Affordable Connectivity Program

In November 2021, Congress passed the infrastructure bill where $14.2 billion was set aside to help low-income consumers - connect to high-speed Internet and pay their monthly bills. Eligible households with active internet service with Cox will receive up to $30 off their monthly bill based on their current internet service, or up to $75 if you live in a tribal area. Eligible households can also receive $100 subsidy toward a laptop or desktop computer.

Eligible households with active internet service with Cox will receive up to $30 off their monthly bill on their current internet service, or up to $75 if you live in a tribal area.

A household may qualify if they have Cox Connect2Compete Internet or Lifeline Phone plus Internet.

A household may also qualify if they are enrolled in other eligible government assistance programs, including:

• Annual income is 200% or less than federal poverty guidelines (approximately $60,000 for a family of four). You can look up your maximum household income and learn more about how to prove your income at https://www.usac.org/about/affordable-connectivity-program/application-and-eligibility-resources/how-to-prove-income/
• If you are on Cox Connect2Compete or have Lifeline with Internet
  
• Participate in a federal government program or Tribal program such as:
  

o Medicaid

o Free or reduced lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

o Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

o Federal Public Housing (including Section 8, Multi-family units, and Public Housing Authorities)

o Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

o Pell Grant recipient for current academic year

o Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

o Veterans Pension & Survivors Benefits

o Tribal Programs (and proof of living on tribal lands) including:

    o Any of the programs listed above
    o Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
    o Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
    o Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
    o Tribal Head Start (for those who meet the Head Start income qualifying standard)

You may be asked to verify your identity using your mobile phone number and your date of birth or by uploading your driver’s license, state ID card or passport. You may also need to provide documentation of income, unemployment status or participation in one of the following government assistance programs.

• Free or reduced lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Federal Public Housing (including Section 8, Multi-family units, and Public Housing Authorities)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Head Start
• Pell Grant recipient for current academic year
• Tribal Programs (and proof of living on tribal lands) including:
  o    Any of the programs listed above
  o    Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  o    Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
  o    Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
  
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Veterans Pension & Survivors Benefits
• Proof income is 200% or less than federal poverty guidelines (three consecutive paystubs or a tax return). Note: 200% of federal poverty guidelines is approximately $60,000 for a family of four. You can look up the income maximum for your household at https://www.lifelinesupport.org/do-i-qualify/federal-poverty-guidelines/
  
  

To prevent delays in processing your application, please ensure the submitted documents show the following information clearly:

• Your full name
  
• Your full address matching your service address
  

Yes.  ACP discounts may be applied to Cox’s ConnectAssist or Connect2Compete packages.  Application processes for these Cox programs are separate from the ACP enrollment process.  For more information on how to qualify and apply for ConnectAssist or Connect2Compete, click here.  

Participating broadband service providers can be reimbursed up to $100 if they supply a connected device to a household, as long as the household pays more than $10 but less than $50 for the device. In other words, to take advantage of this benefit, it must be done through the customer’s participating broadband provider, and the customer must contribute a portion of the cost. The device benefit is limited to a laptop, a desktop computer, or a tablet. It does not include cell phones, large phones, or “phablets” that can make cellular calls.

Through Cox’s partnership with PCs for People, eligible households can receive a one-time discount of $100 towards laptops or desktop computers (while supplies last). We do not offer tablets.



Note: If you have purchased a discounted connected device through another service provider while enrolled in EBB or ACP, you will not be eligible to purchase a connected device with Cox.

Research tells us most low-income families have a mobile device. Cox’s Affordable Connectivity Program application is optimized for mobile devices making it easy for people to apply. Alternatively, customers can also go to Public Libraries within their communities to leverage free internet access to apply for the program. People that are interested to connect, go to www.cox.com/acp.

Most new customers can install their new modem themselves using our Easy Connect kit, which will be mailed. Keep in mind however that any ACP discounts will not be applied to your account until after you are enrolled in the program.  In the event a professional install is needed, we’ll work to ensure customers are connected as quickly as possible.

If you’re approved for and enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, you will see a credit applied to your existing account. However, any additional charges are the responsibility of the account holder and are due by the due date listed on the bill each month.

Once you have been approved for and enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, you will receive an email with timing for when you’ll see the broadband benefit hit your next bill.

Each time you receive the benefit, we’ll send a confirmation email letting you know the credit has been applied to your account.

If you are having difficulty enrolling in ACP with Cox or have questions or concerns about the ACPm discounts reflected on your bill, you can receive online support with Oliver 24/7 or call Cox Residential Customer Care at 800-234-3993.

If after contacting Cox, we are unable to resolve your concerns, you may file an Affordable Connectivity Program-related complaint with the Federal Communications Commission at 888-225-5322 or by reaching their Consumer Complaint Center at www.fcc.gov.

If you live on Tribal land, as defined in 47 C.F.R. Section 54.400(e), you may qualify for up to $75 off your monthly bill based on their current internet service and equipment rental.

If you have other questions about the program, we'd be happy to help. Please contact us for more information.

Yes. If you participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, you can disconnect without paying early termination fees. You can also transfer your ACP benefit from Cox to another participating provider at any time.

Cox has partnered with ID.me to offer an easy-to-use online identity and documentation verification service for the Affordable Connectivity Program – ID.me specializes in digital identity protection and help us make sure you’re you – and not someone pretending to be you. The process is quick, secure and available 24 hours a day.

Yes, if your ACP discount covers the entire monthly cost of your internet and modem rental, the federal government requires that you use your internet in order to receive the ACP discount. At Cox, customers that subscribe to Connect2Compete, ConnectAssist, or Starter Internet likely fall into this category.

If you normally don’t pay anything for internet after all of your discounts and don’t use your internet at all in a given month, you will not receive your ACP discount for that month.  So please surf the web, send emails, or watch videos to make sure that you don’t disqualify yourself for a monthly discount! For new customers, please be sure to set up your modems as soon as possible.
 
If we see that you haven’t used your internet for 30 consecutive days, we’ll send you an email reminder to start using your internet – check your email, read the news, watch a few funny videos. If you don’t start using your internet within the following 15 days, program rules unfortunately require that we de-enroll you from ACP.  We’d hate to have to reverse your discount because you didn’t use your internet.

We’ve been working with the government to make this process as easy as possible. In fact, you don’t need to apply with the government as Cox has created our own easy online application to qualify customers for the program which is fast and simple to perform. There may be forms of identity needed to complete this step such as providing a phone number and date of birth or by uploading a driver’s license, state ID card or passport. You may also need to provide documentation of income, unemployment status or participation in a qualifying government assistance program.

Thanks for helping spread the word with family, friends and organizations you volunteer or work with. Encourage customers to apply at cox.com/acp. For individuals who may not have access to a computer, the application is optimized for mobile devices making it easy for people to apply using their smart phone. Alternatively, customers can also go to Public Libraries within their communities to leverage free internet access to apply for the program.

ACP provides discounts off the amounts customers are charged for internet service, up $30 or $75 for those on Tribal Lands, so any discounts that you receive must be taken into account before the discount is calculated. Additionally, if you’re a bundled customer with us, don’t forget that you receive a bundled discount which is partially applied to your internet service before the ACP discount.

The discount can be up to $30 (or $75 for those on tribal land). The discount you qualify for takes into account other discounts you may already receive and is applied to your monthly internet service rate plus any rented equipment.

Yes.  ACP discounts may be applied to Cox’s ConnectAssist or Connect2Compete packages.  Application processes for these Cox programs are separate from the ACP enrollment process.  For more information on how to qualify and apply for ConnectAssist or Connect2Compete, click here.  

Yes.

Once approved, your ACP discounts will be applied towards your prepayment for the next month’s Straight Up Internet (SUI) service.  That means if you’re not already a SUI customer, you must pay the regular rate for service ($50) to get started for your first month.  Starting with your second month of service, you’re monthly out of pocket payment will be $20 (if you’re in a non-Tribal area), with your ACP discount covering the remainder of the regular rate.

It’s important to remember that with SUI, you have the flexibility to determine when you want service to start and stop.  However, to avoid a lapse in your Internet service, you have to make your payment before your pre-paid month ends.  If you allow your SUI service to lapse, you can reactivate it by making your prepayment up to 30 days after service lapses.  The day you make your payment will be your new bill cycle start date.  However, if no payment is made within 30 days, you will be de-enrolled from ACP with Cox.

When inventory is available, Cox will email you details about how to receive your one-time $100 discount towards a computer through our partnership with PCs for People.  Due to extremely high demand and limited inventory, it may take several weeks before you receive access to purchase a connected device.

You must receive a personalized email directly from Cox to access the PCs for People website for connected devices. Next, be sure that you are entering the email address you used to sign up for ACP. Finally, if you have purchased a connected device through another provider, you cannot purchase a connected device through Cox.

Due to extremely high demand and limited inventory, ACP-approved devices have been selling out quickly. We thank you for your patience and encourage you to check the website frequently. PCs for People adds inventory to their store daily.

PCs for People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting digital equity & inclusion. Through electronic reuse, PCs for People provides the opportunity for all low-income individuals and nonprofits to benefit from the life-changing impact of computers and mobile internet.

Every household must agree to Cox’s ACP terms and conditions in order to enroll in the program with Cox.  The most current version of those terms and conditions is available here.

The federal government requires ACP households to requalify for the benefit on an annual basis or else be de-enrolled.  Households who originally enrolled in the program in 2021 must be requalified by 12/31/22. Cox will notify households who must requalify, and the steps needed to requalify. You are likely eligible if your household’s income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if you or someone you live with currently participates in a qualifying government assistance program.

Yes. The federal government has provided and additional 30 days to requalify for areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.  If you live in the state of Florida or Knotts Island, NC you have until 1/29/23 to requalify. Impacted customers will receive communications in early November 2022 that reference the 12/31/22 recertification deadline but will receive additional communications in December and January that reference the 1/29/23 deadline.