5 Affordable Internet Plans for Low-Income
With the increasing internet usage, it has become a necessity for every household. In everyday life, we use the internet from paying our bills to staying connected with the outer world. Moreover, Covid 19 has also played an important role and now the majority of people are working from home. So now it’s more like our lives depend on it. But it’s no secret that getting an internet connection can be very expensive as it costs over $50 every month. So, not everyone can afford it at these higher rates.
In response to that, many ISP’s are offering low-income internet options to families who qualify for certain programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), so that it can be made available to everyone. Additionally, there are federal assistance programs that can help you save money on your monthly internet service charges. Let’s have a look at all of these options and see what works for you.
5 Best Low-income Internet Options by Internet Providers
As mentioned earlier, many internet service providers offer plans that can help you get internet services at lower monthly rates. Though these plans do not offer the highest available speeds, they provide you with enough speed that you can use the internet for your day to day tasks and entertainment. Here is a list of the 5 best low-income internet options by internet service providers.
- Spectrum Internet Assist
If you are on a hunt for the most economical internet options and Spectrum services are available in your area, Spectrum Internet Assist is the plan you should go for. With this assist plan, you can get internet speeds of up to 30 Mbps at a monthly price of $14.99. Additionally, it offers you a free internet modem month and you can get the router for just $5/month. That is an additional saving of $5 on your monthly cost as many providers charge you $10 for that modem and router.
Moreover, there are no data caps with spectrum internet assist which means you will not be paying for any extra data usage. Also, you are not in a contract so you can cancel if you ever feel like you do not need the services anymore. The qualifying programs for internet assist are the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) for kids and SSI.
Cox
Cox has taken Connec2complete initiative through which they are offering up to 25 Mbps speed at a very affordable price of $9.99/month to eligible customers. To qualify for this program, there should be at least one school going kid (K-12 Student) in your house and you have to be a participant in any of the following public assistance programs; Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), NSLP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and HUD.
If you qualify as per the given requirements, you will be able to get Cox internet without any contracts or any deposits. On top of that, you will get the modem for free so no charges for that.
In case you do not qualify for the Coonect2Compete plan, then there is another option that you should consider which is the Cox internet starter plan. The starter plan gives you up to 10 Mbps speed at a price of around $20 for the promotional period. So, this can be a lifesaver for you in difficult times.
- AT&T Access
If you have a K-12 student in your house, you are a part of SNAP and you live in an area with AT&T internet availability, AT&T Access is the low-income internet plan that you can get. Access plan costs about $10 a month and provides a download speed of up to 10 Mbps. Moreover, there are no charges for installation. This plan is on monthly basis and also gives you free in-home internet equipment and free access to a nationwide network of Wi-Fi hotspots.
One additional qualification term for the Access plan is that you should not have any outstanding balance for AT&T services within the last 6 months.
- Mediacom Conect2Comepete
Like other providers, Mediacom is also offering a low-income assistance program with the same name as Cox, “Connect2Compete”. Through this program, eligible customers can get home internet for $9.95/ Month. The speed that is being offered is up to 10 Mbps which is pretty good for the price. Moreover, you do not have to pay any installation or Wi-Fi modem charges but if you ever decide to cancel then you would have to return that equipment.
To qualify for this program, you would have to have at least one K-12 grade kid along with participation in NLSP.
- Xfinity – Essential
Internet Essential by Xfinity offers up to 15 Mbps speed for $9.95/Month for all eligible customers. You also get free equipment, free installation, no contract, and no credit check benefits. On top of that, Xfinity also gives you the option to purchase a low-cost computer if you need one.
As per qualifying criteria to get the Internet Essential plan through Xfinity, you or your kids would have to be a part of any of these; HUD, NLSP, Pell Grant, verified senior or veteran through Veteran or Senior Assistance Program.
Government Assistance Programs
If you do not qualify for any of the provider-based plans, then the other option for you is to look for government assistance programs. For example, if you are a participant in Federal Assistance Programs, then you may also qualify for the Lifeline program that is offered by FCC to lower your monthly internet costs. Lifeline is also offered to people with lower income.
Through Lifeline, you can get a discount of $ 9.25 every month on your internet or phone bill. But keep in mind that this discount is limited to one per household and cannot be applied to both internet and phone services but only one of these. Though that is not like provider based plan, you still save some money on your monthly charges.
To get this discount, you would have to get in touch with the available providers in your area and fill out the application form. They will verify some details and offer you this discount.
