Jan 22, 2024
In 2021, Congress established the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and appropriated $14.2 billion for the program. Without additional funding from Congress, the allotted money for the program is projected to run out in April 2024 (this date is an estimate and may change). As a result, the FCC has begun taking steps to wind down the Affordable Connectivity Program.
What This Means For You
Households who have applied, been approved, and are receiving the ACP 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.
After the ACP funds run out (projected in April 2024), households participating in the ACP will no longer receive the ACP discount.
New ACP applications and enrollments will not be processed after February 7, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.
The last fully funded month of the ACP is projected to be April 2024 (this date is an estimate and may change). As a RURALBAND member, this means that you will no longer receive the full ACP credit ($30) on your statement after the last fully funded month. RURALBAND may apply the ACP credit to your account on a reduced basis until we are notified that funds are no longer available.
If you currently receive ACP benefits, you may still qualify for the Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program is another federal program that makes phone and internet service more affordable. If you qualify for Lifeline, you can get a monthly benefit of up to $9.25 off the cost of phone, internet or bundled services. If you have not already done so and want to see if you qualify for Lifeline, please visit www.lifelinesupport.org.
RURALBAND is committed to keeping you updated along the way. If you have questions about the ACP wind-down process, you may call the ACP Support Center at 877-384-2575 or go to GetInternet.gov for more information about the status of the program.
As always, RURALBAND is here to answer any questions you may have by calling the RURALBAND Member Services team at 804-834-2424. We appreciate your continued membership and support.