Editor’s word (Might 2022): The federal authorities has partnered with 20 ISPs to offer free, high-speed web plans for households which are eligible for the Reasonably priced Connectivity Program.
Because the previous 12 months has taught us, it’s nearly unimaginable to get by in in the present day’s world with out an web connection. And whereas entry remains to be a serious situation, excessive costs are sometimes a much bigger barrier to getting individuals related.
In accordance with a Pew Analysis Heart survey, half of all individuals who don’t have a house web subscription say one purpose is that it’s too costly — double the quantity who say they don’t have entry. The FCC and web service suppliers have made nice efforts to assist individuals keep on-line in the course of the pandemic as a part of their Maintain America Linked pledge, however really free web entry remains to be a rarity.
On this web page, we’ll stroll via all of the free web choices which are at the moment obtainable, together with some assets that may enable you to get your web connection closely discounted — if not completely free.
Tips on how to get free web
Via partnerships with packages just like the ACP, suppliers supply eligible prospects free web choices.
The ACP gives a month-to-month web stipend for eligible prospects (from $30 to $75/mo.). Some ISPs partnered with the ACP supply low-price web choices permitting eligible prospects to get it without cost. For instance, a supplier may supply web for $30/mo. With the ACP $30 month-to-month stipend, the web price is $0.
High suppliers with low cost plans to get your web price all the way down to $0/mo.
- Altafiber
- AT&T
- Cox
- Frontier
- Mediacom
- Optimum
- Spectrum
- Verizon
- Xfinity
Web suppliers with low-cost packages
Many ISPs supply low-cost packages to assist prospects get free web in the event that they’re eligible for the ACP. We’ve listed among the prime ISPs’ low-cost packages beneath.
Xfinity Web Necessities program
Prospects can get Xfinity Web Necessities for free of charge if they’re eligible for the ACP. You’ll be able to rise up to 100 Mbps in addition to free tools.
AT&T Entry program
In the event you’re eligible for the ACP, you may enroll in AT&T’s Entry program to get web without cost. You’ll be eligible without cost web as much as 100 Mbps.
Verizon Ahead program
Verizon’s Ahead program gives free Fios web or 5G Residence Web for eligible ACP prospects.
Authorities assets for discounted web
In the event you actually need a high quality web connection without cost, your finest guess is to make the most of a authorities program. These are usually obtainable to low-income households who qualify for different federal packages like SNAP or Medicaid.
Reasonably priced Connectivity Program
- What you’ll get: $30/mo. off your month-to-month web invoice
- Who’s eligible: Anybody with revenue at or beneath 200% of federal poverty pointers.
In January 2022, the FCC launched the Reasonably priced Connectivity Program, one in all its most formidable efforts to shut the digital divide in historical past. This program allocates $14 billion in funds on to web customers, who obtain a $30/mo. low cost off their month-to-month web invoice ($75/mo. for households on Tribal lands), plus a one-time low cost of as much as $100 to buy a laptop computer, desktop or pill.
Study extra in regards to the Reasonably priced Connectivity Program 
Lifeline
- What you’ll get: $9.25/mo. off cellphone or web invoice
- Who’s eligible: Anybody with revenue beneath 135% of federal poverty pointers, qualifies for SNAP, Medicaid, SSI or different federal help packages
In contrast to the EBB, Lifeline is a everlasting federal program, however its profit can also be far smaller. Qualifying households can get $9.25/mo. off both their cellphone or web invoice, and the profit is elevated to $34.25/mo. for households on Tribal lands. It’s not fairly free web, however it might probably take out a big chunk of your month-to-month payments.
Nonprofit assets for discounted web
EveryoneOn
EveryoneOn is a nonprofit that helps join low-income households to inexpensive web choices and digital studying alternatives of their space. Whereas the group doesn’t technically supply free web itself, it’s a fantastic place to start out your search to see what’s obtainable close to you.
PCs for Folks
The core mission of PCs for Folks is to share the advantages of an web reference to everybody who wants it. The group distributes refurbished computer systems to low-income people and nonprofits, and likewise gives low-cost web entry nationwide utilizing limitless 4G LTE wi-fi knowledge.
Human-I-T
Like PCs for Folks, Human-I–T focuses on refurbishing and donating laptop tools to individuals who want it, however the group additionally helps join individuals with low-cost web choices of their space. You’ll be able to fill out a kind on their web site or textual content them for help with discovering obtainable assets.
Utterly free (however sluggish) dwelling web choices
If free web sounds too good to be true, it principally is. To get the kind of web connection most individuals are accustomed to in 2021, you’ll nearly all the time should pay some form of month-to-month invoice. That mentioned, a pair suppliers do supply fully free, no-strings-attached web plans, though speeds are unsurprisingly restricted. Consider you’ll have to be enrolled within the ACP to get fully free web.
FreeNet from BuckeyeBroadband
- Value: Free
- What you’ll get: 2 Mbps web with advertisements
- Who’s eligible: Anybody in northern Ohio
In March 2021, Buckeye Broadband unveiled a first-of-its sort product: free, ad-supported web. Simply as streaming companies like Peacock supply free tiers in alternate for some commercials, the web service supplier is giving prospects free broadband entry in the event that they’ll watch a short commercial earlier than each session.
The service, referred to as FreeNet, is out there to anybody in Buckeye Broadband’s service space — primarily northern Ohio — and will get you 2 Mbps obtain and 1 Mbps add speeds. There’s a $19.95 activation payment, and if you wish to use Wi-Fi with the service, you’ll have to offer your personal router.
NetZero
- Value: Free
- What you’ll get: 10 hours of dial-up web per thirty days
- Who’s eligible: Anybody
In the event you’ve ever felt nostalgic for the sound of dial-up web, NetZero has the free web plan for you. The corporate presents 10 hours of free dial-up entry every month with obtain speeds of 28.8 Kbps to 56 Kbps. To place that in perspective, it’s round 0.2% of the FCC definition of minimal broadband velocity — sufficient to (slowly) examine an e mail or load an internet web page, however not a lot else. You’ll additionally want a working cellphone jack and modem to reap the benefits of NetZero’s free web supply.
FreedomPop
- Value: Free
- What you’ll get: 25MB of 4G LTE knowledge every month
- Who’s eligible: Anybody with a suitable smartphone
FreedomPop is a cellphone provider that provides a free tier of service. Whereas the plan is really free, there are a variety of how you may get pulled into paying for it, so that you’ll should be further conscious of how a lot knowledge you’re utilizing every month.
The “Freemium” plan consists of 10 minutes of calls, 10 texts and 25MB of information every month. (Calls and texts are each limitless once you’re related to Wi-Fi.) You’ll want to make use of a FreedomPop SIM card on a suitable cellphone, which prices $10 once you join. In the event you go over 25MB in a 30-day cycle, FreedomPop robotically provides 500MB to your account for $8. For context, you’d dissipate 25MB watching 5 minutes of Netflix within the lowest decision, so you need to solely plan on utilizing FreedomPop to load the occasional e mail or webpage.
FAQs
Do any suppliers supply free web? 
Sure, some suppliers like Xfinity, Spectrum and AT&T supply low-priced web plans that enable eligible ACP prospects to get web without cost with their month-to-month stipend. There are additionally just a few suppliers like Buckeye Broadband that provide free, however sluggish, ad-based web plans.
Can the federal government assist me get free web?
Sure, there are authorities packages that provide eligible prospects month-to-month reductions on their web invoice. The ACP presents $30/mo. for eligible prospects and $75/mo. for these on qualifying tribal lands. If a supplier presents a low-priced plan for $30 or much less, you may get your web without cost.
Can seniors get free web?
Authorities packages just like the ACP and Lifeline may also help seniors get free web, and a few ISPs present senior discounted plans.
Can college students get free web?
College students can get free web with public Wi-Fi hotspots or apply for the ACP. College students may reap the benefits of ISPs’ low-income web initiatives.
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Written by:
Joe SupanSenior Author, Broadband Content material
Joe Supan is the senior author for Allconnect and MyMove. He has helped construct the proprietary metrics used on Allconnect’s evaluate pages, using hundreds of information factors to assist readers navigate these comple… Learn extra 
Edited by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content material
