Free and Low-Income Internet in California
2 providers publish California in the availability lists for their low-income plans; 8 more say only "not available in all areas". California LifeLine now pays toward home internet. Every price on this page was read off the provider's own page on 2026-09-23, and the Affordable Connectivity Program that most other pages still describe ended on 1 June 2024.
California LifeLine now pays toward home internet
The California LifeLine Home Broadband Pilot, launched by the CPUC in August 2025, pays $20 a month toward a standalone home internet plan or $30 toward internet bundled with voice, plus up to $39 once a year toward connection fees, for three years. The plan has to meet 100/20 Mbps with 1,280GB a month unless it is a designated low-cost plan. That is state money on top of the federal $9.25. You qualify at or below 150% of the poverty guideline or through Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, SSI, Section 8 or WIC, and existing LifeLine phone subscribers have to ask their provider to move the benefit. Verizon Forward's discount rises to $40 a month in California. A bill to require a $15 plan statewide has not become law as of our check.
Source: www.cpuc.ca.gov, broadbandforall.cdt.ca.gov. Verified 2026-09-23.
Programs that publish California availability
| Program | Monthly | Speed | Existing customers | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Access from AT&T | not published | not published | Yes; call 855-220-5211 and the price is applied to existing service | Wi-Fi modem and installation included |
| Astound (RCN, Grande, Wave) Internet First | $9.95 | 50 Mbps or 150 Mbps down; upload not published | No Astound service in the 60 days before applying | Standard modem and Wi-Fi included, free standard installation |
Eligibility rules, contract terms and the fine print for each are on the national comparison; the table above is what differs for California.
Xfinity (Comcast), Spectrum (Charter), Verizon, T-Mobile, Cox (now Spectrum), Optimum, Starry, Mediacom publish no state list, so in California their address checkers decide.
Lifeline on a home internet bill in California
The federal Lifeline discount is $9.25 a month, or $34.25 on Tribal lands, and it can be applied to home internet where a provider offers that. Verizon does not apply it to Fios in California, so ask each wired provider directly, and use USAC's companies-near-me search for your ZIP.
Free mobile data in California through a Lifeline phone
Carriers here with hotspot on the free plan: Assurance Wireless (12GB), SafeLink Wireless (not published), Life Wireless (not published), TruConnect (not published), Access Wireless (not published): $0 lines whose hotspot is the only free internet here not tied to a school-age child, though the FCC floor is 4.5GB a month. Ranking and application steps: California free phone page.
Income limits that apply in California
| Household | 200% (most ISP programs) | 135% (Lifeline) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $31,920 | $21,546 |
| 2 people | $43,280 | $29,214 |
| 3 people | $54,640 | $36,882 |
| 4 people | $66,000 | $44,550 |
| 5 people | $77,360 | $52,218 |
Annual, from the current federal poverty guideline.
Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco: same programs, decided by address rather than city. No ISP runs a separate city offer in California.
National picture, every program compared: free and low-income internet after ACP.
Common questions
Is there free internet in California?
Not wired, not since ACP ended in June 2024. California LifeLine now pays toward home internet, which is the closest thing in the country to a real program. The realistic floor for a wired line is $9.95 a month through Astound (RCN, Grande, Wave) Internet First, and T-Mobile Project 10Million is free mobile data if there is a K-12 student at home.
Which providers in California publish a low-income plan for this state?
AT&T (Access from AT&T) and Astound (RCN, Grande, Wave) (Internet First). 8 others, including Xfinity and Spectrum, say only that they are not available in all areas, so their address checker is the answer for your street.
Does Lifeline work on home internet in California?
Only where a provider chooses to offer it, and Verizon does not apply it to Fios in California. Ask each provider, or put the benefit on a free phone plan instead.
Gov-Grants.org is an independent guide, not a carrier and not a government agency. We never charge fees, and every fact above links to its source with the date we checked it. Program details change; confirm on the official site before applying.