Millions of Americans rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to access the internet , but that may no longer be a possibility for them. In March of this past year, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the final 2024 fiscal year spending package that costs over $1.2 trillion dollars without including additional funding for the ACP. 

As of now, the ACP will run out of money by the end of May, possibly leaving 23 million people without internet and cell phone service. 

What is the Affordable Connectivity Program?

The ACP is a federal initiative in the United States designed to help ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for necessities such as work, school, and healthcare. The program aims to provide discounts on internet service for eligible households and help bridge the digital divide.To qualify for the ACP, a household must meet one of the following criteria:

• Have an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
• Participate in certain assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, or WIC.
• Receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program.
• Be part of a household that received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.

Discounts with the ACP can include $100 discounts on necessary tech like computers and laptops, and many offer up to a $30 per month discount for families on certain phone service plans. In short, the ACP helps millions of families stay connected as the world rapidly turns digital. 

With funding set to run out by the end of May, ACP users should start looking for alternative ways to keep their phone and internet bills as low as possible. Thankfully, the phone industry offers several options. 

What are ACP providers planning to do?

Now that the ACP is losing funding, cell phone companies are looking for new ways for users to stay connected. Several MVNOs offer cheap plans that you can take advantage of, but the main network providers AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon are working on their own programs. 

Here is what the big 3 providers plan to do:

AT&T

The Access from AT&T program provides low cost services to eligible households, who qualify if they’re already a part of SNAP or the National School Lunch program. AT&T announced they’d commit an additional $3 billion dollars to the program as a result of ACP shutting down, bringing their contributions to a total of $5 billion. 

T-Mobile

When it was announced that the ACP was ending, T-Mobile wrote a guide to several of their most affordable plans and MVNOs that ACP users can sign up for. 

T-Mobile also offers Project 10Million, which provides free internet connectivity and mobile hotspots to up to 10 million eligible student households. They also provide access to free and discounted computers and tablets, as well as heavily subsidized data plans. They currently connect over 6 million students across the country. 

Verizon

Because of the ACP shutting down, Verizon launched Verizon Forward to give those who participate in Lifeline and Federal Assistance programs some discounts on home internet. Since you have to qualify for Lifeline to use Verizon Forward, you’ll also have access to free phone plans.  

What other options do I have?

Thankfully, the ACP isn’t the only federal government program that provides free and discounted phone plans. Lifeline is another federally funded service that offers free and discounted phone service and internet plans if you qualify. To be eligible, you need to already qualify for another federally funded aid program such as food stamps, medicaid, or federal housing. 

Some carriers, like FreedomPop and TextNow, also offer free plans if you don’t qualify for Lifeline. Be sure to check out our article on free phone plans to learn more about both these plans and the Lifeline options!

Image courtesy of FreedomPop’s website. 

Really.com also offers the G.O.A.T, where one winner each week is chosen to receive free high speed phone service on their network if you apply. You can also nominate friends and family members. 

Conclusion

While the ACP may run out of funding soon, there are several ways to stay connected. Really.com also offers a comparison website where you can find great deals on different phone plans and find what you need for your lifestyle.