Did you know that Americans spend $147 billion each year on their cable and internet bills?
Let’s add a little perspective to that figure. The British Monarch’s official residence, Buckingham Palace, costs $4.9 billion. It means that in a year, Americans can purchase 30 Buckingham Palaces if they disconnect their cable and internet services and save that money to be real estate moguls. That brings us to another question. Is an internet subscription really that costly in the USA?
Surveys show that the average internet bill in the USA is $65 per month. So for a family of four whose net income is $3,000 per month, almost 6 percent of their earning is spent on paying internet bills. It can be a lot for those living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to meet their needs.
Get Metronet 100 Mbps for $9.95/mo.
Continue reading as we tell you how Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program is offering $30 discounts on its internet plans to ensure that high-speed internet becomes an amenity for all.
Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program
It is ironic to discover that in this era of connectivity, around 42 million Americans lack access to a stable broadband connection at home. The digital divide is a grim reality that affects millions of households, especially in rural and impoverished communities in the USA. It sets them back in life as they cannot perform tasks that require internet access, such as remote learning, remote work, etc.
In 2015, President Barack Obama said at the launch of his ConnectHome initiative that “The Internet is not a luxury. It is a necessity”. Unfortunately, eight years later, the Internet is still an unaffordable amenity for nearly 30 percent of the population in the United States. To bridge this digital divide and ensure that every family in the USA could benefit from high-speed and reliable internet, President Biden’s administration partnered with the nation’s best broadband providers to offer free and discounted internet service to eligible customers. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was launched under the supervision of the Federal Communications Commission, and participating ACP Internet providers were invited to be a part of it. Through the ACP, low-income families receive a credit of $30 per month to pay their internet bills.
In April 2022, Metronet became a part of the government-sponsored ACP initiative. Since then, all the eligible customers of Metronet Internet can enjoy $30 off on their 100 percent fiber-rich internet service.
Currently, Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program is only available in 9 states, namely; Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Metronet ACP Internet Plans
Metronet is a family-run fiber internet service provider that offers broadband coverage in the Midwest and southcentral regions. Metronet Internet subscribers can choose from four internet plans with varying speeds and prices to get up to 5000 Mbps (5 Gbps or 5 Gigs) of symmetrical speeds. The lightning-fast fiber internet service starts at $39.95 per month and includes round-the-clock access to world-class customer support. All the plans come with unlimited data and a compatible Eero wireless router for full home WiFi connectivity. Metronet Internet customers are not required to sign annual contracts, and for a limited time, all new subscribers will get free expert installation at home.
Unlike Spectrum ACP and AT&T’s Affordable Connectivity Program, Metronet does not offer free internet service to eligible low-income households. However, they can get 100 Mbps of upload and download speeds for just $9.95 per month after enrolling in the Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program. The Metronet ACP subsidy applies to all the new and existing internet plans.
In the table below, we have stated the price of Metronet Internet plans for qualifying ACP discount recipients.
| Internet Plan | Regular Price | Price After ACP | Internet Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 100 | $39.95/mo. | $9.95/mo. | 100 Mbps |
| Internet 500 | $49.95/mo. | $19.95/mo. | 500 Mbps |
| Internet 1 Gig | $59.95/mo. | $29.95/mo. | 1000 Mbps |
| Internet Multi-Gig | $109.95/mo. | $79.95/mo. | Up to 5000 Mbps |
** The prices quoted above may increase after 6 or 12 months of service. Taxes and surcharges are not included in the monthly fee.
Eligibility Criteria for Metronet ACP
Only those families can apply for the Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program that meets the following eligibility criteria:
- The annual household income is 200 percent below the federal poverty guidelines.
| Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia in 2023 | ||
| Family/ Household Size | Maximum Annual Income | 200% of Max. Annual Income |
| 1 | $14,580 | $29,160 |
| 2 | $19,720 | $39,440 |
| 3 | $24,860 | $49,720 |
| 4 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| 5 | $35,140 | $70,280 |
| 6 | $40,280 | $80,560 |
| 7 | $45,420 | $90,840 |
| 8 | $50,560 | $101,120 |
| 9 | $55,700 | $111,400 |
| 10 | $60,840 | $121,680 |
In the table above we have stated the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines that came into effect on January 19, 2023, and are used to determine the eligibility of Affordable Connectivity Program applicants.
A member of the household participates in government assistance programs like:
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Formerly known as Food Stamps
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA), including Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/202/811, Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, Public Housing, and Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians.
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
- Lifeline
- A member of the household is enrolled in the free and reduced-price lunch programs or breakfast programs including the meals provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools.
- A member of the household has received a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year.
- A member of the household participates in Tribal specific programs like:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Internet subscribers applying for Metronet ACP will be required to show proof of their incomes (e.g. three months of salary slips), and other supporting documents such as member cards, letters, or vouchers.
Not Sure if you Qualify for Metronet ACP?
How to Apply for Metronet ACP?
Once you have confirmed your eligibility and are qualified to apply for the Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program, you can visit the official website of the Federal Communications Commission and enter the necessary information to complete your application form. The Commission will review your application and send a confirmation email to guarantee your qualification for the Affordable Connectivity Program.
You can forward this email to Metronet and select a monthly plan to have the Metronet ACP discount applied to your internet fee.
Please note that Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program is non-transferable and is limited to one $30 discount per household. So, even if you are receiving government assistance through Medicaid and your children are enrolled in the Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program, you can only send one application for ACP and receive a single payment of $30 per month in your account.
Apart from Metronet ACP, the regional carrier also offers discounted internet plans to students and participants of the FCC’s Lifeline Program. However, the availability of the Metronet Lifeline Program is limited to a selected few areas in Indiana and Minnesota.
Conclusion
As the world slowly embraced the new normal during the Covid-19 pandemic and switched to remote learning and work over the internet, for the first time, authorities noticed that millions of families in the country did not have broadband access at home. This gap in digital connectivity forced thousands of students to discontinue their studies during the lockdowns. Similarly, many employees filed requests at their companies for hotspot devices to be shipped to their homes.
To bridge this digital divide and ensure that everyone in the USA had access to the internet for basic usage, the government announced the launch of the Affordability Connectivity Program. Low-income households now receive a $30 credit from the Federal Communications Commission to pay for their internet bills. Metronet is a qualifying provider of Affordable Connectivity Program subsidies. All the participants of Metronet ACP get a $30 discount on their monthly internet fee and can get 100 Mbps of internet speed for just $9.95 per month.
With the Metronet Affordable Connectivity Program, a necessity like the internet will no longer feel like a luxury.
