Here Are the Best Ways to Use the Federal ACP Benefit

Millions of eligible Americans qualify for free internet under the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a $30 monthly credit ($75/month in Tribal lands) toward internet and mobile services. There are several great ways to stretch it.

What started as emergency relief for Americans forced to work, learn and connect with loved ones remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, financial support to ensure broadband connectivity has gained more permanence under the Biden Administration’s infrastructure bill.

The reason: 19 million Americans nationwide still do not subscribe to broadband with baseline speeds, according to the FCC. The greatest share comes from households earning less than $30,000 a year. “High-speed Internet is not a luxury any longer, it's a necessity,” said President Biden. “And that's why the bipartisan infrastructure law included $65 billion to make sure we expand access to broadband Internet in every region of the country -- urban, suburban and rural, everywhere.”

Who qualifies for ACP?

Roughly 48 million households are eligible for ACP, and there are several ways to qualify. If your household income is less than twice the federal poverty level– approximately $55,000 a year for a family of four or $27,000 a year for an individual – you will qualify for the benefit. Additionally, if you receive SNAP/EBT, Medicaid, or free and reduced-price school lunch, or if you receive one of many of the other federal assistance benefits, you would also qualify.

What are the best ways to use the $30 benefit?

Xfinity, the country’s largest broadband provider, is participating in ACP. Odds are quite good there are qualified households among the 60 million homes and businesses with access to Xfinity services, which has already connected a cumulative total of 10 million people since 2011 to low-cost internet through its Internet Essentials program.

But ACP is a complete game-changer, effectively making high-speed internet free to qualified individuals after the discount is applied. Here are two smart ways to use the $30 benefit for Xfinity services.

1. High-Speed Internet: At a cost of $29.95 a month – which is completely covered by ACP - Internet Essentials Plus offers twice the download speeds – up to 100 MBPS a month – as its standard Internet Essentials service. The higher speeds improve the performance of video and music streaming, video calls and gaming, and comes with a free cable modem and WiFi router.
2. Internet + One Line of Mobile: Qualified individuals can also stretch their $30 credit to cover all but $25 of Internet Essentials and one line of Unlimited data on Xfinity Mobile. How? Standard Internet Essentials service costs just $9.95 a month. If you add one line of Unlimited data on Xfinity Mobile at $45 a month, the cost is just $24.95 after you apply the $30 ACP credit. Xfinity Mobile’s 5G service is also included for all of its mobile customers, in addition to automatic connectivity to 21 million WiFi hotspots nationwide.

Xfinity Mobile has no line access or activation fees and comes with unlimited talk and text, so customers only pay for cellular data. Customers can mix and match between two straightforward plans on Xfinity Mobile with 5G included, Unlimited or By the Gig, and pair these mobile plans with any tier of Internet service to provide ultimate flexibility. They can also switch back and forth between Unlimited and By the Gig mobile plans at any time. In addition, Xfinity Mobile devices automatically connect to millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country to reduce customers’ dependence on cellular and save money.

• 1. High-Speed Internet
• 2. Internet + Mobile

What’s the quickest way to sign up?

First, visit the National Verifier to check eligibility and obtain a National Verifier ID.

Once you have a National Verifier ID, there are three ways Comcast is making the ACP benefit easy to access and sign up for Xfinity Internet and mobile service:

Online: New and existing Xfinity Internet or Internet Essentials customers can visit www.xfinity.com/acp

Call: Individuals can determine their eligibility and sign up for service by calling 1-844-963-0231. Individuals can also speak to a dedicated ACP Enrollment and Support Center that is available from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily, with multi-lingual capabilities to assist anyone interested in the program.

Visit an Xfinity Store: People will be able to visit 500+ Xfinity Stores nationwide to sign up for Internet Essentials Plus, a service that includes 100 Mbps speed, a cable modem, access to millions of WiFi hotspots, and unlimited data for $29.95 per month. During their visit, customers can also learn more about how to enroll in ACP to get Internet service for free.

Comcast’s $1 Billion Commitment

Comcast has been committed to connecting people to the Internet and the technology and skills they need to participate and excel in an increasingly digital world for over a decade. Looking toward the next ten years, Comcast is building on that foundation and expanding its impact through Project UP, a comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. Backed by a $1 billion commitment to reach millions of more people, Project UP encompasses the programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators. For more information on Project UP and the latest news about Comcast’s ongoing efforts to advance digital equity click here.