A Roadmap for Affordable Broadband: Lessons from the Emergency Broadband Benefit [updated October 2022]

The EBB program was created to mitigate the short-term impact of the pandemic on the most vulnerable households, reducing the cost burden of broadband connectivity for recipients. As the program transitions into a longer-term subsidy, it is important to take stock of its impact and adjust course as needed. Overall, the findings of this study suggest there is significant room to improve program targeting and outreach efforts, as well as to facilitate enrollment procedures for key groups of potential beneficiaries.

This policy brief is part of the Measuring the Effectiveness of Digital Inclusion Approaches (MEDIA) project, a research program that seeks to analyze existing broadband inclusion initiatives and provide evidence-based recommendations on how best to connect low-income households to broadband on a sustainable basis. This policy brief is the first in a series of publications based on results from the program. The program is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and includes the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) as a key research partner.