Affordable Connectivity Program

Starting January 1, 2022, the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program will end and will change to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). In addition to name change, there will be other major changes to the program as well.

For existing EBB participants (those who were enrolled in the program prior to December 31, 2022) their $50 monthly benefit will continue until March 1, 2022. At that time, the benefit will change to $30 a month. This is not FASTnet’s decision, this is a program change. Otherwise, the program—as of now—will remain the same. EBB/ACP participants can continue to switch service offerings at any time and will be notified if there are any other changes to the program, including any steps they may need to take to retain the ACP benefit after March 1, 2022. (Right now there are none, but that could change). All current (as of December 31, 2021) should receive written notification of these changes from FASTnet.

For new ACP recipients (Those who enroll after 12/31/21) the process will pretty much be the same. As we understand it, the current EBB website will transition to ACP, the qualification process will stay the same, the ways to qualify will also mostly stay the same.  Anyone who enrolls after 12/31 will get the $30 benefit monthly. 

To sum it up:

• EBB is changing to ACP 12/31/21
• Current EBB recipients (those enrolled prior to 12/31) will get $50 month until 3/1/22 (January and February bills). After that, they will get the ACP benefit of $30 a month.
• FASTnet will send written notification of the program change to EBB participants.
• As of now, there is nothing that EBB participants need to do. They will get automatically rolled into the ACP program. (That could change. If it does, they will be notified).
• Everyone who is enrolled in ACP (when the program begins 1/1/22) will get $30 a month.
• The process for ACP is basically the same as EBB. Customers will go to the EBB/ACP website, they will qualify, FASTnet will enroll them when they have their internet installed. Participants will get $30 a month regardless of what package they get from FASTnet. Customers cannot get the benefit until they have service installed.