UPDATE: As of February 2024, the Federal Communications Commission has stopped allowing new households to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program. The FCC has said that the Affordable Connectivity Program will soon exhaust its available funds. Absent additional funding, April 2024 is scheduled to be the final month that the FCC will reimburse providers the full $30 discount currently applied to a customer bill. Once the Affordable Connectivity Program officially ends, ACP households who maintain service with Hardy Telecommunications will be subject to Hardy’s undiscounted rates and general terms and conditions. The FCC has announced that it might have funds available to reimburse providers a partial amount for an ACP discount in May. Hardy Telecommunications is choosing, of its own accord, to continue a full $30 ACP discount through the month of May, despite Hardy Telecommunications receiving a reduced reimbursement. After that time, Hardy Telecommunications will be unable to request any reimbursements through ACP. The May 2024 bill for any current Hardy ACP customers will be the last month that you will receive the $30 ACP discount on your bill. As stated previously, a current ACP customer household will then be subject to Hardy Telecommunications’ undiscounted rates and general terms and conditions. ACP households may choose to disconnect service or change their service plan. If you so wish, please call our customer service department at 304-897-9911 or 304-530-5000.
The Affordable Connectivity program is a government program designed to expand access to broadband for low-income households by reducing a customer’s broadband Internet access service bill. The ACP program entitles a qualifying household to receive up to $30 per month off the standard rate for Hardy Telecommunications’ Internet service offering eligible for the ACP program. A household will qualify for the ACP program if at least one member of the household::
- Participates in the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program;
- Has a qualifying household income threshold that is at or below 200 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of that size;
- Receives free or reduced lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the school breakfast program under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools in the 2019-20, 2020-21, or 2021-22 school year;
- Receives assistance through the Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1996;
- Has received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year;
- Participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps;
- Participates in the Medicaid program;
- Qualifies for Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
- Qualifies for Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA);
- Qualifies for Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.
Hardy Telecommunications does not determine eligibility on a household’s behalf, and Hardy Telecommunications does not have its own approved application process. Applicants also are not allowed to self-certify. A household must interact directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company’s National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) to submit verification requests. Applicants must submit verification requests and be confirmed through the USAC National Verifier to qualify for Hardy Telecommunications service through the ACP program. Applicants can submit verification requests online by visiting AffordableConnectivity.gov or GetInternet.gov (en espanol, AccedeaInternet.gov) and following the instructions.
Applicants also can complete a paper application and mail it with proof of eligibility to ACP/Lifeline Support Center, P.O. Box 9100, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18773-9100. Applicants must complete the paperwork themselves, and it is suggested that applicants review the application and ensure that they have all required supporting documentation before mailing. You can request a paper application by calling toll-free (877) 384-2575 or by printing one from AffordableConnectivity.gov or GetInternet.gov (en espanol, AccedeaInternet.gov). For faster service, applicants are urged to complete the process online at AffordableConnectivity.gov or GetInternet.gov (en espanol, AccedeaInternet.gov) rather than mailing an application.
Again, applicants must complete the eligibility process themselves. For assistance, applicants can contact the Affordable Connectivity Program Support Center by calling toll-free (877) 384-2575 or by email at ACPSupport@usac.org. The center is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. More information is available at AffordableConnectivity.gov under the “Help” tab.
If declared eligible, the applicant should then notify Hardy Telecommunications to complete our necessary paperwork to receive service under the ACP program.
The $30 monthly discount will be deducted from the Hardy Telecommunications bill of a qualifying household, and participating providers receive the funds directly from the Affordable Connectivity Program. Any remaining portion of the bill after the monthly discount is applied will be the responsibility of the customer. This remaining portion might vary depending on factors such as required taxes and fees, long distance telephone call charges, and TV-related charges as described below.
Hardy Telecommunications may disconnect a household’s ACP-supported Internet service after 90 consecutive days of non-payment.
The ACP program has no pre-determined end date. The program may terminate at any time as determined by federal authorities. If the ACP program ends, if a household transfers its ACP benefit to another provider, or if a household loses eligibility for the ACP program, a household will be subject to Hardy Telecommunications’ undiscounted rates and general terms and conditions if the household opts to continue receiving service from Hardy Telecommunications.
The ACP benefit is available only on Hardy Telecommunications service plans that include Internet. Households can apply the ACP benefit to any Hardy Telecommunications broadband service offering at the same terms available to households that are not eligible for ACP-supported service. Again, any remaining portion of the bill after the monthly discount is applied will be the responsibility of the customer. This remaining portion might vary depending on factors such as required taxes and fees (including county-required fees based on location), long distance telephone call charges, and TV-related charges such as channel tiers, set top box and DVR services, programming surcharges, and other such charges. Hardy currently offers broadband internet access on its fiber-optic OneNet network at speeds of 100 Mbps download/50 Mbps upload, 150 Mbps download/75 Mbps upload, and 300 Mbps download/150 Mbps upload. HardyNet currently offers DSL speeds of 1.5 Mbps download/768 kbps upload, 3 Mbps download/1 Mbps upload, and 6 Mbps download/2 Mbps upload – please note that the DSL speeds do not meet the FCC speed definition for broadband. For OneNet fiber customers, local calling under our Premium calling plan is included in all packages. Hardy does not impose data caps on Internet access for any plan. Please call our office at 304-530-5000 or 304-897-9911 for the exact details of your plan and services.
As of March 28, 2023, Hardy Telecommunications’ monthly standard package prices (not including taxes, fees, and other charges as described above) are:
Hardy OneNet Fiber-to-the-Home (all prices subject to change)
- Community 100 – $79
- Community 150 – $104
- Community 300 – $129
- Nationwide 100 – $109
- Nationwide 150 – $132
- Nationwide 300 – $154
- Silver Community 100 – $95
- Silver Community 150 – $120
- Silver Community 300 – $145
- Gold Community 100 – $144
- Gold Community 150 – $169
- Gold Community 300 – $194
- Platinum Community 100 – $152
- Platinum Community 150 – $177
- Platinum Community 300 – $202
- Silver Nationwide 100 – $125
- Silver Nationwide 150 – $148
- Silver Nationwide 300 – $170
- Gold Nationwide 100 – $174
- Gold Nationwide 150 – $197
- Gold Nationwide 300 – $219
- Platinum Nationwide 100 – $182
- Platinum Nationwide 150 – $205
- Platinum Nationwide 300 – $227
Hardy DSL and Fixed Wireless (speeds do not equal FCC broadband definition; all prices subject to change)
- 1.5 Mbps Residential – $43.95
- 3 Mbps Premium – $69.95
- 6 Mbps Platinum – $89.95
Eligible customers can receive broadband service supported by the ACP program from any participating provider of your choice, including participating cellular providers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon. You can see what participating providers are in your area by visiting AffordableConnectivity.gov online and searching under “Companies Near Me.”
Eligible households also may transfer your ACP Program benefit to another provider, including cellular providers, at any time. The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one discount per household.
For more information about the Affordable Connectivity Program, visit AffordableConnectivity.gov online.
You have the right to file a complaint with the FCC regarding an ACP-supported service or ACP enrollment difficulty. The FCC’s contact center telephone number is 1-888-225-5322. Its video phone number is 1-844-432-2275. The website for the FCC Consumer Complaint Center is https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us.