The Affordable Connectivity Program has reached its finals days. April is the last month enrollees will receive the full monthly benefit of $30 to $75, leaving more than 23 million households with significantly higher internet bills come May.
One in five Americans with internet subscriptions currently use the program to help pay for internet, and nearly half the households that take advantage of the ACP are military families, according to a White House fact sheet. Seniors, African Americans and Latinos also use the ACP at higher rates.
“It’s been the difference between choosing to have a roof over my head, whether to eat or whether to pay for the internet, which has things like virtual appointments with my psychiatrist,” Kenneth Sigler, a small-business owner from Hernando, Mississippi, who uses the ACP, told CNET. “It basically helps me to keep from having to choose what bills I’m going to pay.”
There is some hope that the program will be extended eventually — President Joe Biden called on lawmakers to extend the program on April 2 — but for now, ACP subscribers will have to prepare for a world without the subsidy.
There’s no one resource that can replace the $14.2 billion ACP, but there are a variety of government programs, nonprofits and discounted plans from providers that can help ease the transition.
Lifeline
Lifeline is a federal subsidy that provides $9.25 per month to low-income households for home internet or cellphone plans. Its eligibility requirements are a little stricter than those of the ACP. Your income must be 135% or less than the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or $40,500 for a family of four.
Lifeline income requirements
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You can also get Lifeline if you (or someone who lives with you) participates in any of the following programs:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as Food Stamps)
Medicaid
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI
Federal Public Housing Assistance, or FPHA
Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
If you live in California, Oregon or Texas, you must check with your internet provider or visit your state’s website to apply for the program.
Some states and cities across the country offer their own local versions of the ACP to help low-income households pay for internet. California, for example, has a website that allows you to search affordable options in your ZIP code based on various eligibility criteria, and Oregon provides an enhanced Lifeline benefit of $19.25 monthly.
Cities like Chicago offer free internet to families in Chicago public schools and eligible city colleges through its Chicago Connected program. The best way for you to find these resources is by going to Google and searching for “[location] internet resources.”
Many internet providers have their own discounted plans available for low-income households, including AT&T, Spectrum and Xfinity. Requirements vary, but they’re usually similar to the ACP’s: meeting certain income requirements or participating in a federal program like SNAP or the National School Lunch Program.
