New broadband program available to help with internet costs

TOPEKA – The Emergency Broadband Benefit, a federal program that helped almost 9 million low income Americans afford internet service in 2021, ended on December 31. The Kansas Corporation Commission wants Kansans to know that a new $14.2 billion federal program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), is available to fill the gap.

With higher income maximums, the ACP could help even more families afford internet access for work, school, and health care.  Current Emergency Broadband Benefit participants have until March 1 to contact their internet provider and switch over to the new plan with no interruption of service.

The ACP program provides:

• A monthly service discount of up to $30 per month for broadband.
• Up to $75 per month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands.
• A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price.

Eligibility is determined based on income or participation in certain assistance programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FHPA), Medicaid, SSI, Lifeline, free or reduced school lunches or receipt of a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.

To qualify based on income, participants must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. That is a higher ceiling than the 135% maximum allowed on the Emergency Broadband Program making the program accessible to more families. For example, the maximum income for a family of four on the ACP program is $53,000 per year, compared to a maximum of $35,775 on the Emergency Broadband Program.

More information on the ACP program, including provider listings and applications are available on the KCC’s website at https://kcc.ks.gov/public-affairs-and-consumer-protection/kansas-lifeline-program.