It’s Easy – See if you Qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program
Gibson Connect offers the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the LifeLine discounts to qualifying consumer members to lower the cost of its residential internet plans.
“We know how important it is for our members to have access to reliable internet service,” says Charles Phillips, Gibson EMC VP of Technical Services. “It connects us to jobs, healthcare, educational resources and entertainment. The ACP and Lifeline programs allow us to make this internet access more affordable.”
ACP and Lifeline are government assistance programs available to those who qualify through their participation in other government programs or through income. It is nontransferable and limited to one benefit per household. Once approved, you’ll need to be recertified each year.
How ACP and Lifeline work
The ACP provides a $30 monthly discount on internet service for qualified subscribers; and LifeLine may add another $9.25 discount. These discounts can be applied to any of the Gibson Connect internet plans including the low-cost Lifeline service at $34.25 a month for 25 Mbps download and upload speeds. If eligible for both programs, the final cost for customers is “FREE.” This service tier is adequate for email, internet searches, social media access, basic streaming and education/work from home. If you require a higher bandwidth, the discounts can be applied to the 250 Mbps plan, lowering the price to $10.70 per month.
Who is eligible?
The federal government requires that ACP and Lifeline participants have either an income that is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or that they participate in a federal assistance program such as Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance or the Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit. Additional programs may also help you qualify. You can check your eligibility at lifelinesupport.org or affordableconnectivity.gov.
To apply for Lifeline
You can apply for Lifeline using the National Verifier application system at checklifeline.org/lifeline and for ACP by visiting affordableconnectivity.gov. You also can call Gibson Connect at 731-562-6000 or visit your local Gibson EMC member service center. Bring documentation if you are applying in person in case your eligibility cannot be confirmed automatically through a program database such as Medicaid.
Documentation includes a statement of benefits dated within the past 12 months and program participation documents. You can verify your eligibility based on income with a prior year’s tax return; a paycheck stub; statement of benefits from a program like Social Security; pension; or other official documents containing income information.