Affordability
If you or the people you serve are looking for affordable home internet, here are some low-cost plans available in California, along with additional resources to help you get connected.
Enrollment Assistance
Need help finding and applying for low-cost internet plans? These organizations offer personalized support.
Low Cost Internet Programs
If you or the people you serve are looking for affordable home internet, here are some low-cost plans available in California, along with additional resources to help you get connected.
Comcast Xfinity Internet Essentials
Cost and Speed:
- Up to 50 Mbps for $9.95/month
- Up to 100 Mbps for $29.95/month
Eligibility: Available for individuals who receive benefits like housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, or National School Lunch Program. Also available for those previously enrolled in the ACP with Xfinity. Applicants must not have had Xfinity in the last 90 days and cannot have outstanding debt on any Comcast account that is less than one year old.
Access from AT&T
Cost: $30/month
Speed: Up to 100 Mbps
Eligibility: Available to participants in programs like SNAP, SSI (for California residents), and the National School Lunch Program, or households with an income below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Verizon Forward
Cost: $0 for the first six months, then $20/month
Speed: From 50 to 300 Mbps, depending on plan
Eligibility: Available for Fios, 5G Home, and LTE Home internet customers who have participated in the ACP, received a Federal Pell Grant within the past year, or qualified in the past 180 days for WIC or Lifeline (with income below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or through participation in SNAP, Medicaid, or similar programs).
Spectrum Internet Assistance
Cost: $24.99/month, plus $5/month for wifi.
Speed: Up to 50 Mbps
Eligibility: For households receiving assistance from the National School Lunch Program, Community Eligibility Provision, or Supplemental Security Income. Discount only applies to new Spectrum customers.
Cox Communications
Cost: $9.95/month (Connect2Compete program) or $30/month (ConnectAssist Package)
Speed: Up to 100 Mbps
Eligibility:
Connect2Compete: Available for families with K-12 children eligible for the National School Lunch Program, SNAP, and/or TANF; who receive Tenant-Based Vouchers, Project-Based Vouchers or Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA); and/or who live in Public Housing.
ConnectAssist: For individuals receiving SNAP, TANF, Head Start, WIC, SSI, Pell Grant, Veterans Pension, LIHEAP, or certain public housing, Tribal, or state Medicaid programs.
Human I-T
Cost: $15/month, plus a $94.99 upfront modem fee (or modem can be rented for $10/month).
Speed: Up to 50 Mbps
Eligibility: Available for individuals receiving benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Veterans Pension, or Lifeline, and those who received a Pell Grant in the current year or are Dreamer/DACA recipients (where available).
Additional Resources
ACP-Related Stats and Tools
Although the Affordable Connectivity Program is no longer funded, reviewing ACP-related statistics can provide insights into the demand for low-cost broadband in different regions. Below are several maps that show ACP eligibility and enrollment:
Research
For a general collection of research articles on digital equity, explore the Research Base from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.
Affordable Connectivity Program
History
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was a federally-funded initiative aimed at helping low-income households access affordable home internet. Launched in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the ACP provided eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 on home internet services (up to $75 on Tribal lands). This program was created to address the digital divide that became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that more Americans could stay connected for work, school, and healthcare.
Over 51 million households nationwide were eligible for the ACP, and by mid-2024, over 23 million (including 2.9 million in California) were enrolled in the program. However, without additional funding from Congress, the ACP ran out of money in June 2024, leaving many low-income families without the financial support needed to keep their internet plans. This has deepened the digital divide and left millions at risk of losing connectivity.
Advocacy
Although the ACP has ended, there are ongoing efforts to revive it. You can take action by contacting your representatives and urging them to restore funding:
- Find your representatives using this guide and share the importance of the ACP for ensuring affordable internet access. (Here is a PDF with some talking points.)
- Send a pre-written email via savetheacp.org or dontdisconnectus.org.
- Write a personalized letter or use this pre-written template.
- Call their offices directly or through 800-397-2937 to voice your support.
For more information and advocacy resources, visit the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s ACP Advocacy page.