Affordable Connectivity Program - Low-income Household
A blog post by Machi Dima
I wanted to focus on the topic of affordable connectivity because I wanted to learn more about the resources available to low-income families when it comes to digital equity, and learn more about the Affordable Connectivity Program. Being from an Immigrant family and not having access to or knowing about these resources made me want to dig deeper. I want to be educated so I can share my findings and be part of the solution, to ensure that people in my community and other communities can easily get access to this information if they need it.
Big Question: Why do the low-income communities don’t all have access to these resources?
When I heard about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), it was surreal to know that such resources were available to low-income communities this whole time. I was in a meeting at the Horn of Africa Services and they discussed broadband resources. I quickly became interested in this topic because I know people that would benefit from it.
I know a lady who relied on the library's free internet but, due to the pandemic, the library had to shut down its in-person services. She would come to my house and do her coursework there, as she was taking online classes at Seattle Central. Imagine, if she knew about these resources earlier, she could have been joining her class and accessing the Internet in the comfort of her home. She would have had access to other resources before the pandemic. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, only the Lifeline Program was available and it covered about $9 of the bill.
After I found out about the ACP program, I told her and we applied right away. She got approved and went to pick up her internet essentials that same day. The application process was very easy and we went to Xfinity the same day and picked up the equipment and the essential packages. After that, we started informing everyone we knew who needed help, so they could enroll in the program. The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that is designed to help families & households who were negatively impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I love that there are programs helping people in need, especially people in low-income communities who benefit from the discounts that the ACP is providing.
Most questions that people ask are, Who is eligible for the ACP? To be eligible for the ACP program you have to be a lower-income resident (below 200% of the federal poverty level) or who is receiving public benefits such as free school lunch, WIC/SNAP, Pell grants, subsidized housing, and Medicaid. Lifeline users also qualify. Applying for the benefit is easy, and requires one or two steps: (1) confirming eligibility and (2) signing up with the internet provider to apply for the subsidy. Some internet providers with a low-income program allow direct ACP sign-up; others will require the federal ACP eligibility sign-up first. In the Seattle area, Comcast Internet Essentials customers can apply directly through Comcast. PCs for People and Human I-T also allow direct signup.
If you are interested in some resources on how to get started and see how you can get access to it,Washington state has moved forward with bipartisan support for numerous bills to fund internet and technology access across many groups, including HB 1723 which passed in 2022. Also, HB 1365 passed in 2021 and funded school technology: Digital Equity and Inclusion Grant. Some other really good resources are Goodwill Connect, TechConnect WA, etc. Once you qualify you can get up to $30 a month towards broadband service from participating providers. A one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop, computer, or tablet. Up to $75 a month towards broadband service for households on tribal lands.
