Central Falls Connect – low/free high-speed internet for eligible households

Central Falls Connect provides eligible households with $30 per month toward high-speed home internet service, making some plans completely FREE for city residents! This program is made possible through the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP benefit can be applied to a new or existing internet plan (for example, WiFi through Cox or Verizon).

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from eligible providers, if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

APPLY NOW!

Who is eligible for Central Falls Connect?
If you live in Central Falls, your household qualifies if it has an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines OR any member of the household:

• Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
• Received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year;
• Received approval for benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), in the 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 school year; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income program.

How can I apply?
There are three ways to apply for ACP benefits:

1. Visit affordableconnectivity.gov to submit an application or print out a mail-in application.
2. Contact your preferred internet service provider directly to learn more about the application process (for example, Verizon or Cox).
3. Complete the application and Household Worksheet and mail them, along with copies of proof documentation, to: ACP Support Center PO Box 7081 London, KY 40742 (Note: Mail-in application may take several weeks to process).

What if someone in my household is already receiving an ACP benefit?
Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household. Program rules acknowledge there may be more than one eligible household residing at the same address. In cases where only one fixed connection can be purchased at a given address but two households reside there, the second household can purchase a mobile plan to receive their ACP discount.

How can I select the best plan for my household?
Think about the below questions to help you determine what plan may be best for your household:

1. How many people will use the internet? When more people share the same connection, a faster plan is needed to accommodate their devices.
2. How will you be using the internet? Downloading is when the internet shares information with your computer. You’ll need higher download speeds when watching Netflix and online gaming, than if you only surf the web, use social media, and do online shopping. More day-to-day activities also require the fastest upload speeds (when our computers share information with the internet) e.g. Zoom and video/audio calls, online gaming and sharing photos on social media. 

Need Help Getting Started?

Visit GetACP.org to learn if you qualify, what documents you’ll need to apply, and how to connect to home internet plans that are free with ACP.  Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get a personalized checklist that saves you time when you apply. It takes about 5 minutes.

Need assistance?

• Contact Wanda Casiano, Constituents Services and Health Director by calling 401-616-2451 or email [email protected] for enrollment support. 

OR

• Contact an ACP representative directly by calling 1-877-384-2575seven days a week, 9am-9pm EST or email [email protected].