Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was created by Congress and is managed by the FCC. Designed to make the internet more affordable, the ACP provides up to $30 per month toward a household’s internet bill, or up to $75 per month for Tribal households. In addition to the ACP monthly discount of up to $30 provided by the FCC, Brightspeed will also provide an additional monthly discount of up to $30 for ACP qualified customers to create a maximum total savings of up to $60 per month on qualifying plans. If the monthly statement for an ACP qualified customer is less than $60, the total discount will not exceed the statement amount. The additional Brightspeed discount can not be combined with $75 Tribal household discount. The FCC and Brightspeed ACP discounts are available to customers on a monthly basis so long as they continue to meet the ACP program eligibility requirements. The FCC and Brightspeed ACP discounts will end 1) with termination of subscription to eligible services or 2) when a household is no longer eligible for the ACP program. Customers no longer eligible for the ACP program will be subject to the Brightspeed’s regular rates, terms, and conditions.

How to apply for ACP

How to qualify for ACP

FAQs for ACP

Do I qualify for Affordable Connectivity Program benefits?

Your household is eligible if you have an income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

OR if any member of your household:

Qualifies for certain assistance programs, such as Medicaid, SNAP, federal public housing assistance, WIC, or Lifeline. If you are already enrolled in Lifeline, you automatically qualify for ACP.
Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).

See complete qualification details on the USAC site

Apply to receive benefits on your Brightspeed account

Step 1

Complete USAC eligibility verification

National Verifier will determine whether you are eligible for the program benefits.

Important: When completing the National Verifier form, use the same information as for the primary holder of your Brightspeed account.

Step 2

Complete the Brightspeed form to have the discount applied to your account.

You can expect to see one or more emails from Brightspeed after you've submitted our form, including confirmation that we've received your application and notice of approval or next steps needed to get approved.

If you have any issues or concerns with the Affordable Connectivity Program, we're here to help. Please call us at 1-833-MYBRSPD (833-692-7773). You also have the right to file a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission by visiting the FCC Consumer Complaint Center website or by contacting the FCC Consumer Complaint Center at 1-888-225-5322.

Frequently asked questions about the Affordable Connectivity Program

Your household is eligible if you have an income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

OR if any member of your household:

Qualifies for certain assistance programs, such as Medicaid, SNAP, federal public housing assistance, WIC, or Lifeline. If you are already enrolled in Lifeline, you automatically qualify for ACP.
Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).

See complete qualification details on the USAC site

Note: Households that qualified for the Emergency Broadband Benefit due to a substantial loss of income after job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020 due to COVID-19 will need to re-qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Yes! In fact, if you are already a Lifeline customer, you are automatically qualified for the ACP. However, you must still complete the Brightspeed application to give us permission to share your account information with the ACP and to apply the discount to your service. Please note that being a Lifeline customer does NOT automatically enroll you in ACP and is non-transferrable and is limited to one monthly internet discount.

Yes. You must complete the Brightspeed application within 90 days of receiving a qualification number from National Verifier.

The Affordable Connectivity Program discount will be applied to the internet charges on your monthly service. If you qualify for ACP, you may also qualify for Lifeline, which can provide you with assistance for your phone service.

No, the ACP does not have a minimum speed requirement.

No, the Affordable Connectivity Program can only be applied to service charges and not to installation charges.

If you live in an apartment, condo, duplex, or other multi-family building and your internet service is included as part of your monthly rent, talk with your property manager or landlord about working with the service provider for your building to learn more about benefits available for eligible residents.

No. There is one Affordable Connectivity Program benefit for any given household (that is, for all individuals at an address).

Yes, you can get the Affordable Connectivity Program benefit even if you owe a past-due amount.

The ACP is a long-term federal program designed to ensure qualified customers can afford the internet service they need for school, work, health care, and more. If the program ends or your eligibility status changes, you will be notified.

The ACP is a long-term federal program designed to ensure qualified customers can afford the internet service they need for school, work, health care, and more. if the program ends or eligibility qualifications change, you will be notified.

All participating customers are asked to opt-in to continue internet service after the Affordable Connectivity Program ends. The opt-in or opt-out option is part of the Brightspeed ACP application. The Affordable Connectivity Program is a federal government benefit program operated by the Federal Communications Commission and, if it ends, or when a household is no longer eligible, customers will be subject to Brightspeed’s regular rates, terms, and conditions.