Lifeline Phone and Internet Discounts After ACP Ended

The short version: The Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, ended in June 2024. Lifeline is a different program that still provides qualifying households with a phone or internet discount. Former ACP enrollment is not automatic Lifeline enrollment. Check eligibility through Lifeline's official site, then choose a participating provider.

A discount is only useful if the remaining service fits the household. Compare the total bill, coverage, data allowance, equipment costs, and any promotional pricing before moving an essential phone number or cancelling an existing connection.

Do not apply for a program that has ended

ACP's monthly discount ended June 1, 2024. An old advertisement or application page does not mean enrollment has reopened. Check what benefit an offer actually provides before sharing personal information.

Use Lifeline Support, operated by the Universal Service Administrative Company, to begin the current process. If another website uses ACP language, verify what benefit it is actually offering before entering a Social Security number, identity document, or payment details.

A company's own discounted internet plan can also exist outside either federal program. Ask whether an offer is Lifeline, a provider promotion, or a separate low-income plan. The answer determines its eligibility rules and what happens when the promotion ends.

Check a qualifying benefit or the income route

Qualifying Lifeline programs include SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, and Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit. Eligibility can be based on a qualifying child or dependent in the household as well.

Under the standard income route, household income must be at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. For 2026, the annual limit in the contiguous states, D.C., and territories is $21,546 for one person or $44,550 for four people. Alaska and Hawaii have higher limits. Use your household size and location when applying; the former ACP income test does not apply.

There are additional pathways for eligible Tribal households and a specific emergency-support process for qualifying survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, or related crimes. Follow USAC's instructions for those circumstances rather than forcing them into the standard application route.

Understand what one household means

Lifeline generally allows one discount per household. A household means people living together who share income and expenses; the number of phone lines or adults does not determine it.

Before applying, ask whether anyone in the household already receives Lifeline. Applying for a second discount without checking can create a duplicate-benefit problem. Conversely, sharing an address does not necessarily settle whether two people form one economic household; use the program's household instructions if the situation needs clarification.

The standard Lifeline discount is up to $9.25 per month for internet or a qualifying phone-and-internet bundle, or up to $5.25 for phone-only service. The enhanced benefit on qualifying Tribal lands can be up to $34.25. These are maximum program discounts; the provider's plan determines your remaining bill and any device cost.

Apply, then activate the benefit with a provider

Follow the official application link from Lifeline Support. Its current instructions direct Oregon and Texas residents to their state processes. Provide the requested identity and eligibility evidence using the official application method.

Keep the application result and any request for more information. Approval establishes eligibility for the benefit; it does not by itself connect a phone or place a discount on an existing bill. Contact a participating phone or internet company after approval to enroll the benefit on a qualifying plan.

Before selecting that company, ask:

• Does this exact plan accept the Lifeline discount?
• What will the monthly bill be after the discount and any promotion?
• Are there activation, equipment, or other charges?
• What data, minutes, coverage, and speed does the plan provide?
• How will an existing phone number or service be transferred?

Keep essential service active until the transfer or new connection is confirmed. A benefits approval and a successful service transfer are separate events.

Keep the discount from lapsing

USAC or the relevant state checks eligibility annually. If a recertification response is required, follow the notice and its deadline. Notify your company within 30 days of changes such as an address change, loss of eligibility, or duplicate household benefits.

For service with no monthly out-of-pocket payment, usage rules also matter: You must use the service at least once every 30 days. Read the provider's notices rather than assuming an unused line stays active indefinitely.

If the household is also applying for Medicaid or SNAP, keep those applications moving separately. A program award may support Lifeline eligibility, but the phone discount still needs its own enrollment steps.