The City of Aiken announced it is working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help build awareness about the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. An information and sign-up session will be hosted at the City of Aiken’s Municipal Building in Council Chambers on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 from 4 – 6 PM.
The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to a $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.
A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income internet program;
- Participates in one of these assistance programs:
- Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools.
- SNAP
- Medicaid
- Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Vouchers)
- Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/202/811
- Public Housing
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- WIC
- Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
- or Lifeline;
- Participates in one of these assistance programs and lives on Qualifying Tribal lands:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal TANF
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Tribal Head Start (income based)
- Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives or Native Hawaiians
Eligible households can enroll by going to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an online application or print a mail-in application, or by contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan. For more information, please attend the information session hosted by the FCC at the City of Aiken Municipal Building, 111 Chesterfield Street South, on Wednesday, April 26 from 4 – 6 p.m. or email outreach@fcc.gov.
