State Lifeline Phone and Internet Discounts: Which States Still Add Extra Help Now That the ACP Is Gone

Quick recap: what happened when the federal ACP funding ended

The Affordable Connectivity Program was a federal discount that helped millions of households pay for home internet and mobile service. It ran on a fixed pot of money approved by Congress, and once that money was spent, the program stopped taking new enrollees and then stopped issuing discounts altogether. There was no ongoing funding stream behind it, unlike some other federal benefit programs that renew automatically each year.

If you moved states expecting the same ACP discount your cousin or neighbor mentioned, that program simply isn’t available anymore anywhere in the country. What varies now, state to state, is whether anything stepped in to soften that loss. Some states did nothing. A few built their own smaller version of the discount using state money. This guide is about finding out which category your state falls into.

How Lifeline (the older federal program) still works and its lower discount amount

Lifeline is a separate, older federal program that predates the ACP by decades, and it did not go away. It’s smaller and narrower than the ACP was. Lifeline gives eligible households a monthly credit toward either phone or internet service, not both at the full ACP level, and the discount amount is noticeably lower than what ACP used to provide.

Lifeline is still run through the same basic structure everywhere: you apply through the national verification system or through a participating phone or internet carrier, and only one Lifeline discount is allowed per household, not per person. The dollar value of the discount and the current rules can change, so rather than relying on a number you heard secondhand, check the current amount on the official Lifeline support website or ask the carrier directly before assuming what you’ll get.

Because Lifeline is federal, it works the same basic way no matter which state you live in. The state-by-state differences described below are add-ons some states layered on top of Lifeline, not replacements for it.

Which states created their own top-up programs to replace lost ACP savings

A small number of states responded to the end of the ACP by funding their own version of a phone or internet discount, usually run through the state’s public utility commission or a state telecommunications assistance office. These programs are not uniform. Some were built years ago as companion programs to Lifeline and simply kept running after the ACP disappeared. Others were newly created or expanded specifically because state lawmakers heard from constituents who lost their ACP discount and wanted something to fill part of the gap.

If you’re comparing notes with someone in another state, don’t assume your state has one of these programs just because theirs does. Coverage is uneven, and a program existing in one state tells you nothing about whether your state has anything similar. The safest way to find out is to search your own state’s public utility commission or department of consumer affairs website for terms like “telephone assistance program” or “universal service fund discount,” since that’s usually where state-level programs live administratively, separate from the federal Lifeline program.

How income and program-based eligibility (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI) are used to qualify

Most of these state programs borrow their eligibility rules from Lifeline rather than inventing new ones. That usually means you qualify one of two ways: your household income falls under a set percentage of the federal poverty guidelines, or you or someone in your household already receives a qualifying benefit like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, certain veterans’ benefits, or a similar program.

If you’re already enrolled in one of those programs, you typically don’t need to prove income separately. You just need to show current proof of enrollment, like a benefit letter or an active EBT card, when you apply.

Where state top-up programs differ from Lifeline is sometimes in which specific programs count. A state add-on might recognize the same qualifying programs as Lifeline, or it might add a couple of state-specific ones, like a state-run low-income energy assistance program. This is worth double-checking directly with your state’s program rather than assuming the list is identical to the federal one.

Differences in discount amounts: some states cover phone only, others internet too

This is one of the biggest practical differences between states, and it’s easy to get wrong if you’re going off a friend’s description. Some state programs only discount landline or mobile phone service, mirroring how Lifeline originally worked before internet was added. Others explicitly cover home broadband or bundled phone-and-internet packages, which is closer to what the ACP used to offer.

A few state programs are structured as a flat monthly bill credit that a participating carrier applies directly to your statement. Others work more like a voucher or reimbursement you have to actively use with an approved provider. Because the dollar amount and the type of service covered both vary by state, and can be adjusted by state budget decisions, it’s not accurate to assume any specific figure applies to you. Treat any dollar amount you hear from another state as informational only, not a promise of what you’d get.

Where these programs are shrinking, frozen to new enrollees, or already gone

State-funded programs are generally more fragile than federal ones because they depend on state budget cycles rather than a fixed federal funding formula. A program that existed last year can be reduced, capped, or closed to new applicants if state funding gets reallocated. Some states have paused new enrollment while keeping existing participants on the discount, which means a friend who enrolled earlier may still be receiving help even though the program is effectively closed to newcomers.

If you’re told “my state has a program,” always ask a follow-up question: is it currently accepting new applicants, or is that person just still grandfathered in from before? Those are very different situations, and the answer changes what’s actually available to you if you try to apply today.

How to find your state’s current provider list and application process

Because these programs change and aren’t tracked by one central federal website, the most reliable path is usually:

Start with the national Lifeline program’s official site to confirm your federal eligibility and see which carriers in your area participate. Then separately search your state’s public utility commission, public service commission, or department of consumer protection for any state-level telecommunications assistance program. State government websites usually list current participating phone and internet companies, since you generally have to apply through an approved carrier rather than directly through the state.

If you’re helping someone else navigate this, calling the state utility commission’s consumer assistance phone line directly is often faster than searching online, especially if the state’s program has a name that doesn’t show up easily in search results.

What to do if you relocate and your new state has no equivalent program

If you’re moving from a state with a top-up program to one without, expect your monthly bill to go up once you arrive, even if your income and household situation haven’t changed. Lifeline itself should transfer in the sense that you can reapply for it in your new state, but any extra state-funded discount will not follow you across state lines, because it’s tied to that state’s funding, not to you personally.

Before you move, it’s worth checking your new state’s program status ahead of time rather than after you’ve relocated, so you’re not caught off guard by a bill that’s higher than expected. And if your new state truly has nothing beyond federal Lifeline, it’s worth asking your phone or internet provider directly whether they offer any low-income plan of their own, separate from any government program, since some carriers maintain their own discounted plans regardless of what state assistance exists.