Sirbu discusses free internet during COVID-19

EPP Professor Marvin Sirbu recently discussed the impacts of free internet services during COVID-19 with Jasmine Garsd of the Marketplace Morning Report. 

In mid-March, the FCC asked internet providers not to terminate service to customers who couldn’t pay bills because of the pandemic. Companies like Comcast and AT&T agreed, and offered unlimited data for free, which, for a Comcast user, meant saving around $50 a month. But, the FCC’s initiative ended July 1, meaning that now many internet providers are ending or phasing out the free services.

Sirbu says that ending these free services prematurely may cause additional problems for already troubled consumers. “If you want to file for unemployment insurance, they want you to do it online,” Sirbu said. “In the recent pandemic, if you are a student in school, you need to go online for your remote classes.”

To listen to the full report, go here.