The Affordable Connectivity Program is winding down: Here’s what you need to know

By Supervising Librarian of Creative Technology John Gargiulo

A federally funded benefit program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has offered a monthly benefit to eligible households to help with affordable access to internet services since 2021.

Now, the future of the program is uncertain. Without urgent congressional funding, the ACP will run out of funds. The funds are expected to run out by the end of April 2024, and the ACP has stopped accepting new applications and enrollments as of February 8.

Currently enrolled in the ACP? Things to know during this transition

1. If your household is currently enrolled in the ACP, your internet service provider (ISP) should contact you in March to tell you exactly what will happen with your internet plan if you don’t make any changes.
2. Carefully review these messages from your ISP and any notices from the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the administrator of the ACP.
3. Without the ACP, there may be other ways to lower your internet bill, like moving to an ISP’s low-cost plan for qualified customers. Contact your ISP to inquire about their low-cost plans.
4. Once you have reviewed your options, contact your ISP to let them know if you want to:
   • Continue your internet plan at full cost (without the ACP discount)
   • Switch to a different plan
   • Cancel your internet service
5. Throughout this transition, be sure to consistently check your emails, text messages, and/or mail for more information and further updates.

Have more questions? Need additional information?

• For more information about the ACP, visit affordableconnectivity.gov and fcc.gov/acp.
• For additional guidance on the ACP transition, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance has set up a webpage with information on wind-down timelines, fact sheets, and more.
• Have other questions about the ACP wind-down? Contact the USAC directly via their ACP Support Center at 877.384.2575.

About John

John is a member of the library’s digital learning team and recent graduate of the University of Illinois MS in Library and Information Science program. He enjoys working with patrons to discover how we can demystify technology and shape it to help us with our different needs. He is also a musician and loves making noise.