Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program Guide- Benefits, How to Apply

In this Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program guide, we are covering everything that you may want to know about this program, including eligibility criteria, essential documents, and how to apply.

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Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program Guide- Benefits, Eligibility, and How to Apply

Due to the Pandemic, many things have changed. Connecting family and friends through the internet are one of them. We learn the importance of the internet in every aspect of our life in this pandemic era. The shifts in our lifestyle still exist as we have changed ourselves. The internet is essential everywhere.

Also, the world has seen massive unemployment during this pandemic, which is why the internet is crucial for those unemployed people to search for another job. However, the US government has initiated the Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program for needy households.

This program is similar to the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, renamed the Affordable Connectivity Program in December 2021. This program mainly targets those who can not afford broadband, and through Spectrum, the program reaches such people and help them with a broadband connection.

However, to avail of the program, you must qualify for specific criteria. Also, there are a lot more things that you must know about Spectrum’s Affordable connectivity program, so stay tuned –

What is Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program 

The Affordable Connectivity Program of the US Government is to provide broadband services to low-income households to fulfill their needs for the internet. The ACP program reaches people through different service providers for assistance in study, health care, and other essential work.

This program provides $30 for monthly internet costs and also provides $75 to the people who belong to the tribal community. However, this is a temporary plan and is limited to once a month. It is estimated that the connectivity program will last until the fund’s end. However, there is no official data on that.

Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program consists of different types of plans, and they are –

Spectrum Internet 100 – Free Internet Services

Spectrum Internet 100 comes under the Affordable plan, which offers qualified households an internet allowance. This particular plan brings you 100 MBPS download speed internet per month and 20 MBPS upload speed. This speed is enough for playing videos on TV, PC, Laptop, or Tablet. All of this will come under $29.99 per month, and this plan applies to a family of 4 people.

This is the plan of Spectrum, and with the collaboration of the US Government, the service provider is now offering the Affordable Connectivity Program. It helps people to get the internet without any cost. Let us tell you how this process happens. Spectrum Internet 100 is a plan of Spectrum that costs $29.99, and the ACP plan offers you $30 for the internet, which means you are getting internet free of cost.

Here you need to remember that this plan is valid once a month, and if you apply for the ACP program with Spectrum plans, your current and ACP credit bills will be merged. With Internet connectivity, you will be provided with In-home wifi and modems. You will get everything free, which comes under a $30 allowance. If you want to add other services, the price will be on that.

Spectrum Plans For Lower bills

The best part about the Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program is that you are eligible to apply this ACP plan on any other Spectrum Internet plan. This offer can be used until the ACP plan is valid.

Let us break it down so you can understand the plan’s effectiveness. Suppose you are currently the holder of any Spectrum Internet plan which costs $50. In this scenario, if you apply the ACP plan, $30 will be your credit, so you have to pay only $20.

This is the best way to lower your internet bills. This offer applies to any Spectrum plan, so you can use it for high-speed internet.

Also, the ACP plan is applied to both standalone broadband services and combo services like Texting, rental charges, Broadband, modems, etc.

Devices For connection

The Spectrum ACP program has much to offer, and we have already discussed most of them. The offers do not end here. Not only on the internet, but you can also get offers on devices like laptops, PC, tablets, etc.

This is for one time, and one of your family members can receive the allowance of $100 for purchasing any of these devices. Also, the government will co-pay more than $10 for buying them. However, the co-payment will not be more than $50, and this offer does not apply to mobile phones.

Benefits of Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program

Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program is an initiative of the government; through this program, the government provides affordable internet services for needy households.

Several service providers are involved in this program, and Spectrum is one of them. Just like AirTalk Wireless offers free government phones for the ACP program, Spectrum offers broadband services.

Spectrum is a charted communication company based in America that provides telecommunication services.

In over 41 states in America, this provider has served almost 25 million customers. So it can be said that the provider is well enough in its services. The best things about Spectrum are –

• Budget-friendly plans 
• Countrywide services
• 24/7 customer services

Choosing this program can provide you with affordable monthly broadband services. Households qualified for Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program will access the internet at 100 MBPS speed.

So you can assume that applying to this program can benefit you to enjoy free internet services. Now let us tell you what services you can enjoy –

• Under the spectrum Internet 100 plan, you can get free 100 MBPS download speed and a 20 MBPS upload rate, which is enough for any video conference or TV.
• You can enjoy the ACP plans with other Spectrum plans. Also, you can get the accessibility of a Modem, in-home wifi, and self-installation through this plan.
• One-time discounts on laptops. PC, Tablet, etc. Also, the service providers will offer credits for the ACP program.

How to qualify for Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program

Spectrum’s Affordable Connectivity Program is amazing, but it is not available for everyone. There are some eligibility criteria that a household must qualify for to get the benefits of this program.

The eligibility criteria are mentioned below –

The household Incomes

The households must have an income below 200% per the FCC poverty guidelines. You can find detailed information about the FCC poverty guidelines on the official website of the US Government.

The income of Hawaii and Alaska households is different from the 48 states, so if you are from those states, you can check them.

The applicants Of Several programs

If your annual income doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria, you can join any of these US Government aid programs to become eligible for Spectrum ACP –

Federal Programs

• The SNAP ( Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) or food stamps
• SSI or Supplemental security income 
• WIC program ( Special supplemental program for women, infants, and children)
• FPHA ( Federal Public Housing Assistance)
• Veterans’ pension and Survivors’ benefits
• Federal Pell Grant
• Free and reduced lunch program or breakfast program
• Medicaid

Tribal land programs

• Bureau of Indian Affairs general assistance
• Head start
• Tribal temporary assistance for needy families or TANF
• Food distribution program on Indian reservations

Dependents

Also, those dependent on the child, who can be the parents, child, or any relative, can benefit from the Spectrum Affordable connectivity program.

Essential documents to get enrolled in Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program

There are some documents you need to submit when you are applying for the program, and they are- 

Documents for Identification 

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• US drivers license
• Certificate of US citizenship
• Green card or permanent resident card

Documents for Income

• Previous year’s Documents of the state, federal or tribal tax return 
• The verified documents of Social security statements of benefits
• Veterans Administration statement of benefits copies 
•  The letter of the Child support award
• The statement of the Pension benefits
• The letter of the Workers’ compensation statement of benefits

Documents on Program

• The letter of Medicaid benefit award
• The letter of Supplemental nutritional assistance program approval 
• Documents of Supplemental security income or SSI statement of benefits
• Copies of additional Special programs for women, infants, and children benefit verification
• The verified letter of Federal public housing assistance approval 
• Any other official document from your respective program
• It should be noted that the official documents need your full name (the first and the last name) with the program you have applied to and the issued date

Documents of Address proofs

You can submit any of them as the address proofs –

• Utility bill
• Mortgage or lease statement
• Most recent W-2

How to apply for Spectrum Affordable Connectivity Program

To apply for the Spectrum affordability program, you need to follow some simple steps, which are-

• The first step is visiting the national verifier website to enroll in the program. By clicking https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/, you can reach the website, or you can click https://nv.fcc.gov/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true for direct registration.

After that, you can call spectrum Internet customer service, and for that, you need to dial 877-959-1748 or 844-815-8926. By visiting Spectrum’s website, you can also register your name.

When you complete these two steps, you will get verification emails from the Spectrum affordable connectivity program.

Comparison between Spectrum ACP and Spectrum EBB

The EBB program, known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, is the former version of the Affordable Connectivity Program. The ACP program replaced the EBB program on 31st December 2021.

The EBB program also benefitted the people with broadband connections to the lower-income households, and Spectrum has used to serve the plans since then. However, the ACP plan is the upgraded version of the EBB plans with some changes. We will discuss them here. 

The Allowance

Through the EBB plans, the households get an allowance of $50 per month, whereas the ACP plan provides $30 to qualified families. However, the budgets of the tribal households are the same. Apart from this, the allowance of $100 on a connected device is identical to the ACP.

Meeting the Criteria

The EBB program needs people who complete 135% of the FCC poverty Guidelines, whereas the ACP requires 200% of the FCC poverty guidelines. Meeting the criteria is almost the same as the EBB program for ACP, but there are specific changes like Loss of income before covid is removed from the criteria list. In that position, participation in the particular supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children has been added to the list

The duration

The EBB program has been phased out on 31st December 2021, whereas the time of ACP is not yet decided.

Service Provider Selection

For the EBB plans, the households had only one option of Spectrum, whereas the ACP is liberal and provides opportunities to choose from.

These are the prime differences between these programs. However, the ACP is much stricter as it has various restrictions on data security.

You may like to read –

• Spectrum Mobile Customer Retention – Everything Explained

FAQ About Affordable Connectivity Program

What is the Spectrum ACP program?

The Spectrum ACP is the broadband allowance program for a household with low incomes, and by applying for this program, an individual can get free internet with 100 MBPS Speed. Some other allowances are active with the plans.

Is the ACP program actual?

Yes, the Affordable Connectivity Program is true, and this is the replacement for the Emergency Broadband program.

I am Already an Existing EBB Customer in Spectrum; what Can I Do? 

All the beneficiaries of the EBB program are eligible for the Spectrum Affordable Connectivity program, as Spectrum used to serve the EBB program. So, your existing membership will be transformed to ACP within 60 days.

What States does Spectrum ACP Facility Available in?

All 48 states are eligible for the Spectrum ACP, along with Alaska and Hawaii.

Can I Have ACP and Lifeline at the Same Time? 

Applying for both ACP and Lifeline plans at the same time is possible. You can use them simultaneously, but you need to check the availability of Lifeline plans in your area.