Look at your internet, cell phone and cable bills to see if you have been getting the ACP discount on your bills. Some people may not know that they are signed up for the ACP program.
If you are not getting ACP:
- Look for free and low-cost internet plans in your area.
- See if you qualify for the Lifeline Program.
If you are getting the ACP discount:
Look at your bill to see how much of a discount you get.
ACP gives up to $30 off your monthly bitll for internet service and related equipment rentals; $75 off if you live on eligible Tribal lands.
ACP also covers all costs for certain high-speed internet plans with no data caps.
ACP gives a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer.
- Think about whether you can pay for the internet service without the ACP discount once the program ends. Think about how much you can afford to pay for internet service and what speed of internet you need.
- Look for free and low-cost internet plans in your area.
- See if you qualify for the Lifeline Program.
Look out for and read all the notices you receive from your internet provider.
You should receive at least 3 messages from your internet provider about the ACP program ending.
The 1st notice you should have received on January 25, 2024 telling you that the ACP program was ending.
You should receive a 2nd notice on March 19, 2024. The 2nd notice will tell you:
- ACP is ending,
- How your bill will change without ACP,
- The date of the last bill you will get the ACP discount, and
- You have the right to change or end your service after the end of the ACP at no cost.
The 3rd notice will come with the last bill that you get all of the ACP discount. You may receive a smaller amount of the ACP discount the next month. The 3rd notice will tell you that:
- ACP is ending,
- How your bill will change without ACP,
- The date of the last bill you will get the ACP discount, and
- You have the right to change or end your service after the end of the ACP at no cost.
Look at your bill to see if there are any past bills that you will have to pay when ACP ends.
You could get ACP even if you owed your internet provider past bills, or your bills have gone to collections. When ACP ends, your internet provider may stop service without you paying your past bills first. When ACP ends, internet companies may refuse to continue service if you have poor credit or overdue bills.
- Contact your internet provider.
You do not need to wait for the notices. You can call your internet provider and ask them:
- How will your bill change when ACP ends?
- Are they offering any specific plans for people who received ACP?
- The day of the month they usually apply the ACP benefit to your account.
This will help you know when you can expect changes. - The last day of your billing cycle.
This will help you know when you can expect changes and the date when you have to end your service to be not charged without the ACP benefit.
Know your rights. Many consumer protections are in ACP. Internet companies must treat you honestly.
You can end or change plans or services without any penalty when ACP ends. You should not get charged any early termination fees for ending a service contract for a plan that you used ACP.
You cannot have your service stopped for at least 90 days since the bill payment due date because you did not pay. You can be moved to a lower cost plan once your account is considered delinquent.
Internet companies must treat you honestly.
