Comcast and US Government provide internet solutions to families with low income

Comcast, the Philadelphia-based tech company dubbed as the second-largest media conglomerate in the world, has announced the extension of its affordable internet options, including Xfinity mobile and faster internet access.

On the other side, an Emergency Broadband Benefit Program granted qualifying households $50 off their monthly internet or wireless rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has recently launched ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) to assist consumers in obtaining internet services at a lesser cost. For individuals who qualify, combining the two plans could result in free internet service.

The ACP is a federal government program that aims to offer long-term financial assistance to qualified households of up to $30/month toward Internet service.

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Applying for ACP requires completing three steps:

1. Check eligibility for ACP.Complete the National Verifier form
2. Apply for Internet Essentials online or call 855-8-INTERNET
3. To obtain credit, fill out the Xfinity ACP enrollment form. The applier will need the application ID they obtained from the National Verifier when they were accepted for this phase. Within two days of applying, the applicant will receive a progress update.

Eligibility criteria

The household income must be at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or one of the family members must fit one of the conditions. Participation in assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline is included as other qualifiers.

For the past ten years, Comcast has offered Internet Essentials, a low-cost internet package for qualifying families. The monthly fee is $9.95. Comcast is also offering an Internet Essentials Plus plan for $29.95 per month, which includes 100 Mbps download speeds, a cable modem, and a WiFi router. Eligibility criteria are the same as for ACP. Internet is free if an applicant joined up for one of those packages with Comcast and ACP.

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