Internet Discount Program
THE FCC IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
If you currently receive this benefit from another carrier, it can be transferred to Wabash.
A reliable internet connection is essential. We’re happy to have been approved by the FCC as a provider for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to help lower the cost. This benefit ensures fair and affordable options are available to everyone in our communities.
Application
Click the button below to apply.
Program Requirements
To qualify for this discount program, one member in your household must fulfill one of the following criteria:
- Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;
- Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC or Lifeline;
- 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; or
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year
Benefits
This program will provide a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. The benefit is limited to one monthly service discount per household.
You also may be eligible for discounted service through the Federal Lifeline Program. Lifeline is a government benefit program under which eligible low-income customers may qualify for a discount for residential phone or internet service.
FAQs
Being a new program offered by the FCC, we are learning about this as well. Feel free to contact us or see the FCC’s list of FAQs.
The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC program to help eligible households struggling to afford internet service, providing a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.
Please know this credit can only be applied to internet service. Phone and TV services are excluded from this program.
1. To apply, visit https://acpbenefit.org/how-to-apply/. We encourage applicants to apply online for a quicker response.
After you submit an application, the FCC will share the results with you. If you apply online, you may receive immediate approval. If they cannot prove your eligibility automatically, they will request additional documentation from you and provide information on how you can submit those documents for review.
2. Once approved, please contact Wabash at 419-942-1111 or email info@wabash.com. We are not automatically notified of your approval, so you must contact us to complete enrollment.
Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.
As the provider, Wabash will receive the funds directly from the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The discount will be applied as a credit to your monthly bill.
To qualify for this discount program, one member in your household must fulfill one of the following criteria:
- Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;
- Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC or Lifeline;
- 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; or
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year
Yes, the benefit is available to eligible new, prior and existing customers.
All internet plans are eligible.
Please know phone and TV services are not part of this program and are not eligible for credit. If you are looking for ways to save on these services, please call us at 419.942.1111.
No. Wabash is only reimbursed for the cost of the plan up to $30 per eligible household.
You may upgrade your service to receive the full $30 credit each month, but you are responsible for any amount over $30.
Yes. You are responsible for any amount over $30 per month for internet service under the Affordable Connectivity Program.
No. You must request enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program with Wabash. You can choose to receive the benefit from your current Lifeline service provider or another participating provider.
Can I receive both the Affordable Connectivity Program credit and Lifeline benefit at the same time?
Yes. You can also combine these benefits with other state and local benefits where available. They can be applied to the same qualifying service or separately to a Lifeline service and an ACP service with the same or different providers. For example, an eligible household could have Lifeline-supported mobile phone service and a separate home internet service that is supported through the ACP.
If a school is offering lunch or breakfast free to all students regardless of income based on a program other than the Community Eligibility Provision, such as through COVID-19 waivers extending the Seamless Summer Option or Summer Food Service Program, then the household would not be eligible through the free and reduced-price school lunch program or school breakfast program by virtue of an extension of the SSO or SFSP. Households may still enroll in the ACP if their school also participates in the Community Eligibility Provision, or the household separately applied for and has been approved for benefits in the free and reduced-price school lunch program or school breakfast program in 2019-2020, 2020-2021 or 2021-2022, or through other bases of eligibility, such as income or participation in SNAP or Medicaid.
As Wabash understands, schools in our area are currently receiving breakfast and lunch at no cost through COVID-19 waivers extending SSO or SFSP. Therefore, this is not a blanket qualification for every student.
Here is a news release from the USDA regarding their pandemic flexibilities: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/04/20/usda-issues-pandemic-flexibilities-schools-and-day-care-facilities.
The ACP is a long-term program. The government has committed $14.2 billion to this endeavor and there is currently no end date.
Consumers will need to provide documentation if their eligibility cannot be confirmed automatically by checking a program eligibility database (SNAP or Medicaid, for example). Documents you can use to prove your eligibility include:
- Benefit award letter
- Approval letter
- Statement of benefits
- Benefit verification letter
- For federal Pell Grants, documents should be from this academic year and can include, for example, screenshots of a StudentAid.gov dashboard that clearly documents the student’s receipt of a Pell Grant during the current award year.
Applicants may also need to provide documentation to confirm their identity or address.
You can learn more about the documentation you may need to provide and how to submit it by visiting: ACPBenefit.org/how-to-apply/show-you-qualify.
If you are a person with a disability and need assistance with your Affordable Connectivity Program application, contact the Affordable Connectivity Program Support Center at ACPBenefit.org, via email ACPSupport@usac.org or call 877-384-2575.
If you have a question about whether your Affordable Connectivity Program service and equipment is accessible, contact the FCC’s Disability Rights Office at 202-418-2517 for a voice phone call, at 844-432-2275 by videophone, or by email at DRO@fcc.gov.