It provides families with educational content to help children complete their homework it offers easy access to job opportunities-and it makes household tasks, like paying bills, a lot simpler.”įor households to qualify for the program, at least one resident must participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly called the Food Stamp Program), and cannot have outstanding debt with AT&T connected to Internet service or the Access program. “Access to affordable high-speed Internet is a key to building a stronger economy. “This is an excellent opportunity for Illinois families who have been trapped at the bottom of the digital divide,” said Bryan McDaniel, CUB director of governmental affairs. It requires no extra charge for installation or activation. This offer, set to be available through April of 2020, is a condition of AT&T’s acquisition of DirectTV last year. The program also includes Wi-Fi service for a participant’s devices-such as a laptop or smartphone-inside the home, and it gives participants access to thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots outside the home, AT&T said. CHICAGO, August 18, 2016-Low-income families in Illinois may be eligible to get high-speed Internet for $10 per month, under a new offer from AT&T, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said Thursday.ĪT&T’s “Access” program provides qualifying homes high-speed service (10 megabits per second) for $10 per month, wherever the company offers wireline Internet service in Illinois.