Am I eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program?

In the midst of the most challenging days of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago, many of our society’s most fundamental institutions and services shifted online, including schools, healthcare, and millions of jobs. This laid bare the vital need for every American to get online, and further exposed the digital divide as a chasm between those who do and don’t have Internet access.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has grown to become a cornerstone of the future of accessible and affordable broadband in this country. The ACP, which today boasts over 19 million eligible households enrolled, provides folks with a $30/month benefit, $75/month on Tribal lands. With tens of millions of households eligible for the program, the ACP is the nation’s largest broadband affordability program ever.

While it’s impressive that more than 19 million households have signed up for the ACP benefit so far, the next phase of this effort will be more challenging. With more than 31 million households eligible for the ACP, but not yet enrolled, our attention must now turn toward broadband adoption.

Together with other Internet providers in partnership with the FCC and community organizations across the country, we’re spreading the word about the ACP so more families can get online – many for the first time.

Comcast’s decade of experience working in this space has given us the data and know-how to pursue this task head-on. Through Project UP, we have a network of hundreds of partner organizations across our footprint, working in cities and towns from coast to coast on broadband adoption and ACP awareness.

In fact, in 2022 alone, Comcast invested $11.4 million in more than 225 nonprofits and community-based organizations to raise awareness of, and drive sign-ups for, the ACP. And that includes investing in training and deploying Digital Navigators, a key piece of the solution. As trusted local experts, usually associated with existing organizations like churches and community centers, Digital Navigators can get folks signed up for Internet service, connect them with devices, and show them the rules of the road when it comes to staying safe online.

As we enter the back half of the summer and kids are getting ready to head back to school, Comcast wants to be sure everyone is connected to the power of the Internet at home.