About the Affordable Connectivity Program

The ACP benefit is paid directly to your internet provider. Similar to a coupon or discount, you will see the benefit as a reduction in the cost of internet service. For example, if you use the ACP to sign up for an internet plan that costs $50 per month, you would only pay $20 out of pocket (plus any additional fees). If the cost of internet service is less than $30, you will not get the difference.

That depends. If you purchase a plan that costs less than $30 (or $75 if you live on tribal lands), then the ACP will cover the full cost and you will not have to pay anything. However, if the plan costs more than $30 (or $75 if you live on tribal lands), then you will have to pay the difference. See the question above for an example of how this works.

Families will need a letter stating that their child participates in a free and reduced-priced lunch program by attending a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school. Letters issued by the school—or for some CEP schools, a student’s report card—may serve as proof of eligibility for ACP.

No. If a household is unable to provide an SSN or feels uncomfortable doing so, they can use a government-issued ID, passport, driver’s license, tribal identification number, or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) documentation.

Yes, eligible consumers with a past-due balance or a balance in collections are eligible for the benefit.

The ACP is a permanent program. This is a change from the EBB, which was a temporary program for the pandemic emergency. When Congress turned the EBB into the ACP, they also ended its emergency designation.

You can apply the discount to any internet service plan a participating provider offers. However, not all providers participate. Find a participating provider in your area.

This benefit cannot be used to pay for a cellphone, but it can be used to pay for the part of a monthly cellphone bill that covers mobile broadband service or a data plan. For assistance with cellphone service, visit the FCC’s Lifeline program.

The maximum monthly benefit changed from $50 per month to $30 per month for households not located on qualifying tribal lands. The monthly benefit remains at $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands.
● Households have additional ways to qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, like receiving WIC benefits or having an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
● Households that qualified for EBB because of job loss during the pandemic or through their internet provider’s COVID-19 program will need to reapply.