ACP Enrollments Are Closed—Here Are Other Ways To Get Affordable Internet

Looking for affordable internet? Run a search with your zip code to see the internet options available in your area.

Unfortunately, no. Enrollments for the Affordable Connectivity Program are now closed.

Possibly. Funding for the ACP is expected to run out in April, and the FCC is now “taking steps to wind down” the program, as announced in a recent fact sheet. But Congress can vote to approve more funding to keep the program running.

If Congress doesn’t approve funds to keep the ACP running, current enrollees will see their monthly internet bills go up. “After the ACP ends, you will no longer get the monthly internet discount,” the FCC says. Contact your internet provider to get more details on how the end of the program could affect your service and billing.

Want to keep the ACP alive? Call your Congressional representative and tell them to support the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, a bipartisan bill that will give the program $7 billion in short-term funding from the Treasury Department.

“Access to high-speed internet isn’t a luxury anymore, it’s a necessity,” Vermont Senator Peter Welch, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said in a press release. “That’s why it’s never been so important to avoid this funding cliff and extend the ACP.”

It’s unclear, but it is very possible that the program could be saved. The bill to keep funding the program has support from both Democrats and Republicans.

Sympathetic internet executives have also voiced enthusiasm about keeping it going. As Google Fiber recently put it, ”access to ACP is the difference between a family choosing to sign up for the internet or having no access at all.”

Even without an ACP waiver, you still have plenty of options to get affordable broadband internet. The government offers several other programs for qualifying households, and many internet providers also have low-cost plans designed for students, low-income families, and other folks on a budget.

See the table below for the top recommendations—and read our guide to low-income internet assistance for more.

Yes, there are a lot of ways you can lower the cost of your bill. You can downgrade your internet plan, invest in your own equipment, look for promotions and deals, or try out an affordable internet option like 5G home internet. See our list below on ways to save.

• Get a slower internet plan. You don’t need the fastest Wi-Fi possible to get a reliable connection, and downgrading your internet plan is an easy way to save money.
• Buy your own modem and router. Investing in your own modem and router means you can skip out on monthly rental fees from your provider, which add up over time.
• Try 5G home internet. Verizon and T-Mobile both offer cellular-based 5G home internet plans that get you solid internet at a cheap price, with unlimited data and no extra fees.
• Move to fiber internet. Fiber internet is not only the fastest internet you can get, it can also be the most affordable Wi-Fi option, with basic plans often costing less than cable or DSL.
• Sign up for a mobile and internet bundle. Bundling your internet with a mobile phone plan from the same provider can get you a monthly discount and other perks.
• Look for promotions and deals. As a new customer, you can find promotions like VISA gift cards and free streaming trials to incentivize signing up.

It’s not likely that your internet bill went up because of the ACP. Although the program is no longer accepting new enrollments, current ACP enrollees are still eligible to get ACP’s monthly discount at least until the end of April—and possibly longer if Congress approves more funding.

If your internet is suddenly more expensive, it’s more likely because of one of the reasons listed below.

Reasons for seeing a sudden increase in your bill

• Your internet provider has raised its prices
• The 12- or 24-month promotional pricing on your internet plan has expired
• You exceeded your data cap last month, leading to overage charges
• You canceled your internet before the contract is up, leading to termination fees

Contact customer service to get more details about your billing—and consider negotiating or switching to a new provider if you’re not happy with how much you’re paying.

If you’re on the lookout for affordable internet options, you can always run a search with your zip code to see what internet providers are available in your area. From there، you can compare prices and find other ways to save. Use our zip check tool to search for cheap Wi-Fi below.