#affordable connectivity program

[darlingillustrations]

This is not art related, but it is Important, and I feel like y'all need to hear about it.

I found a way to get assistance with my Internet Bills.

Bills are really treacherous for me right now, as I imagine that they are for many of you as well. So I started reaching out to all the places where I have bills to see if the companies have any emergency assistance available for hardship situations.

I reached out to my Internet Provider (who will remain nameless). After spending HOURS on the phone, getting the run around (aka: agents trying to upsell products, having disconnections, and being treated really poorly) i FINALLY got someone who treated me like a human being, and he told me about the Affordable Connectivity Program!

The Affordable Connectivity Program

This is a federal assistance program in the US and it GIVES YOU MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR INTERNET. I want to scream about it here because Enrollments End February 7, 2024 and I didn't even know this program was a Thing!

Apply Before February 7, 2024!

The application is VERY easy. I completed it is a few minutes, and I got accepted the next day. It will take $30 off my internet bill every month.

So, if you are low income in the US, please please *please* check this out!!

(Link to the government page in reblogs.)

#low income #bill assistance #Affordable Connectivity Program #not art #kitty speaks

[tellmeayarn]

I am once again asking you to get angry.

The affordable connectivity program (ACP) is out of money, and all signs indicate that we really REALLY need to make some noise about it if we want to hope for a renewal. Head here, do the thing, call your reps:

This is very very important to me. One in six US households use the ACP subsidy to pay for the internet. It also provides free/low cost devices to people who are struggling -- It's the foundation of programs that can give unhoused people access to a free phone. It helps poor kids get Chromebooks so they can do their homework. We need it. We need it so bad.

#libraries #affordable connectivity program #call your reps

[christina-sonikkukokoro3]

Bad news! The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is going to lose funding in the next few months! Please tell people in the US Congress to keep funding the program which I and millions of other Americans use to have discounted internet and phone service! You can do so by sending an email through this site: Save ACP - US Tech Future

#save acp #affordable connectivity program #acp

[bitchesgetriches]

Hi. I was wondering if you would be willing to share information about the Affordable Connectivity Program for your followers who might benefit ftom it? www.fcc.gov/acp. Thanks.

Of course, cherry bomb! Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention. From the org's site:

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

And worry not, Bitch Nation: we did a little research into it, and the ACP is a legit government program and not a scam, and the FCC can generally be trusted. Good luck!

If you liked this article, join our Patreon!

#FCC #Affordable Connectivity Program #broadband #subsidized internet #safety net #welfare program

[mossymagpie]

The Affordable Connectivity Programs funding is expected to end early this next year. For those who don't know it gives a lot of people free or reduced Internet services.

I receive a 30 dollar credit each month off of my bill, and even then my bill is still $50/month. This is really going to hit hard, especially for people who currently receive free WiFi through the program. It's important people have Internet access in their homes, and it's something a lot of people cannot afford to lose right now. While yes public WiFi is an option not everyone has the ability to get themselves around to places that offer it.

Spectrum has a link where you can send an email asking to extend the program here

You can also contact your state representative too. You can use this link to look up who your representative is.

This program saved me during the pandemic when I lost my job, and even if it loses funding I will be fine for now, but that is not the case for everyone, especially with the rising cost of bills and internet access in general.

#affordable connectivity program #ACP #wifi #government funding #i recieved this email earlier today and idk how many ppl know abt the program but its rlly important #government programs #government

[magicalblerdpenn]

Hey y'all. If you're based in the United States, please call your Congressional reps and ask them to approve this bill funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program. It helps low income households like mine get a discount on their internet bill. As a freelance writer who works from home while being a family caregiver, this has helped me save money. Without this funding, the Affordable Connectivity Program will end in April.

#penn's random thoughts #affordable connectivity program #internet access #internet

[cleverclovers]

Hey, if you're on the ACP (Affordable connectivity program) in the USA, please read this

I received an email this evening from my broadband provider. Here's screenshots, and I'll copy paste the text, as well. TL;DR at the end of the post.

"Important ACP Update

Dear Valued Astound Broadband Customer: On January 11, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) will end in a few months unless the US federal government provides additional funds for the program. The FCC is requiring ACP providers like Astound Broadband (Astound) to inform ACP participants about the potential end of the ACP.¹

What Happens Now

You should begin to review your options.

•  If you are an Astound ACP customer on or before February 7, 2024, you will continue to receive the up-to $30 ACP benefit to your ACP-supported internet services until the end of the ACP so long as you continue to be eligible to participate in ACP and remain an Astound customer.²

•  After February 7, 2024, the ACP will not accept new or re-enrolled ACP participants and you may not be able to transfer your ACP benefit to another ACP provider.³

What Happens if the ACP Ends

If the ACP ends, you will no longer receive the up-to $30 per month ACP benefit and other Astound promotional credits for your internet services and, in the final month of the ACP, you may not receive the full up-to $30 per month ACP benefit and other Astound promotional credits for your internet services. If you continue to receive Astound internet services after the ACP ends, the full undiscounted rate for your service will apply or there may be the option to select an alternate package. Additional information will be coming soon regarding your future package options.

The FCC will provide more information on the status of the ACP in the coming weeks, and Astound will provide you with further updates.

If you have questions about the ACP, please contact the Universal Service Administrative Company ACP Support Center at [phone] or visit www.fcc.gov/acp or https://affordableconnectivity.gov/ for more information. In the meantime, thank you for being a valued customer. We look forward to serving you.

Sincerely,

Astound Broadband Team"

the footnotes I forgot to screen cap are thus:

"¹Astound Broadband refers to the following ACP participating entities operating in separate service areas throughout the US: RCN Telecom Services, LLC; RCN Telecom Services (Lehigh) LLC; RCN Telecom Services of Philadelphia, LLC; RCN Telecom Services of Massachusetts, LLC; ETS Telephone Company, Inc.; Grande Communications Networks, LLC; and WaveDivision Holdings, LLC.

²The ACP is a US federal government benefit program operated by the FCC that reduces one eligible household’s broadband Internet service bill by up to $30 per month. Without incurring a termination fee, at any time, a household may apply the ACP benefit to any broadband Internet service plan available in the area, at the same terms available to households not eligible for ACP, or a household may transfer the ACP benefit to another provider or opt-out of the program. If the ACP benefit does not completely cover the cost of your home and/or mobile internet services, you must make monthly payments to your ACP-supported broadband Internet services. If the ACP benefit covers the full retail rate of your home and/or mobile internet services, you must use your Internet services at least once every 30 days. If the ACP ends, if the household transfers its ACP benefit to another provider but continues to receive Astound Broadband Internet service, or if de-enrolled from the ACP, the full, undiscounted retail rate and general terms and conditions of service apply.

³If the ACP does not receive additional funds, after February 7, 2024, ACP providers are not required to allow ACP households to transfer their ACP benefit from other ACP providers."

This is a link to the PDF fact sheet from the FCC regarding the ACP wind down

TL;DR:

In April, 2024, it's expected that the fund that makes low cost or free access to the internet possible for low income families and individuals, and college students on pell grants, will run out, without federal intervention. People on the program will loose that financial support, and internet may no longer be a thing people with restricted incomes can afford. Pressure needs to be put on the federal government so that people who rely on the internet for work and education, or even just access to friends and family, can continue to have that access.

The pandemic taught us that the internet is a vital resource that people need access to. A lot of us disabled people already knew that, having fought for work from home/school from home options for years, only receiving them finally during lockdown. Access to the internet has greatly improved most of our lives, and we can't lose that now.

If you know you need the financial support to have cheaper internet, you have until the 7th of February to get your application approved by the FCC, and your provider set up with that information, to give you a little relief until April. Take. that. opportunity.

I have not, as yet, received any indication from other low income support programs, like Social Security, utility discount programs, or food stamps, being cut. I'm keeping an eye out.

I'll update this post in reblogs as I get more information going forward.

#affordable connectivity program #internet service #low income #disability #accessibility #poverty #united states federal low income support #united states politics #united states #federal government

[ivygorgon]

AN OPEN LETTER to THE U.S. CONGRESS

Fund the Affordable Connectivity Program NOW!

130 so far! Help us get to 250 signers!

I’m a concerned constituent writing to urge you to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program or ACP. Digital connectivity is a basic necessity in our modern world and the internet must be treated as a public utility. We use the internet to apply for jobs, perform our jobs, receive telehealth medical treatment, and pay bills, and students use it to complete homework assignments. But for millions of people in rural and urban areas, and Tribal communities, the internet is a luxury they cannot afford. Failure by Congress to fund this program will force millions of households already on tight budgets to choose between being able to stay online or potentially losing access to this essential service. If Congress doesn’t act fast, funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program will run out and more than 22 million Americans -- 1 in 6 households -- will lose this vital service. The implications of this will be devastating. In 2019, 18% of Native people living on Tribal land had no internet access; 33% relied on cell phone service for the internet; and 39% had spotty or no connection to the internet at home on their smart phone. The ACP has enrolled 320,000 households on Tribal lands -- important progress. The largest percentage gains in broadband access are in rural areas. Nearly half of military families are enrolled in ACP, as are one in four African American and Latino households. Losing access and training on using computers and the internet will have devastating impacts on all these communities as technology becomes increasingly integral to work, education, health, and our everyday lives. Without moves to address tech inequality, low-income communities and communities of color are heading towards an “unemployment abyss.” The Affordable Connectivity Program has broad bipartisan support because it is working. As your constituent, I am urging you to push for renewed funding for the ACP before it runs out in the coming weeks.

▶ Created on April 11 by Jess Craven

📱 Text SIGN PJXULY to 50409

🤯 Liked it? Text FOLLOW JESSCRAVEN101 to 50409

#JESSCRAVEN101 #PJXULY #resistbot #petition #Affordable Connectivity Program #Digital Divide #Internet Access #Broadband Access #ACP Funding #Congress Funding #Public Utility #Internet Equality #Telehealth #Telemedicine #Internet Inequality #Digital Inclusion #Internet For All #Rural Connectivity #Bipartisan Support #Internet Infrastructure #FCC #ACP Support #Digital Navigation #Online Education #Remote Work #Job Access #Telecommunications #Internet Service #Internet Affordability #Digital Equity

[millionmovieproject]

In this episode, Jared & I discuss the conflict in #Haiti, & the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (#ACP) that provides internet to 1 in 6 in the US, that will potentially strip the most vulnerable of internet access, & the need for #nationalization of utilities and services.

Jared also treats us to an original song.

#haiti #acp #affordable connectivity program #internet #internet access #war on the poor #disability #disability rights #nationalization #utilities #free internet #belize #oil drilling #gas drilling #alaska pipeline #fuck capitalism #capitalism kills #we live in hell #socialism now #abolish capitalism #peoples union #social contract #rbn #revolutionary blackout network #indie news #indie journalism #independent journalism #independent news #history #politics

[risingphoenix87]

Let Congress know that consistent access to the Internet is a necessity, not a luxury!

#community care #petitions #affordable connectivity program #internet access #class warfare #knowledge is power #education #united states

[rivertalesien]

The Affordable Connectivity Program is scheduled to end enrollment on February 7, 2024.

Per the website:

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

NOTE: even if the site makes it seem easy to apply, you still have to provide paperwork (ie: a photo of your SNAP benefits or SSI benefits) to see if you qualify.

These funds are projected to run out in April of 2024, unless Congress intervenes and reauthorizes funding. Contact your reps.

Like a lot of Biden-area "benefits" that have run out (like the child care tax credit), there's been almost no promotion of these benefits, thereby allowing them to die out. Let Congress know we need to keep them going.

#affordable connectivity program #affordable internet #internet #government programs

[thranduilofsmirkwood]

I'm having such problems with my phone carrier since I signed up for ACP to save $30/month. I had to buy a new phone, lost my $65 data plan after 3 days, had to buy a new SIM card. It'll take me 6 months of saving $30/month to break even.

I still have spotty high-speed data so it makes editing my memes very difficult. So, I'm doing my best to provide content but it's frustrating lol.

#ACP #affordable connectivity program #bullshit #between a rock and a hard place #FML

[birdsintheory]

Need help affording your internet bill?

The FCC has the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that you can apply to and get huge discounts on internet ($15/mo for me)

Some areas are prequalified so you don’t have to meet the requirements to get it! But the FCC website lists who is eligible.

#signal boost #internet #internet bill #savings #save money #acp #affordable connectivity program #FCC #discount #discounts #welfare #income assistance #low income #pell grant

[robpegoraro]

Weekly output: age-verification rules, Android 15 beta, Affordable Connectivity Program

I’m flying to Brazil tonight for Web Summit Rio, where I’ll be doing an onstage interview Thursday. Unlike last year’s trip to Rio de Janeiro, this one has much less free time–I’ll basically have only the end of Monday afternoon to myself before spending Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at this conference and then spending Friday on a series of airplanes–but the extra time with my family is worth…

View On WordPress

#ACP #Affordable Connectivity Program #age verification #Android 15 #Brazil #Rio de Janeiro #social media age verification #Web Summit #Web Summit Rio #White House

[thepotentialof2007]

can stop worrying about how to replace aging laptop

will not be able to follow f1

...

#starting a list of why it's #Good Actually #to be losing access #when funding ends for #affordable connectivity program #i hear ignorance is bliss?

[thefirsthogokage]

I just got an email from my Internet service provider saying that funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program funding is expected to end soon. It has a link to their pre-made form that goes to Biden and our representative for you to sign.

Please check your email for these letters!

#affordable connectivity program #the us is bs #signal boost