ACP Wind Down Definition

As you may know, on January 1st, 2021, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) replaced the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB). ACP offers eligible consumers a discount to obtain a fixed or wireless broadband connection, including internet connection on smartphones for work, school, healthcare and more.

Nowadays, the ACP fund is running out, at least momentarily. As a result, the FCC has begun taking steps to wind down the ACP, which means that:

1. ACP applications and enrollments will not be processed after February 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.
2. Households who have applied, been approved, and are receiving the monthly internet discount before February 8, 2024, will continue to receive their ACP benefit until ACP funds run out, as long as the household remains enrolled in the program.
3. After the ACP funds run out (around April 2024), households participating in the ACP will no longer receive the ACP discounts.

For this reason, the ACP will need to stop new enrollments. Starting February 8, 2024, no new enrollments will be accepted.

Eligible households that are not already enrolled should complete an application at GetInternet.gov as soon as possible to allow time for the processing of your application. Once your application is qualified, you must sign up with an internet company by February 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET to start receiving your benefit. If these timeframes are not followed, then you can no longer enroll in the ACP.

To sum up, households that are enrolled in ACP will continue to receive the service through the end of the ACP. Households will receive notices from their internet company about the impact of the end of the benefit. The notices will tell households:

(1) that the ACP is ending

(2) the impact on their bill

(3) the date of the last bill they will receive that includes the ACP benefit, and

(4) that they may change their service or opt-out of continuing service after the end of the ACP

ACP households may also switch their internet plans without penalty. ACP households should:

• Check their emails for more information and updates regarding the ACP benefit. They can also visit www.AffordableConnectivity.gov and www.fcc.gov/acp.

• Contact their internet company for questions about how the end of the ACP will affect their monthly bill and to ask about available options.

• Households can call the ACP Support Center at 877-384-2575 for information about their benefit.

Once an enrollment is created, the Quest app will provide a message in the last page indicating the ACP status according to the transfer outcome:

To sum up: