Do you know you can get free broadband internet through the Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program? If not, you have stumbled upon the right webpage.
Internet access is becoming costly as technology advances, and many individuals and low-budget households aren’t capable enough to afford internet service bills and devices.
Seeing the need for the Internet, the Federal Government started the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides discounts on monthly broadband services and one-time discounts on purchasing connectivity devices to qualified households. The Affordable Connectivity Program offers these exciting benefits via participating providers such as Verizon Wireless.
Now, the primary question that arises is how to get enrolled in the Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program. To help you out, we have covered this detailed guide that would help you apply for the program and inform you about eligibility criteria, benefits of participating, and more.
So, let’s delve further to learn more about it –
What is the Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program?
Verizon is one of the most well-known and largest carriers in the United States. It takes part in the Affordable Connectivity Program, originated by the US government and implemented by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). This program helps customers connect to healthcare, jobs, family, friends, virtual classrooms, and other services.
This program offers eligible households a golden opportunity to enjoy a monthly discount of up to $30 on internet services, and if you belong to the Tribal lands, you can get up to $75. However, you can enjoy these discounts only if you are a low-income earner or get benefits from any of the assistance programs run by the government.
It’s crucial to understand that Verizon ACP benefits are limited to one monthly service discount.
This program was earlier known as the Verizon EBB program. Verizon EBB was a federal government program that offered internet discounts of more than $50 every month to eligible households. FCC declared on 31st December 2021 that the newly started ACP program would take over EBB.
How to Get Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program?
It’s not too difficult to get the benefits of the Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program. To get it, you must participate in any of the federal government assistance programs such as SNAP, SSI, Medicaid, and the like.
Alternatively, your annual household income must be equal to or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Difference Between Verizon EBB and ACP
The Verizon EBB program was replaced by ACP with few changes. The primary difference between Verizon EBB and ACP is that Verizon EBB offers a discount of up to $50 every month on internet services to eligible United States households, while ACP offers $30 per month to regular eligible households and $75 every month on tribal lands.
| Feature | Verizon EBB | ACP |
| Discount | Up to $50 per month |
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| Income criteria | 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or less |
200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or less
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The second difference is income criteria. To qualify for Verizon EBB, the household’s annual income was 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or less than it. To qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, households must have an annual income 200% below the Federal poverty Guidelines.
If I Have Verizon EBB, Will I Automatically Get Verizon ACP?
No. Even if you previously received Verizon EBB benefits, you will need to recertify and enroll again to get ACP benefits. Fortunately, the application process is fairly simple.
How to Sign Up for Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program?
You can sign up for the Verizon Affordable Connectivity Program through the steps mentioned below –
- Head over to the official website at acpbenefit.org.
- Fill in all the required information in the application form.
- Contact Verizon and tell them you want to participate in the ACP program once USAC assures your eligibility.
- Select a plan.
That’s all! You have successfully signed up for the program.
However, you don’t need to contact USAC if you currently participate in the Lifeline program. Just visit the website Verizon.com/acpconsent or call Verizon at 1-800-922-0204 to participate in ACP for LTE Home, 5G Home, Mobile, or Mobile Hotspot plans.
Benefits of Participating Verizon ACP Program
As mentioned above, Verizon ACP was started to help qualified families so they could pay for internet services. However, if you participate in the Verizon ACP program, you can get exciting benefits that are mentioned below –
On Mobile Plan
- Older and current unlimited data plans
- Older and current usage-based data and bundles-usage-based data plans
- Premium, pro, plus, and essential mobile hotspot plans
On Home Plans
- Traditional FiOS bundles
- Verizon 5G home internet
- Verizon LTE home internet
- FiOS Mix and match internet
- Verizon HIS
Prepaid
- Verizon Prepaid
- FiOS Prepaid Internet
How to Qualify for the Verizon ACP?
To qualify for the Verizon ACP, you must meet two eligibility requirements.
- Firstly, you must reside in one of the states where Verizon provides its ACP services.
- The second one is that you must be ACP-eligible.
FCC determines the eligibility criteria for ACP, which is the same for all ACP providers.
A household or an individual is ACP-eligible if they meet any of the criteria given below –
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Income-based eligibility
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To be eligible for the ACP, your household must have an annual income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. |
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Program-based eligibility
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You or any of your family members must benefit from the assistance programs mentioned below for both programs.
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Documents Required to Apply for the Verizon ACP
When applying for Verizon ACP, you will be asked to provide some documents, which include the following –
| Income Proof |
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Government Assistance Program Participation Proof
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| Identity Proof |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can more than one member of my family receive Verizon ACP benefits?
No, only one member of your family can receive Verizon ACP benefits. Besides that, the benefits cannot be transferred to another member.
What will happen to my ACP Benefits if I leave Verizon?
You will stop receiving ACP benefits if you leave Verizon.
How long will Verizon ACP last?
Currently, there is no valid information regarding how long Verizon ACP will last. It was a newly initiated program that would probably last for a long term. However, the FCC will inform Verizon and the public in general nearly 60 days prior to the program coming to an end.
What will happen to my Verizon ACP benefits when the program expires?
Your monthly ACP benefits will be deactivated when your ACP expires. But you will keep receiving Verizon plans without any ACP subsidy.
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