Consumer Resources

These programs may help with your internet bill

Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) benefit program that helps households afford the internet service they need for work, school, healthcare and more.  There is no fee to apply.

Qualifying households can receive:

• $30 per month discount on high-speed internet service
• $75 per month discount if the household is on qualifying tribal lands
• One-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)

Two Steps to Enroll:

1. Go to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an application or print out a mail-in application.
2. Contact your preferred participating provider to select an eligible plan and have the discount applied to your bill.

Some providers may have an alternative application that they will ask you to complete.

Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.

More than 1,300,000 New York households are receiving the monthly benefit as of June 19, 2023. To apply and learn more please visit the Affordable Connectivity Program website. Help spread the word in your community with the ACP Consumer Outreach Toolkit.

Lifeline

Lifeline is a federal program that lowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service.  Eligible consumers can get up to $9.25 off the cost of phone, internet, or bundled services.  Learn more about Lifeline. 

Guide to Internet Plans for Low- and Fixed-Income Households

If you are looking for ways to get online when you're struggling to make ends meet, this national Guide To Internet Plans For Low- And Fixed-Income Households is perfect for low-income families, as it covers topics such as how to get discounts on internet services, where to find affordable internet equipment, and how to qualify for free or discounted mobile service plans

There are dozens of internet service providers in New York State, from national companies to local family businesses. Search for internet providers in your county, some of which may provide low-cost plans. 

The map below can help you identify providers in your area, and if you might be in their current expansion plan.

NYS PSC Broadband Map: Search an address on a map for providers who report offering internet service in the area.  If this map does not accurately reflect the internet service providers that actually offer service to your home, we encourage you to let us know by using the feedback tab to the right of the map.

The ConnectALL Office provides users the opportunity to test their Internet connection bandwidth using a speed test. The speed test will measure a few data points:

• Download Speed: How quickly content is transferred to your computer in Mbps (megabits per second). This is particularly important if you use the Internet to stream video or gaming.
• Upload Speed: How quickly you are able to upload content to the Internet in Mbps. This is particularly important if you often use the Internet to share videos, music and images.
• Ping/Jitter: This refers to the amount of latency in a network, or the amount of time it takes data to travel from one computer to another on a network.

TAKE THE SPEED TEST

How Much Internet Speed Do You Need?

• Light users primarily use the Internet for basic functions such as email, browsing, basic video, VoIP, and Internet radio.
• Moderate users rely on basic functions plus one high-demand application such as streaming HD video, multiparty video conferencing, online gaming or telecommuting.
• High users rely on basic functions plus more than one high-demand application running at the same time.

For an estimate on how much speed you need, use the FCC's Household Broadband Guide.

There's an App for That

The FCC has an app to check the speed on your mobile device or in-home network. The FCC Speed Test App is available in the Google Play Store for Android devices, and in the Apple App Store for iOS devices. Search "FCC Speed Test" in either store to find and download the App.

New York State PSC Broadband Map

The first iteration of the New York State Public Service Commission Broadband Map was released in June 2022. The map can be found at https://mapmybroadband.dps.ny.gov. The map and it’s accompanying report will be updated annually. The full report may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section at the bottom of the Commission’s website at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Matter Number 21-02182 in the input box labeled “Search by Case Number".

FCC National Broadband Map

The National Broadband Map can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/BroadbandData

This map provides information about the internet services available to individual locations across the country, along with new maps of mobile coverage, as reported by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the FCC’s ongoing Broadband Data Collection.