--- title: Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs | TIME description: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to include stand-alone Internet services in the Lifeline subsidy program for low-income families. canonical: https://time.com/video/By52Nexq/ og:title: Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs og:description: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to include stand-alone Internet services in the Lifeline subsidy program for low-income families. og:url: https://time.com/video/By52Nexq/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/By52Nexq/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs twitter:description: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to include stand-alone Internet services in the Lifeline subsidy program for low-income families. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/By52Nexq/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs [Watch (HLS stream): Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/By52Nexq.m3u8) (1:38)  _Published 2015-05-28. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to include stand-alone Internet services in the Lifeline subsidy program for low-income families._ --- Jul 27, 2023 6:19 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Netflix Wants FCC to Stop Internet Data Caps](/video/mgmolxWV/) ### Netflix Wants FCC to Stop Internet Data Caps [White House Announces Low-Income Solar Plan](/video/ReVlNH8F/) ### White House Announces Low-Income Solar Plan [After Sandy: No Water, Power or Law in Low Income Neighborhood](/video/otv4w5K1/) ### After Sandy: No Water, Power or Law in Low Income Neighborhood --- ## Transcript Tom Wheeler of The Federal Communications Commission wants to add stand along internet to the list of services Americans can get help paying for through the Lifeline Subsidy Program. Why? Because in the mid eighties when Ronald Reagan dreamt up the program the technology that connected people was the landline phone. In 2005 that technology was the cel phone so the FCC made cel service eligible for the subsidy. Now, the internet is what keeps people connected, but more importantly the internet helps get people jobs. At least that's what top FCC officials have said leading up to Wheeler's announcement. A study from the Pew Research Center explored who used the internet in 2014. The Center found those with higher incomes or more likely to get online. There is no proof that what few found was a causal relationship but it does make sense that internet access can open more doors to low income Americans. And internet service is already being subsidized through the Lifeline Program in some cases. But there is a catch. The way it works now, those who participate must bundle home, phone and internet service. Meaning both would technically qualify for subsidy though the Washington Post says right now a household is only subsidised $ 9. 25 each month, but that probably doesn't even begin to cover the cost of most American's home internet bills. Even the New York Times points out the debate over just how far a $ 9. 25 credit can go in covering the cost of broadband is sure to arise. The lifeline program is funded by fees that landline and cell phone customers pay. Currently, the total subsidy available is 1. 7 billion dollars. There's no word yet on whether the subsidy could increase to cover the cost of more expensive internet service if the proposal passes. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Internet Subsidy For Low-Income Americans Could Mean Jobs","description":"FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to include stand-alone Internet services in the Lifeline subsidy program for low-income families.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/By52Nexq/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-05-28T20:02:02.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/By52Nexq.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/video/By52Nexq/","duration":"PT1M38S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/video/By52Nexq/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}} ```