Affordable Connectivity Program

 

On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Consolidated Appropriations Act) was signed into law. Among other actions intended to provide relief during the pandemic, the Consolidated Appropriations Act established an Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund of $3.2 billion in the Treasury of the United States for the fiscal year 2021. The Act directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) to use that fund to establish an Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program), under which eligible low-income households may receive a discount off the cost of broadband service and certain connected devices during an emergency period relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, and participating providers can receive a reimbursement for such discounts. The Commission voted to adopt the EBB Program rules, and pursuant to statutory requirements, the final order was adopted on February 25, 2021. The EBB Program launched on May 12, 2021. On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act) was signed into law. Pursuant to the Infrastructure Act, the Affordable Connectivity Program builds on the EBB Program by using new funding to provide discounted broadband service and connected devices to low-income households. The Infrastructure Act leaves the EBB Programs basic framework in place, but it does make changes to the benefit amount, rules regarding plan and subscriber eligibility, and providers public promotion obligations, among other changes, and appropriates an additional $14.2 billion to implement those changes. The Commission adopted the Affordable Connectivity Program rules on January 14, 2022.

Active 32.008 Federal Communications Commission (Fcc) C - Direct Payments For Specified Use Not applicable. Public Law 116-260
Public Law 117-58
47 U.S.C. 1752
The Infrastructure Act appropriates $14.2 billion to the Commission “to establish an Affordable Connectivity Program, under which low-income households may receive a discount off the cost of broadband service and certain connected devices, and participating providers can receive a reimbursement for such discounts.” Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. No. 117-58, 135 Stat. 429 (2021). Provider Eligibility: In the Infrastructure Act, a "participating provider" for the Affordable Connectivity Program shall be a broadband service provider that is either designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) or seeks approval from the Commission for participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program. ETCs and non-ETCs must establish they provide broadband service to participate in the program. Household Eligibility: Support is available only for one line per household; applicants are eligible if at least one member of the household: Income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines; Meets the qualifications for participation in the Lifeline program, that is, if they participate in one of the following federal assistance programs: Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Supplemental Security Income, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit; or one of the following Tribal-specific federal assistance programs: Bureau of Indian Affairs general assistance, Tribally-administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations; Receives benefits in the current school year under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the school year immediately preceding the application for the Affordable Connectivity Program; participates in the Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC); Has received a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in the current award year; or Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income program, subject to approval by the Commission. Not applicable. A provider application will provide information to determine whether the applicant has the legal and technical qualifications to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Applicants must certify, under penalty of perjury, their qualifications. Non-Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (Non-ETC) must certify under penalty of perjury that the information set forth in their application is true, accurate, and complete; they understand and will comply with all statutory and regulatory obligations described within the Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program Order (FCC 22-2); and all terms and conditions and other requirements applicable to using the National Verifier, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), and other Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) systems. Eligibility to participate in the program is based on an applicant's submission of required information and certifications. An applicant's filing and subsequent approval does not guarantee the applicant will receive Affordable Connectivity Program reimbursement. Each participating provider must file all required forms, information, and certifications with the Commission and USAC to receive reimbursement. A non-ETC provider seeking to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program must file the appropriate application electronically, whether it is eligible for expedited or automatic approval, per the requirements of the FCC's Order (FCC 22-2) and the resulting application process established by FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau. An eligible household applicant must meet the household eligibility requirements listed in the "Applicant eligibility" section. Eligible households will enroll through participating providers or directly with USAC. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. To clarify the statement above, only Subpart A - Acronyms and Definitions, Subpart B - General Provisions, and Subparts C-D (specifically 2 CFR ? 200.203 - Requirement to provide public notice of Federal financial assistance programs; 2 CFR ? 200.303 Internal controls; and 2 CFR ?? 200.331-333 Subrecipient Monitoring and Management) apply to this program. Non-ETC providers must certify under penalty of perjury that the information set forth in their application is true, accurate, and complete; they understand and will comply with all statutory and regulatory obligations described within the Order; and all terms and conditions and other requirements applicable to using the National Verifier, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), and other Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) systems. Eligibility to participate in the program is based on an applicant's submission of required information and certifications. An applicant's filing and subsequent approval does not guarantee the applicant will receive Affordable Connectivity Program reimbursement. Each participating provider must file all required forms, information, and certifications with the Commission and Universal Service Administrative Company to receive reimbursement. A non-ETC provider seeking to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program must file the appropriate application, whether it is eligible for expedited or automatic approval, electronically, whether filing for automated or expedited approval, through the process announced by the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau per the requirements of the FCC's Order establishing the program (FCC 22-2). Eligible households will receive a discount off the cost of qualifying broadband service and certain connected devices, and participating providers can receive a reimbursement for such discounts. Participating providers must submit one reimbursement claim for each month they are claiming support within six months. Eligible households may receive a one-time discount of up to $100 for qualifying connected devices. Providers enrolled in the EBB Program as of December 31, 2021 were allowed to automatically transition to the Affordable Connectivity Program. For new participating providers, applications will be approved on a rolling basis. The Affordable Connectivity Program is a limited duration program with limited funds. Providers enrolled in the EBB Program as of December 31, 2021 were allowed to automatically transition to the Affordable Connectivity Program. Applications for new providers wishing to participate will be accepted on a rolling basis. Eligible households can be enrolled beginning December 31, 2021 and enrollments will be permitted up until USAC announces a freeze in enrollments as described in the Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program Order. Funding awards will be issued until the budget is exhausted. The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau will establish notice guidelines for the wind down of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Any interested person may petition for reconsideration of a final FCC action. The petition for reconsideration and any supplement thereto shall be filed within 30 days from the date of public notice of the final FCC action, as that date is defined in 47 CFR ? 1.4(b). Any person aggrieved by any FCC action taken pursuant to delegated authority may file an application requesting review of that action. The application for review and any supplemental thereto shall be filed within 30 days of public notice of such action, as that date is defined in 47 CFR ? 1.4(b). Not applicable. Not applicable. Affordable Connectivity Program support lowers the monthly cost of broadband Internet access services and qualifying connected devices for eligible consumers. Participating providers may only claim reimbursement for support provided to eligible households through the Affordable Connectivity Program subject to the rules and requirements set forth in the Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program Order (FCC 22-2). Not applicable. The Infrastructure Act required the FCC to adopt audit requirements to ensure that participating providers are in compliance with the program rules and to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in the Affordable Connectivity Program. A finding of waste, fraud, or abuse or an improper payment identified by the FCC or the FCC's Inspector General of the FCC must include (1) the name of the participating provider; (2) the amount of funding made available from the Affordable Connectivity Program to the provider; (3) the amount of funding determined to be an improper payment to the provider; (4) a description of to what extent funding made available from the Affordable Connectivity Program that was an improper payment was used for a reimbursement for a connected devise or a reimbursement for an internet service offering; (5) whether, in the case of a connected device, such device, or the value thereof, has been recovered; (6) whether any funding from the Affordable Connectivity Program was made available to a participating provider for an affordable connectivity benefit for a person outside the eligible household; and (7) whether any funding from the Affordable Connectivity Program was made available to reimburse a participating provider for an affordable connectivity benefit made available to an eligible household in which all members of such household necessary to satisfy the eligibility requirements were deceased. The FCC's Office of Managing Director developed an audit process of participating providers that complies with all the requirements above. In addition, the Infrastructure Act required the FCC's Office of Inspector General to conduct an audit of the disbursements made to a representative sample of participating providers. Participating providers must maintain records to document compliance with all FCC requirements governing the Affordable Connectivity Program for at least six full calendar years and provide that documentation to the Commission or USAC upon request. Participating providers must maintain the documentation related to the eligibility determination and reimbursement claims for an Affordable Connectivity Program subscriber for as long as the subscriber receives the Affordable Connectivity Benefit discount from that participating provider, but for no less than six full calendar years after the last date of delivery of the supported services and/or connected devices provided through the Affordable Connectivity Program. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Support from the Affordable Connectivity Program is available until the program funds are exhausted. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: To ensure that claims information is submitted to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) by providers in a timely manner so that it can be used to administer the program efficiently, and so providers can receive timely reimbursement for the discount they provide to households, the FCC established a limited time period during which providers can submit reimbursement claims. The process for submitting a reimbursement claim relies on a snapshot report of a provider’s enrolled subscribers as of the first of the month that is sent to the provider by USAC. Providers will then have six months, or the following business day in the event six months falls on a weekend or holiday, in which to submit to USAC their reimbursement claims for both service and connected device support for households captured on the snapshot report. Providers may also submit revisions of their reimbursement claims within this six month time frame. Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division. Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division
45 L Street NE
Washington, DC 20554 USA
acpinfo@fcc.gov
Phone: 202-418-7400 https://www.fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program 27-1911-0-1-376 (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 22$2,048,600,000.00; FY 23 est $8,580,000,000.00; FY 24 est $3,571,400,000.00; FY 21$908,000,000.00; FY 20 Estimate Not Available - The EBB Program was funded beginning in FY 2021 with $3.2 billion. The Affordable Connectivity Program builds on the EBB Program with additional funding of $14.2 billion that became available during FY 2022. Participating providers will make available to eligible households a monthly discount off the standard rate for an Internet service offering and associated equipment, up to $30.00 per month. On Tribal lands, the monthly discount may be up to $75.00 per month. Participating providers that also supply an eligible household with a connected device, defined in the Infrastructure Act as a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet, may receive a single reimbursement of up to $100.00 for the connected device, if the charge to the eligible household for that device is more than $10.00 but less than $50.00. FCC 22-2, as well as other FCC Public Notices, forms, and announcement for the Program. 47 CFR ? 54.1800 et seq. Fiscal Year 2022 Providing support for qualifying broadband services and devices to help low-income households stay connected.