$50 monthly broadband discounts available starting today via 825 ISPs

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The Federal Communications Commission today opened enrollment for $50-per-month broadband subsidies for US residents who have low incomes or who lost income during the pandemic. Over 825 Internet service providers across the US are participating in the program, with the full list of ISPs in each state and territory available here. All the biggest ISPs and hundreds of smaller ones are participating, so the subsidies should be available in most areas with home Internet access.

Cable, fiber-to-the-home, DSL, and fixed wireless ISPs are among the home-Internet services included in the program. The subsidies aren't just for home Internet, as many mobile providers are participating in the program as well. To enroll, go to getemergencybroadband.org and click on "Apply Now." I received error messages when clicking the link today, but other people said it was working, so hopefully everyone who needs it will be able to get through without much trouble.

Update at 2:40pm ET: The FCC acknowledged that it's having some trouble handling the high number of people trying to sign up for broadband subsidies, but said it is working on a fix. "We have witnessed a high level of demand in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, which demonstrates how critical this program is for families struggling to afford Internet service during the pandemic," an FCC spokesperson told Ars. "We are actively working to resolve any issues users encounter and increasing resources to meet the demand. This high level of interest is evidence that Internet service is critical and for far too many is out of reach and why we need programs like this."

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