IRON MOUNTAIN, MI: Astrea, a division of CCI Systems, Inc. of Iron Mountain, MI, has announced their participation in the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program to provide relief to customers in need due to the current public health crisis.
“We are excited to be part of this collaborative effort to ensure that vital internet connectivity is available to our customers in a time where so many are in need of extra assistance because of the pandemic” stated Cory Heigl, Vice President of Astrea. “This aligns with our mission to bring high speed internet to rural communities so that they can continue to work, learn and connect with family and friends.”
The EBB program is an emergency program developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The EBB program will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband internet services and related equipment for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. The EBB is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household. The program will end once the program funds are exhausted, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the pandemic. This will be determined based on which of these events happens first.
Who is Eligible for the EBB?
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Qualifies for the Lifeline program
- Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch or breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year
- Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers
- Meets the eligibility criteria for participating providers’ existing low-income or COVID-19 program
About Astrea
Astrea currently helps connect over 60 small communities throughout Michigan and Wisconsin to family, healthcare, work, education and entertainment by providing high-speed internet along with TV and Phone services. Astrea has built an extensive infrastructure that offers Astrea communities unprecedented rural internet speed offerings ranging from 50mbps up to 1 Gig. Astrea maintains retail store locations in Crivitz, WI and Oconto Falls, WI.