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Connect2Compete Internet Program
for Low Income Americans

Connect2compete (often written incorrectly as Connect to Compete) is one of those rare organizations formed by a combination of private companies and non-profit organizations.

Its goal is easier said than done: To bring high speed internet, low-priced computers and digital literacy to low income communities across the United States in order to improve lives in those communities. They do this by connecting either a) low-income families who have a child in school, or b) anyone living in any of the over 14,000 zip codes where the annual median income is under $35,000, with internet companies willing to give them a special deal. (Also under the Connect2Compete umbrella, Cox Cable has expanded it’s eligibility to include participants of SNAP and TANF.)

The program has made a lot of news, getting much attention and many of America’s best known cable companies and assortment of other internet companies have partnered up with the program.

Connect2Compete helps you find low cost monthly broadband internet access. Plus a low cost computer for your home. And very low-cost computer training classes. That’s a combination that lower income, struggling Americans can really use these days.

An internet connection will make it easier for you to apply for better jobs and also make it easier for your kids to excel in school. And that, in a nutshell, is the whole idea behind Connect2Compete.

Let’s take a look at what Connect2Compete has to offer:

Cheap internet access

Connect2Compete is great news for low-income families and individuals who desperately need less expensive, more cheap internet. Not slow dial-up, but high-speed internet access at unbeatable prices. Check out all you get:

  • Internet service mostly under $10, with a couple outliers sightly higher; and there’s also a free plan from partner FreedomPop
  • Program lasts for two years (and you can apply any time in the next three years)
  • Minimum of 1 Mbps minimum speed (If you’re not fluent in tech jargon, 1 Mbps is fast even that pages pop up on your screen almost immediately and you’ll be able to watch videos.)

Cheap PCs, too

If you think cheap internet service is a great deal, wait until you see what else this program offers. One of the following will be available to you:

Refurbished Redemtech computers from just $150

The price is so low you may be shocked, but we guarantee you’ll be even more shocked to learn that these computers also come loaded with the kind of software you and your kids will need most. Specifically, here’s what you get:

  • Microsoft Windows 7
  • Microsoft Office
  • 90-day tech support
  • Pre-loaded educational and career content
  • Free shipping

$250 PCs from Microsoft

Microsoft, one of the biggest names in the high tech world, is also a partner in Connect2Compete. It’s offering personal computers for just $250. Here’s what it includes:

  • Microsoft Windows 7
  • Microsoft Office

One more benefit: Cheap computer classes

The simple fact is, a personal computer and internet access won’t help you very much if you don’t know how to use a computer. It’s like having someone give you a car, but no driving lessons.

So the Best Buy Geek Squad’s contribution is to offer basic digital literacy training sessions in 20 major cities around the country. But they don’t stop there. The Geek Squad will work with community non-profits to train them how to train additional people.

Finally, industry leader Microsoft has agreed to build an online digital literacy training center for people who live in smaller cities that aren’t large enough for in-person digital literacy classes. And that’s just the beginning. Microsoft will also offer valuable Microsoft Certification training sessions in 15 states. These certifications, normally quite expensive, can help you land a job or improve your career.

What else? Plenty.

Qualified participants will also get free access to Discovery Education’s “premier educational content.”

And CareerBuilder.com will offer online prep and certification classes for just $1 per course. And, of course, additional jobs and education content will be offered on an ongoing basis. In other words, the program starts with more than you could have hoped for and grows rapidly from there.

Connect2Compete Eligibility: Do you qualify?

The bad news on a national level is that millions of Americans, maybe even tens of millions of Americans are eligible for this program because of our devasted and barely recovering economy.

But the good news – on a personal level – is that you may well qualify for Connect2Compete and live in an area that one of their partners servces.

There are two ways you can qualify for this inexpensive internet access.

  1. your household must (a) have at least one student enrolled in the Free School Lunch Program (Cox now allows SNAP and TANF participants); (b) not be a current subscriber to the broadband service (or have subscribed in the last 90 days) you are enrolling with; and (c) not have an overdue bill or unreturned equipment to the participating service provider.
  2. Reside in any of over 14,000 zip codes that have a median household income level of $35,000 or less. No matter your income or other eligibility.

Which eligibility rule is applied depends upon which internet service plan you are trying to get. But in a nutshell, the three wireless internet companies — FreedomPop, Mobile Beacon and Mobile Citizen — are all based upon the zip code, and in general, the rest are based upon the School Lunch program criteria.

The companies that participate to provide broadband access are Bright House, Cablevision, Comcast (Internet Essentials), Cox Communications, Mediacom, Midcontinent, Mobile Citizen, Mobile Beacon and Wilco.

Connect2Compete Internet Service Providers
ProviderDetailEligibility
FreedomPop
  • 1GB Data: FREE (Clearwire network)
  • Equipment Fee: $49 + shipping
  • No Set Up Fee
  • Overage at $0.01 per MB.
  • Live in a pre-qualified FreedomPop zip code
FreedomPop Option2
  • 300MB Data: Free / 2GB Data: $19.95/month (Sprint network)
  • Equipment Fee: $29.95 + shipping
  • No Set Up Fee
  • Overage at $0.01 per MB.
  • Live in a pre-qualified FreedomPop zip code
Mobile Beacon
  • Unlimited Data: $10/monthEquipment Fee: $73 + shipping
  • Live in a pre-qualified MobileBeacon zip code
Mobile Citizen
  • Unlimited Data: $10/month
  • Equipment Fee: $73 + shipping
  • Live in a pre-qualified Mobile Citizen zip code
Comcast (Internet Essentials)
(more info)
  • Unlimited Data: $9.95/month
  • No Set Up Fee
  • No Equipment Fee
  • No Price Increases
  • Live in Comcast Internet coverage area
  • Child eligible to receive free or reduced school lunch through the National School Lunch Program
  • No Comcast Internet subscription in past 90 days
  • No overdue payments to Comcast
  • No unreturned Comcast equipment
  • Additional Restrictions May Apply
COX
(more info)
  • 100GB Data: $9.95/month
  • No Set Up Fee
  • No Equipment Fee
  • Live in Cox Internet coverage area
  • Child eligible to receive free school lunch through the National School Lunch Program
  • No Cox Internet subscription in past 90 days
  • No overdue payments to Cox
  • No unreturned Cox equipment
  • Additional Restrictions May Apply
Wilco
  • Unlimited Data: $14.95/month
  • Set Up Fee: $14.95 One Time
  • No Equipment Fee
  • Only for Philadelphia Residents
Bright House Internet
(more info)
  • Unlimited Data: $9.95/month
  • No Set Up Fee
  • No Equipment Fee
  • Live in Bright House Networks Internet coverage area
  • Child eligible to receive free school lunch and is attending a Connect2Compete Partner School
  • No Bright House Networks subscription in past 90 days
  • No overdue payments to Bright House Networks
  • No unreturned Bright House Networks equipment
  • Additional Restrictions May Apply
Mediacom
(more info)
  • 150GB Data: $9.95/month
  • No Set Up Fee
  • No Equipment Fee
  • Live in Mediacom coverage area
  • Child eligible to receive free school lunch and is attending a Connect2Compete Partner School
  • No Mediacom subscription in past 90 days
  • No overdue payments to Mediacom
  • No unreturned Mediacom equipment
  • Additional Restrictions May Apply
Suddenlink
(more info)
  • 150GB Data: $9.95/month
  • No Set Up Fee
  • No Equipment Fee
  • Live in Suddenlink coverage area
  • Child eligible to receive free school lunch and is attending a Connect2Compete Partner School
  • No Suddenlink subscription in past 90 days
  • No overdue payments to Suddenlink
  • No unreturned Suddenlink equipment
  • Additional Restrictions May Apply

If you are interested in Comcast’s Internet Essentials plan offered through Connect2Compete, you can also go directly to their offer page. There is no difference in price by doing so.

The other programs listed above require you to begin at the the EveryoneOn.org site, which hosts the Connect2Compete program. While you can go directly to FreedomPop, you won’t find the same deal and you’ll pay considerably more.

If Connect2Compete doesn’t work for you, the good news is that if you are in an area that offers CenturyLink DSL service, you can participate in their similar plan called Internet Basics. In fact, this plan offer internet service to a broader spectrum of low income Americans: not just those with a child on the National Free School Lunch Program or one in a certain zip code, but to those on any one of a number of government assistance programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, SSI and others.

How to Apply to Connect2Compete

Contact Information

Connect2Compete at Everyoneon.org:
Website: Everyone On
Phone: 800-446-2031

Schools with participating C2C internet providers in their area should be handing out flyers to the kids. The flyer will have a “Connect2Compete Offer Code” on it (or perhaps the school gave out the code in another way), which you will use when applying for the program at the program’s site, EveryoneOn.org. On that site, you can both apply and go back to check your application status.

Recent Articles we’ve published on Connect2Compete

cox low-income internet Cox Cable offering low-cost Internet to HUD-assisted families with children in 18 states- Cox Communications is now offering low-cost internet to any HUD-assisted household with school-age children within Cox’s 18-state service area -- including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia.
netbook low income How you can get a PC (and a lot more) for just $149 if you are low-income- If you’re a low-income American, you can now get a PC that’s completely loaded with all the top software plus computer training for just $149.
How to get cheap internet even if you don’t qualify for Connect2Compete- Connect2Compete has worked out a deal with a company called Freedom Pop to offer a internet access to those people who can’t find affordable internet access anywhere else.
Connect2Compete’s make more people eligible for cheap internet (despite confusing new rules)- The good news is that Connect2Compete has introduced new rules that make more people eligible for cheap internet, cheap computers, and digital literacy training. The bad news is that the 64 words that outline those new rules are almost incomprehensible.
New Connect2Compete public service announcement: We review it.- We’ve eagerly awaited the day that Connect2Compete and the AdCouncil break their long-promised campaign to promote nationwide cheap internet for America’s needy.
Connect2Compete to launch nationwide (almost) digital literacy training program- If you haven’t yet heard of Connect2Compete, you’ll be hearing plenty about it in the coming months.
Here comes Connect2Compete: Cheap internet program ready to roll out nationally- After successfully completing a series of test programs around the country, Connect2Compete will launch nationally on March 21 in order to bring inexpensive digital opportunities to all low-income Americans.
Feds join coalition to promote cheap government internet program- Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachowski and Housing & Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan have announced that HUD is adding its support to Connect2Compete
Ending the digital divide ends poverty: Bringing cheap internet to America’s low income Hispanic kids- The FCC believes helping Latinos adopting broadband at much higher levels which will lead directly to better educations, better healthcare, and lower poverty rates.
New ad campaign to promote government’s cheap internet program, Connect to Compete- Connect to Compete's ad campaign beginning in January, 2013 will alert tens of millions of needy Americans that they can receive cheap internet and a cheap computer.

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Comments

  1. Hi there! I currently receive foodstamps and TANF. I also have three kids in the reduced or free lunch program. We live in NASHOBA Oklahoma and I cannot find any cheap internet service that reaches to us. Can you please help me. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Visit EveryoneOn.org and plug in your zip code, Angelesa. The results will show you what’s available in your area.

      Reply

  2. I live in the Comcast area I receive food stamps but they say I don’t qualify because I don’t get free lunch I’m not a veterin and don’t receive housing any other options

    Reply

  4. The internet that we qualify for in our area is using 5g LTE through sprint. Is that speed fast enough to stream tv or is this mostly just for basic internet?

    Reply

  5. The service that is on our area appears to be using 5g LTE through sprint. Is that quick enough to stream tv, or is this really just for basic internet. It says 10 devices can connect at once. If there are multiple people will the spreads really slow down?

    Reply

    • 5G is plenty fast enough to stream TV, but the question is how much data is offered/allowed before your service provider throttles your speed. Check with your preferred low-income internet service provider’s customer service team to find out what’s possible. You can find all those providers at this link:

      https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet

      Reply

  6. My wife and I are retired and make under $35000 a year, including social security and other income. How do we qualify for this program?

    Reply

  7. Looking for internet service provider in the 24526 zip code ( Big Island, va) for family woh receives free/reduced lunches. Do you have any providers in my area?

    Reply

    • You can find all the low-income internet service providers at the EveryoneOn.org website. Just plug in your zip code and away you go.

      Reply

  8. I also wanted to express some information about Freedom Pop. They write the most deliberately confusing offers I have ever seen. about two years ago I signed up for FREE phone internet and voice and It went very well for about a month or so and then the rates went up to $9.95/month and I was not informed. So I’m paying for a service that I can’t receive where I live, I only use it when I go over to the hospital in the next county, I was paying for almost a year before I caught the tricksters. I would never recommend them to any senior because they are so difficult to understand.

    Reply

    • How did they charge you monthly for a year without you noticing, Jimmy?

      Reply

  9. So, I live in a rural area and there are no cable companies just Windstream dsl.
    Do any of the satellite internet services offer low-cost internet? Excede or Hughes or perhaps a W.I.S.P. It’s really good that a lot of people are getting low-cost internet but a great many people are still being left out of the services.

    Reply

    • Sorry, Jimmy, but neither of the satellite companies offer low-income internet plans. We feel for you because we get lots of similar comments from rural residents.

      Reply

  11. I need assistance, please. I have been receiving Century Link’s Internet Basics plan for nearly 5 years. I see they cut you off after that time period. What is it that i can do then?? I have no children in my home, I’m a disabled person on SSI.

    Reply

    • We have no idea if you’ve been approved, Isabel, because this is an independent informational website, not a low-income internet service provider. You need to contact the company with which you enrolled to get the info you need.

      Reply

    • Unless you’re in some remote rural area, almost every zip code has at least some services, Cruz. Visit EveryoneOn.org and you can plug in your zip to see what services and products are available.

      Reply

    • Visit EveryoneOn.org. You can simply plug in your zip code and it will tell you all the service available in your area.

      Reply

  15. Me gustaria contratar Internet para la casa pues tengo 3 hijos ke van a la escuela y no cuento con internet

    Reply

  16. I am 100% disabled, SSI, EBT. I have centurylink and they raised my slow basic DSL service to $40.00 and then $60.00 a month. For the last 3 months I can’t get any answer as to why. Can I drop centurylink and sign up with another service?.

    Reply

    • You want to know why, John? Because there’s nothing stopping them from doing it. There are a number of alternate low-income internet plans you should definitely should check into. Here’s where you can find them all:

      https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet

      Pay particular attention to PCs for People and 4GCommunity. They’re great plans if they are available in your area.

      Reply

  17. I am interested in finding out, if this is in my area. I am on SNAP, I am also on SAD and SSI, I completely disabled, and live on a very low income. Thank you, Cheryl

    Reply

  18. would like to know more about the low income internet you offer. I do receive food stamps and on families first also have a child on ssi,

    Reply

  19. I have an rca tablet voyager 3 is it compatible I want to get with fi type of service?! thank you

    Reply