Other devices are also available for purchase from Mobile Beacon, including 3G and LTE Plus hotspots, wireless modem, and USB Modem. All devices work with the $120 annual fee. To check on coverage, you can find instructions and a link to Sprint’s coverage map here

Mobile Citizen provides low-cost broadband access to non-profits and schools and sponsors a program allowing a non-profit to become a reseller of equipment and broadband service, helping to make the low cost service widely available to low income people who could not otherwise afford Internet service. See Mobile Citizen’s Reseller page for details. The reseller program may be of particular interest to agencies that provide clients with computer equipment, since it vastly increases the utility of the computer at a cost of $10 per month.

Comcast has introduced their “Internet Essentials Partnership Program” (IEPP), which enables participating organizations to sponsor or pay for service on behalf of families. Sponsored families have access to all the benefits Internet Essentials has to offer—a high-speed Internet connection at home, the option to purchase a low-cost computer, and access to free digital skills training in person (if safe), online, and in print.

For end-user clients

Decision Data has assembled a page describing low-cost offers as well, including which carriers provide lifeline access and links to Human-I-T’s low cost access page, which provides chromebooks for qualifying California residents and assistance in finding and signing up for low cost options.

• AT&T Connected Learning (grades K-12)

AT&T is partnering with Connected Nation to support public K-12 students by providing mobile Wi-Fi hotspots and free AT&T wireless internet service. School districts, charter schools, and community-based non-profit organizations that serve at-risk youth are eligible to apply.

• AT&T Access

The AT&T Access program provides low cost home Internet service to qualifying households with at least one resident who participates in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and with an address in AT&T’s 21-state service area, they offer wireline home Internet service, and without outstanding debt for AT&T fixed Internet service within the last six months or outstanding debt incurred under this program. California residents with at least one member of the household who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits may qualify based on the same requirements that apply to SNAP participants.

• Charter Spectrum

Charter’s Spectrum cable internet has such a plan for families with students who participate in the National School Lunch Program OR seniors who are 65 and older who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program benefits. Through the Spectrum Internet Assist program, qualified households can receive:

• • High-speed 30 Mbps Internet with no data caps
  • Internet modem included
  • No contracts required
  • Add in-home WiFi for $5 more per month

• Comcast Internet Essentials (Program expanded in January 2021)

In January 2021, Comcast announced that they are:

• Increasing the speed for Internet Essentials to 50 Mbps,
• Accelerating Lift Zone Community Center rollout to reach 1,000 sites in 2021 – a year ahead of the original plan.
• Committed more than $40 million in cash in digital equity grants.

As interesting background, there was a student activist push Comcast on this. Households eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and others are eligible for this cable Internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax. Applicants must not have an outstanding debt to Comcast that is less than a year old. They must also live in an area where Comcast Internet service is available but not have subscribed to it within the last 90 days.  Buildings must have coaxial cable infrastructure installed.

During COVID-19, they will provide 60 days free for new Internet Essentials customers.

Comcast also offers the option to buy a low cost ($149.99) computer. Details are available here.

To check if this service is available in your area, go to http://www.xfinity.com/internet-service.html. Click here to apply.

Comcast’s xFi platform is also now available to all Internet Essentials customers. It provides parents with a digital dashboard to set up, manage, and monitor their home WiFi; set safe-browsing modes so children can only access age-appropriate content; and even pause WiFi access to devices for dinner and bedtime.

• Lifeline Service

 Here is general information from the FCC about Lifeline service. Here are the instructions on how to sign up for Lifeline, including determining eligibility and finding what offers are available.

• CenturyLink’s Lifeline program
• Frontier’s Lifeline Program

You can apply your Lifeline discount to qualifying standalone internet access services. If you do not have voice (traditional telephone) services with Frontier, but you have standalone internet access, you may be able to quality for the Lifeline discount.

• Verizon FIOS Forward  Lifeline

Updated in January 2021, FIOS Forward offers $20/month broadband for those who qualify

• Windstream’s Lifeline Assistance Program

Each of these programs have income requirements, as well as constraints on availability within specific locations.