Anchorage School District recently issued the following announcement.
Many families and households are struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program designed to connect eligible households to services such as virtual classrooms. ACP will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.The ACP is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
The ACP is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household. A household is eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:
Income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistant programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, 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 2019-20 or 2020-21 school year;
Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
Experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income or COVID-19 program. Available now (opened May 12, 2021)
Eligible households must:
apply for the program AND
contact a paricipating provider to select a service plan.
How to Apply:
Option One
Contact a participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process. If you are unable to apply through them directly, you will have to apply using option 2 or 3 below, and then contact a participating provider to select an eligible plan.
Alaska Communications
AT&T
GCI
Matanuska Telephone Association
Verizon
Cricket Wireless
Option Two
Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online and to find participating providers near you. After you apply, you will have to contact a participating provider to select an eligible plan.
Option Three
Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application or print a copy, and return it along with copies of documents showing proof of eligibility to:
Emergency Broadband Support Center
P.O. Box 7081
London, KY 40742
After you received a notice that you have qualified for the program, households must contact a participating provider to select an Emergency Broadband Benefit eligible service plan.
Original source can be found here.
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