The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2021

FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will begin on May 12 to provide low-income families with discounted broadband service 

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer are encouraging eligible Navajo families to enroll in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit Program beginning on May 12, to receive a monthly discount on the cost of broadband service from an approved provider. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting https://getemergencybroadband.org.

The FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (asu.edu) will provide eligible households with discounts of up to $75 a month if the household is on tribal land. It also will provide a one-time discount of up to $100 on a computer or tablet for eligible households. The program is open to the following:

• Households that participate in an existing low-income or pandemic relief program offered by a broadband provider
• Lifeline subscribers, including those that are on Medicaid or accept SNAP benefits 
• Households with kids receiving free and reduced-price lunch or school breakfast
• Pell grant recipients
• Those who have lost jobs and seen their income reduced in the last year

“The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the need for broadband connectivity to meet the needs of our students, teachers, first responders, elders, and others. Our administration has met with the FCC on several occasions to advocate for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, spectrum use, and other tools to help increase broadband connectivity. With the anticipated American Rescue Plan Act funds, we are planning for more broadband infrastructure development for our communities. We encourage all eligible Navajo families to contact your service provider to enroll in the program,” said President Nez.

• POLICY ARTICLE: The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University)

On Feb. 12, Vice President Lizer participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by the FCC to gather input and recommendations to help with the establishment of the program. He spoke about the vast needs for telecommunications improvements to provide broadband services for families, students, tele-medicine, first responders, and many others. 

Nez-Lizer commend the FCC’s approval of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to provide low-income families with subsidies for internet service pic.twitter.com/8wMEst2fho

— Jonathan Nez (@NezForAZ) February 27, 2021

“Thank you to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and all of the members for working together with the Navajo Nation and incorporating our input into the development of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The federal-tribal partnerships that we build together result in great benefits for our citizens and our communities. We look forward to continuing to partner with the FCC as we move forward,” stated Vice President Lizer. 

Several local participating broadband service providers include:

Arizona: Cellular One of northeast Arizona, Frontier Communications, NTUA Choice Wireless, Table Top Telephone Company

New Mexico: Cellular One of northeast Arizona, Commnet Four Corners, NTUA Choice Wireless, Sacred Winds Communications, WNM Communications

Utah: Cellular One of northeast Arizona, Commnet Four Corners, Frontier Communications, NTUA Choice Wireless

To search for more broadband service providers, please visit the FCC’s website at: https://getemergencybroadband.org. For information about the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and eligibility, please visit: https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit.

https://www.facebook.com/NezLizer2018/posts/2776251552640370