How To Get Low-Income Internet through Earthlink

As the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) shuts down, millions of Americans will lose the discounts that they relied on to balance their internet bill with their household budget. Although Congress still needs to find a way to deal with this issue at the federal level, there are other low-income internet programs that are still available.

Earthlink has wide coverage throughout the U.S., as well as a wide assortment of plans. Although its plans are quite a bit more expensive than wired providers that offer similar speeds, it can be a cheaper option than satellite for those in areas with limited choices.

Alternatives to the ACP

Passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has been one of the most effective and efficient programs for expanding internet access in low-income communities. While its closure will have a significant impact on those in the program, as well as negative consequences for the broader economy, there are, fortunately, other programs to help people afford internet access. One of the easiest ways to transition away from the ACP is to enroll in another government program.

The Lifeline program is the other active government program for internet assistance. The Lifeline program works similarly to the ACP. However, it has stricter eligibility requirements and offers a smaller benefit. Not all ACP participants will qualify for Lifeline, but if you qualified for the ACP through one of these programs, you likely qualify for the Lifeline program as well:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefits
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Medicaid
• Tribal Programs for Native Americans

Lifeline also offers benefits based on income, but the threshold for Lifeline is 135% of the federal poverty guideline, rather than the 200% needed for the ACP. To check your eligibility for the program, visit the Lifeline website.

What happens when the ACP ends?

April was the last fully-funded month of the ACP, during which those in the program received their full benefit. In May, participants will only receive a partial payment or $7–$16 toward their monthly internet bill, rather than the full $30. After May, no one in the program will receive any benefits unless Congress chooses to fund the program once again.

Once the program has ended, those on plans wholly covered by the ACP plan will lose internet service completely unless they opt-in to receiving undiscounted service from their provider. ACP customers can also opt-out of their internet service at the end of the ACP.

To avoid an interruption in service, you must do the following:

• Acknowledge receiving the disclosures about the ACP ending
• Consent to receive internet service without the ACP discount
• Pay your full bill for the upcoming month

You can also choose to switch to a different provider or cancel your connection entirely, though we’d suggest looking into other free and low-cost options first.

Other providers with low-income programs

One of the reasons that the ACP worked so well is that the program was nearly universal—all major internet providers participated in the program and had an incentive to tailor their own plans to work better with the subsidy it provided. Many ISPs have stepped up to fill the gap left by the end of the ACP, but while their requirements and benefits are similar, there’s some important differences between these programs.

If Earthlink plans no longer fit your budget without the ACP benefit, here are some other internet providers with affordable internet plans:

• How to Get Low-Income Internet through AT&T Access
• How to Get Low-Income Internet through Cox
• How To Get Low-Income Internet through Optimum
• How To Get Low-Income Internet Through Xfinity
• How To Get Low-Income Internet Through Verizon

Other options from Earthlink

Earthlink offers an incredibly long list of plans, though not all plans are available in all locations. Depending on what options are available in your area, Earthlink could be a very reasonable choice, or it might not have any plans that fit your needs at all.

Earthlink plans and pricing

Additional resources

If you’d like to learn more about low-income programs and other ways to find affordable internet, there are lots of other articles on HighSpeedInternet.com to help you learn about the topic.

• Government Programs To Make Internet Service More Affordable
• How To Get Free and Low-Cost Internet
• Best Internet Deals
• Best Internet Plans and Discounts for Seniors
• Best Internet Plans and Discounts for Students
• Best Internet for Veterans and Military Families
• Rural Internet Providers
• The End of the ACP