Lansing, MI - The Michigan Public Service Commission is encouraging Michiganders to plan ahead in advance of the wind-down to the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which will impact more than 941,000 Michigan households currently enrolled in the program.
Due to a lack of additional funding from Congress, the FCC has announced that the last fully funded month for the ACP discount is April 2024.
Enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACP provided a $30 monthly discount on broadband bills — $75 a month for those living on qualifying tribal lands — for those who met income eligibility requirements. The MPSC suggests that households currently enrolled in the ACP should prepare for the end of the program by doing the following:
- Check for messages from your internet provider regarding the wind-down of the ACP and the impact it will have on your internet bill. Your internet provider will let you know when the discount on your monthly bill will end.
- Visit fcc.gov/acp to keep up to date regarding announcements from the FCC regarding the wind-down.
- Contact the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) for questions about the wind-down. Customers may call the ACP Support Center at 877-384-2575 or go to affordableconnectivity.gov.
- Check with your current internet provider to see if they offer any special internet offerings for low-income households. If a household would like to continue to receive internet service after the ACP ends, they may stay with their current provider or select a new provider.
If not already enrolled, households participating in the ACP program may consider participating in the Lifeline program to obtain assistance toward their internet service. An FCC fact sheet has answers to frequently asked questions on the ACP and Lifeline.
The MPSC also has a list of participating Lifeline providers in Michigan.
During the wind-down, households enrolled in the ACP are not required to stay with their internet provider or continue to receive the same internet service after the end of the ACP. To make changes to your household’s service, simply contact your current service provider.
If a household is not sure if they previously opted in or opted out to receiving internet service from their provider after the ACP has ended, the household should contact their service provider to discuss their options.
For information about the MPSC, visit www.michigan.gov/mpsc, sign up for its monthly newsletter or other listservs.