A program administered by the Federal Communications Commission can help low-income residents pay for broadband service.
The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for households that meet eligibility requirements.
If the household’s income, based on household size and state, is 200% or less than the federal poverty guidelines it qualifies.
Households can also qualify if it uses a number of government assistance programs, such as SNAP, WIC and Medicaid. Households where a child participates in the free or reduced-price school lunch program are also eligible.
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In addition to the monthly stipend to defray internet costs, the program will provide a one-time discount of up to $100 to buy a desktop computer or laptop, or a tablet.
“Providing access to broadband helps our schools, jobs, businesses, health care facilities, and more thrive in a 21st century economy and increasingly-connected society,” said Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). “Lowering rising costs and making reliable internet more accessible and affordable are among my top priorities, and I am thrilled to hear countless Georgia households have taken advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program.”
Se. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) said the funding is part of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill Pres. Biden signed into law Nov. 15, 2021.
“I think during the pandemic, we saw that whether it’s education or health care, that lack of access to the internet really cuts folks off from these basic services. We saw students and teachers relying more on remote learning. During some periods of the pandemic, we saw increased reliance on telehealth services. And that really brought home for folks how important it is that everybody in our state have access to high-speed internet,” Ossoff said.
Ossoff said more than 350,000 of the three million low-income Georgians have already enrolled in the program.
For more information, or to apply, go to: https://acpbenefit.org/
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
