Meme Karluah must undergo monthly trainings for her job as a nursing assistant in an assisted living community. Sometimes, three or four times a month even all online. Her five children rely on the Internet for their schoolwork, two of whom have just graduated high school and college. Without it, she said their lives would have to change dramatically.
Karluah doesn’t have to worry about paying for the internet as she gets it for free under the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
Before this program, there were times when we couldn’t pay the internet bill and it got turned off, Karluah said, leaving her children who had to stay after school to do homework using the school’s WiFi. Now, everyone has a phone in their house and everyone has a computer and everyone wants to go to college, so I can say it’s definitely a plus for them.
In recent years, cities have provided free or discounted Internet through programs like Philadelphia’s PHLConnectED, which was introduced as schools went remote during COVID-19 restrictions. These programs are evolving with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launching its own discount Internet program nationwide with the ACP.
According to Benefits Data Trust, a Philadelphia-based tech nonprofit working to increase access to public programs, approximately one in three residents are eligible for this program. Depending on the service plan you choose, many will get free internet every month.
What is the Accessible Connectivity Program?
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) offers families a discount on their Internet services and devices that connect to the Internet in many cases, making the Internet free for eligible families.
Important note: Apply ASAP because this program has a shelf life. By mid-2024, federal funds available to pay for this program will be exhausted, according to an analysis by The Hill. The federal government may continue to fund the program, but this is unconfirmed.
How much is the Accessible Connectivity Program discount?
For eligible households, ACP will provide a monthly discount of up to $30 to pay towards the household’s home or mobile Internet bill. For eligible families on tribal land, the discount is up to $75 a month.
According to Karluah, her family pays $0 a month for Internet service using Xfinity’s Internet Essentials program at $9.95 a month for Internet at up to 50 Mbps, which is double the speed of what the FCC considers high-speed Internet. high speed. Families can also take advantage of the Internet Essentials Plus program, which costs $29.95 per month for up to 100Mbps Internet, which is more suitable for large families.
With one of these Internet programs, families will spend $0 a month on the Internet using the ACP benefit.
What if a family’s Internet bill is less than the $30 discount? Then the remainder of the ACP monthly benefit can be applied to the households cell phone bill if their mobile phone service and internet provider are the same.
In addition, there is a one-time discount of up to $100 on the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating vendors if the family contributes more than $10 and less than $50 towards the purchase price of the devices.
Who is eligible for the Accessible Connectivity Program?
Families are eligible for ACP benefits if their total income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($60,000 a year for a family of four, $29,160 a year for an individual).
Also, a family may be eligible if any family member:
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Received a federal Pell grant this year
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Participate in one of these assistance programs:
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Free and reduced-price school lunch program or school breakfast program, including at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) community-eligible schools.
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Federal Housing Assistance, including:
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Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Voucher)
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Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/Section 202/Section 811 Public Housing
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Affordable housing programs for American Indian, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
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General Assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
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Food distribution program on Indian reservations
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Tribal Head Start (based on income)
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For more information on eligibility, visit fcc.gov/acp.
How to apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program
There are two steps to applying for and receiving ACP benefits.
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Contact a participating provider to select a plan and have the discount applied to your bill (the FCC notes that some providers may have an additional application to complete).
What you need to apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program
To apply, you will need to provide proof of identification, income and participation in public benefits (if any). Here’s everything that entails:
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Name, address and contact information
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Last four digits of your Social Security or Driver’s License Number, Tax Identification Number, Passport, or Tribal Identification Number.
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Confirm if a family member participates in another public benefit program (SNAP, HCV, Medicaid, etc.)
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Family size and proof of income. You can prove your income with your last years income tax return, annual income tax return, Social Security, Unemployment or Workers Benefits return, or pay stubs showing your income for three consecutive months in the last year.
Some applicants will be automatically approved based on their suitability, but most applicants should expect a few days of processing before approval. After your application has been approved, you will receive an ACP identification number which you will use when contacting a participating provider.
Contact a participating provider
There are more than 1,300 Internet Service Providers participating in the ACP and all of them are able to discount their Internet bill through the ACP. However, not all vendors participate in the discounted device benefit.
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When locating a provider, use the contact information listed to reach out and select a plan to apply the ACP benefit to. Be prepared to provide your ACP ID number.
Once your ACP Internet Provider has processed your membership, you will work with them to have Internet installed in your home and/or set up mobile devices.
Get help applying for the Accessible Connectivity Program
Any Philadelphian can contact the city’s digital navigators for free ACP application assistance, digital literacy support, and to connect to adult education and workforce programs.
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