Eligibility for the Affordable Connectivity Program rested on two paths: household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or participation by any household member in one of a defined list of federal assistance programs. The program itself stopped applying discounts on June 1, 2024, after Congress did not renew its funding,1 so the criteria below now matter mainly for two reasons: they still describe who would likely qualify if a successor program passes, and they closely mirror the rules for the smaller programs that remain available in 2026.
The Income Path
A household qualified if total annual income was at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines published by the Department of Health and Human Services. Using the 2026 guidelines, that works out to roughly $31,920 for a single person and about $66,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states. Alaska and Hawaii use higher thresholds. HHS updates the guidelines each year, usually in January.
How you counted the “household” mattered as much as the dollar figure. The program defined a household as a group of people at the same address who share income and expenses. A married couple with dependents on one budget was one household. Roommates splitting rent but keeping separate finances counted as separate households. Only one discount was allowed per household, and the income test covered everyone in that economic unit.
The Federal Program Path
A household also qualified automatically if any single member participated in one of the following programs, with no separate income verification required:
- SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance, including Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)
- WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children)
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit
- Federal Pell Grant received during the current award year
- Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch or Breakfast Program, including schools operating under the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, where every student qualifies regardless of individual family income
One qualifying member was enough to cover the whole household. A child receiving free school lunch made the family eligible. This approach relied on eligibility screening other agencies had already done, which is why most applicants moved through the process quickly.
Tribal Lands Pathways
Households on qualifying Tribal lands had additional qualifying programs available and could receive an enhanced monthly discount. The Tribal-specific programs were:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Tribal Head Start, for households meeting the program’s income-qualifying standard
What Qualifying Households Received
An eligible household got up to $30 per month off its broadband bill, or up to $75 per month on qualifying Tribal lands and in certain high-cost areas where providers showed the standard cap created hardship. Households could also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 toward a laptop, desktop, or tablet, with a copay owed to the provider. Only one benefit per household was allowed, cross-checked against a national database before enrollment.
Where the Same Eligibility Helps in 2026
No program has replaced the ACP at the same scale, but the qualifying criteria above map closely onto smaller options still in place.
FCC Lifeline
Lifeline provides up to $9.25 per month toward phone or internet service, and up to $34.25 per month for eligible subscribers on Tribal lands. Qualifying programs overlap heavily with the old ACP list: SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, and Federal Public Housing Assistance all qualify a household, as does income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Note that Lifeline’s income threshold is lower than the ACP’s was. Applications go through the Universal Service Administrative Company, the same body that ran ACP enrollment.
ISP Low-Cost Plans
Major internet providers offer reduced-rate plans for income-qualified households, generally requiring participation in programs like SNAP, Medicaid, or the National School Lunch Program. Prices from large carriers commonly run between about $10 and $30 per month, with speeds and terms varying by provider and region. These are private plans, not government benefits, so pricing and availability can change and depend on which providers serve your address.
State and Local Programs
Some states and cities run their own broadband subsidy or digital equity programs. Structures vary: monthly bill credits in some places, free public Wi-Fi or device distribution in others. A state broadband office, usually located within the governor’s office or a commerce department, is the practical starting point for finding what exists locally.
If a Successor Program Passes
Bills to restore some form of broadband subsidy have continued to appear in Congress without passing. If one is enacted, it will likely lean on the same income threshold and qualifying program list, because those criteria are already built into FCC regulations and the USAC verification system. Households that qualified before would probably qualify again. The most useful thing you can do now is keep current documentation for any federal assistance program you participate in: a recent benefit award letter, a Pell Grant notice for the current award year, a school meal eligibility notice, or recent pay stubs and tax returns if you would qualify on income. That way, if funding returns, you can apply without hunting down paperwork first.