The Affordable Connectivity Program ended in May 2024, and Congress has not revived it, so the main alternatives to the Affordable Connectivity Program are the federal Lifeline discount, low-cost plans offered directly by major internet providers, and a growing set of state broadband subsidies. None of them match the ACP’s $30 monthly benefit on its own, but stacked together they can come close for households that qualify.
Lifeline: The Federal Discount That Still Exists
Lifeline is the only federal program still cutting a monthly check against your phone or internet bill. Eligible households get up to $9.25 per month off phone, internet, or bundled service. Households on qualifying Tribal lands get up to $34.25 per month.1Universal Service Administrative Company. About Lifeline
The income cutoff is tighter than the ACP’s was. Your household income has to be at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For a family of four in the 48 contiguous states, that works out to $44,550 in 2026.2Universal Service Administrative Company. How to Qualify You can also qualify through program participation if any member of your household is enrolled in:
- Medicaid
- SNAP (formerly Food Stamps)
- Supplemental Security Income
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8 vouchers, public housing, or project-based rental assistance)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
Households on Tribal lands have additional qualifying programs, including Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, Head Start (for households meeting income standards), and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.3eCFR. 47 CFR 54.409 – Lifeline Eligibility Criteria
Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. The FCC defines a household as everyone at the same address who shares income and expenses, so two adults at one address who keep separate finances can qualify as separate households, but the program verifies it.
How to Apply
Apply through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org, by mail, or through a participating phone or internet company. Texas and Oregon residents use their state’s own application. For help or a paper form, call 1-800-234-9473.4Federal Communications Commission. Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications Expect to show proof of identity (a Social Security number or government-issued ID) and proof of income or program participation (a tax return, recent pay stubs, or an official benefits letter).
The Honest Limitation
A $9.25 discount rarely makes broadband affordable on its own. Standalone internet plans typically run $50 to $80 per month, and Lifeline was built in the landline era. For most households, Lifeline works as one layer on top of a provider’s low-income plan, not as a full solution.
Low-Cost Plans Direct From Internet Providers
Several major ISPs run their own discounted plans for households on public assistance. These existed alongside the ACP and kept running after it ended. Most accept SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI participation as proof of need, and none require a federal application.
- Comcast Xfinity Internet Essentials: $9.95 per month for speeds up to 50 Mbps. No data cap or annual contract. Wi-Fi equipment included. Open to households in Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, SSI, and other public assistance programs.
- Spectrum Internet Assist: $24.99 per month for speeds up to 50 Mbps. Free modem, with a $5 monthly router fee. Available to new Spectrum customers whose household includes someone in the National School Lunch Program or on SSI (age 65 and older).
- AT&T Access: $30 per month for speeds up to 100 Mbps. No data cap or contract. Available to households in SNAP or with income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- Cox ConnectAssist: $30 per month for speeds up to 100 Mbps. Open to households in SNAP, Medicaid, or similar income-based programs.
- Cox Connect2Compete: $9.95 per month for families with a K-12 student receiving free or reduced-price school lunch.
Availability depends on your address. Call the provider or check its site to confirm service in your area before you enroll. One useful fact: the old ACP eligibility threshold of 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines is what AT&T Access still uses, so a household that was ACP-eligible on income alone can often qualify for that plan directly.
State Broadband Programs
Some states have moved to fill the ACP gap, either by requiring large providers to offer cheap plans or by funding their own discounts. The landscape as of early 2026:
- New York requires providers serving more than 20,000 customers statewide to offer plans at $15 or $20 per month (depending on speed) to low-income and other qualifying households. Took effect January 2025.
- Oregon’s Public Utility Commission can offer eligible households a broadband discount of up to $24.95 per month, or $49.95 on Tribal lands, plus a one-time $100 discount toward a computer purchase.
- Connecticut requires providers that contract with the state to offer a low-cost plan of $40 per month or less to eligible households, effective October 2025.
- California launched a home broadband pilot program in early 2026.
- New Mexico passed a Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program.
This area is moving quickly. Check with your state’s public utility commission or broadband office for current details, and ask whether the state benefit can be combined with the federal Lifeline discount. Some can.
Stacking Lifeline With a Provider Plan
The math is worth running. Under the ACP, a household on a $50-per-month internet plan paid as little as $20 after the $30 discount. Lifeline alone won’t get you there, but Lifeline layered on an ISP’s low-income plan can. Applying the $9.25 Lifeline discount to Comcast Internet Essentials at $9.95 could bring the monthly cost below $1. Not every provider participates in Lifeline, so confirm before you count on the combination.
If You Were Enrolled in the ACP
Enrolled households were not automatically moved to any replacement when the program wound down after May 2024.5Federal Communications Commission. The FCC Is Taking Steps to Wind Down the Affordable Connectivity Program If your bill jumped, you’ll need to apply for Lifeline separately and ask your provider about its own low-income plan. Many former ACP households qualify for both but never signed up, because the ACP discount by itself was enough.
Start with Lifeline if your income is at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines or you’re on SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, federal housing assistance, or the Veterans Pension. Then call the ISPs serving your address and ask what discounted plans they offer and whether they’ll apply your Lifeline benefit on top. If your income sits between 135% and 200% of the poverty guidelines, Lifeline is out of reach, but AT&T Access and several state programs are not.