Digital Connection Hub
The Digital Connection Hub is ECI’s centralized resource guide for initiatives pertaining to computers, internet (aka broadband), or other digital focuses. This hub stays up to date on current federal, state, and local programs offered to residents so that you stay informed on available opportunities. The hub includes guides and information on programs for first-time internet users, internet and device affordability programs for low-income households, digital funding opportunities, basic computer skills workshops, and more.
What are the Computer Basics Workshops?
We host basic computer skill workshops at Eastern Indiana Works on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month from 2-3:30pm. When you sign up for a workshop, you get access to a Northstar digital literacy learner’s account which offers lessons in 15 areas in sections like essential computer skills, essential software skills, and using technology in daily life. Lessons are offered in English and Spanish and each area has an assessment you can take where passing with an 85% or above gets you a badge or certificate. These workshops are great if you want to earn certificates for your resume, learn skills for an office job or remote opportunities, or even just growing your knowledge of daily life tech uses.
The Indiana Connectivity Program
Register for ICP if you need funds to install basic broadband. Locations that currently lack broadband service or have actual broadband speeds of less than 100/20 Mbps are eligible. The location can be residential or business.
PCs for People
ECIRPD is now accepting donations of used electronics. Look for donation events in ECIRPD’s calendar. These donations will be shipped to a PCs for People processing site in Chicago where it will be refurbished or e-recycled. Once those electronics are refurbished, they will be distributed to individuals in need.
Accepted items for donation are:
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Computers and accessories
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Home entertainment
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Servers and data center
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Mobile devices
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Office item electronics
You can also sign up to receive affordable internet solutions and computers if you are eligible through their InterConnection program. Create an account with them today!
Community organizations can apply to get computers. Here is a list of eligible entities:
- Nonprofit organizations must submit documentation of 501(c)(3) status under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
- Educational institutions must submit documentation showing their status as an accredited academic or vocational institution.
- Preschools must submit documentation showing they provide educational services to children, serve at least ten children, and have been in operation for at least one year.
- Educational administrative offices must submit documentation showing status as either:
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- District, regional, state, provincial, or national administrative offices
- Offices organized and operated exclusively for administration purposes
- Government groups whose activities primarily consist of providing administrative support for educational institutions
- Public museums must submit documentation showing that they are:
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- Organized primarily for educational or aesthetic purposes
- Have a professional or volunteer staff
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Own or use real objects, care for them, and exhibit them to the public on a regular basis
Navigating Broadband Resources
Many federal and state broadband resources exist, which can make them hard to navigate. This is a guide to find the right provider, plan, and program for you.
A few things you should know before deciding your internet plan/provider…
First: 100/20mbps is the standard broadband speed. If your residence/business has speeds less than 100/20mbps, then it is eligible for a state funded broadband installation. Before paying out of pocket for your own installation, register through the Indiana Connectivity Program (ICP). I will explain more about ICP and Next Level Connections in this video. Refer to the Internet Installation Funding tab below for more information.
Second: You can see what internet providers give service at your location by checking the FCC broadband map. Like the steps above, you will enter your address and scroll down to see which providers serve your location. If you are looking for a provider, choose one that serves at or greater than 100/20mbps. If they only serve less than that, consider applying for ICP (first step above).
Third: If your household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if at least one member of your household receives assistance from a government program, your household is eligible for an internet discount.
You can also submit an availability challenge if the speed you are paying for is less than the speed you have (will be determined through speed tests), if the company is trying to charge you for more than the standard installation fee (around $150), or other reasons. Submit an availability challenge through the FCC map. Below is a tutorial by the FCC on submitting availability challenges.
Many internet providers will have speed testing on their websites, but another option is going to connectindiana.com. If you are specifically testing to see if your location qualifies for ICP funding, I recommend the latter. Here is a video showing you how to test your location using connectindiana.com.
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP): ACP was a federal program but has been discontinued. It gave low-income households a $30 discount on their monthly internet bill. Although this program has been discontinued, some bigger providers still offer an affordability plan to former ACP participants. The three big companies in Indiana are: AT&T, Charter/Sepctrum, and Comcast. There is a sheet below that goes through the biggest providers in ECI’s four county region and their affordable rates/discounts.
Lifeline: Lifeline is a federal program like ACP and provides a $9.25 monthly discount on your internet bill, telephone bill, or bundled service. Like ACP, only certain providers offer this discount. Lifeline follows nearly the same eligibilities as ACP. Go to this website to see if you qualify.
This sheet shows the biggest internet providers in the ECI region, their most affordable plans, and if they offer any of the above discount programs. Some providers are not listed, so still check your address using the FCC map and contact the provider to see what they offer.
| Provider (ISP) | Technology type | Counties ISP is in | ACP equivalent/most affordable plans | Website for ACP equivalent |
| Xfinity | Cable | Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant | $9.95/mo with ACP eligibilities | https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/internet-essentials |
| T-Mobile | 5G Home Internet | Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant | $30/mo with ACP eligibilities | https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/ |
| Hughesnet | Satellite | Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant | $49.99/mo | https://internet.hughesnet.com/ |
| Viasat | Satellite | Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant | $49.99/mo | https://www.viasatdeals.com/ |
| Starlink | Satellite | Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant | $120/mo | https://www.starlink.com/ |
| Mercury Broadband | Fixed Wireless | Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant | $50-65/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) | https://mercurybroadband.com/residential/#wireless |
| Frontier | DSL | Blackford, Jay, Grant, Delaware | $29.99/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) | https://frontier.com/discount-programs/ |
| Verizon | 5G Home Internet | Delaware | $20/mo with ACP eligibilities | https://www.verizon.com/discounts/ |
| AT&T | Fiber | Delaware | $30/mo with ACP eligibilities | https://www.att.com/internet/access/ |
| Easy Internet Now (EIN) | Fiber and DSL | Delaware | $79/mo Fiber, $88/mo DSL, varies on area | https://easyinternetnow.com/plans |
| NLBC | Fiber and Fixed Wireless | Delaware | $65/mo Fiber, no good rates for FW | https://nlbc.com/internet/ |
| Community Fiber Solutions | Fixed Wireless, Fiber | Delaware, Jay | $59.99/mo | https://myfibersolution.com/residential-internet/ |
| BridgeMAXX | Fixed Wireless | Delaware, Jay | $49/mo | https://bridgemaxx.com/#features |
| ispMint | 5G Home Internet | Delaware, Jay | $99/mo | https://www.ispmint.com/index.php |
| Toast Net | DSL and Fiber | Delaware, Jay, Blackford | $65/mo | https://www.toast.net/internet/home/fiber |
| Watch Communications | Fixed Wireless | Jay, Blackford, Grant | $59.99/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) | https://watchcomm.net/residential-internet/ |
| Brightspeed | DSL and Fiber | Jay, Blackford, Grant | $49/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) | https://www.brightspeed.com/internet/ |
| Wabash | DSL, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless | Jay | $51.90/mo (Fib), $47/mo (Wireless), $51.95/mo (DSL), offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) | https://wabash.com/internet/internet-plans/ |
| Mainstream Fiber Networks | Fiber | Blackford | $30/mo with ACP eligibilities (ASK ABOUT IT) | https://msfiber.net/residential-services |
| Hoosier Broadband | Fixed Wireless | Grant, Delaware | $49.95/mo, offers really poor speeds | http://www.hoosierbroadband.com/plans.php |
| Spectrum/Charter | Cable | Grant | $29.99/mo | https://official.spectrum.com/lfo-spectrumone |
| Fiberhawk | DSL, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless | Grant | $49.95/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) | https://fiberhawk.com/residential/ |
| Speed Net Broadband | Fixed Wireless | Grant | $49.95/mo | https://www.speednetlte.com/air-fiber |
| Comteck | DSL, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless | Grant | $39.95/mo (Fib), $39.95/mo (DSL) | https://www.comteck.com/ |
Although 100/20mbps is the standard broadband speed under federal guidelines, your location might need a higher bandwidth. Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data transmitted over an internet connection in a given amount of time. Think of it as the combined speed and capacity of your internet service. Like speed, it is measured in mbps and gbps for larger spaces.
Here is a guideline to determine which plan is right for you based on the electronics used at your location. Your internet speed will ultimately depend on usage.
- Internet Installation Funding
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You can also submit an availability challenge if the speed you are paying for is less than the speed you have (will be determined through speed tests), if the company is trying to charge you for more than the standard installation fee (around $150), or other reasons. Submit an availability challenge through the FCC map. Below is a tutorial by the FCC on submitting availability challenges.Many internet providers will have speed testing on their websites, but another option is going to connectindiana.com. If you are specifically testing to see if your location qualifies for ICP funding, I recommend the latter. Here is a video showing you how to test your location using connectindiana.com.
- Internet Affordability Programs
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The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP): ACP was a federal program but has been discontinued. It gave low-income households a $30 discount on their monthly internet bill. Although this program has been discontinued, some bigger providers still offer an affordability plan to former ACP participants. The three big companies in Indiana are: AT&T, Charter/Sepctrum, and Comcast. There is a sheet below that goes through the biggest providers in ECI’s four county region and their affordable rates/discounts.Lifeline: Lifeline is a federal program like ACP and provides a $9.25 monthly discount on your internet bill, telephone bill, or bundled service. Like ACP, only certain providers offer this discount. Lifeline follows nearly the same eligibilities as ACP. Go to this website to see if you qualify.This sheet shows the biggest internet providers in the ECI region, their most affordable plans, and if they offer any of the above discount programs. Some providers are not listed, so still check your address using the FCC map and contact the provider to see what they offer.
Provider (ISP) Technology type Counties ISP is in ACP equivalent/most affordable plans Website for ACP equivalent Xfinity Cable Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant $9.95/mo with ACP eligibilities https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/internet-essentials T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant $30/mo with ACP eligibilities https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/ Hughesnet Satellite Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant $49.99/mo https://internet.hughesnet.com/ Viasat Satellite Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant $49.99/mo https://www.viasatdeals.com/ Starlink Satellite Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant $120/mo https://www.starlink.com/ Mercury Broadband Fixed Wireless Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Grant $50-65/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) https://mercurybroadband.com/residential/#wireless Frontier DSL Blackford, Jay, Grant, Delaware $29.99/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) https://frontier.com/discount-programs/ Verizon 5G Home Internet Delaware $20/mo with ACP eligibilities https://www.verizon.com/discounts/ AT&T Fiber Delaware $30/mo with ACP eligibilities https://www.att.com/internet/access/ Easy Internet Now (EIN) Fiber and DSL Delaware $79/mo Fiber, $88/mo DSL, varies on area https://easyinternetnow.com/plans NLBC Fiber and Fixed Wireless Delaware $65/mo Fiber, no good rates for FW https://nlbc.com/internet/ Community Fiber Solutions Fixed Wireless, Fiber Delaware, Jay $59.99/mo https://myfibersolution.com/residential-internet/ BridgeMAXX Fixed Wireless Delaware, Jay $49/mo https://bridgemaxx.com/#features ispMint 5G Home Internet Delaware, Jay $99/mo https://www.ispmint.com/index.php Toast Net DSL and Fiber Delaware, Jay, Blackford $65/mo https://www.toast.net/internet/home/fiber Watch Communications Fixed Wireless Jay, Blackford, Grant $59.99/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) https://watchcomm.net/residential-internet/ Brightspeed DSL and Fiber Jay, Blackford, Grant $49/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) https://www.brightspeed.com/internet/ Wabash DSL, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless Jay $51.90/mo (Fib), $47/mo (Wireless), $51.95/mo (DSL), offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) https://wabash.com/internet/internet-plans/ Mainstream Fiber Networks Fiber Blackford $30/mo with ACP eligibilities (ASK ABOUT IT) https://msfiber.net/residential-services Hoosier Broadband Fixed Wireless Grant, Delaware $49.95/mo, offers really poor speeds http://www.hoosierbroadband.com/plans.php Spectrum/Charter Cable Grant $29.99/mo https://official.spectrum.com/lfo-spectrumone Fiberhawk DSL, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless Grant $49.95/mo, offers lifeline discount (check eligibility) https://fiberhawk.com/residential/ Speed Net Broadband Fixed Wireless Grant $49.95/mo https://www.speednetlte.com/air-fiber Comteck DSL, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless Grant $39.95/mo (Fib), $39.95/mo (DSL) https://www.comteck.com/ - Determining Your Internet Plan
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Although 100/20mbps is the standard broadband speed under federal guidelines, your location might need a higher bandwidth. Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data transmitted over an internet connection in a given amount of time. Think of it as the combined speed and capacity of your internet service. Like speed, it is measured in mbps and gbps for larger spaces.Here is a guideline to determine which plan is right for you based on the electronics used at your location. Your internet speed will ultimately depend on usage.