What is the Affordable Connectivity Program and how do you approach it?

The Biden administration’s Affordable Connectivity Program provides low-cost high-speed Internet access to individuals who do not have access or for whom the cost is too high, but many Americans do not know they may be eligible.

On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris plans to talk about South Carolina’s Internet Access Expansion Program, also called ACP, touting it as an initiative that currently serves more than 16 million households and saves Americans more than half a billion dollars each. a month for Internet access through low-cost plans, discounts and subsidies.

Enrollment is up 40% since the franchise was first announced, in accordance with The White house. The program was signed in November 2021 under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

Read on to find out more about who is eligible for the program, how it works, and where to enroll.

What is AKP?

The program aims to expand access to the critical tool of broadband Internet access. Rural areas, communities of color, and older Americans often lack access to reliable high-speed Internet, which is now a vital tool for work, school, and healthcare, further marginalizing them.

The Biden administration has invested $65 billion to achieve the “Internet for All” goal under the bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce also announced new investments of more than $175 million in 61 institutions serving minorities that will expand Internet access, purchase equipment, and educate people on how to use these tools.

What are you getting?

Participating households can receive up to $30 per month off home Internet access or mobile Internet service. These internet connections provide download speeds of at least 100 Mbps, allowing a family of four to use video conferencing software, watch movies and TV shows.

The household also receives a one-time discount of up to $100 on a computer or tablet.

Who is eligible?

Approximately 48 million people, or up to 40% of American families, are eligible for the program, experts say. evaluate.

Individuals can check their eligibility and sign up for benefits at GetInternet.gov.

There are three different ways to receive benefits. To be eligible, individuals must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four in the continental US, that’s $55,500.
  • A family member is enrolled in a government assistance program, including the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps), Medicaid, Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA).
  • You are eligible for one of the hundreds of participating broadband providers in your own Internet Low Income Program listed on GetInternet.gov.

How to apply?

You can apply for GetInternet.gov, which guides people through the process of verifying their eligibility. Individuals can choose whether to apply based on family income, participation in a government assistance program, or through an existing online low-income broadband provider program. Individuals can apply online or by mail, with mail-in applications available at English And Spanish.

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