As of midnight Wednesday, February 8th 2024, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has stopped accepting new applications and enrollments. To receive a notification when the program reopens, sign up for Education Superhighway’s Keep Me Updated Tool at the following link, https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/keep-me-updated/.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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    1. What does wind-down mean for the ACP?

The ACP was established by Congress in 2021, with a fund of $14.2 billion. However, the current funding will run out by the end of April 2024, and Congress hasn't yet allocated any additional funds to keep the program running beyond that date. So, the FCC has started taking steps to wrap up the program. Unfortunately, this means that households enrolled in the program will no longer receive the discounts once the program ends.

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   2. What are the important dates I should be aware of regarding the ACP wind-down?

Starting late January 2024: Households that are currently receiving a monthly ACP benefit will start to receive notices from their internet companies with information about the end of the ACP benefit.  This information will include timing of the end of the program and the impact of the loss of the benefit on the household’s bill and service.

April 2024: The FCC anticipates existing ACP funding to run out at the end of April 2024 if Congress does not provide additional funding.  Consumers that are enrolled in the ACP will continue to receive their benefit on their internet service through April 2024. This date is an estimate and may change. Any remaining funding will be divvyed up and applied to the month of May.

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    3. What does the “last fully funded month of the ACP” mean?

The "last fully funded month of the ACP" is the last month you'll get the full ACP benefit you've been applying to your internet plan. After that, as the funds for it start decreasing, you might receive a reduced benefit. That means you may not get the full $30 benefit. Your internet company will decide if they'll provide a reduced benefit. So, it's always better to reach out to them and check when you should expect to see an ACP benefit on your monthly internet bill.

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    4. What happens if Congress provides additional funding for the ACP?

If Congress decides to provide more funding for the ACP, the FCC will provide further guidance and instructions on how the ACP will proceed at that time.

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     5. As a current household using the ACP benefit, what will the notices from internet companies to ACP households look like?

Timing: Internet companies will send three (3) required written notices to their ACP households:

1. You should have received the first notice by January 25, 2024;

2. The second will be within 14 days after announcement by the FCC of the last fully funded month of the ACP; and

3. The third will be simultaneous with the last bill/billing cycle in which the full ACP benefit is applied before the program ends.

Format: Internet companies are encouraged to send notices in the same way they usually communicate with the household, including in the household’s preferred language. You may receive these notices from your internet company by e-mail, text, in the mail, or along with your bill.

Content: The first notice households will receive will tell households about the possible upcoming end of ACP and its potential impact on the ACP households’ bills. The second and third notices must inform ACP households of the following:

     a. That the ACP is ending,

     b. The impact on their bill,

     c. The date of the last bill they will receive that includes the ACP benefit, and

     d That they may change their service or opt-out of continuing service after the end of the ACP.

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   6. Will my internet company automatically sign me up for a different plan without my authorization?

Your internet company will automatically sign you up for a different plan without your authorization, if you previously opted into this agreement and demonstrated that you can afford to pay for it. This should have been explained in the required disclosures about the ACP before you signed up with your provider, and you should have either previously consented to receive internet service after the end of the ACP, paid for service before receiving discounted internet, or currently contribute to the cost of your internet service even with the ACP benefit applied.

If you're not interested in continuing to receive internet service or want to change your service plan, you can contact your provider to discuss your options. Just keep in mind that if you haven't previously consented to receive internet service after the end of ACP or haven't paid your provider for service, you won't be able to receive internet service after the end of the program unless you contact them to opt in to continue receiving undiscounted service.

Lastly, it's important to note that after the ACP, you'll be subject to your provider's undiscounted rates and general terms and conditions if you continue to receive internet service. So, it's a good idea to review those terms and conditions to ensure you're still getting the best deal for your needs. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to your provider for more information.

If you haven't signed up to keep your internet service after the end of ACP, or if you've missed paying your bills, you might not have internet service anymore. If you don't want to lose it, just reach out to your internet provider, and let them know you want to keep the service going.

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    7. What consumer protections are available to ACP households during wind-down?

Existing ACP consumer protections remain in effect. For more information, please visit https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/manage-mybenefit/protections-rules/.   

 

   8. What do I do if I never successfully registered for the ACP?

If you have yet to successfully register for the ACP, unfortunately, it is too late to do so. The deadline was Tuesday, February 7, 2024, at 11:59 P.M. You can sign up to be notified if and when the ACP reopens with Education Superhighway’s Keep Me Updated Tool

 

   9. What do I do when the ACP runs out?

When the ACP runs out, your internet service provider will notify you of the impact on your bill. If you want to continue service with the same internet provider, you should contact them and ask about their internet plans that suit your household budget’s needs. Additionally, you can consider enrolling in Lifeline, a federal program that provides eligible consumers with a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on their phone and internet service. You can use the FCC’s Companies Near Me Tool to find an internet service provider accepting Lifeline in your service area. You can also use Everyone On’s Find Internet and Computer Offers Near Me Tool, https://www.everyoneon.org/find-offers.

 

IF YOU ARE A JCHA LIPH HOUSEHOLD AND…

If you are a JCHA LIPH household and you have an Andrena plan with the ACP benefit, then the following applies to you:

1. New ACP applications and enrollments will not be processed after February 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.

2. Households who have applied, been approved, and are receiving the monthly internet discount before February 8, 2024, will continue to receive their ACP benefit until ACP funds run out, as long as the household remains enrolled in the program.

3. After the ACP program runs out (expected April 2024), households enrolled in the ACP will no longer receive the ACP discounts.

4. Andrena will be alerting all their customers who are enrolled through ACP. They will also send instructions of what customers can do to ensure they have a card on file, so they won’t receive a disruption in service if they plan to continue service with Andrena after the ACP ends. If you have any questions, you can call Andrena Customer Support at (256) 907-8690 or email support@andrena.com.

If you are a JCHA LIPH household and you have a Starry Connect plan with the ACP benefit, then the following applies to you:

1. The Federal Government recently announced that funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is projected to end on April 30, 2024.

2. If you are a Starry Internet customer receiving the $30 ACP discount: you will continue to receive a $30 discount until the ACP expires.

3. After the ACP expires: the $30 discount will be removed from your account, and you will be responsible for paying the full price of your Starry internet plan on your next billing date.

4. Confirm your billing information: to avoid disruption in service, log in to starry.com/account to confirm that your billing info is up to date.

5. Check that you are on the internet plan that best meets your needs, and please reach out to the team of Starry Experts who are ready to help you with any questions at support@starry.com or 1-888-231-9403.

IMPORTANT LINKS

1. Education Superhighway’s Keep Me Updated Tool, https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/keep-me-updated/

2. FCC ACP Consumer Protections, https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/manage-mybenefit/protections-rules/

3. Lifeline Program, https://www.lifelinesupport.org/get-started/

4. FCC Internet Companies Near Me Tool, https://cnm.universalservice.org/

5. NDIA’s Free and Low-Cost Internet Plans, https://www.digitalinclusion.org/free-low-cost-internet-plans/

Everyone On’s Find Internet and Computer Offers Near Me Tool, https://www.everyoneon.org/find-offers

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