Virtual Tribal Listening Session On Emergency Broadband Benefit
The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Native Affairs and Policy, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, and Wireline Competition Bureau will host a virtual listening session for Tribal leaders, staff, and outreach partners on its $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program.
The listening session will take place from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.
The EBB is a temporary benefit designed to help eligible households get or stay connected during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible households on qualifying Tribal lands may receive up to $75 per month toward the cost of broadband service and associated equipment rental. All other eligible households may receive up to $50 per month. In addition, all eligible households can receive a discount of up to $100 toward the cost of one laptop or desktop computer or tablet purchased from a participating provider, subject to a modest copayment. Enrollment in the program opened on May 12, 2021. The benefit will end when the funds are exhausted, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, whichever is sooner.
The virtual listening session will start with an overview of the EBB Program, followed by an opportunity for Tribal participants to ask questions and provide feedback based on their experiences with the EBB Program to date. Commission staff will use the remaining time to provide an overview of the Commission’s EBB outreach toolkit, as well as guidance on how Tribal outreach partners can make the most effective use of the toolkit materials. Pre-registered participants will be able to ask questions live via WebEx.
To register, please send an email with your name, contact information, and Tribal affiliation to JuneSessionEBB@fcc.gov. Pre-registration will allow full interactive participation via WebEx. The listening session will also be streamed live, but those watching at fcc.gov/live will only be able to submit questions during the event via email to Livequestions@fcc.gov. Prospective participants are strongly encouraged to register to ensure their feedback and questions are fully and timely considered.
The event will be webcast with open captioning. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice). Please include a description of the accommodation you will need and tell us how to contact you. Requests for special accommodation should be made as early as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted but may be impossible to fill.
For questions about the listening session, please send email to Derik Goatson at derik.goatson@fcc.gov.