Low-Cost Internet in Atlanta After ACP: What Still Works
The federal Affordable Connectivity Program paid up to $30 a month toward home internet. It ended on June 1, 2024, and it hasn't come back. If your bill in Atlanta jumped when ACP ended, or you've been getting by on a phone hotspot, there are still three real ways to cut the cost: Comcast's Internet Essentials plan, AT&T's Access program, and the federal Lifeline discount. This guide also covers free Wi-Fi and laptop loans in the city for the gaps in between.
AT A GLANCE
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First, what actually changed
ACP gave eligible households up to $30 a month off internet service and a one-time discount of up to $100 on a laptop, desktop or tablet. When the money ran out, the discount stopped, and the FCC told enrolled households to check notices from their internet company about how their bill would change.
"The ACP ended due to a lack of additional funding by Congress." (Federal Communications Commission)
The FCC has also warned that some provider websites were never updated and still advertise ACP. Some even collect personal information for an ACP signup that no longer exists. If you typed your Social Security number, card or bank details into an ACP enrollment site after February 8, 2024, the FCC tells you to go to IdentityTheft.gov for the steps to take. You can report the site at fcc.gov/complaints.
What's left is a mix of company low-income plans and the much smaller federal Lifeline credit. None of them is as generous as ACP was, but the right one can still bring a home connection down to a manageable number.
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The options side by side
Program | What you pay | Who qualifies | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
Xfinity Internet Essentials | $14.95/mo (up to 75 Mbps) or $29.95/mo (up to 100 Mbps) | Households on NSLP, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP and other listed programs | internetessentials.com/apply or 1-844-389-4681 |
Access from AT&T | Low-cost price that depends on your address and service type | A listed government program, or household income below 200% of the federal poverty guideline | Check your address on AT&T's Access page, apply through its partner, then call 855.220.5211 |
Lifeline | Up to $9.25/mo off phone or internet | Income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or a listed program | National Verifier, by mail, or through a participating company |
Library laptop loan | Free with a library card | Fulton County Library System cardholders | Ask at a branch; limit one per card |
The first two are discounted plans run by the companies. Lifeline is a federal credit that a participating phone or internet company applies to your bill. Which company you can use depends on who serves your address, so start by checking both Xfinity and AT&T if you're not sure.
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Xfinity Internet Essentials
Comcast's Internet Essentials is the most predictable option because the prices are published.
Internet Essentials: $14.95 a month for speeds up to 75 Mbps.
Internet Essentials Plus: $29.95 a month for speeds up to 100 Mbps.
You can qualify if someone in your household takes part in a listed program. Examples are the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid and SNAP. Comcast lists the full set on its application site. You also need to live where Xfinity Internet is available. The advertised price covers a single outlet, and professional installation costs extra.
Two rules trip people up:
The 90-day rule. You generally can't have had Xfinity Internet service in the last 90 days. If you're a current Xfinity customer paying full price, read the current terms on internetessentials.com before you cancel anything. Don't drop service and go without for three months on a guess.
Old Comcast debt. An unpaid Comcast balance that's less than a year old can block you. If you owe Comcast money, ask about it when you call 1-844-389-4681.
The program also offers low-cost computers, free WiFi hotspots and free internet training. If you don't own a laptop, ask about the computer offer on the same call.
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Access from AT&T
If AT&T Fiber or AT&T Internet Air (the company's wireless home internet) reaches your Atlanta address, Access from AT&T is its low-cost program for both.
Who's eligible. Someone in your household takes part in a qualifying program, or your household income is below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. AT&T's list includes SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, TANF, WIC, LIHEAP, Federal Public Housing Assistance, the Veterans and Survivors Pension, Head Start, Federal Pell Grants, and school lunch or breakfast, including any Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school.
What it costs. AT&T doesn't publish one national price. Your monthly price and speed depend on what's available at your address. You enter your address on the Access page to see the offer before you apply.
What to upload. If AT&T can't verify your income automatically, it may ask for your most recent W-2 or your Social Security Statement of Benefits (SSA-1099). For a program, it takes an official document showing the person gets the benefit. Accepted examples include:
Program | Examples AT&T accepts |
|---|---|
SNAP | State benefit portal screenshot showing current enrollment |
SSI | SSI approval letter, COLA letter, or a bank statement showing the SSI deposit |
Federal housing assistance | Approval letter, housing assistance voucher, or a lease showing the benefit amount |
WIC | WIC approval letter, WIC card with your name or with an ID, or a portal screenshot |
CEP school | Report card, student portal screenshot, or a letter from the school or district |
Veterans Pension | An official VA letter for the Veterans and Survivors Pension. AT&T says VA letters for retiree or disability benefits don't count. |
The application runs through a partner site. Once you're approved, call 855.220.5211 so AT&T can put the new price on your service. Approved customers with AT&T Fiber or Internet Air may also get $10 a month off an eligible unlimited AT&T wireless plan. The wireless and internet accounts must have matching names and addresses.
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Lifeline: smaller, but it works with either company
Lifeline is the federal program that's still running. It takes up to $9.25 a month off one phone or internet service, and only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. You can qualify through a program: SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance (including Section 8 vouchers and public housing), or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit. It also counts if your child or dependent is on one of those programs.
Or you can qualify on income. USAC's 2026 limits for Georgia, at 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, are:
Household size | Yearly income limit |
|---|---|
1 | $21,546 |
2 | $29,214 |
3 | $36,882 |
4 | $44,550 |
5 | $52,218 |
6 | $59,886 |
Each additional person | add $7,668 |
You may be asked for proof, such as a benefit letter, a tax return, or three consecutive months of pay stubs. Documents should be dated within the last 12 months.
How to apply. Use the National Verifier online, apply by mail, or apply through a phone or internet company that takes part in Lifeline. USAC's support center is at 1-800-234-9473 or LifelineSupport@usac.org.
How to keep it. You have to recertify every year. If your Lifeline service is free, you must use it at least once every 30 days, or you can lose it.
Survivors. If you're a survivor of domestic violence, human trafficking or a related crime, you may get up to 6 months of emergency Lifeline support. You need proof that you asked to separate your line from an abuser's account, and you must be facing financial hardship. The survivor rules are wider: income up to 200% of the poverty guidelines, WIC, school meals or a Pell Grant can count.
People living in group living facilities can count as separate households for Lifeline, so someone else at your address having Lifeline doesn't automatically rule you out. You may be asked to fill out a one-per-household worksheet.
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When you don't have a home connection yet
Applications, approvals and installs take time. These free options in the city can cover the gap.
Fulton County Library System. The library lends laptops that run Chrome OS, with a limit of one per library card. Some locations also have tablets for use inside the library. The Central Library at 1 Margaret Mitchell Square NW has a second-floor computer lab with 94 public computers. A library card gets you one hour per session and a guest pass gets you 30 minutes, and your time extends automatically if no one's waiting. Printing and copies are $0.10 a page in black and white and $0.50 in color.
City of Atlanta Wi-Fi. The City offers free public Wi-Fi throughout Piedmont Park and Grant Park. You have to accept a usage policy to connect. It's an open network, and the City warns against sending card, banking or other personal details over it. Wait until you're on a private connection to upload ID documents or pay a bill.
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Step by step: getting the lowest price
Find out who serves your address. Enter it on both the Internet Essentials and Access from AT&T sites. You may have one option or both.
Pick the program you already qualify for. SNAP, Medicaid and housing assistance count for all three programs. School lunch counts for Xfinity and AT&T, and SSI counts for AT&T and Lifeline.
Gather proof before you start. A clear photo or PDF of a current benefit letter or portal screenshot makes approval faster.
Apply on a private connection, from home, a trusted phone, or a library computer you log out of afterward.
Call to activate. For AT&T, call 855.220.5211 after approval. For Xfinity, call 1-844-389-4681 if your application stalls.
Add Lifeline to a phone line if it fits. The credit covers one service per household, so decide whether it does more good on your cell plan or on your home internet bill.
Put your recertification date on the calendar so you don't lose the discount next year.
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Before you call
☐ Your service address, including the apartment number
☐ A current SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC or housing assistance letter, or a portal screenshot
☐ Your most recent W-2 or SSA-1099 if you're applying on income
☐ Your child's school name if you're using school lunch or a CEP school
☐ Your current Xfinity or AT&T account number, if you have one
☐ Any past-due Comcast balance, so you can ask about it up front
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help in Atlanta
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 23, 2026. Prices and program lists come from each company's current page. AT&T sets Access pricing by address, so confirm your exact price before you sign up.
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