Why is The Xfinity ACP Important?
Xfinity by Comcast is an American telecommunications company that provides cable EV, internet, telephone, and wireless services. The company is also a proud Affordable Connectivity Program provider.
The Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program or ACP is important because it provides discounts on internet services for low-income people in need. It helps ensure that all households can afford the broadband they need to work remotely, find new job opportunities, study, access virtual classrooms, write papers, contact healthcare and other emergency services, and much more.
Nowadays, we rely on internet connection for almost everything. We need it for work, education, communication, entertainment, and more. As certain households are unable to afford it, the government-funded Affordable Connectivity Program is a life-changing program that helps make sure we all have equal opportunities.
Is There Any Difference Between Xfinity EBB and ACP?
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new long-term replacement for the now-expired Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), designed to help households get internet services. The ACP program offers eligible customers a monthly credit of up to $30 a month (up to $75 a month for eligible households on qualifying Tribal lands) toward internet and mobile services.
The old Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), on the other hand, was a government assistance program established in response to the pandemic. It was replaced by the resembling ACP program on December 31, 2021.
Even though the ACP program replaced the EBB program and offers similar benefits as its predecessor, the two programs still have some important differences. The main difference is that the EBB program offered larger discounts for eligible non-Tribal households (up to $50 a month). In addition, the eligibility requirements changed. The EBB benefits were available for households with annual incomes of 135% or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, while the ACP benefits are available for households with annual incomes of 200% or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Xfinity EBB customers that also meet the Xfinity ACP eligibility requirements transitioned from the old EBB to the new ACP program during the transition period between December 31, 2021, and March 1st, 2022.
How to Qualify for Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program? (New and Existing Customers)
Both new and existing customers must meet certain eligibility criteria to qualify for the Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program.
First of all, the customer must be a resident of one of the states where Xfinity offers its ACP program. Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program is available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Secondly, to qualify, you must be ACP-eligible. The ACP eligibility criteria are determined by the FCC and are therefore universal for both new and existing customers and all providers. To qualify, a member of the household must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Participates in a qualifying government assistance program, such as:
- Lifeline
- Medicaid
- SNAP
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit
- Tribal Programs for Residents for Qualifying Tribal Lands
- Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
- Received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year.
- Has an income that is at or below 200% of the federal poverty levels.
What Documents are Required for The Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program?
During the application process, you will have to prove your eligibility. To do so, you may need to submit certain official, unexpired documents as proof. Depending on your eligibility and what exactly it is you need to verify (your identity, address, age, income, program participation, etc.), you may need to provide some of the following:
- An official, unexpired document that includes your first name, last name, and last four digits of your Social Security Number.
- An official, unexpired document that includes your first name, last name, and date of birth to prove your date of birth.
- An official, unexpired document that shows your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security Number to prove your identity.
Acceptable documentation includes:
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate
- W-2
- Recent state, federal, or Tribal tax return
- Social Security card
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
- Permanent resident card
- Permanent resident alien card
- U.S. government, military, state, or Tribal issued ID
- Passport
- Military discharge documentation
- Weapons permit
- Government assistance program document
- Statement of benefits from a qualifying program
- Unemployment/worker’s compensation statement of benefits
- Current utility bill
- Income statement
- Mortgage or lease statement
- Retirement/pension statement of benefits, or
- Notarized letter affirming your identity and living status.
- Eligibility confirmation from state eligibility database with administrator
How to Apply for the Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program (New and Existing Customers)
To apply for the Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program, you must follow the simple steps below.
How to Apply Xfinity Acp for New Customers
New Xfinity Internet Customers
- First, sign up for the Xfinity internet service. You can purchase a plan at xfinity.com/learn/internet-service.
- Secondly, check your ACP eligibility in the section ‘How to Qualify for Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program?’ and complete the National Verifier form to make sure you are eligible at checklifeline.org/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true.
- Then, fill out the Xfinity ACP application form to receive your credit using your Xfinity ID. You will need the application ID you received from the National Verifier when you were approved. Apply at xfinity.com/acp.
- Lastly, make sure all the information you have provided on your National Verifier form matches the information provided on your Xfinity ACP application form. Expect to hear a status update from the company within 48 hours of submitting your Xfinity ACP application.
New Internet Essentials Customers
- First, apply for Internet Essentials at internetessentials.com or by phone at 855-8-INTERNET.
- Secondly, check your ACP eligibility and complete the National Verifier form to confirm your eligibility at checklifeline.org/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true.
- Fill out the Xfinity ACP application form to receive your credit using your Xfinity ID. To do so, you will need the application ID you received from the National Verifier when you were approved. Start the application process at xfinity.com/acp.
- Finally, make sure all the information provided on your National Verifier form matches the information provided on your Xfinity ACP application form. Expect to hear a status update from the company within 48 hours of submitting your Xfinity ACP application.
How to Apply Xfinity Acp for Existing Customers
Existing Xfinity Internet and Xfinity Internet Essentials Customers
- First, check your ACP eligibility and complete the National Verifier form at checklifeline.org/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true.
- Complete the Xfinity ACP enrollment form to receive the benefits using your Xfinity ID. You will need the application ID you have received from the National Verifier when your application got approved. Start your online Xfinity ACP enrollment at xfinity.com/acp.
- Lastly, make sure your personal information provided on your National Verifier form matches the information provided on your Xfinity ACP application form. Expect to hear a status update from the company within 48 hours of submitting your Xfinity ACP application.
Existing Xfinity Mobile Only Customers
In case you only have Xfinity Mobile service, call 844-389-4681 to apply for the Xfinity ACP and have your ACP credit applied to your Xfinity Mobile service.
Learn more about the Xfinity ACP program at xfinity.com/acp. If you still have questions, contact the company’s customer service.
How Do I Check if I Am Eligible for The Xfinity ACP?
One way to know if you qualify for the Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program is to check the eligibility criteria in the section ‘How to Qualify for Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program?’.
However, to make sure you qualify, you can also check your Affordable Connectivity Program eligibility by completing the National Verifier form at checklifeline.org/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true.
Fill out the form by providing all the required personal information and documentation that prove your eligibility.
What are The Benefits if I Qualify for The Xfinity ACP?
In case you qualify for the Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program (you are ACP-eligible and a resident of one of the states where the provider operates), you can receive a discount on Xfinity internet service and mobile data usage and service fees. The ACP discount can also be applied for leased equipment.
Eligible households will receive a credit of up to $30 a month (or $75 a month for eligible households on Tribal lands) toward Xfinity internet service, including Internet Essentials and/or Xfinity Mobile data usage and service fees. The exact amount of credit depends on the rate for the service that you choose.
In case you have both Xfinity Internet and Mobile services, the ACP credit will first be applied to your internet service expenses. Any remaining balance will then be applied to Xfinity Mobile services. On the other hand, if you only have Xfinity Mobile service, call 844-389-4681 to have your ACP credit applied to your bill.
The ACP credit cannot be applied toward unlimited internet data plans, internet data overage charges, Xfinity Mobile device payments, Xfinity Mobile Protection Plan, taxes, fees, and any non-internet and non-mobile Xfinity products and equipment, such as Xfinity TV, Voice, and Home.
In case you also need information Phones Compatible with Xfinity Voice
Does Xfinity Offer Internet Plans for Low-Income People Other Than ACP?
Xfinity doesn’t offer any other internet plans designed especially for low-income people. However, the company does offer relatively affordable internet and mobile services in the first place. As such, even customers who are not Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program-eligible can afford low-cost services.
For example, Internet Essentials plans start at only $9.95 a month + tax with free equipment. Read more about your Internet Essentials options at internetessentials.com.
The cheapest Xfinity Internet service plan comes with 50 Mbps at the price of $20 a month. Find more Xfinity Internet service plans at xfinity.com/learn/internet-service.
Xfinity ACP Related FAQs
In Which Area Does Xfinity Provide Its Services?
Xfinity by Comcast is a nationwide company that offers its ACP services in numerous U.S. states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Why Does Xfinity Offer the ACP Benefits?
Xfinity first participated in the now-expired EBB program, which was designed to help people who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are unable to afford internet and mobile data services. As the temporary EBB program has proven to be vital for millions of Americans, the program has transformed into the long-term ACP program, which offers similar benefits and has resembling eligibility criteria. The ACP benefits are offered to help make sure all citizens can afford the broadband services they need for work, education, healthcare, and more.
If I Am Eligible for the Xfinity EBB, Will I Receive the Xfinity ACP Benefits Automatically?
If you continue to meet the new assistance program’s eligibility requirements (which differ slightly from the EBB eligibility requirements), you have received an email from the provider with specific details and steps on how to transition from EBB to ACP. If you are no longer eligible, the provider has also notified you (assuming that you are a customer, of course). Check your email inbox and your spam folder.
Can My Xfinity ACP Credits Be Transferred Between Other Service Providers?
You can choose to transfer your ACP credits to any participating provider at any time. However, you can only receive one ACP benefit per household from one provider at a time.
Can I Participate in the ACP if I am Under 18 Years Old?
To participate, you must be 18 years old or more or an emancipated minor. Emancipated minors must submit a document that proves their emancipated minor status, such as a court document or a certificate of emancipation.
What to Do If My Social Security, Date of Birth, or Identity Can’t be Verified?
If that happens, you must first make sure that the information you have provided to the National Verifier is correct. If so, you must submit an official, unexpired document as proof. To prove your Social Security, provide an official document that has your full legal name and the last four digits of your Social Security Number. To prove your date of birth, provide an official document that includes your full legal name and date of birth. To prove your identity, provide an official document that includes your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security Number. See the full list of acceptable documentation in the section ‘What Documents Are Required for Xfinity Affordable Connectivity Program?’.
What to Do If My Address Can’t be Verified?
If your address cannot be verified, first make sure your provided information is correct. If it is, you can correct the error online or via mail. Learn more at usac.org/lifeline/national-verifier/how-to-use-nv/resolve-application-errors.
What to Do If My Application Identified Me as Being Deceased?
If your application identified you as being deceased, you must submit an official, unexpired document that includes your date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, and proof of life. A proof of life is a document that is dated within three months, such as a current utility bill, income statement, mortgage or lease statement, retirement/pension statement of benefits, or a notarized letter affirming your identity and living status.
What to Do If My Application Information Matches That of Another Person?
If you experience a duplication error, submit an official document including your date of birth and another one with the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you think this error could have occurred due to fraud, contact the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) at [email protected].
What to Do if I Received an ‘Application Not Found’ Error?
If you experience this error after submitting your application (or when checking your application status), follow these simple steps:
- Visit checklifeline.org/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true and log in with the credentials that you used when submitting the application.
- Retrieve your application and correct any incorrect information.
- Resubmit your application.
- Once again, visit xfinity.com/acp and reapply. Make sure the information matches the information provided at the National Verifier.
- Submit your Xfinity ACP application once more.