Sparklight made unlimited data available on all internet services for 30 days and committed to waiving late fees and deferring payments for 60 days for customers experiencing financial strain as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Discounts and Increased Capabilities for Internet

Sprint

Waiving all activation and upgrade fees, free next day shipping, T-Mobile partners with multiple spectrum holders to light up additional 600 MHz spectrum for the next 60 days, expanding network capacity

Sprint customers to get expanded roaming access to the T-Mobile network. Unlimited data for metered plans, and free hotpot.

Increased Capabilities

T-Mobile

Follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge

Uninterrupted internet access

Multiple

On March 13, multiple companies have pledged for the next 60 days to:

(1) not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their
inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;
(2) waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their
economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and
(3) open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.