With the increasing use of technology in education, every Knox County Schools student has had a district-provided laptop since 2021.
Soon, some students whose families might not be able to afford internet service at home can get free online access, thanks to a new initiative by the Knoxville Utilities Board and funded by the City of Knoxville and Knox County.
To apply for free internet, families should go to kub.org/forms/connected-application. If an applicant is an existing KUB Fiber customer, they must complete a ConnectED application and be approved for the program. That process takes 7-10 business days on average, according to KUB.
Those who aren’t KUB Fiber customers yet would need to sign up for the internet service first.
Once approved, the ConnectED credit – worth $80 – will be applied to the recipient’s KUB Fiber bill for subsequent billing periods to cover KUB Fiber One Gigabit internet service.
How to apply for free internet through ConnectED
To be eligible, households must:
- Live within KUB’s service territory and within the City of Knoxville or Knox County. You would also need to have KUB Fiber available where you live. It is currently available in portions of Rocky Hill, Parkridge, Halls, Fourth and Gill, House Mountain, South Knoxville and West Hills in Knox County. To check whether your address qualifies, use the link kub.org/fiber-availability
- Meet the program’s income requirements or be enrolled in a program that qualifies. Income requirements are currently set at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines or 80% of area median income.
- Have a child enrolled in grades K-12 in a Knox County public school.
Applicants will need to submit their contact information, KUB service address, proof of income and school enrollment.
“KUB remains committed to addressing the need to provide broadband internet to underserved and underrepresented communities. Through KUB ConnectED, we can provide our students affordable access to the fastest internet available,” KUB President and CEO Gabriel Bolas said in a news release.
“We are proud to be the only local internet provider offering free, one gigabit internet service in our area. This program builds upon our legacy of providing local customer service and assistance to the community,” he said.
The new program is a testament to the district’s community partnerships that help them deliver on their four priorities, Knox County Schools’ Chief Technology Officer Freddie Cox said in a statement to Knox News.
“By providing reliable, no-cost, high-speed internet access to our eligible students and their families, KUB is helping remove barriers and connect our students to new learning and career opportunities at home,” Cox said.
Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow her on X @AreenaArora and on Instagram @areena_news.
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