How to Get Low-Cost Internet Assistance

The FCC isn't done helping you out—it also offers the Lifeline Program, administered by the Universal Service Administrative Co.

Lifeline offers both phone and internet assistance, but we'll focus on the internet. Here’s how that works.

Lifeline offers up to $9.25 in internet assistance each month.

With Lifeline, household income needs to be at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or your household must participate in one of these programs:

• FPHA
• Medicaid
• NSLP
• SNAP
• Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
• WIC

Unless you live in California, Oregon, or Texas, all you need to do is apply, print and mail an application, or contact your preferred internet company. Once approved, you can use your discount to sign up for internet service.

If you’re a Californian, Oregonian, or Texan, you must either call the internet provider or look up the application process on your state website.

Lifeline offers enhanced benefits for eligible households on Tribal lands.

For folks who live on Tribal lands, Lifeline offers even more discounts: up to $34.25 for internet and up to $100 toward first-time installation fees.

For this program, you must qualify for Lifeline and live on Tribal lands. This map of eligible lands will show whether your home qualifies.

Apply the same way you would for Lifeline.

Internet First offers affordable high-speed internet access to low-income households in areas served by RCN, Wave, or Grande internet.

If you could use low-cost and fast internet, Internet First is a great option.

Internet First offers up to 50Mbps for just $9.95 a month. So if you also qualify for Lifeline, the program will nearly cover your bill.

To apply for Internet First, you can’t have applied to the program in the last 60 days, and you need identification and proof of eligibility.

Proof of eligibility includes:

• Federal Pell Grant documentation (Colorado and Illinois only)
• LIHEAP eligibility letter
• Medicaid card or eligibility letter
• NSLP/Head Start participation documentation
• Public housing assistance documentation
• SNAP letter
• SSI eligibility letter
• TANF eligibility letter
• Tribal assistance eligibility letter
• Unemployment verification letter
• Veterans Pension eligibility determination letter
• WIC eligibility letter

You also need to live in eligible parts of these states/districts:

• California
• District of Columbia
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New York
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• Texas
• Washington

Apply online or through the mail.

In addition to or instead of these widespread programs, you can often get assistance through an individual internet service provider.

Here are some providers that offer low-cost internet assistance. Just make sure you read the terms of service when you sign up because some services may have hidden overage fees, rental costs, or long-term contracts.

Cox offers internet service for low-income K–12 students through a program called Connect2Complete. The service costs $9.95 a month, is self-installed, and includes a Wi-Fi modem.

Eligibility requires at least one child in kindergarten through 12th grade and household use of at least one government assistance program.

MediaCom also offers discounted service through Connect2Complete, but the qualifications are somewhat stricter.

MediaCom requires you to meet the following requirements for enrollment:

• At least one child in K–12
• At least one child qualifies for NSLP
• No current MediaCom contract
• No MediaCom subscription in the last 90 days
• No outstanding MediaCom bill or unreturned equipment

On the flip side, though, you get unlimited data  with MediaCom, alongside other perks like no rental fees and an included modem.

We should link to the new unlimited data piece when it's ready

Optimum’s low-income household internet offering, Optimum Advantage, is $15 a month for 50Mbps.

To qualify, you must meet one of these qualifications:

• Your household qualifies for NSLP
• Your household contains a New York City resident attending a New York City public school
• You’re 65+ and on SSI
• You’re a veteran receiving state or public assistance

You must also not be an Optimum customer from the last 60 days or have an outstanding Optimum bill; you must have a valid U.S. postal address.

Users in California can get low-cost internet through Spectrum Internet Assist if someone in your household uses one of these programs:

• NSLP
• CEP of the NSLP
• SSI

While Spectrum Internet Assist has no data limits and doesn’t require a contract, it’s not a Wi-Fi connection. (Which means it’s probably some kind of Ethernet connection that you plug directly into.)

If Wi-Fi’s a must-have for you, it’ll cost $5 extra every month to add Spectrum Advanced WiFi to your setup.

Verizon calculates its low-cost internet prices differently than other programs.

Other programs have a special low-cost internet offering to which you can also apply a government benefit. And it doesn’t have unique low-income offerings—it simply offers money off its regular Verizon plans (and there are a lot of them).

You could be eligible for Xfinity’s low-income program, Internet Essentials.

But keep in mind, unlike other providers’ low-cost internet options, Xfinity requires year-long contracts.

There’s a lot to know about this topic, so we’ve provided a little extra info to keep you on the up and up.