this post was submitted on 01 May 2024
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125
The Affordable Connectivity Program Kept Them Online. What Now? (www.wired.com)
submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[โ€“] [email protected] 29 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Oh hey, I heard the funding for that dried up. ... Because I went looking for ways to not spend $50/mo for a working phone while I'm sleeping in somebody's closet and have no income ๐Ÿ™ƒ Happen to know people who don't even have the closet, but I'm sure they don't need phone service either.

[Maximum Sarcasm] I'm sure the money's going somewhere more important, though.

Hey, how many gig workers are barely scraping by and need programs like this or everybody's Uber Eats orders are gonna uber eat dirt? Just a thought. Maybe taking a little care of the people at the bottom who prop up everything else is kinda asinine to not do. Grr, I say.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Tello, 100 minutes talk/unl text/a gig of data, $6. Uses the tmo network. You can also port your number to Google voice for a $20 one-time fee and have unlimited voice/msgs, as long as you have wifi service. Uses the Voice app.

Tello is my second number, few years now, had no issues. Used to have GV back when I had no money as a teenager, and would use my tablet as a phone. Worked surprisingly well.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Thanks for the ideas! May go for Tello soonish.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Like someone else said, Lifeline is still a thing. For mobile phone plans it isn't quite as good as the old Lifeline + ACP combo where some were offering Unlimited minutes, text and data. Most are 500-1000 minutes, unlimited text, 4-5GB data.

You have to be on SNAP, Medicaid, or some other federal programs OR meet the income requirements. If you sign up online now they kick you over to a National Verification site to check your eligibility. It's pretty quick and painless. Then you'll get a free (shitty) phone, or a SIM card on some that do BYOP.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

The Lifeline program is still available. The way they explain it is confusing, but the "discount" covers the complete cost of service for most Lifeline providers, so it works out to free. You just need to be receiving any federal public assistance -- Medicaid, food stamps, TANF, anything.

ACP was more of a broadband program with phone service attached, Lifeline is more of a phone program with some data attached. If you happen to have an unlocked phone, many lifeline carriers support bringing your own device to some extent.

https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

US mobile, $25/mo Verizon based MVNO

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Thanks!

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

The internet isn't worth so much that people are going to be willing to pay $100 and get their shit stolen.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Oh crap, I gotta contact my online company about this.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Send them hand written snail-mail and have them reply in kind will be their punishment.

[โ€“] [email protected] -5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

I don't know why we even pay unless having the 100% desired experience.

  • 100% privacy
  • 0 ads
  • full decentralization
  • lightning speeds
  • good experience

Anything less is a scam. Live your best life possible.

99% of the population doesn't get this.
They aren't even aware that this is an option.
They settle for mainstream social media jail.

edit: should add: low price.
this is lesser important depending on how much experience is fulfilled.

[โ€“] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago

lmao you think keeping up all of that infrastructure is free?