What Are ISPs Offering Consumers after ACP? (2024)

On May 31 as funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) expired, the White House highlighted the commitments of 14 internet service providersto offer plans at $30 or less to low-income households through 2024.These internet service providers (ISPs) collectively coverup to 10 million ACP householdsand areoffering their current ACP subscribers and other eligible households a high-speed internet plan for $30 per month or less, with no fees and data caps, until the end of 2024.For each ISP, we are lookingat what is being offered—and how easy it is for consumers to find the information.

ALLO Fiber

ALLO Communications currently provides fiber-based communications services—includingtelephone, long-distance, broadband, internet, and television—to 42 cities across Nebraska, Colorado, and Arizona totaling over 1.1 million in population. ALLOhad an estimated 5,300 ACP enrollees at the end of May.

Information about low-cost plans is displayed in small print at the bottom of ALLO's website, pointingto an ACP page.The About section on the website provides information about the now-inactive ACP program, including encouragement for consumers to contact their elected representatives to advocate for the continuation of the program. ALLO also provides information aboutthe Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Lifeline Programwhichlowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service with a $9.25 per month subsidy for qualifying households. On the expired ACP, ALLO says,

Although the program is ending, we are continuing our commitment to bridge the digital divide. If you are an ALLO customer currently enrolled in ACP, please look for communication from ALLO. We will be providing you with viable options for your ALLO service before the discount ends.

Ultimately, there was no low-cost plan for former ACP subscribers made visible to consumers.The lowest-priced plan offered by the company is $69 per month for 500 Megabits per service (Mbps) download and 500 Mbps upload speeds. A broadband consumer label, required for all ISPs on each plan they offer, is provided along with ALLO's service options.

Altafiber (and Hawaiian Telcom)

Altafiber(formerly CincinnatiBell) and its subsidiary Hawaiian Telecomserveconsumers in Ohioand Hawai'i. In all, these companies servedover 2,000 ACP subscribers.

There is no information available on Altafiber's homepage, or anywhere navigablefrom the homepage about low-costoptions. Included in the White House press release was a link to the company's Fioptics Internet Assistance page, which shows that the company is offering a low-cost plan of $30 per month for 12 months for Fioptics 100/100 Mbps symmetrical service to eligible households, with no data caps and no contracts. Households can qualify if they have either:

• Qualified for the Lifeline program, or
• Participated in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) within the past 12 months.

They must also upload examples of the following:

• Bill from internet provider showing ACP discount
• ACP subscriber ID
• Proof that they previously qualified for ACP

Lifeline can be applied to the Fioptics Internet Assistance plan. However, we were unable to reach this page and its information from Altafiber's site, posing abarrier for consumers who may want to apply. Additionally, the broadband consumer label for this particular plan is not availablebefore applying to the program.

Altafiber's lowest-priced plan starts at $39.99 for 400/400 Mbps symmetrical service. The price of this plan increases by $15/month after the first-year introductory rate. Broadband labels are included along with the ISP's options.

Hawaiian Telcom presents the exact same options as Altafiber. However, the Fioptics Internet Assistance program and webpage can be accessed from the menu bar on the Hawaiian Telcom homepage. Hawaiian Telcom also has a page advertising Lifeline and the Internet Kokua Program, which provides discounts on internet service for those who meet certain qualifications. If you are a Hawai'i resident and your service address is copper-served, you may be eligible to receive High-Speed Internet Basic (up to 7 Mbps download) for $9.95/month, which includes the Wireless Gateway Service Fee.

Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband offers telecommunications services in ten states in the United States––California, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington––as well as Washington, D.C. Astound had an estimated 2,000 ACP enrollees at the end of May.

Easily accessible on the company's homepage is a link to its InternetFirst page and plan offerings for qualifying low-income consumers. The InternetFirst program is currently available in parts of California, Washington (DC), Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas, and Washington state. The first 3 months are free for new customers, and there are no contracts or credit checks. Whole Home WiFi is available for $5/month for 12 months and includes up to 2 Eero devices. Under InternetFirst, 50 Mbps service is available for $9.95/month, and 150 Mbps for $19.95/month. Broadband consumer labels were not available for these plans before applying for service. Households can qualify for InternetFirst if:

1. They are in a serviceable area;

2. At least one resident in the home participates in the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants.

3. The household has not subscribed to Astound in the previous 60 days

Astound Broadband offers multiple plans below $30/month and provides information aboutlow-cost plans directly on its homepage. One plan offers300 Mbps for the first two years of service at $20/month forany customer, with no qualifications necessary.

AT&T

At the end of May, AT&T was serving nearly 1.275 million ACP households. Former ACP households may have a tough time figuring out service plans now, however. There's no mention of ACP on AT&T's homepage, Internet page, or Internet deals page. If a consumer thinks to search on ACP, some low-cost options are listed in the results including Access from AT&T Plan which is $30/month for up to 100 Mbps download depending on the consumer's service area. No broadband label is displayed for the plan.

Customers qualify for Access from AT&T if they fulfill at least one of the following:

• Participation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for California residents, National School Lunch Program
• Have a household income below 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines.

Comcast

Comcast, the broadband providerserving the most customers in the U.S., had over 1.3 million ACP subscribers at the end of May.

Comcast's website includesa Transfer ACP benefits info page, which informs customers of the program’s end and redirects them to Internet Essentials, although there is no mention of ACP there. Internet Essentials offers a 50/10 Mbps service at $9.95/month for one year. Comcast's Internet Dealspage advertises a300 Mbps service at $35/month.The service lookup page lists a150 Mbps service for $30/month for the first 12 months. Discounts for paperless and e-billing can lower monthly bills to$20, but the broadband consumer label says the full price is $30.

You may qualify for Internet Essentials if you live in an area where Xfinity Internet service is available and:

• Participate in assistance programs like the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, and others, or were enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program with Xfinity,
• Have not had Xfinity Internet within the last 90 days, and
• Have no outstanding debt on any Comcast account that is less than one year old.

Cox

Cox was servicing about 865,000 ACP subscribers as of May 2024.

On its homepage, Cox Communications advertises a $30/month option for qualifying customers for its "Fiber-powered Internet" with unlimited data, no annual contract, and Wi-Fi equipment included according to the broadband consumer label. The 100 MbpsConnectAssist plan, Cox says, is "Great for households on a tight budget and looking for reliable internet."To qualify for ConnectAssist, a household must currently participate in eligible income-based government assistance programs including SNAP, WIC, certain Public Housing, Pell Grant, Veterans Pension, Certain Tribal Programs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The plan comes with nocredit check, deposit or late fees.

If aConnectAssist-eligible household also includes at least one K-12 student,Connect2Compete offers similar service for just $9.95/month and includes access toCox Digital Academyfor educational resources.

IdeaTek

Headquartered in Buhler, Kansas, Ideatek is a broadband service provider with the mission of “fighting forINTERNET FREEDOM.” IdeaTek deploys scalable, long-term fiber optic infrastructures, bridging the broadband gap in rural communities. IdeaTek has long been a state and national advocate for broadband equity policy and has built nearly 4,500 miles of fiber throughout Kansas.

As of May 2024,IdeaTek was serving just over 1,000 ACP subscribers.

On the company's homepage, there's no mention of ACP or low-cost options. On its Fiber Internet Options page, the lowest-cost service is $49.95/month for 100/100 Mbps symmetrical service with unlimited data. A broadband nutrition label was not included with the plan details.

The company also provides fixed wireless access via AirLight Wireless. For $45/month (plus an additional $13.95/month to lease equipment), customers can get 50/5Mbps service with unlimited data.

Mediacom

Mediacom Communicationsis the 5th largest cable operator in the United States and a broadband provider to smaller markets primarily in the Midwest and Southeast.Mediacom provides high-speed data, video, and phone services to over 1.4 million households and businesses across 22 states.Mediacom served about 71,000 ACP households.

On its homepage,Mediacom advertises Internet 250, a 250/20 Mbps service with Wi-Fi starting at $19.99/month if the customer enrolls in paperless billing and autopay. Data is capped each month at 400 GB.Excess usage is $10 for every increment of up to 50 additional gigabytes used, according to the broadband consumer label.Activation ($10), installation ($109.99 or more), modem rental ($14/month), taxes, and fees apply.

Mediacom's Xtream Connect, which can't be found from the company's homepage, offers 100/20 Mbps service for $28.99 (pluses taxes and regulatory fees). There are three conditions for getting Xtream service:

1. Mediacom Xtream Internet service is available in a household's area
2. The customer does not have an outstanding Mediacom balance.
3. At least one person in the household participates in one of the following programs
   • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
   • Medicaid
   • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
   • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
   • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA), including Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Vouchers), Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/202/811, Public Housing, and Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians
   • Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
   • National Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools
   • Federal Pell Grant recipients in the current award year
   • Lifeline Program administered by the Universal Services Administrative Company (USAC)
   • Tribal Assistance Programs
     • 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

Households that have at least one child that qualifies for free or reduced-price school lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) can have the modem monthly rental fee waived, a $14 value. (Rental fee is also waived if customer uses their own network-compatible modem.)

MLGC

Family-ownedMLGC (formerlyMoore & Liberty TelephoneandGriggs County Telephone), a rural local exchange carrier in North Dakota, offers broadband, phone, and TV to customers over fiber infrastructure inCooperstown, McHenry, Finley, Binford, Enderlin, Sheldon, Kindred, Leonard, Davenport, South Fargo, andHatton. The company's homepage makes no mention of ACP or low-cost plans.The residential internet page allows customers to click on their community for pricing, which takes them to their options, none of which are $30/month or less, or even $65/month or less.From this page, MLGC directs consumers to information about Lifeline and how to qualify/sign up: “Learn more about how you might qualify for low-cost, high-quality MLGC internet with speeds at 100/20 at $30/month!” But there is no information about this plan on the actual internet offerings page.

Optimum

Altice USA servesearly 5 million customers across 21 states with Internet, TV, phone and mobile services.Altice's Optimum broadband service makes no mention of the ACP or low-cost plans on its homepage.Optimum's Internet page advertises services starting at 300 Mbps for $40/month if the customer signs up for paperless billing and autopay. Equipment is included; free self-installation if ordered online.Optimum Advantage+ Internet, if the consumer can find the webpage, offers 100 Mbps service for $25/month. Equipment and free installation are included. Broadband consumer labels were not available where these options were first presented.

Optimum Advantage Internet, advertised on a separate website,offers Internet speeds up to 50 Mbps for $14.99/month. The service comes with free installation, a free Wi-Fi router, no data caps (subject to reasonable network management practices employed to minimize congestion or service degradation), and the ability to cancel service at any time. Optimum Advantage Internet is for new residential Internet customers who do not have Optimum Internet services or have disconnected Internet service for a period of 60 days and meet eligibility criteria. Former Optimum accounts previously not in good standing are not eligible. Consumers cannot order the service online; they must call to order and meet eligibility criteria that are not listed online.

Spectrum (Charter Communications)

Charter Communications had more ACP subscribers than any other ISP, with 5.3 million by May 2024.

Charter has32 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand offering internet, TV, mobile, and voice. There is no mention of ACP or low-cost plans on the company's homepage. The Spectrum Residential pagealso makesno mention of ACP or low-cost plans. Their customers see an offer of 300 Mbps internet service for $49.99/month.

If customers can find it, Charter has a page toutingSpectrum Internet Assist for Low-Income Households, a program that offers Spectrum Internet service with free modem and antivirus software. Wi-Fi is not included but can be added for an extra $5/month.To qualify for the program, someone in the household must be a recipient of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP, or Supplemental Security Income (for applications age 65+ only). Visitors cannot view Spectrum Assist plans without first entering an address. For aPerrysburg, Ohio, address, the lowest-priced option is $39.99/month for 300 Mbps service. The plan's broadband label reports that thisprice is not an introductory rate, does not include the auto pay discount of $5, and does not include any other discounts or promotions. This price does not require a contract.

Starry

Starry useswideband hybrid-fiber fixed wireless technology to deploybroadband to the home without bundles, data caps, or long-term contracts. The service is available inBoston, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington (DC), and Denver, and had 20,458 ACP subscribers. The company's homepage touts: "We believe In Affordable Internet For All," but there's no mention of ACP or low-cost service options. The lowest-priced option is $50/monthup to 200 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up. Subscriptions come with free installation, tech support, and no data caps. Wi-Fi routers are included in some, but not all plans.

Starry Connect brings broadband service to public andaffordable housing communities that are often the most disproportionately impacted by high costs and other barriers to low-cost internet access—and lack competitive options that can drive down prices and increase the quality of services. More than 87,000 public and affordable housing units have access to Starry Connect. Partnering withpublic and affordable housing owners,Starry Connect delivers broadband totheir partners' residents with no credit checks and no individual requirement to participate in other federal assistance programs.For $15/month residents get up to30 Mbps speedssymmetrical.

Verizon

Verizon serves over 11 million broadband subscribers, over 447,000 of which were ACP enrollees. On its home internet webpage, the company states that it is committed to keeping its customers connected past the ACP's end.

Verizon is offering its Verizon Forward plan for qualifying low-income consumers. Under Verizon Forward, customers can get 300 Mbps service for $20/month if they qualify for Verizon Forward and Lifeline. A $99 setup charge applies to this plan. For brand new Verizon Forward enrollees, the company is offering the service for $0/month for the first 6 months, or the first 6 months free, if a customer signs up by September 3, 2024.

Fios, 5G Home, and LTE Home internet customers may be eligible for Verizon Forward if they meet at least one of the criteria below:

• Qualified for one of these assistance programs within 180 days prior to application:
  • Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
  • Lifeline - income is 135 percent or less than the Federal Poverty Guidelines or use SNAP, Medicaid, or other programs (Learn more)
  • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (Learn more)
• Received a Federal Pell Grant within a year prior to application.

Verizon's lowest cost option outside of the Verizon Forward program is $49.99/month for 300/300 Mbps symmetrical service. Broadband consumer labels are included for all available plans.

Vermont Telephone Company

Vermont Telephone Company (VTel) advertises itself as a "smart rural community provider," with an engaging homepage. The company had 650 ACP enrollees as of May.

The company's lowest-priced service offering comes in at $48.95/month for 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) symmetrical service. There are no mentions of the ACP or low-cost plans on VTel's site.

Which Providers May No Longer Offer Low-Cost Plans?

All 14 of these internet service providers have committed to providing low-cost plans for ACP consumers since the program's end in May. In 2022, the White House announced that 20 providers had committed to offering low-cost plans at $30 or less for qualifying ACP enrollees. Of those first 20, six were not included in this post-program announcement:

• Breezeline
• Comporium
• Frontier
• Jackson Energy Authority
• Vexus Fiber
• Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV

These companies have varying levels of information about the Affordable Connectivity program wind-down. All ACP-qualifying consumers should visit their provider to see what their options are post-program.

The 2024 White House release notes that these extended offerings by ISPs will expire on December 31st, 2024. In the meantime, the Biden Administration continues to call for a renewal of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Without additional ACP funding, in 2025 millions of households may once again face huge spikes in their internet access bills.

More Affordability Coverage

• Ten Things About ACP that Ted Cruz Cares About—And Ten Answers that Could Help Reshape How We Think About the Program
• Another Vehicle for ACP Funding
• As ACP Funding Dwindles, What is the Future of Broadband Affordability?
• The Affordable Connectivity Program Creates $16.2 Billion in Annual Benefits to Subscribers
• 23,269,550 ACP Households