Low Income Internet Guide | Low Cost Internet Service In Your Area (2024)

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Internet

Robin Layton

May 23, 2023 — 4 min read

Families that meet income or government assistance requirements may qualify for discounted or low-cost internet.

Editor’s note: The Affordable Connectivity Program will stop accepting new applications on Feb. 8, 2024. You must be approved and enrolled with an internet service provider by 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb 7 to get the benefit. (02/01/24).

If your household makes less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level (for example, $55,500/year for a family of four, $27,180/year for an individual) or you qualify for certain government assistance programs, you are a good candidate for getting help with paying for monthly internet service.

Nearly 30 million U.S. homes lack internet, and 18 million of those do not have it because they cannot afford it, according to the Education Super Highway’s No Home Left Offline Report.

“Affordability has now emerged as the number one barrier to closing the digital divide. We have a historic opportunity to close two-thirds of the digital divide by connecting 18 million households that have access to the Internet but can’t afford to connect,” said Evan Marwell, founder and CEO of EducationSuperHighway.

Government-funded broadband assistance

The federal government’s Lifeline was created to assist limited-income households in affording internet.

Lifeline provides a discount of $9.25/mo. (or $34.25/mo. for people on Tribal lands). You can use it on a landline, a cellphone plan, home internet service or even an internet and phone bundle.

Qualifying for Lifeline

If you or someone in your household participate in a federal assistance program, you may qualify for Lifeline. Those programs include Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefits and more. Check here to see if you are eligible.

Low Income Internet Guide | Low Cost Internet Service In Your Area (3)

Summary of low-income internet programs by provider

Many internet service providers also offer their own low-income assistance programs to provide affordable internet access. For their student-only, low-cost programs, the ISP may require additional verifications.

Low-income internet options from top providers:

Optimum Advantage Internet – Up to 50 Mbps for $14.99/mo.
Access from AT&T – Up to 100 Mbps for under $30/mo.*
Cox Connect2Compete – Up to 100 Mbps for $9.95/mo.*
Mediacom Connect2Compete – Up to 25 Mbps for $9.95/mo.*
Spectrum Internet Assist – Varies
Xfinity Internet Essentials – Up to 50 Mbps for $9.95/mo.*

Optimum Advantage Internet

Optimum Advantage Internet or call (844) 358-3147
Up to 50 Mbps for $14.99/mo.
Free installation
Free Wi-Fi router
No data caps
Qualifications: Families with seniors, veterans, students

Access from AT&T

Access from AT&Tor call (888) 717-1080
Up to 100 Mbps internet for under $30/mo. with your ACP enrollment.

No contract
No deposit
No installation fee required
In-home Wi-Fi modem and access to more than 30,000 AT&T nationwide hotspots included.
Qualifications: Participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for California residents only, National School Lunch, or with a household income below 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

Cox Connect2Compete

Cox’s Connect2Compete or call (855) 222-3252
$9.95/mo.*
Up to 100 Mbps
No deposits
No annual contracts
Free Wi-Fi modem
Qualifications: One K-12 student in household, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Public Housing, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Mediacom Connect2Compete

Mediacom’s Connect2Compete or call (855) 904-2225
$9.95/mo. for up to 25 Mbps
No contract
No deposit
No installation fees
No equipment rental fees
Wi-Fi modem provided via no-cost lease
Qualifications: at least one child in grades K-12 living at home and at least one child receives free or reduced school lunches through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). You must not be a current Mediacom internet customer and not have an outstanding bill or unreturned equipment.

Spectrum Internet Assist

Spectrum Internet Assist or call (855) 870-1311
Pricing varies depending on plan
No contract
Modem included
In-home Wi-Fi available for extra $5/mo.
Qualifications: A household member must be a recipient of one of these assistance programs: National School Lunch Program, Community Eligibility Provision or Supplemental Security Income (for applicants age 65+ only).

Xfinity Internet Essentials

Xfinity Internet Essentials or call (855) 846-8376
$9.95/mo. for speeds up to 50 Mbps
No credit check
No contract
No installation fees
In-home Wi-Fi included
Participants can purchase a low-cost computer for $149.99 plus tax.
Qualifications: Your entire household income is at or below twice the federal poverty level, or you participate in federal assistance programs such as Lifeline, SNAP/EBT, Medicaid or free and reduced-price school lunch.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 02/01/24.

Saving money on internet costs

If you’re struggling to pay for internet service but don’t qualify for one of the programs above, you can explore cheap internet options from a variety of providers and take other steps to reduce your bill, such as buying your own equipment if it’s cheaper and keeping an eye on hidden internet fees.

Another option is to rely on free public Wi-Fi if you live near any stores, cafes, public parks or other establishments offering free internet.