ASHEBORO, N.C. — Spectrum customers say the internet provider has delayed applying a federal broadband discount by months, leaving some unable to receive benefits they’ve already been approved for.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, created by Congress in December 2020 with $3.2 billion in funding, provides low-income households with discounts of up to $50 a month on broadband service. Eligible applicants can also receive one-time discounts of up to $100 toward laptops or tablets.
Customers apply through a federal system called the Lifeline National Verifier. Once approved, they take their approval to their internet provider, which verifies it and applies the discount. At Spectrum, that final step is where problems emerge, according to interviews with 10 affected customers.
One Spectrum customer, who requested anonymity, said he was approved for the discount on June 19 but didn’t receive his first credit until Aug. 8 — after six online chats, three phone calls and a visit to the local Spectrum office.
“It’s a monthly credit, and they are asking me to pay the full amount of the bill every month,” he said. “I don’t get it.”
According to documentation the customer shared, a Spectrum representative promised the discount would be backdated to his initial application. It never was. When the credit appeared Aug. 4, it disappeared from his September bill entirely. Spectrum later told him it wouldn’t be reapplied until Sept. 30.
Similar complaints fell into three categories: delays in processing approved applications, promised backpay that never materialized, and credits disappearing or not being applied monthly.
The timeline is crucial. The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will end when federal funding runs out or six months after the public health emergency declaration ends — whichever comes first.
Charter Communications, Spectrum’s parent company, said in a statement that updates to the federal enrollment system in June addressed early matching problems between applicants’ personal information and their verified applications.
“We have a shared goal of enrolling as many eligible families in EBB as quickly as possible,” the statement said.
How to apply
New customers can visit spectrum.com/getqualified or call 1-855-662-9946. Current customers can check eligibility at spectrum.net/broadbandbenefit.
The FCC did not respond to multiple requests for comment.e not able to reach anyone for comment. We will continue to try and post an update if we learn more.
Full Spectrum Statement
Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) updates that took effect this summer helped address enrollment challenges that arose in the early weeks of the program for many EBB participating providers, when a customer’s personal information didn’t match exactly their application with the national verifier. We have been using the USAC’s upgraded tool since it launched in mid-June.
USAC also made additional enhancements to the NLAD (National Lifeline Accountability Database) that allow service providers to enroll subscribers into the NLAD using the consumer’s application ID, full name, and date of birth, which also help address this issue. We appreciate that USAC listened to the concerns we and other broadband providers raised and worked quickly to roll out a new search tool to address the issues.
We have a shared goal of enrolling as many eligible families in EBB as quickly as possible.—Spectrum Spokesperson
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