ACP and Lifeline Program

Affordable Connectivity Program

ACP and Lifeline Program

Making connectivity available to all

Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 toward the purchase price.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

Who Is Eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program?

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program;
Participates in one of these assistance programs: Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools.SNAPMedicaid Your Medicaid eligibility may be up for renewal. Learn more about how to renew.Federal Housing Assistance, including: Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Vouchers)Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/Section 202/ Section 811Public HousingAffordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives or Native HawaiiansSupplemental Security Income (SSI)WICVeterans Pension or Survivor Benefitsor Lifeline;
Participates in one of these assistance programs and lives on qualifying Tribal lands: Bureau of Indian Affairs General AssistanceTribal TANFFood Distribution Program on Indian ReservationsTribal Head Start (income based)

Two Steps to Enroll

Go to GetInternet.gov (AccedeaInternet.gov en español) to submit an application or print out a mail-in application.
Contact your preferred participating provider to select a plan and have the discount applied to your bill.

Some providers may have an alternative application that they will ask you to complete.

Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.

How Does the ACP Protect Consumers?

FCC rules protect Affordable Connectivity Program recipients by:

Empowering consumers to choose the service plan that best meets their needs (including a plan they may already be on);
Ensuring consumers have access to supported broadband services regardless of their credit status;
Prohibiting providers from excluding consumers with past due balances or prior debt from enrolling in the program;
Preventing consumers from being forced into more expensive or lower quality plans in order to receive the ACP;
Ensuring that consumers are not liable for early termination fees;
Reducing the potential for bill shock or other financial harms;
Allowing ACP recipients to switch providers or broadband service offerings; and
Providing a dedicated FCC process for ACP complaints.

Lifeline

Lifeline provides up to a $9.25 monthly discount on service for eligible low-income subscribers and up to $34.25 per month for eligible subscribers on Tribal lands. Subscribers may receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, but they may not receive a discount on both services at the same time. Lifeline also supports broadband Internet service and broadband-voice bundles. FCC rules prohibit more than one Lifeline service per household.Lifeline is available to eligible low-income consumers in every state, commonwealth, territory, and on Tribal lands. The Lifeline program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). USAC is responsible for helping consumers apply for the program, understand eligibility requirements, and keep their benefit current through an annual recertification process. USAC's website provides additional information regarding the program, including program requirements.

To participate in the Lifeline program, consumers must either have an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, the Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or certain Tribal Programs. You can see if you are eligible by reviewing the information available at lifelinesupport.org.

National Verifier for Lifeline Eligibility

To apply for Lifeline, a consumer must generally use the National Verifier application system, which they can access through USAC or a phone or internet company participating in Lifeline. The National Verifier is a centralized system established by the FCC and operated by USAC that verifies Lifeline applicants' eligibility and recertifies subscriber eligibility annually. Consumers who would like assistance from a service provider when applying can use the "Companies Near Me" tool to locate a Lifeline program service provider in their area.

Please note that consumers in California (except broadband-only consumers), Texas, and Oregon will continue to apply for the federal Lifeline benefit through the state's existing application process as they do today. For broadband-only consumers in California, consumers will need to apply through the National Verifier application system and the National Verifier will check the consumer's eligibility. For specific directions on how to apply for Lifeline in all three states, visit the National Verifier and select the relevant state from the drop-down menu and press "Get Started."

Can you have both ACP and Lifeline?

Yes, you can typically stack both ACP and Lifeline.

If you have questions about your application, or would like an application mailed to you, contact Lifeline at (800) 234-9473 or LifelineSupport@usac.org.

ACP and Lifeline Program