Affordable Connectivity Program Ending: Lifeline and Low-Cost Plans

With the Affordable Connectivity Program ending on June 1, 2024, and no direct federal replacement in place as of 2026, the practical question for the 23 million households that relied on the $30 monthly discount is what to do about the bill now.1Federal Communications Commission. Affordable Connectivity Program The short answer: call your provider about a cheaper plan, check whether you qualify for the Lifeline discount that is still running, and look at the provider-run low-cost programs that operate outside federal funding. None of these fully replaces the ACP, but stacked together they can get a qualifying household close.

What Happened to Your Bill

April 2024 was the last month enrolled households received the full ACP benefit of up to $30, or up to $75 on qualifying Tribal lands. A partial credit applied in May, and the program shut down on June 1.2Federal Communications Commission. ACP Wind Down Update When the discount dropped off, most households saw bills jump by $30 overnight. Some providers kept service running at the full retail rate unless the customer called to cancel or downgrade. Others disconnected after the final subsidized month.

If you’re still paying full price for a plan you originally chose because the ACP covered part of it, call your provider and ask what cheaper tiers they offer. Many companies have plans in the $20 to $40 range with speeds adequate for video calls, streaming, and schoolwork. Ask for a confirmation number and the exact date the new rate starts. A verbal promise from a customer service rep is worth nothing without a reference number.

Before you commit to any new plan, look up the provider’s broadband nutrition label. Providers have been required to display these since 2024, and they show monthly price, introductory rate details, data caps, and actual speeds in a standardized format you can compare across companies.3Federal Communications Commission. Broadband Consumer Labels

Cancel Cleanly if You Can’t Afford Service

This is where the end of the ACP can do damage that outlasts the program by years. Internet providers don’t usually report your monthly payments to credit bureaus. But if you stop paying and the account is sent to collections, that collection can sit on your credit report for up to seven years from the date you first fell behind. Cable and internet debts are treated like any other debt once a collector is involved.

If you can’t afford the current plan and don’t plan to keep it, cancel before the next billing cycle rather than ignoring the bill. An account closed in good standing is invisible to credit bureaus. An account that piles up two or three months of unpaid charges before going to collections is not. That difference is one phone call.

Returning Equipment and Keeping Your Devices

If you cancel or switch providers, find out whether you’re renting a modem or router. Most rental agreements require return within a set window after cancellation. Miss it and the provider will charge the full replacement cost of the device, which runs $100 to $300 depending on the hardware.

When you do return rented equipment, get a receipt. Providers have a documented history of claiming they never received returned hardware and billing customers months later. A dated store receipt or a shipping confirmation from the carrier is your only real protection.

Devices you bought outright, including any laptop or tablet purchased using the ACP’s one-time device discount, belong to you. That benefit was a co-payment toward a purchase, not a loan. If a provider tells you otherwise, they’re wrong.

Lifeline: The Federal Discount That’s Still Running

Lifeline is the one federal broadband subsidy still operating. It pays $9.25 per month toward qualifying broadband service, or up to $34.25 for eligible residents of Tribal lands (the $9.25 base plus $25 in enhanced Tribal support).4eCFR. 47 CFR 54.403 – Lifeline Support Amount That’s a fraction of the old ACP benefit, but it’s permanent funding that doesn’t depend on a new appropriation.

You qualify if your household income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if anyone in your household participates in one of these programs:5eCFR. 47 CFR 54.409 – Consumer Qualification for Lifeline

  • Medicaid
  • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance
  • Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit

Residents of Tribal lands can qualify through additional programs, including Bureau of Indian Affairs general assistance, Tribal TANF, Head Start (for households meeting its income standard), and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.5eCFR. 47 CFR 54.409 – Consumer Qualification for Lifeline

One limit worth knowing: Lifeline allows only one benefit per household, not per person. If two adults at the same address both qualify, only one discount applies.

How to Apply

Applications go through the National Verifier, the same system the ACP used. Apply online at getinternet.gov, which walks you through income or program verification.6Universal Service Administrative Company. Lifeline Program You’ll need either:

  • Proof of program participation, such as a benefit letter or official document showing enrollment in Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or another qualifying program
  • Proof of income, such as a recent tax return, three consecutive months of pay stubs, or a Social Security Statement of Benefits

Once the National Verifier confirms eligibility, choose a participating provider and ask them to apply the discount. You can also ask your current provider to apply Lifeline to the service you already have, which avoids switching companies.6Universal Service Administrative Company. Lifeline Program If you were already enrolled in ACP, you may still need to file a separate Lifeline application since the two programs used different eligibility tracks.

Low-Cost Plans From Providers

Several large internet companies run their own discount programs that don’t depend on federal funding. These continue regardless of what Congress does, though the companies can change terms at any time. Two widely available examples:

Other regional and national providers offer similar programs, often in the $10 to $30 range. Eligibility requirements vary but typically overlap with Lifeline’s qualifying programs. Search your provider’s site for terms like “low-income internet,” “affordable internet,” or “internet assistance.” Most require a separate application with income or program verification, so have the same documents ready you’d use for Lifeline.

Stacking helps. You can apply a Lifeline discount on top of an already-reduced low-cost plan in many cases, which can bring a $15 plan down to under $6 a month. Not every provider allows this, so ask specifically whether their low-cost tier is Lifeline-eligible before signing up.

Is the ACP Coming Back

As of 2026, Congress has not passed legislation to restore the Affordable Connectivity Program or create a direct replacement. Several bills were introduced in 2024 and 2025 proposing new funding, but none advanced through both chambers. The political obstacle is straightforward: the ACP cost roughly $14.2 billion over its lifetime, and any successor would need a similar appropriation.1Federal Communications Commission. Affordable Connectivity Program

The current combination of Lifeline, provider discount programs, and broadband labels that give you better pricing transparency doesn’t add up to a $30 monthly credit. But a household that qualifies for Lifeline and enrolls in a provider’s low-cost plan can get basic broadband for roughly what it paid during the ACP era.