North Carolinians can get critical help to pay for high-speed internet from a $3.2 billion federal program for families and households working, learning and shopping from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides households with a discount of up to $50 a month off of a household's internet bill. 

That increases to $75 a month for those living on tribal lands. Eligible households can also get a one-time discount of $100 toward the purchase of a laptop, tablet or desktop computer through participating providers.

The program’s enrollment is open now for qualifying households. 

A household qualifies if the household’s income is at or less than 135 percent of federal poverty guidelines. 

A household can also qualify if at least one member:

Participates in a federal benefits program, such as Medicaid, SNAP, or Lifeline

Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program,

Lost a job or a significant amount of income in the past year,

Received a Federal Pell Grant

Is part of an internet service provider’s low-income or COVID-19 program.

The Broadband Infrastructure Office at the North Carolina Department of Information Technology has launched a new Emergency Broadband Benefit Program webpage 

Any of those materials found there are available in multiple languages.