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DALLAS – Residents needing assistance with Internet bills may be eligible for a $30 subsidy through a Federal Communications Commission initiative called the Affordable Connectivity Program.
“The Internet is a powerful tool that is needed in a person’s daily life,” said City Manager T.C. Broadnax. “This program will help the City of Dallas make strides in crossing the digital divide and creating a more equitable city.”
The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.
The City of Dallas and its non-profit collaborators will be at the Mayor’s Back to School Fair to help people sign up for the program. The fair will take place on Aug. 5 at Fair Park in the Centennial and Automobile buildings.
"Access to technology and the internet is vital for the future of our children and our workforce," Mayor Eric Johnson said. "I am excited about what this program can do to help our historically underserved and overlooked communities, and I encourage our residents to take advantage of these offers. Together, we can build a more equitable and vibrant 21st century city."
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;
- Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
- Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.
Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or by (1) going to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an online application or print a mail-in application and (2) contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan.
Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET any day of the week.
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