Comcast expanding Affordable Connectivity Program offers with faster Internet Essentials service and Xfinity Mobile
March 2, 2022— Comcast announced today it is expanding options for eligible Florida customers to get connected through the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
Comcast has been participating in the program since it began, and customers can apply the $30 a month credit to any tier of Xfinity Internet service. Now qualified customers can sign up for a new service tier, Internet Essentials Plus, and the cost will be completely covered by the ACP credit. In addition, Xfinity Internet customers participating in the ACP are able to add Xfinity Mobile service.
Internet Essentials is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program and offers 50 Mbps internet service for $9.95 a month for qualified households. The new Internet Essentials Plus tier offers 100 Mbps internet service, which is twice as fast, and costs $29.95 a month. Existing Internet Essentials customers can upgrade to this new, faster tier at any time. Customers who subscribe to Internet Essentials or Internet Essentials Plus and enroll in ACP will have their entire monthly broadband bill covered after the $30 a month ACP credit is applied.
Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile service is now available to customers enrolled in the ACP, giving them the ability to save money on their connectivity needs inside and out of the home. Qualified customers can use their $30 a month ACP credit to pay for both Internet Essentials service and Xfinity Mobile service. For example, a customer paying $9.95 a month for Internet Essentials can add one line with Unlimited data on Xfinity Mobile for $45 a month. After the ACP credit is applied, the customer will pay only $24.95 a month for their internet and mobile phone services.
Xfinity Mobile has no line access or activation fees and comes with unlimited talk and text, so customers only pay for cellular data. Furthermore, they avoid using cellular data altogether when they are connected to their home Xfinity WiFi networks or one of millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and subsequent shift to remote work and online learning, Comcast has utilized new programs to help keep communities connected, including the Internet Essentials Partnership Program (IEPP), which allows schools, nonprofits and other community-based organizations to sponsor Internet Essentials service for eligible low-income households. Comcast has also opened more than 1,000 Lift Zones at the facilities of community partners across the country, including nearly 100 in Florida, which are safe spaces where children and families in need can access the Internet.
“Over the past decade, we’ve already connected more than 10 million Americans through Internet Essentials since the program launched in 2011. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the importance of digital equity and making sure everyone has access to the Internet became even more apparent,” said Javier Garcia, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Comcast in Florida. “As a leader in closing the digital divide, Comcast turned to new tactics like Lift Zones and the IEPP. Now we are proud to participate in the ACP as a part of our ongoing commitment to ensure everyone has the tools and resources they need to thrive in our increasingly digital world.”
To be eligible for the ACP, households must:
- Meet the eligibility criteria for a participating ISP’s existing low-income broadband adoption programs, including Comcast’s Internet Essentials program
- Have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines
- Participate in one of the following government assistance programs:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
- SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Received a Federal Pell Grant (in the current award year)
- Free & Reduced-Price School Lunch or Breakfast Program
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
- Tribal-specific assistance programs
Paperwork required to apply for the ACP includes proof of income – either a tax return, pay stub or Social Security statement of benefits – or proof of participation in one of the programs listed above, which can include approval letters, benefit verification letters or statements of benefits.
New and existing Xfinity Internet or Internet Essentials customers can visit www.xfinity.com/acp or call 844-389-4681 for more information, to determine eligibility, and sign up.
Customers can also call to speak to a dedicated ACP Enrollment and Support Center that is available from 8AM to 12AM daily, with multi-lingual capabilities to assist anyone interested in the program.