With the internet becoming a need from a want, many people are looking for either low-cost internet plans or any options that can be available for them at a discounted price. The reason behind that is the online classes for school going kids. It has made it impossible for the majority of households to live without the internet.
Those who already have internet services are looking to upgrade because the usage has increased significantly while others are looking to sign up.
For people in a situation such as this, there are both options available. They can get some special discounts offered by the federal government to make the internet available for everyone. On the other hand, internet providers also keep this in mind and offer special plans for low-income people as low-income people are a major chunk of the market and total to thousands of potential customers who are looking for internet but cannot get any due to higher costs.
There are providers such as Spectrum that are offering free internet services as well. So, if you are interested in getting internet service at a lower cost or any special plans, these providers can help you do so.
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Free internet with Spectrum
By keeping the Covid and online classes in mind, Spectrum offers free internet services for students for 60 days if you are in a Spectrum serviceable area and are not a current internet customer with Spectrum. All you have to have is a school going kid or a teacher. With this plan, you will be getting free installation and a free internet modem. You can get this by visiting localcabledeals or by calling spectrum customer service phone number.
Low Cost and Internet Assistance options
For those customers who are looking for low-cost internet or to get discounts on their current services, there are two options. The first option is the Lifeline assistance program offered by the government and the second option is provider based discounts and plans for qualified customers. We will go over both of these, one by one.
Lifeline Assistance Program
This is a government offered internet or phone assistance program that offers a $9.95 discount on monthly internet prices through specific providers. People who earn less than 135% of the federal poverty line can qualify to get this discount. Otherwise, there should one or more than one person who is a part of any government-based assistance programs such as NLSP or SNAP.
Provider-Based Plans
Along with government assistance programs such as Lifeline, ISP’s have their low-income internet plans for customers who qualify for those plans. Let’s have a look at these plans.
Spectrum Internet Assist
Assist in the low-income special plan that Spectrum offers to its new customers who have at least one person in the household who qualifies for government assistance programs. Through this plan, customers can get a download speed of up to 30 Mbps with a free modem and free installation for $14.99 per month. Comparatively, this is one of the best low-income plans as it offers a better speed at a reasonable price.
AT&T Access
AT&T offers an Access plan for customers in terms of low-income internet options. This plan is relatively cheaper than Spectrum as it costs $10 per month for the services.
However, the download speed is also very basic because this plan only offers a download speed of up to 10 Mbps. As a qualifying requirement, AT&T requires that there should be one person in the home who should be a participant in SNAP.
Altice Advantage
Altice offers a similar plan to Spectrum’s internet assist as this plan also provides a download speed of up to 30 Mbps for $14.99 per month. However, this plan does not include the free modem and customers would have to pay extra if they would like to lease equipment.
The good news is that this plan is not just for school going kids but also accommodates seniors who are participating in SSI and veterans. Moreover, this plan is available in both Altice Optimum and Suddenlink areas.
Xfinity
For customers who are eligible for government assistance programs, Xfinity offers internet Essential as a low-income internet option. This is plan costs $9.95 per month and offers a download speed of up to 25 Mbps, which is a great speed available at this price.
Cox Connect2Compete
When it comes to assisting households with students, Cox is not behind other providers. For those customers who are living in cox area and looking to set up new services, Cox offers the Connect2Compete program. Through this program, they can get a download speed of up to 50 Mbps for less than $10 a month.
This is a great and cost-effective initiative offered by Cox to make sure everyone has a good internet connection and they can learn even when they are stuck in the house. As a qualifying criterion, Cox requires that there is at least one K-12 student who is participating in any public assistance programs.
Final Thoughts
Where people can’t afford the high costs of internet services due to Covid, there are ways to go around it and save some money as well. There are government assistance programs that offer certain discounts and then there are provider-based plans offering low-cost internet. Whatever you want to go for is your choice.
Meanwhile, other provider-based plans that you should consider based upon where you live include Mediacom’s connect to compete program and $20 discount on internet bill offered by Verizon.
