Customers facing issues with ISPs amid Emergency Broadband Benefit rollout

Millions of people signed up for the Federal Communications Commission‘s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program since it launched in mid-May—but records show that Americans faced significant frustrations with their internet service providers amid the rollout. While hundreds of providers agreed to be part of the EBB, customers of nearly every provider say issues have cropped up along the way. Customers told the FCC how providers said the EBB didn’t apply to their current service plans, explained how they had issues with providers accepting their applications, and noted they waited months to have their applications approved by providers. The FCC said it was “aware of problems some consumers are having and have been working with both [Universal Service Administrative Company (the program administer)] and participating providers to make this process smoother for consumers.” While the process may be more streamlined with the recent changes, experts say that it’s likely the 1,000 complaints filed with the FCC were only a portion of the problems people are facing.