Whip City Fiber Customers Can Apply for Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Starting May 12
Starting May 12, 2021, Whip City Fiber offers the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. The temporary benefit will offer a $50 discount for broadband service for eligible households in Westfield and all Massachusetts towns served by Whip City Fiber during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the following criteria:
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• Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or the FCC’s Lifeline program;
- • 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, in the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year;
- • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
- • Experienced a substantial loss of income through job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
- • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
Emergency Broadband Benefit enrollment will begin on May 12, 2021. Eligible households can enroll directly through Whip City Fiber at www.whipcityfiber.com/promo/ebbp. Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is also available at www.whipcityfiber.com/promo/ebbp. Customers can get assistance with their application by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. any day of the week.
