Get Help With Your Internet Service
Get help with your Internet services
Eligible households can get help to pay for Internet service during the pandemic.
If you are in an eligible low-income household, you may be able to reduce your bill by getting approved for the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) and having us apply it to your home internet service.
What is the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB)?
The EBB is a federal government program that provides a temporary benefit on internet service for eligible households, decreasing your bill by up to $50 per month. A household includes any individual or group of individuals who are living together at the same address and share income and expenses. This benefit will end once the program funds are exhausted. The maximum EBB will not exceed the monthly rate for the plan and will be determined after applicable discounts. Your monthly rate for the EBB qualifying rate plan you select will never be reduced below zero.
When the EBB program ends, EBB recipients will be subject to the standard monthly rate for the plan and equipment in effect at that time, and subject to Bardstown Connect’s general terms and conditions.
EBB recipients can receive one benefit (home internet or wireless, but not both) per household, not per person. This benefit is limited to the applicant and cannot be transferred to another person. Existing Bardstown Connect customers may be eligible to receive the EBB in addition to their Lifeline benefit.
Getting Started
1.) First, Get Approved for the EBB
Check your eligibility and apply at getemergencybroadband.org. Bardstown Connect does not determine eligibility.
2.) Then, Contact Us About Your Options
Once approved, call or visit our office to choose a home internet service and enroll in the EBB with Bardstown Connect. Call Bardstown City Hall at (502) 348-5947 Monday – Friday 8am – 4:30pm for help or info.
Frequently Asked Questions
The federal government’s National Verifier, managed by Universal Service Administration Company (USAC), is a centralized system that determines Lifeline and Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program eligibility. There are several ways a household may be eligible. To apply for the EBB program online, go to getemergencybroadband.org or call 833.511.0311.
You may qualify for the EBB if:
You or someone else in your household participate in one of the following federal assistance programs:
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• National School Lunch Program
• Federal Pell Grant
• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
• Tribal programs (and live on qualifying Tribal lands)
– OR –
Your household income is 135% or less than the federal poverty guidelines. You or someone else in your household experienced substantial loss of income since 2/29/20 because you were unemployed or furloughed.
– OR –
You qualify for the Lifeline program.
The quickest way is to apply online via the National Verifier at getemergencybroadband.org. In some cases, response will be in matter of minutes, but it’s possible it can take several days before you receive a response. You can also call 833.511.0311 to request an application be mailed to you or check the status of your application. Bardstown Connect does not determine EBB program eligibility.
Bardstown Connect does not determine eligibility and will not know why any participant’s application may have been denied. Please contact the National Verifier at 833.511.0311 for any questions on your application status.
If you switch to another eligible rate plan, you will pay the new rate plan amount minus your benefit and any applicable discounts. Once the program ends, you will remain on the new rate plan and be charged the then-current rate for that plan.
Important Things to Remember
- The monthly benefit is temporary.
- Once the program ends, you will be charged the standard monthly rate for your plan (without the program benefit) going forward, as well as applicable taxes and fees and subject to Bardstown Connect’s general terms and conditions.
- When you call to enroll in the EBB program, Bardstown Connect’s customer service representative will explain the details of your EBB plan, including the standard monthly rate and fee for your equipment that you should expect to pay, including an estimate of taxes and fees, once the benefit expires. Each household that qualifies may receive up to a $50/month discount on their internet service.
- You may obtain service supported by the EBB program from any participating provider you choose, and you may transfer your monthly benefit to another provider at any time. There is a maximum of one monthly benefit per household.