How the 500 euro internet, pc and tablet bonus works

The voucher for the purchase of ultra-broadband connectivity services and devices for online navigation is law: discounts for families with low incomes. Here's how to ask

(photo: Getty Images) After a long gestation, the decree that converts the € 500 bonus into law in support of Italian families to have a fast connection and devices to connect to Internet . By the end of October, the latest technical requirements should also be completed and an operating manual for suppliers should be published on the website of the Ministry of Economic Development.

How much is it worth?

For this measure, which is part of the voucher plan put in place by the executive to support the poorest families in the digital transition of the country, the government has deployed 204 million euros in contributions until exhaustion. Each bonus reaches a maximum value of 500 euros and is used in the form of a discount on the purchase price of the services offered by the companies.

Who is eligible?

According to what is reported in the text, the voucher can only be requested for a single household with an Isee of less than 20 thousand euros and only for the activation of an ultra-broadband connection subscription with a speed of at least 30 megabits per second in download. Together with the Isee requirement, you must prove that you do not already have a connection that exceeds that speed threshold.

How does it work?

The discount of up to 500 euros is applied directly by the service provider for the activation of an internet subscription for a period of at least one year. To take advantage of the bonus, the beneficiaries must enter into a subscription contract with an operator of their choice who offers a package including the connectivity service, activation costs and the mandatory supply of a modem as well as a tablet or PC. br>
To benefit from the bonus, consumers must provide a self-certification of their income status and present a copy of their identity document when purchasing the offer.

The role of operators

For their part, on the other hand, the operators will have to transmit the data of the beneficiaries to the portal that Infratel, the company controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development, will put online and after having activated the service and delivered the devices, they will have to forward the delivery report signed by the customer in order to be able to receive the refund based on the discount actually applied.

In addition, the telecommunications companies will have to communicate again to Infratel their offers, also indicating the specifications of the devices they want to associate, these offers will then be registered with an identification code on the telematic portal managed by the company headed by the ministry.

Criticisms

However, there are doubts about this role of the operators. Among the most critical voices towards the current configuration of the measure is that of the Aires association (Italian association of specialized household appliance retailers), according to which the bonus mainly benefits telephone operators at the expense of electronics retailers.