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The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

Important changes coming for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

What is The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)?

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices.

If your household is eligible, you can receive:

  • Up to a $30/month discount on your internet service
  • Up to a $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands
  • A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)

Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household. To receive the connected device discount, consumers need to enroll in the ACP with a participating provider that offers connected devices (Note: not all internet company offer device discounts.) The internet company will provide the discount to the consumer.

 

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

Why Cal.net

We provide internet to both urban and rural communities, but what makes this special is what you won’t find

  1. Unlimited Data Plans starting as low as $53/mo
  2. NO Data Caps
  3. NO Contracts
  4. NO “New Customers Only” Introductory Prices

What we do provide is some of the best high speed internet access you could ever ask for. Our robust, enterprise class network is monitored 24/7/365 and can easily provide your home with great internet speeds at very affordable prices.

TWO (2) STEPS TO APPLY

The ACP will be open to applicants on December 31, 2021. Click the link below to apply.

Are you eligible?

See if your household fits into any eligible categories Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.

STEP #1

Are You In Our Service Area?

Fill out the form below to see if you reside within a Cal.net service area.

STEP #2

Are you eligible?

You can get ACP if your income is 200% or less than the federal poverty guidelines 

A household is eligible if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

  • Based on your household income
  • If you or your child or dependent participate in certain government assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or other programs
  • If you or your child or dependent already receives a Lifeline benefit

If You Participate in Certain Government Assistance Programs Such As SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or Other Programs

Federal Assistance Programs

You can get ACP if you (or someone in your household) participate in one of these programs:

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps
  • Medicaid
  • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
  • Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
  • Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools in the 2019-20, 2020-21, or 2021-22 school year
  • Received a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year

You may need to show a card, letter, or official document as proof that you participate in one of these programs when you apply for the ACP.

Tribal Assistance Programs

If you live on qualifying Tribal lands, you can get ACP if your household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if you (or someone in your household) participate in:

  • Any of the federal assistance programs listed above
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Head Start (only households meeting the income qualifying standard)
  • Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

You may have to show proof of participation, like a benefit letter or official document, when you apply for ACP.  Learn more about the Tribal Benefit.

If You Already Receive a Lifeline Benefit

Lifeline is a Federal Communications Commission program to help make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers. If you currently receive a Lifeline benefit, you automatically qualify for the ACP, and you can receive both benefits at the same time. You can apply your ACP benefit and your Lifeline benefit to the same or separate services. Talk to your internet company to learn how to start receiving ACP discounts.

Qualify Through Your Child or Dependent

Any member of your household can make your household eligible if they participate in one of the programs above. For example, if your child or dependent participates in the Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or is enrolled in a USDA Community Eligibility Provision school, your household qualifies for the ACP benefit.

 

Complete this form to qualify if you are in our service area.

Apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program with

Our online tool to find a participating company near you. Participating companies can help you apply through the National Verifier or through their company’s application process.

Affordable Connectivity Program Consumer FAQ

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices.

If your household is eligible, you can receive:

  • Up to a $30/month discount on your internet service
  • Up to a $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands
  • A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)

Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household. To receive the connected device discount, consumers need to enroll in the ACP with a participating provider that offers connected devices (Note: not all internet company offer device discounts.) The internet company will provide the discount to the consumer.

There are 3 ways you can apply:

Option 1:  Apply with a service provider 

  • The consumer visits a service provider.
  • The service provider will get the consumer’s consent to enter the consumer’s information into the National Verifier service provider portal.
  • This is an in-person interaction, where the service provider asks the consumer questions in an interview style approach.

Option 2: Apply online

  • The consumer visits the National Verifier from any computer or mobile device to complete the electronic application
  • The consumer contacts a service provider to enroll in the ACP Program.

Option 3: Apply by Mail

  • The consumer fills out and signs the National Verifier ACP Application Form 
  • The consumer mails the application and supporting documentation to the Emergency Broadband Support Center
  • Service providers may assist consumers with the paper application and mail it on the consumer’s behalf.

The National Verifier will use the consumer’s information to perform the following automated checks: 

  • Eligibility check 
  • Identity check 
  • Address check 
  • Duplicate subscriber check 
  • Duplicate address check 
  • Tribal eligibility check 

If any of these checks return errors, the consumer will be directed to either resolve the error in the portal or to provide documents.

Yes. The federal government has implemented a variety of restrictions to help ensure that only qualifying consumers obtain the Affordable Connectivity Program

One Benefit Per Household 

Only one Affordable Connectivity Program service is available per “household.”  (A “household” means “any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses as one economic unit.”)  A “household” is not permitted to receive the the Affordable Connectivity Program from multiple providers. Violation of the one-per-household limitation constitutes a violation of the federal regulations and will result in disenrollment from the program.

Proof of Eligibility 

When applying for the Affordable Connectivity Program service, applicants must provide documentation demonstrating that they are eligible. More information can be found in the eligibility requirements.

Loss of Eligibility

An the Affordable Connectivity Program customer must notify Cal.net within 30 days if he or she is no longer eligible for the the Affordable Connectivity Program service for any reason.  (For example, a customer may no longer be eligible if he or she no longer participates in a qualifying low-income program, if he or she no longer meets the low-income thresholds, or if he or she or a member of the household receives another the Affordable Connectivity Program service.)

Change of Address 

An the Affordable Connectivity Program customer must notify Cal.net within 30 days if he or she moves to a new residential address.

Certification Under Penalty of Perjury. the Affordable Connectivity Program applicants must certify under penalty of perjury that the information contained on their application forms is true and correct to the best of their knowledge.

Recertification

the Affordable Connectivity Program customers must recertify their eligibility on an annual basis and may be asked to recertify more frequently.  Failure to recertify will result in de-enrollment from the the Affordable Connectivity Program program.

Non-Transferable

the Affordable Connectivity Program service cannot be transferred from one individual to another.

Consent to Provide Information to the Affordable Connectivity Program administrator.  All the Affordable Connectivity Program applicants must permit Cal.net to provide the customer’s name, telephone number, date of birth, and last four digits of social security number to the Universal Service Administrative Company (and/or its agents) for the purpose of verifying that the subscriber does not receive more than one the Affordable Connectivity Program package.  USAC is the company that administers the Emergency Broadband Benefit program on behalf of the Federal Communications Commission.

The the Affordable Connectivity Program is a federal program that ensures qualifying customers have access to high-quality internet services. 

Cal.net’s eligible Wireless Internet plan features: 

  • Prices starting as low as $53/mo
  • No Data Caps
  • No Throttling
  • No Contracts

Participating internet service providers can be reimbursed up to $100 if they supply a connected device to a household, provided the household pays more than $10 but less than $50 for the device. In other words, to take advantage of this benefit, it must be done through your participating internet service provider, and you must contribute a portion of the cost. The device benefit is limited to a laptop, a desktop computer, or a tablet. It does not include cell phones, large phones, or “phablets” that can make cellular calls.