What is the Difference Between MetroPCS ACP and EBB?
In 2021, the government established a new assistance program in response to the pandemic, called the Emergency Broadband Benefit or EBB. The program was designed to help households struggling to afford internet service during the international health crisis and thus enable them to stay connected to jobs, education, healthcare services, and more. The EBB provided a discount of up to $50 ($75 for eligible households on Tribal lands) a month for internet service. Some EBB providers also offered an up to $100 discount on connected devices.
The EBB program has expired on December 31, 2021, however, as its benefits turned out to be vital for millions of citizens, the government has decided to modify and extend the program, thus creating the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This program offers the same discount on connected devices and the same discount on internet services for Tribal households. Non-Tribal households, on the other hand, can receive a smaller discount of up to $30 a month through the ACP program.
MetroPCS or Metro by T-Mobile was one of the EBB providers and it now offers ACP benefits.
How Do I Replace My MetroPCS EBB Benefit with ACP if I am Already Receiving EBB?
Households who were enrolled in the MetroPCS or Metro by T-Mobile EBB benefit as of December 31, 2021, continued to receive their EBB monthly benefit during the 60-day transition period until March 1st, 2022.
After March 1st, 2022, you need to either requalify or you will qualify and be transitioned to the ACP benefit automatically. As the EBB and ACP eligibility criteria are similar, most EBB customers will receive the new ACP discounts automatically. However, some former EBB subscribers (for example, the ones that qualified for the EBB due to a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020, or by meeting the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s COVID-19 program) will need to requalify for the new ACP program.
In case you need to requalify for the ACP discount, you will receive a notification from Metro by T-Mobile (former MetroPCS) or from USAC – the program administrator. If you are required to requalify, you will have to do an ACP verification and submission.
You can read one of our past articles Metro Pcs by T-Mobile Free Phones With Plan
What are the Qualification Procedures for MetroPCS ACP for Newbies?
Are you wondering how to get MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program? Well, the qualification procedure for MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program is quick and easy. All a new MetroPCS or Metro by T-Mobile customer must do is to follow the simple steps below.
- Step 1: Make sure you are MetroPCS ACP-eligible. You can qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program by Metro by T-Mobile if you are a resident of one of the states where Metro offers its services and if you are ACP-eligible. See the ACP eligibility criteria in the section ‘How Do I Qualify for the MetroPCS ACP Program?’.
- Step 2: Depending on your eligibility criteria, collect the required documents that prove your eligibility, as you will be asked to attach them during the application process. See the required documents for MetroPCS ACP in the section ‘What Documents Are Required for the MetroPCS ACP?’.
- Step 3: Apply for ACP through the National Verifier. You will be required to provide certain personal information and supporting documentation. If your application gets approved, you will receive an ID number. Note: This process may take up to two days. Learn more in the section ‘Where to Apply for the MetroPCS ACP?’.
- Step 4: Join Metro. If you are a new customer, find a Metro store near you to get started.
- Step 5: Enroll in the MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program. Visit Metro by T-Mobile’s official website and go to My Account. Fill out the ACP application form using the ID number provided by the National Verifier. You will receive a text message confirming your enrollment.
How Do I Qualify for the MetroPCS ACP Program?
How to get MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program? Well, first and foremost, you have to be ACP-eligible. To qualify for the MetroPCS ACP, you or another member of your household must meet at least one of the universal FCC-established ACP eligibility criteria below:
- Have an annual household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- Participate in a qualifying federal assistance program, such as Lifeline, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, or Federal Public Housing Assistance.
- Participate in a qualifying Tribal specific program, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.
- Be approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year.
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income program.
In addition, to qualify for MetroPCS ACP in particular, you must be a resident of one of the states where Metro offers its services.
MetroPCS or Metro by T-Mobile is a nationwide carrier that provides ACP benefits to residents of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
What Documents are Required for the MetroPCS ACP?
During your MetroPCS ACP application process, you will be required to prove your ACP eligibility by submitting certain documents that prove your eligibility. The documents that you will be required to provide depend on your ACP eligibility criteria.
- In order to verify your identity, you must submit an official document including your full legal name and your date of birth. Eligible documents include a passport, valid government, military, state, or Tribal ID, birth certificate, U.S. driver’s license, certificate of U.S. citizenship or naturalization, Green Card, etc.
- In order to verify your address, you must submit an official document that includes your full legal name and your current physical address. Eligible documents include a valid government, state, or Tribal ID, driver’s license, utility bill, mortgage or lease statement, or most recent W-2 or tax return.
- In order to prove your household income, you must show an official document that includes your full legal name and annual income and shows that your annual income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Eligible documents include a prior year’s state, federal, or Tribal tax return, current income statement from your employer, a paycheck stun, Social Security statement of benefits, unemployment or worker’s compensation statement of benefits, divorce decree, child support award, retirement/pension statement of benefits, etc.
- In order to prove your participation in a qualifying assistance program, you will be required to provide an official document that includes your full legal name, the name of the qualifying program, the name of the government, Tribal entity, program administrator, school, school district, university, or college that issued the document, and an issue date within the last 12 months or a future expiration date. Qualifying documents include an approval letter, benefit award letter, benefit verification letter, or statement of benefits.
Only citizens who are 18 or more years old and emancipated minors can participate in the ACP program. As such, emancipated minors must prove their emancipated minor status with an official court document, certificate of emancipation, or another document including your full legal name and confirmation of emancipation.
Where to Apply for the MetroPCS ACP?
How to get MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program? By applying for it, of course! However, to do so, you must be MetroPCS ACP-eligible and you must know exactly where and how you can apply for the MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program.
- Step 1: Make sure you are MetroPCS ACP-eligible.
- Step 2: Apply for ACP through the National Verifier at acpbenefit.org. Fill out the application form by providing all the personal information and the required documentation. The National Verifier will either confirm or deny your application. If approved, you will receive an ID number.
- Step 3: Join MetroPCS or Metro by T-Mobile. In case you are a new customer, visit a local Metro store to get started. Find a store near you at metrobyt-mobile.com/storelocator.
- Step 4: Choose a Metro ACP plan and a free 5G phone.
- Step 5: Enroll in the Metro ACP by visiting metrobyt-mobile.com/my-account/profile. Fill out the Metro ACP application form using the ID number provided by the National Verifier. You can also apply by visiting a nearby Metro store. You will receive a text message informing you of whether or not you have been successfully enrolled in the Metro ACP.
What are the Benefits if I Qualify for MetroPCS ACP?
Now that you know exactly how to get MetroPCS Affordable Connectivity Program, let’s take a closer look at the program’s benefits.
The Affordable Connectivity Program offers discounts on data plans to eligible households. Qualifying households can receive a discount of up to $30 (or $75 for households on Tribal lands) a month on qualifying rate plans.
All Metro by T-Mobile rate plans with smartphone data qualify for the ACP benefit. With Metro ACP you can get:
- Free unlimited calls
- Free unlimited texts
- Free 5G of high-speed smartphone data
- Scam Shield with free Scam ID
- Free Scam Block
- Free Caller ID
- Access on America’s largest 5G network (T-Mobile)
Here is a list of discounted and free Metro ACP plans. When applying, choose the plan that best fits your needs.
Unlimited plan for $30 a month ($60 without ACP). The plan offers:
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text
- Unlimited high-speed data
- 5H network access
- 15 GB of hotspot data
- 100 GB of Google One cloud storage
- Amazon Prime subscription
Unlimited plan for $20 a month ($50 without ACP). The plan offers:
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text
- Unlimited high-speed data
- 5G network access
- 5 GB of hotspot data
- 100 GB of Google One cloud storage
The $10 a month ACP plan ($40 without ACP). The plan offers:
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text
- 10 GB of high-speed data
- 5G network access
- The ability to get $10 a month Unlimited when you switch with one line
Free ACP plan ($30 without ACP). The plan offers:
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text
- 5 GB of high-speed data
- 5G network access
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What to Do if I am Not Qualified for Metro ACP After Completing this Process?
If you have tried to apply for the MetroPCS ACP program and you did not qualify, it means that you are either not ACP-eligible (see the ACP eligibility criteria above) or that you are not a resident of any of the states where Metro by T-Mobile offers its ACP benefits. Even if you qualified for the program in the past, your eligibility may have changed due to changes in your financial circumstances and/or program participation. As getting a new job may radically change your household income, each ACP-eligible customer must re-apply for the Metro ACP every year anyway.
Your eligibility will be determined by the National Verifier. If you have any questions about your eligibility, make sure to contact the National Verifier.
As the ACP benefit is limited to one discount per household, make sure that no other family member receives the benefit. If someone already receives the ACP discounts, you won’t be able to qualify even if ACP-eligible.
If you don’t qualify due to the fact that Metro doesn’t offer ACP benefits in your state of residence, you can apply for another ACP program from a participating provider in your area. You can see the list of all ACP providers in every state at fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program-providers.
In addition, there are some other ways to receive free or discounted broadband services, including by finding a non-government low-cost internet provider (Altice Advantage Internet, Spectrum Internet Assist, Mediacom Connect2Compete), though a satellite or antenna, with FreedomPop or NetZero, by setting up a community mesh network, finding free school district internet for students, or using public internet.
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MetroPCS ACP Related FAQs
How Long Does It Take to Get Approval for Metro ACP Benefits?
Your Metro ACP eligibility will be determined by the National Verifier. The approval times may vary, depending on the demand and other factors. However, the process may take up to two days.
How Will I Know if I Have Successfully Enrolled on MetroPCS ACP?
If you have successfully enrolled, you will receive a text message from Metro by T-Mobile confirming your enrollment. Afterward, your ACP discount will be applied to your account within 1-2 billing cycles. Once the discount has been applied, you will also be notified.
What Is the Reason for Rejection of My ACP Application?
Generally, there are two reasons why your application could be rejected. One reason is if the personal information provided to Metro and National Verifier does not match. The second reason is that your current rate plan is not eligible for the ACP credit. In this case, you must contact Metro’s customer service.
Does MetroPCS Offer Free Tablet and Phone Under the ACP Program?
No, Metro by T-Mobile is not one of those ACP providers that also offer one-time discounts on connected devices. However, the carrier offers a large selection of free 5G phones in prepaid.
Are MetroPCS ACP and T Mobile ACP the Same?
No. Metro by T-Mobile is a T-Mobile-owned company and even though the carriers offer many similar services, T-Mobile does currently not participate in the ACP program. The carrier did, however, participate in the now-expired EBB program.
Do MetroPCS Phones Work With 5G?
Yes. Metro offers customers access to T-Mobile’s largest 5G network. Therefore, Metro phones work with 5G networks.
In Which Areas Does MetroPCS Provide ACP Service?
Metro by T-Mobile ACP is available in 51 U.S. states. See the full list of qualifying states in the section ‘How Do I Qualify for the MetroPCS ACP Program?’.
I Am Currently in EBB With MetroPCS; When I Transition to ACP, Will My Monthly Bill Increase?
Probably, as the benefit amount for non-Tribal households is lower at the ACP program than the EBB program. However, you can choose a more affordable plan when you switch to ACP.
If I Want to Switch From Another Provider Like AT&T or Verizon and I Have ACP Credit Can I Bring My Discount With Me?
Yes, you can transfer your ACP benefit from another provider to Metro by T-Mobile (or vice versa). Just make sure to check the box to transfer your ACP benefit to Metro.
Can I Keep the ACP Credit if I Switch to a Different Metro by T Mobile Rate Plan?
Yes, however, you must switch to another eligible plan.
