T-Mobile Leverages Affordable Connectivity Program to Offer Free Service

Metro by T-Mobile has joined the FCC’s new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Doing so enables the company to offer free service.

Beginning today, qualifying new and existing low-income Metro by T-Mobile subscribers are eligible for free wireless service with high-speed smartphone data. Eligible subscribers also can get as much as $30 off all Metro by T-Mobile smartphone plans with data or as much as $75 for those on tribal lands.

All those subscribing to the offerings will have access on the carrier’s 5G network and Scam Shield security. This includes Scam ID, free Scam Block and free Caller ID.

The T-Mobile free service includes unlimited calling and texting and 5GB of high-speed smartphone data.

The Affordable Connectivity Program pays up to $30 a month toward the cost of mobile or fixed connectivity for eligible low-income households, enabling T-Mobile to offer a service for free. To qualify, households must be eligible for one of various government support programs.

Alternatively, customers eligible for the ACP can pay $10 to $30 a month to obtain additional features or capabilities:

• For $10 per month, subscribers can get unlimited talk and text with up to 10GB high-speed smartphone data. For the same price, customers signing up through Walmart or switching to Metro by T-Mobile get unlimited talk, text and high-speed smartphone data.
• For $20 per month, subscribers can get unlimited talk, text and high-speed smartphone data, up to 5GB of high-speed hotspot data and 100GB of Google One cloud storage.
• For $30 per month, subscribers can get Metro by T-Mobile’s top plan, which includes unlimited talk, text and high-speed smartphone data, as much as 15GB of high-speed hotspot data, 100GB of Google One cloud storage and an Amazon Prime subscription.

As an alternative to signing up for the T-Mobile free service, existing Metro by T-Mobile customers can apply the ACP $30 monthly benefit to their current wireless plan with data.

The Affordable Connectivity Program, which has a budget of $14.2 billion, replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program that was put in place to help households maintain connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program saw wide enrollment. The ACP was created as part of the infrastructure bill adopted late last year. The bill required the FCC to transition from the EBB to the ACB early this year.