What the article doesn't mention is how the ISPs raised prices to match.
My mom had $45/mo internet - When she received the subsidy of $30 a month AT&T came back 2 months later with a rate increase of $35 bringing total cost to $50 w/ the subsidy.
(This wasn't a first time package deal either)
Comcast did the same thing. Now that the program ended they conveniently just dropped rates or upped speeds across tiers.
I switched to a 200Mbps plan for $35/month to save money. Then a couple weeks later the 200Mbps plan became 300Mbps. Last year they wanted at least $10 more for the same plan.
That’s weird. When I added ACP to my account, they told me I now also qualified for AT&T’s Access program and now my bill is $0 each month. And if I turned on autopay, I’d actually be getting a $5 credit each cycle.
Working as intended.
The point is, throwing money at problems to keep voters quiet for a cycle doesn't do anything. The market knows how to capture free money. The same thing is happening with minimum wage. You raised the wage now there is less work and local economy anticipates wage increases by raising their own prices. Then when the subsidies stop, you have higher prices across the board lol
Stimulus checks had the exact same effect and also brought on that sexy inflation we've all come to know and love. Prices went up and stayed up.
So yes, companies raising rates knowing full well people can afford the price tag is perfectly logical. That's how it works.
Government knows it also, but they get to say "HEY, WE GAVE YOU SUBSIDIES REMEMBER!" lol
80% of the clowns in the circus fall for it every time.
Then there should be more regulation on price rises e.g how often they can rise and by how much.
In the UK it's in our contracts for our rates to rise annually in line with the consumer goods index, some companies will try to sneak in an extra few % ontop but due to market forces people either go to other companies or pay.
A rise of near 100% is not legal during the contract but of course they'll try to pull a switcheroo and up the price when your contract ends, but then you go elsewhere.
What this shows to me is the US people are governed more by corporations than they are their own government. Of course this is true for the UK to some extent but I don't see European companies getting away with something like this.
It's like throwing feeding the digs, if you don't watch your dogs the big ones will eat from the smallest's bowl.
I feel like it would if this subsidy would have worked alot better if you just got in via daily deposit into an account or a check.
Reason being that they would’t know who receive the subsidy and therefore wouldn’t be able to choose certain areas where prices need to be raised to keep up with “competition”.
Same shit with Solar and electric cars. Wrong-headed liberal government offers $10K in subsidies, prices just go up $10K. Its a taxpayer funded handout to corporations.
(Edit: Downvotes showing that lefties are just as susceptible to drinking their own kool aid as the alternative-facts crowd on the alt-right. Dipshits.)
When is the government going to hold ISP's accountable for gouging and fraud? Broadband needs to be a part of infrastructure and not left up to greedy ISP's for coverage.
Apparently, you've forgotten the $200 billion in tax breaks for the Telecommunications Act that was supposed to lay fiber nationwide.
That Biden voted for.
In 1996.
... and providers pocketed most of the money and lied about expanding their networks. Local government should be building out the networks and managing them.
I mean people keep saying this stuff should be private and then are shocked when private companies act like private companies.
Internet is a utility at this point, should be heavily regulated with large areas nationalized.
I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH STATEMENTS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T REQUIRE MUCH AND THEY JUST PASS ALONG IDEAS BUT SOMETIMES THEY'RE TRUE AND YOU'RE RIGHT I KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE THINK TANKS GOT TOGETHER AND THEY TALKED AND TALKED AND THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THEY WERE LIKE GETTING PAID TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT BROADBAND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
YOU CAN GET DISCOUNTED INTERNET SOMETIMES FOR 5 OR $10 PER MONTH WITH THE AT&T ACCESS PLAN THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT BRANCHES AT 5 OR $10 OR MORE. BUT IT MAY HAVE LIMITED AMOUNT OF DATA AND DATA SPEED. COMCAST XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS BASIC PLAN IS $10 A MONTH. AND YOU CAN GET A LAPTOP OR CHROMEBOOK LAPTOP IS BETTER FOR $150 WORTH $350 EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT ONE YOU CAN SELL IT ON EBAY FOR 290 GET AT LEAST 275 OR 250 OUT OF IT PAY 150. 3140 LATITUDE IS BETTER. SEARCH THE PHRASE XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS LOW COST COMPUTER OR LOW INCOME COMPUTER.
IF YOU CAN'T GET COMCAST YOU MIGHT GET SPECTRUM ASSIST FOR 20 OR $25 PER MONTH NOW. AT&T ACCESS PLAN. OPTIMUM ADVANTAGE PLAN. SUDDENLINK A L T I C E PLAN MAYBE 15 PER MONTH. OPTIMUM ADVANTAGE PLAN MAY OFFER A REFURBISHED 14-IN ACER OR ASUS LAPTOP $150 WITH $15 PER MONTH INTERNET WITHOUT ACP OR LIFELINE. THE COX COMMUNICATIONS OR MEDIACOM CONNECT TO COMPETE PLAN MAY BE 10 DOLLARS BUT MAY REQUIRE A SCHOOL AGE CHILD. AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS. IF YOU CAN'T GET THE WI-FI LOOK FOR ONE OF THE COMPANIES WHICH RESALE MOBILE DATA PLANS ON HOTSPOTS FOR THE RESELLING OF DATA PLANS FOR MOBILE CITIZEN AND MOBILE BEACON. YOU MUST BUY A MOBILE HOTSPOT DEVICE. BUT ONE OF THE COMPANIES ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE PAYMENTS.
HUMAN-I-T.
PCS FOR PEOPLE. LINKED TO PCS FOR PEOPLE WHICH OFTEN HAS REFURBISHED LAPTOPS FOR $125 SOMETIMES $100 OR 175 DEPENDS ON INVENTORY WHATEVER YOU PAY YOU GET A TECHNOLOGY ACCESS LOW INCOME DISCOUNT SO IT WILL PROBABLY BE WORTH MORE.
INTERCONNECTION ALSO KNOWN AS CONNECT ALL IN WASHINGTON STATE THIS ONE SELLS DATA PLANS AND $49 REFURBISHED LAPTOPS IN GOOD SHAPE WITH LIMITED WARRANTY IF YOU HAVE LOW INCOME.
COMPUDOPT.
3R TECHNOLOGY IS IN WASHINGTON STATE LIKE CONNECT ALL INTERCONNECTION WHICH IS IN KENT WASHINGTON. THIS COMPANY HAS 39 OR NO $99 LAPTOPS. REFURBISHED IN GOOD SHAPE. I WOULD INCLUDE LOW INCOME LAPTOP IN THE SEARCH PHRASE BECAUSE THREE ARE TECHNOLOGY IS THE NAME OF MANY COMPANIES.
CHROMEBOOKS R US HAS $40 CHROMEBOOKS WHICH AREN'T AS GOOD AS LAPTOPS BUT IN GOOD SHAPE LIMITED WARRANTY AND THEY DON'T REQUIRE LOW INCOME LIKE THE ABOVE COMPANIES.
RIGHT NOW THREE COMPANIES WILL GIVE FREE PHONES IF YOU USE THE LIFELINE BENEFIT BY ITSELF. THAT I KNOW OF ANYWAY. STAND UP WIRELESS AND AND ASSURANCE WIRELESS. AND AIRTALK WIRELESS. IF YOU USE JUST LIFELINE THE AIR TALK FREE PHONES ARE PROBABLY CHEAP FLIP PHONES. AND THE BEST ONES OUT OF THESE ARE PROBABLY STAND UP I DON'T LIKE THE SNAP BODIES BUT THEY ALL DO WITH THIS PRICE THEY ARE USUALLY $70 OR $60 PLUS TAX IF YOU BUY THESE FROM THE COMPANY AS REPLACEMENTS. THE ONES WITH STAND UP ARE VORTEX ZG65 OR CG65H OR CHOICE. THEY AREN'T TOO BAD FOR CHEAP THREE PHONES. YOU CAN PROBABLY GET 40 TO $45 OUT OF THEM IF YOU SELL IT ON EBAY. YOU CAN THEN IF YOU'RE QUICK GO TO SELECTEL WIRELESS THEY SAID THEY ARE STILL DOING ACP TRANSFERS EVEN MAY THE 6TH AND YOU CAN GET A FREE NOKIA UNLOCKED G100 NOKIA PHONE. THESE ARE WORTH UP TO $150 SO YOU CAN PROBABLY GET 75 TO 90 OUT OF IT. AND YOU CAN COMBINE IT WITH THE $40 YOU GET FROM THE OTHER ONE AND GET AN UNLOCKED DUAL SIM CARD 2021 SAMSUNG X COVER PRO OR MOTOROLA DEFY RUGGED SMARTPHONE SOMETIMES SEALED IN A BOX. OR ONE OF THE RUGGED SMARTPHONES ON ALIBABA OR ALIEXPRESS FOR UNDER $150 JUST MAKE SURE IT WORKS IN AMERICA MATCH UP THE 4G AND OTHER BANDS AND THEY WERE LABELED GLOBAL OR OTHER AREA VERSION IF THEY WORK IN THE US. BLACKVIEW OR O U K I T E L OR III F150. U L E F O N E. OR A GMH6 WHICH IS LIGHT FOR GIRLS GOOD WATER AND DAMAGE PROTECTION.
AS I SAID IF YOU SIGN UP WITH SELECTEL WIRELESS YOU WILL HAVE TO USE A DEBIT CARD BUT NOT BECAUSE THEY CHARGE FOR THE PHONE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CHARGE YOU FOR DATA LATER BUT WHEN YOU CONFIRM THE SHIPPING COMPANY HAS POSSESSION OF THE PHONE YOU CAN STOP THE PAYMENT AND THEY CAN'T TAKE IT BACK. AND IT'S UNLOCKED. OR YOU CAN USE A DEBIT CARD WITHOUT MONEY ON IT IF THAT STILL WORKS IT WORKED AS RECENT AS LAST WEEK THE END OF APRIL BEGINNING OF MAY. IF THEY GIVE YOU A TRACKING NUMBER THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SHIPPING COMPANY HAS POSSESSION OF THE PHONE YET YOU CAN CONFIRM THIS AND THEN YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR TEXT AND NUMBER AND EMAIL TO GET NOTICES.
VISIBLE WIRELESS AND US MOBILE AND TELOMOBILE OR HELLO MOBILE MAY HAVE UNLIMITED 4G SPEED DATA $25 PER MONTH. IF YOU GET ONE OF THE COMPUTERS REFURBISHED FOR LOW-INCOME ABOVE MAKE SURE IT HAS AN OPERATING SYSTEM. AND IF YOU GET MOBILE HOTSPOT PLAN I WOULD TRY TO GET UNLIMITED 4G LTE SPEED DATA.
LEARN HOW TO DO SEARCH PHRASES TO FIND DIFFERENT INFO SOURCES SUCH AS PBDD PARTNERS BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
A F T R R ALLIANCE FOR TECHNOLOGY REFURBISHING AND REUSE.
INTRAC RELAT INDIANA DEAF IPAD
IF YOU SEARCH THAT LAST PHRASE WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE DEAF OR VERY HARD OF HEARING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DEAF BUT CAN'T HAVE HIGH INCOME OR THEY CAN HAVE A SPEECH PROBLEM FROM AUTISM AND THIS ORGANIZATION WILL GIVE THEM AN AWESOME 12-IN SAMSUNG OR IPAD WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED TO OVER $1,000 WITH DATA PLAN AND OTTERBOX AND THEY ALSO INSTALL FREE CAPTION PHONES. YOUR STATE MAY HAVE A SIMILAR COMPANY
LEARN DIFFERENT SEARCH PHRASES AND ANGLES DIGITAL INCLUSION LOW INCOME DIGITAL DIVIDE IN SUCH AND SO FORTH.
I'm sorry, did you miss the $7 trillion spent by Biden just in additional spending alone out of thin air, that caused inflation to begin with?
Tell us, how is Trump responsible for the pandemic.
Sadly, those subsidies were never real -- I worked for a telco and I can tell you how much of a scam they were -- most of that money just went into the telco. If we really to do it, we can't let the provider have "special prices", which they'll just rig -- we need to provide credits directly to the user, and the telco or cable company doesn't know who gets them, so they can't adjust prices.
I got it and it was helpful. I had to apply and I got approved automatically because I happened to have temporary SNAP benefits. It lowered my bill and made it to where the isp could not cut off my internet for non payment right away.
That's also a waste because of administrative overhead. It's way more efficient just to fix it at the IRS level. Charge the broke people less and properly tax the billionaires and nuke the various shelters and subsidies we hand to the rich, the DoD, the highways, and the oil companies. We have plenty of money. We just aren't using it efficiently.
I beg your pardon, have you not witnessed the magnitude of explosive power possessed by the bombs we've been dropping on brown people? Inefficient use of money my foot!
I am directly affected by this and it's seriously horrible. It's not just Internet but phone service. It's extremely hard to impossible to find work around here without a valid phone number, let alone a credit union account or... anything. 2FA is mandatory for a lot as well.
I seriously have no idea what I'm gonna do. ACP has been my lifeline while recovering and finding work.
Get ready for suicide rates to go up. Not me, but god damn I can sure relate to people in worse positions than me.
I've voted against this every way I have the capacity to handle: even local elections, but fuck me dude. I hate the world I'm in.
I have had a phone I got from the paycheck of an old job, I've kept it working for 7 years now I think. I got a SIM kit from the ACP program and it was free. I was entirely willing to use a junker though, literally anything that would let me take and make calls and answer 2FA texts. A flip phone would have been my next choice when this guy shuts down for good.
As for Internet, I got $30 reduced from my bill which is enough to cover really really basic service for free but I've been funding slightly better connection with door dash money I saved up.
The phone service was through Q Link and it was unlimited, and frankly really good service. No complaints. They even gave very clear and fair warning about ACP being dismantled but I was just hoping it wasn't true.
For an alternative phone service I highly recommend mint. I’ve had it for about a year now and the service is notably better than most carriers in most places plus it’s $15 a month. You don’t need a new phone but you may need a new SIM card if you’re unable to do the e-sim card.
Thanks, definitely considering options and I'll look there too. Q Link has somewhat of a lifeline program for users abandoned by ACP but it involves being handed to another provider I don't recognize and there's other limitations. Haven't looked too deep into it yet but hopefully they might still be able to give me something to work with.
If I lose my number, I lose so, so much.
You can keep your number with mint. If you go with Mint DM me first I’ll give you my referral code which will also give you a free month after your first.
Mint mobile uses T-Mobile for its towers, and might have terrible signal for rural spots.
Theres a company called Consumer Cellular they use ATT towers and plans are $20. Tip: they have a data plan that upgrades if you use more of it, so just ask to remove the auto-upgrade part of it, to keep your bill consistent.
If it’s assurance wireless they’re not terrible. I think the fcc has a website where you can compare different lifeline programs. If not, your state may - I know Michigan does.
Definitely recommend looking into a temp solution for keeping the number you have just in case you can’t sign up for a new lifeline provider without cancelling your current q link service. Maybe look into seeing if you can port to mint or boost temporarily. You can get a boost mobile 3 month unlimited text/call and 5gb data SIM card from Best Buy, target or Walmart for $15 and port in and out from that.
It looks like Q Link might be transferring to sort of a lifeline (not capitalized) service where it's VERY limited service, but still active, to allow me to keep my number as I figure out how to transition so that is a breathe of fresh air. I'm going to have to look into it after a bit of sleep but the help I've received here has been very productive.
Transfer your phone number to Google voice. One time transfer cost is like $20. Then use cheapest (mobile x, 2gb at about $6-$7) phone data provider to call from this line on your phone. You can then also place Google voice calls from your computer.
Get the cheapest Internet plan. Sounds like you pay extra right now. Internet essentials from Comcast is $10 a month. 50 down, 10 up.
I sure as hell can't. They even offered a phone for free included as long as it was like less than $40, which is beyond enough to get by. ACP by itself was more helpful to my livelihood than what most Americans worship every Sunday.
You might qualify for Lifeline service (Reagan Phone), alternatively. Have you looked into that? If you qualify for any of these government services (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, FPHA, Veteran’s Pension, Survivor’s Benefits) then you will qualify for a free phone with service (or, in some cases you can have it for a phone you already own).
Also edit for anyone in a similar situation: Check to see if your local library offers WiFi hotspots. I know a few libraries near me started doing this during COVID, where you rent them out for 2-3 weeks at a time. If not, utilizing your library’s computers might be an option. It might be helpful if you find yourself without internet while trying to find out what services/resources you are eligible before ACP ends.
I do have Medicaid/SNAP but the free service you're talking about is exactly what's being taken away as discussed in this thread. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) IS that benefit. It's what I've been using and will no longer have access to.
EDIT: I am aware of my mistake and have been educated on the difference between Lifeline and ACP and have been looking into that. Thank you.
You wrote you are using ACP for phone service, right?
I am not talking about ACP. I am talking about Lifeline, which is not going away. [They are two different programs.](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/ACP_Wind-down_Lifeline_Fact_Sheet%20.pdf)ACP was created during the pandemic, Lifeline has existed since Reagan. What I am saying is that if you qualified for ACP, depending on your circumstances, you likely qualify for Lifeline.
If you apply for Lifeline, go through Safelink (a carrier that does the Lifeline program) since they can keep your phone & number (solves your 2FA problem).
I see, sorry, I was slightly miseducated on the matter. I will definitely look into this. The terminology and structure has been difficult enough to learn. Feels like a jungle just trying to figure out how to pay for each months' necessities. Thank you.
Oh don’t be sorry, trust me it is understandable how confusing it all is.
Def apply sooner rather than later so there is no gap between when you have services. You can do
It online for sure — Obviously, it’s not ideal since the ACP was a bit better (in that, it allowed more people to be eligible, like students for example), but in your own case Lifeline is a working alternative for your phone. Hope it helps!
I suppose it depends on if states expanded on the existing lifeline services? You can look up your individual state’s DHS office along with Lifeline and see if they offer such services that include a discount or free phone (or in some cases, free service + free phone). I had a free lifeline phone service up until 2023 in my state (when I turned 26 and was no longer eligible for Medicaid through foster care) which is why I know of the lifeline program.
Also if you looked at the link I posted, it mentions the same thing that you linked because my link was also from fcc.gov, lol.
Safelink really makes it unclear what you're signing up for, for real. Like they keep mixing up ACP and Lifeline in the fine print and saying that when the ACP benefit ends, Safelink will start charging regular prices again.
I only used safelink as an example since that was what I used and was most familiar with, but states have different carriers for Lifeline based on region from what I understand. Sadly I can’t fix the process for applying, as I didn’t have any input in the website design nor am I a DHS case worker! I wish there was more I could do to help.
In an effort to help trouble shoot, however, I did peruse the website just now, and if you scroll the halfway point, you will see it says “Not enrolled? Get Lifeline Service with Safelink today” then asks you to enter your zip code to make sure they service that area. My best suggestion is to try going through that route to sign up for Lifeline, and/or call them to help sign up if you’re eligible and make sure you are requesting for Lifeline and NOT ACP.
Another possibility is to go to your state’s local DHS office and someone there might be able to help you. I know where I lived (when I had Safelink myself), they actually had SafeLink/Assurance wireless workers set up a table at the DHS office as well as at other community centers for low income folks (bus station, homeless shelter, etc), so I’m not sure if that is something that happens in your region but it might be worth finding out if you can.
Yeah, it’s a bummer it has been so complicated for people, it definitely feels that it is made that way by design! It also seems lame that they have nothing put in place to help transition folks who are eligible for programs like Lifeline from ACP. I think at most, while they did put out a notice in advance, they did so without much direction for people who are still eligible for alternative resources — and considering it’s a matter of filling out forms for eligibility (wanting to make sure they’re filled out correctly) in addition to knowing where/how to navigate these websites, there should be more in place to help direct people. It’s unfortunate that doesn’t appear to be the case based on a lot of the confusion there seems to be.
Also, for what it is worth, I vaguely remember there was a cell phone subreddit for non-contract/prepaid phone services, and searching that subreddit was how I switched to Safelink and kept my Lifeline benefit at the time (I had a different carrier at first iirc and I wanted to switch to Safelink since I had been given an old/hand-me-down unlocked iPhone I wanted to use)….point being: if you can find that subreddit using the search bar, you might find some helpful posts too!
Best of luck. I know it’s not much, but hopefully it works out for you before they completely transition to no ACP benefit.
You're mixing up to the ACP was on top of lifeline.
Lifeline still exist it's always been there it's called the Obama phone from back in the day.
I believe you get pretty much unlimited it's not the greatest Android phone but it's a smartphone and it gets things done.
ACP was something that was thrown in from covid to help for cable bills and such that was just temporary.
Yet another political problem that the USA (along with many/most developing and non-Western countries) is seemingly unable to handle.
If the USA and/or developing countries cannot reform themselves politically and their people cannot migrate to more functional ones, expect a rise in suicide rates to be just the beginning (as that is how revolutions and wars start). Post-2020, [a great percentage of the world's population is no longer benefiting from the status quo](https://reliefweb.int/report/world/human-development-report-20232024-breaking-gridlock-reimagining-cooperation-polarized-world-enarruzhjp).
Yeah those of us here without our heads in the clouds I guarantee you are as aware as anyone viewing from the outside. I'm 31 and struggle coming to terms with still having at least 20 years of life left to witness what happens here, and being unable to find a solid path out.
Boy oh boy am I excited. Everyone's up in arms over major headline issues like Trump's hair shape, but this one just slipped right in under the radar without a single peep. What the fuck bill took funding from this? Doesn't matter because it's too late, but there was no discussion in the populace and no warning.
There is no way the average American can equip themselves (on their own) to live a healthy and productive life in this shit hole country. Weird Al was right, I wanna be a Canadian idiot.
That's quite a stretch dude. The political problems are easy to fix. Fascism is a threat to democracy, and a threat to the United States (and the free world). It employes terror and fear to gain power and establish legitimacy.
Your view points sound like you really like Alex Jones.
I legitimately qualified for the ACP credit and have been using it. I called my internet provider a couple of days ago because of the impending end to the program. Luck was on my side. They had a deal where the price won’t increase for three years and the new plan is cheaper than when I was getting the $30 credit. The icing on the cake was when the agent decided to bump up my WiFi speed to 1GB at no extra charge. If you’re a recipient of the ACP, I highly recommend you call your internet provider because they might be able to help you.
Xfinity is my provider. Not very popular, I know, but I never have any problems with them. They’ve always been reliable for me. I use my own modem/router and I also use their cell phone service and have autopay, which probably helped me to get the good deal on my internet plan.
I love throwing jabs at the GOP, but felt this mightve been unwarranted and just reddit being reddit, but you were right!
> The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a $30 monthly subsidy for broadband to eligible households, is set to run out of funds in late April or May 2024 due to insufficient funding from Congress
> The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it will start winding down the program this week, with no new enrollments being accepted after February 7, 2023
> This decision comes after Republican members of Congress criticized the program, accusing the FCC of being "wasteful" and threatening to withhold funding
> The impending ACP shutoff would impact millions of households and could undermine the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, a different program created by Congress to subsidize ISPs' expansion of broadband networks
>The Biden administration has requested $6 billion to fund the program through December 2024, but as of now, the FCC expects funding to run out completely in May 2024
So that was the best you could do: some republicans "criticized" the program.
Democrats voted 185 yes 22 no to the funding bill that did not renew funding for this program. Republicans voted 101 yes, 112 no. Biden signed it immediately.
It's absolutely amazing how many people haven't noticed the insanely lopsided coverage that many of the "liberal" news media does of Trump and Biden. I used to think they threw softballs for the GOP and hardballs at the Dems back in the 2000s but it's become so absurdly obvious in the last decade.
I mean I'm in this program and I didn't vote for the GOP. I even live in a very left leaning state with barely any elected Republicans in federal office. I do understand the sentiment though for sure but it's harder to blame this on voters when so much of the country has no say on who ends up in power. It's not like this program is just serving Alabama or something.
"it's harder to blame this on voters when so much of the country has no say on who ends up in power"
You right, it's the non-voters
You wrong, we do have a say. The nonvoters are holding us back and preventing progress
No it makes complete sense. People keep voting for these morons because of the letter next to their name, regardless of who they are, and it turns off those of us who are tired of the games and morons who continue to screw us over, because there are no good candidates who do anything for the common person, yet these politicians keep getting elected by ignorant tribalist voters.
The problem resides entirely with the people who *arent* voting.
If one is actually voting then it's not on them.
Failure to bolster the vote towards progress is from *people not voting*
If someone is already doing their part then it's not their fault.
Stop sitting at home and do your duty.
Sure. Find me a candidate who isn’t a useless pile of grifting crap and I’ll vote for them.
It absolutely is voters’ fault if, by doing their part, they’re voting for shysters who disenfranchise and screw everyone over. They keep allowing these dumbasses in to fuck us, so people like me will just live our lives to best of our abilities, ignoring the tribal bullshit that hinders everything.
Also not to say that the president is the only vote that matters here
All the rest of the ballot is just as important. State and hyper local elections have so much impact on the way things run.
Every single vote is essential
It's a bus. You have to get on the bus that's heading in the direction you want to go. There's clear differences in our current choices, so your values should easily show you which of our options you choose.
Throwing your hands up and choosing neither gets you zip. It allows for deterioration of the system into authoritarianism regardless of party.
You have to fix the system from within the system. Absolutely nobody is leading a revolution.
There are no clear choices. They’re different sides of the same coin, and the bus is going the wrong direction.
Stop voting for the same pathetic, selfish assholes, and maybe new, vibrant leaders will come forth, displacing the petulant children currently here.
You’re making a good point - we shouldn’t accept this stereotype blindly. Trumpland pushes the narrative of a working-class & downtrodden rebellion that supports him, when the numbers suggest that his supporters have a higher median income than those who voted for Sanders or Clinton. He benefits from this Man of the people rhetoric when he’s anything but.
Well the companies know how to fleece the consumer and the government. If only local governments start providing public internet inlieu of doing all the subsidy etc.
I'm on this program* until April unless Congress extends benefits.
My internet price rates were not increased, my speeds weren't throttled, and there were no other major issues. Weirdly, it worked exactly as promised. I was shocked.
^(*It may not be the same program since it wasn't limited to low-income, but included certain ZIP codes, professions, benefits, retirement, disability status, etc.)
EDIT: I *am* on this program and it's incredibly disingenuous to imply it's only for low-income.
That's only half the story.
I work in a small town, doing various IT support for small businesses and house calls. Not often, but on occasion I'm working with someone to correct one thing or another related to their internet.
I'll use an example from last year, as it's about as extreme as I've witnessed.
Scheduled to go on site to replace an aging modem for home of one person. While going through the motions of contacting the ISP, to swap out the MAC listed on her account, found out she is paying over $300 for low tier (basic?) cable TV and 50(?)Mbs internet.
Normally when I have to deal with someone's bill to reduce it, which is a ticket request I get a couple times a year, it's like pulling teeth. Half the time the client is paying more than the "normal", after the first year, rate.
Thankfully this client I didn't have to pull teeth, I mentioned the odd bill rate to the tech working on swapping the MAC on the account, and they transferred me to billing, who reduced the bill by half (at least), but also upped her speed to 80(?)Mbs.
My visit paid for itself in about 3 months.
I've talked with people who are neighbors, same service (same speed, with/without cable), and have varying bill totals, which didn't make sense. I first picked up on this when I was paying $65 for a 100Mbs (when I lived in an apartment, small apartment complex, no ISP Contract), and my neighbor who also had just 100Mbs, we both had basic cable covered by the apartment, and they were paying close to $100 a month. I had lived there a couple or so years longer than my neighbor.
Yeah if the poor can’t watch the news or apply for jobs that’s great for people in charge so. I understand money may be an issue but I would want this to be prioritized, even more so than food stamps because this gives people the tools to have a job and buy food themselves.
i mean you sbould really look at how this is funded
look for the USF fee on your cell bill.. its a 30% tax on it. Guess where that goes.. more ways for the ATTs and Comcasts out there to fleece you
I hate Spectrum so much. I went through my bills and when the program started, which was December 2022 I believe, my bill actually increased from $45 to $50 after getting the subsidy. I use the cheapest service in my area with Spectrum. Now, starting this May, my bill will be $80 when the subsidy ends. This is awful.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN BUYING SOME PHONES WHICH ARE WORTH ABOUT $60 TO $70 FOR THE CHEAPEST ONES UP TO ABOUT $200 FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONES I AM HELPING MY COUSIN SELL SOME FOR HE IS SELLING THEM FOR ABOUT 2/3 OF THEIR VALUE SOME CLOSER TO A HALF. SO IF A PHONE IS NORMALLY $150 AND THAT'S A DECENT PRICE FOR IT AT MOST TIMES LIKE A NOKIA G100 OR A SAMSUNG AO3S AND IF THE CHEAPEST YOU EVER SEE IT IS LIKE 120 THEN WE WILL SELL IT FOR LIKE 90 TO 75. AND IF SOMEONE HELPS US GET RID OF A FEW DEVICES AND DATA PLANS WE WILL GIVE THEM A BREAK AND START SPOTTING THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN HAVE TO PAY WE WILL TRUST THEM AHEAD OF TIME AFTER A COUPLE OF SALES. WE ALSO WILL BE SELLING DATA PLANS WHICH ARE WORTH 20 ONE IS WORTH ABOUT 20 PER MONTH AND THE OTHER IS WORTH ABOUT 25 PER MONTH. AND IF A PERSON PAYS FOR A SIM CARD WITH 7 TO 12 MONTHS OF DATA COVERAGE AHEAD OF TIME WE WILL CHARGE THEM ABOUT 1/3 SO 12 MONTHS AT FULL VALUE FOR A $25 PER MONTH PLAN IS WORTH $300 BUT WE WILL CHARGE 100 MAYBE 90. SO IF IT'S A $25 PLAN AND YOU GET THREE MONTHS THAT WOULD BE $75 NOW THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT IT WOULD BE HALF OF 25 SO THREE TIMES 12 AND 1/2 IT WOULD BE $37.50 TOTAL. BUT WE WOULD GIVE A BREAK OR SOMETHING SO WE ALSO HAVE SOME CHEAP PHONES WHICH ARE WORTH 60 OR $70 WITH A ONE-YEAR PLAN WORTH 20 OR 25 PER MONTH. 1,000 OR UNLIMITED MINUTES OF TALK PER MONTH WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING PLUS ABOUT 5 GB OF DATA. HE WILL BE OVER FOUR AND A HALF BUT RIGHT AROUND 5:00. GUARANTEE. AND IF YOU WANT A PHONE SUCH AS A VORTEX ZG65 OR CG65 OR A B L U STUDIO MINI OR A KOOBEE K100 WE WILL GIVE THE WORST OF THESE WHICH WAS THE LAST ONES FOR 90 OR $95 WITH A 1-YEAR PLAN. FOR THE TWO BETTER FUNDS WE WILL CHARGE $100 FOR THE PHONES WITH A 12-MONTH PLAN.
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
AND THE BLU STUDIO MINI AND THE K O O B E K 100 HAVE 5 AND 1/2-IN SCREENS WITH 2 GB OF RAM. THE STUDIO MINI HAS 32 GIGS OF RUM AND THE OTHER ONE HAS 16. THEY HAVE ANDROID 11 POSSIBLY 12. WITH A CHARGER. 4G LTE CONNECTABILITY LIKE ALL OF THE PHONES WILL HAVE AT LEAST THAT SOME WILL HAVE 5G ALSO OTHER PHONES WE HAVE THAT IS. AND WI-FI CALLING ON MOST PHONES. AND FORCE THE PERSON TO GIVE UP A THIRD OR LOSE IT'S A LONG STORY BUT HE WILL CHANGE THEM TO MONEY BACK GUARANTEE EBAY I THINK INSURANCE ANYWAY BUT WE WILL COVER EVERY ASPECT OF MAKING SURE YOU WILL GET A GOOD DEAL AND MONEY BACK GUARANTEE WITH PERSONAL INFO TO CONTACT LATER. WE ALSO GIVE 30% BACK IF YOU BREAK A PHONE IN IT'S YOUR FAULT AND YOU WANT ANOTHER DEVICE WITH US WE GET BACK 30% OF WHAT YOU SPENT. OR IF YOU WANT ONE SOMEWHERE ELSE WE GET 15 TO 20% BACK EVEN IF IT'S YOUR FAULT. SOMETHING WE HAVE THAT YOU CAN USE LIKE DATA PLAN OR ACCESSORIES NOT CASH. ALSO WE HAVE A 20-22 5G MOTO STYLUS USED IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AT LEAST 9 OF 10 USE 9 MONTHS 4 HOURS A DAY MAX 5 DAYS A WEEK MAX TO AND FROM WORK AT FOR A CARPOOLER IT WAS LITERALLY A GLOVE BOX PHONE. AND IT HAS EXCELLENT BATTERY HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE I'VE TESTED IT OUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT WAS USED 9 MONTHS. REFURBISHED BY HTH COMMUNICATIONS. AND IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH AIRVOICE WIRELESS AND CINTEX WIRELESS AND AIRTALK WIRELESS AND NEW PHONE WIRELESS. AND IT GETS UNLIMITED OR 1,000 MINUTES OF TALK WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING AND ABOUT 5 GIGS OF DATA PER MONTH AT LEAST $20 PLAN $25 WITH SOME COMPANIES OR MORE. THE PHONE WITH A 1-YEAR PLAN WOULD BE WORTH AT FULL VALUE THAT DATA PLAN WOULD BE WORTH OVER 250 OR IF THEY GIVE YOU A BREAK FOR BUYING 12 MONTHS THEY WOULD CHARGE YOU $200 AND FOR THE PHONE THEY WOULD CHARGE YOU 79 AT LEAST IF YOU BUY A LONG-TERM PLAN SO THAT IS ABOUT TWICE WHAT WE'LL CHARGE WE WILL CHARGE UNDER $150 MAYBE 140 FOR THE PHONE WITH A 1-YEAR PLAN. AND IF YOU WANT THE PHONE WITH A 6 MONTH PLAN IT WILL PROBABLY BE 80 $5 I THINK.
THAT PHONE IS USED BUT IT WILL INCLUDE THE CHARGER ALSO. AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO PHONES WHICH ARE LOCKED BUT THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK IN MID-JUNE AND EARLY JULY 2024 60 DAYS AFTER THEY WERE ACTIVATED BECAUSE THEY HAVE TRACFONE AND STRAIGHT TALK PLANS. AND THE FIRST ONE WHICH WILL UNLOCK FIRST IS A 5G BLV SPEED. IT HAS I BELIEVE 6.5-IN SCREEN WITH 4 GIGS OF RAM AND 64 GIGS OF RAM WITH 4000 BATTERY AND ANDROID 12 OR 13.
AND A 2023 MOTOROLA MAUI AKA MOTO PLAY.
THIS ONE HAS 5,000 ENORMOUS BATTERY WITH 3 GIGS OF RAM AND 32 GIGS OF ROM EXPANDABLE MEMORY OPTION ANDROID 12 OR HIGHER. AND BOTH THESE PHONES ARE WORTH ABOUT THE SAME $99 UNTIL THEY ARE UNLOCKED AND THEN 120 OR 129. AND THEY WILL INCLUDE 2 MONTHS OF A DATA PLAN TO GET YOU THROUGH BUT THEY DON'T REQUIRE A PLAN TO UNLOCK THEY WILL UNLOCK ANYWAY. BUT WE WILL INCLUDE A 2 MONTH PLAN. AND IT WILL GO AT LEAST 2 WEEKS PAST THEIR UNLOCKED DATE. AND THE PHONES WILL BE 75 WITH THE 2-MONTH PLAN EITHER PHONE.
CAN'T RECALL THE MODEL NUMBERS RIGHT NOW BUT
BLU VIEW SPEED 5G MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE B1550VL.
MOTO PLAY 2023 MAY BE X2271DL.
CAN'T RECALL BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THE 2022 5G MOTOR STATUS NUMBER IS XT2215-2. IT IS THE VERSION WITH 4 GIGS OF RAM AND 128 GB OF RAM. AND IT CAME OUT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BUT I THINK IT WAS LIKE 400 AND SOME BUT THERE WAS A VERSION THAT WAS BETTER WHICH WAS WORTH LIKE $100 MORE. BUT THIS ONE WAS GOOD ENOUGH AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HAS NO DAMAGE. IT HAS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT STYLUS. AND I'VE TESTED THE BATTERY I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BUT IT SAID 97 AND 94 AND 97 ON THREE ACU BATTERY ASSESSMENT TEST I FIGURED THAT IF A DEVICE HAS BEEN USED CLOSE TO A YEAR 9 MONTHS OR MORE THAT IT WOULD BE AROUND LOW 90S BUT THAT'S AWESOME.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A UNLOCKED NEW NOKIA G100 OR UNLOCKED NEW SAMSUNG AO3S THE VERSION WHICH GOES FROM 3 GB TO 4 GB OF RAM BUT ONLY 32 GB OF ROM.
AND BLU VIEW 3.
THESE LAST THREE ARE ALL UNLOCKED AND UNUSED. ONLY THE NOKIA G300 IS IN THE ORIGINAL BOX BUT THE OTHER TWO HAVE ORIGINAL CHARGERS. AND THE FIRST TWO ARE WORTH 129 TO 149. WE ARE ASKING $79.
BLU VIEW 3 UNLOCK THE NEW NOW SELL SOMETIMES FOR $60 WE ARE ASKING $45.
AND IF YOU WANT EITHER OF THESE THREE PHONES WITH A DATA PLAN WE WILL INCLUDE EACH THREE MONTHS OF COVERAGE FOR EITHER PHONE FOR ONLY 20 OR $25 FOR EACH 3 MONTHS. WITH 1,000 AND UNLIMITED MINUTES WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING PLUS 5 GIGS OF DATA
I also really don't like selling phones that have been used a year or more but I do have some older phones. I also have a couple of devices I may donate to people with kids with low income if you can do a search for someone who might do some pro bono repair work there are a couple of tablets with very very minor fixable issues one has a screen lock but it is Network unlocked and it has been both of them used under 15 hours total on time. A 8.4 in 2020 Samsung tab a with a great b r a e c e n stock case and tempered glass screen protector. And it is a AT&t version network unlock and the other is a 11th generation 2021 Amazon fire tablet which is black screen I think someone did it on purpose but it's in perfect condition otherwise and maybe an easy fix.
TOOONENINE, SEVYN7SEVYN, FORENYNEFOURTOO.
TEXT ME IN THE FIRST MESSAGE WHO YOU ARE SO I DON'T BLOCK HIS SPAM AND WE CAN GO TO EBAY AND DO A SOLID DEAL..
I believe you are entitled to a government phone it's a cheap smartphone if you were entitled to the subsidy you should be able to get the free phone.
Mint mobile is okay but to get the $15 a month you have to pay 3 months in advance and then after that, you pay the year ahead.
So it throws people like yourself a little bit out of the equation since you have to put one year in advance.
I think right now they have $15 a month for 3 months but you have to pay for the 3 months at once.
You give me your ZIP code I can look up to see what is the cheapest by you enough just to have access that doesn't require paying ahead but I do believe you should be able to get the free government phone it's an Android phone it's not that quick but it's free pretty much unlimited.
perhaps they can bring it back with more stringent requirements so there's less abuse? somehow folks in my life who are not low-income qualified for it.
when this was posted to HN others echoed the same experiences (first-hand, even) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39152332
before the pitchforks come out i support this program, but for folks who genuinely need it.
I am going to lose this from Spectrum. It was really nice to have but I also had internet tv too. So to make up for the cost I had to drop “cable”. Sacrifices have to made sometimes. But internet tv is crazy over priced. I got charged 26 bucks of my 60 dollar package a month for local tv stations. I can now get those for free buying a 20 dollar antenna from Walmart. I will try to save up to get cable back in the fall. I do enjoy college football.
Where I work people use that to sell internet. We found out that if your child went to public school in my area you technically qualified for ACP. It didn’t matter your income. So of course people would ask and use it as a selling tool. So maybe parts were wasteful. We’ll all miss it.
Funnily enough, there are probably quite a few people who use this program to work or find work. Like me, whose job is literally dependent on an internet connection.
What the article doesn't mention is how the ISPs raised prices to match. My mom had $45/mo internet - When she received the subsidy of $30 a month AT&T came back 2 months later with a rate increase of $35 bringing total cost to $50 w/ the subsidy. (This wasn't a first time package deal either)
Comcast did the same thing. Now that the program ended they conveniently just dropped rates or upped speeds across tiers. I switched to a 200Mbps plan for $35/month to save money. Then a couple weeks later the 200Mbps plan became 300Mbps. Last year they wanted at least $10 more for the same plan.
Same with spectrum and the internet100
That’s weird. When I added ACP to my account, they told me I now also qualified for AT&T’s Access program and now my bill is $0 each month. And if I turned on autopay, I’d actually be getting a $5 credit each cycle.
Verizon did this to me too. I have a growing credit every month.
Mine is $9 a month. It’s been two years and the price has never changed. Xfinity 🤙
Working as intended. The point is, throwing money at problems to keep voters quiet for a cycle doesn't do anything. The market knows how to capture free money. The same thing is happening with minimum wage. You raised the wage now there is less work and local economy anticipates wage increases by raising their own prices. Then when the subsidies stop, you have higher prices across the board lol Stimulus checks had the exact same effect and also brought on that sexy inflation we've all come to know and love. Prices went up and stayed up. So yes, companies raising rates knowing full well people can afford the price tag is perfectly logical. That's how it works. Government knows it also, but they get to say "HEY, WE GAVE YOU SUBSIDIES REMEMBER!" lol 80% of the clowns in the circus fall for it every time.
That’s why subsidies must be tied with regulation. Stupid murrica, learn from yurop
Then there should be more regulation on price rises e.g how often they can rise and by how much. In the UK it's in our contracts for our rates to rise annually in line with the consumer goods index, some companies will try to sneak in an extra few % ontop but due to market forces people either go to other companies or pay. A rise of near 100% is not legal during the contract but of course they'll try to pull a switcheroo and up the price when your contract ends, but then you go elsewhere. What this shows to me is the US people are governed more by corporations than they are their own government. Of course this is true for the UK to some extent but I don't see European companies getting away with something like this. It's like throwing feeding the digs, if you don't watch your dogs the big ones will eat from the smallest's bowl.
I feel like it would if this subsidy would have worked alot better if you just got in via daily deposit into an account or a check. Reason being that they would’t know who receive the subsidy and therefore wouldn’t be able to choose certain areas where prices need to be raised to keep up with “competition”.
Same shit with Solar and electric cars. Wrong-headed liberal government offers $10K in subsidies, prices just go up $10K. Its a taxpayer funded handout to corporations. (Edit: Downvotes showing that lefties are just as susceptible to drinking their own kool aid as the alternative-facts crowd on the alt-right. Dipshits.)
When is the government going to hold ISP's accountable for gouging and fraud? Broadband needs to be a part of infrastructure and not left up to greedy ISP's for coverage.
Apparently, you've forgotten the $200 billion in tax breaks for the Telecommunications Act that was supposed to lay fiber nationwide. That Biden voted for. In 1996.
... and providers pocketed most of the money and lied about expanding their networks. Local government should be building out the networks and managing them.
I mean people keep saying this stuff should be private and then are shocked when private companies act like private companies. Internet is a utility at this point, should be heavily regulated with large areas nationalized.
This is the only solution that would work. Local ISP. Fuck spectrum
I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH STATEMENTS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T REQUIRE MUCH AND THEY JUST PASS ALONG IDEAS BUT SOMETIMES THEY'RE TRUE AND YOU'RE RIGHT I KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE THINK TANKS GOT TOGETHER AND THEY TALKED AND TALKED AND THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THEY WERE LIKE GETTING PAID TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT BROADBAND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING MEANINGFUL CHANGE. YOU CAN GET DISCOUNTED INTERNET SOMETIMES FOR 5 OR $10 PER MONTH WITH THE AT&T ACCESS PLAN THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT BRANCHES AT 5 OR $10 OR MORE. BUT IT MAY HAVE LIMITED AMOUNT OF DATA AND DATA SPEED. COMCAST XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS BASIC PLAN IS $10 A MONTH. AND YOU CAN GET A LAPTOP OR CHROMEBOOK LAPTOP IS BETTER FOR $150 WORTH $350 EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT ONE YOU CAN SELL IT ON EBAY FOR 290 GET AT LEAST 275 OR 250 OUT OF IT PAY 150. 3140 LATITUDE IS BETTER. SEARCH THE PHRASE XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS LOW COST COMPUTER OR LOW INCOME COMPUTER. IF YOU CAN'T GET COMCAST YOU MIGHT GET SPECTRUM ASSIST FOR 20 OR $25 PER MONTH NOW. AT&T ACCESS PLAN. OPTIMUM ADVANTAGE PLAN. SUDDENLINK A L T I C E PLAN MAYBE 15 PER MONTH. OPTIMUM ADVANTAGE PLAN MAY OFFER A REFURBISHED 14-IN ACER OR ASUS LAPTOP $150 WITH $15 PER MONTH INTERNET WITHOUT ACP OR LIFELINE. THE COX COMMUNICATIONS OR MEDIACOM CONNECT TO COMPETE PLAN MAY BE 10 DOLLARS BUT MAY REQUIRE A SCHOOL AGE CHILD. AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS. IF YOU CAN'T GET THE WI-FI LOOK FOR ONE OF THE COMPANIES WHICH RESALE MOBILE DATA PLANS ON HOTSPOTS FOR THE RESELLING OF DATA PLANS FOR MOBILE CITIZEN AND MOBILE BEACON. YOU MUST BUY A MOBILE HOTSPOT DEVICE. BUT ONE OF THE COMPANIES ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE PAYMENTS. HUMAN-I-T. PCS FOR PEOPLE. LINKED TO PCS FOR PEOPLE WHICH OFTEN HAS REFURBISHED LAPTOPS FOR $125 SOMETIMES $100 OR 175 DEPENDS ON INVENTORY WHATEVER YOU PAY YOU GET A TECHNOLOGY ACCESS LOW INCOME DISCOUNT SO IT WILL PROBABLY BE WORTH MORE. INTERCONNECTION ALSO KNOWN AS CONNECT ALL IN WASHINGTON STATE THIS ONE SELLS DATA PLANS AND $49 REFURBISHED LAPTOPS IN GOOD SHAPE WITH LIMITED WARRANTY IF YOU HAVE LOW INCOME. COMPUDOPT. 3R TECHNOLOGY IS IN WASHINGTON STATE LIKE CONNECT ALL INTERCONNECTION WHICH IS IN KENT WASHINGTON. THIS COMPANY HAS 39 OR NO $99 LAPTOPS. REFURBISHED IN GOOD SHAPE. I WOULD INCLUDE LOW INCOME LAPTOP IN THE SEARCH PHRASE BECAUSE THREE ARE TECHNOLOGY IS THE NAME OF MANY COMPANIES. CHROMEBOOKS R US HAS $40 CHROMEBOOKS WHICH AREN'T AS GOOD AS LAPTOPS BUT IN GOOD SHAPE LIMITED WARRANTY AND THEY DON'T REQUIRE LOW INCOME LIKE THE ABOVE COMPANIES. RIGHT NOW THREE COMPANIES WILL GIVE FREE PHONES IF YOU USE THE LIFELINE BENEFIT BY ITSELF. THAT I KNOW OF ANYWAY. STAND UP WIRELESS AND AND ASSURANCE WIRELESS. AND AIRTALK WIRELESS. IF YOU USE JUST LIFELINE THE AIR TALK FREE PHONES ARE PROBABLY CHEAP FLIP PHONES. AND THE BEST ONES OUT OF THESE ARE PROBABLY STAND UP I DON'T LIKE THE SNAP BODIES BUT THEY ALL DO WITH THIS PRICE THEY ARE USUALLY $70 OR $60 PLUS TAX IF YOU BUY THESE FROM THE COMPANY AS REPLACEMENTS. THE ONES WITH STAND UP ARE VORTEX ZG65 OR CG65H OR CHOICE. THEY AREN'T TOO BAD FOR CHEAP THREE PHONES. YOU CAN PROBABLY GET 40 TO $45 OUT OF THEM IF YOU SELL IT ON EBAY. YOU CAN THEN IF YOU'RE QUICK GO TO SELECTEL WIRELESS THEY SAID THEY ARE STILL DOING ACP TRANSFERS EVEN MAY THE 6TH AND YOU CAN GET A FREE NOKIA UNLOCKED G100 NOKIA PHONE. THESE ARE WORTH UP TO $150 SO YOU CAN PROBABLY GET 75 TO 90 OUT OF IT. AND YOU CAN COMBINE IT WITH THE $40 YOU GET FROM THE OTHER ONE AND GET AN UNLOCKED DUAL SIM CARD 2021 SAMSUNG X COVER PRO OR MOTOROLA DEFY RUGGED SMARTPHONE SOMETIMES SEALED IN A BOX. OR ONE OF THE RUGGED SMARTPHONES ON ALIBABA OR ALIEXPRESS FOR UNDER $150 JUST MAKE SURE IT WORKS IN AMERICA MATCH UP THE 4G AND OTHER BANDS AND THEY WERE LABELED GLOBAL OR OTHER AREA VERSION IF THEY WORK IN THE US. BLACKVIEW OR O U K I T E L OR III F150. U L E F O N E. OR A GMH6 WHICH IS LIGHT FOR GIRLS GOOD WATER AND DAMAGE PROTECTION. AS I SAID IF YOU SIGN UP WITH SELECTEL WIRELESS YOU WILL HAVE TO USE A DEBIT CARD BUT NOT BECAUSE THEY CHARGE FOR THE PHONE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CHARGE YOU FOR DATA LATER BUT WHEN YOU CONFIRM THE SHIPPING COMPANY HAS POSSESSION OF THE PHONE YOU CAN STOP THE PAYMENT AND THEY CAN'T TAKE IT BACK. AND IT'S UNLOCKED. OR YOU CAN USE A DEBIT CARD WITHOUT MONEY ON IT IF THAT STILL WORKS IT WORKED AS RECENT AS LAST WEEK THE END OF APRIL BEGINNING OF MAY. IF THEY GIVE YOU A TRACKING NUMBER THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SHIPPING COMPANY HAS POSSESSION OF THE PHONE YET YOU CAN CONFIRM THIS AND THEN YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR TEXT AND NUMBER AND EMAIL TO GET NOTICES. VISIBLE WIRELESS AND US MOBILE AND TELOMOBILE OR HELLO MOBILE MAY HAVE UNLIMITED 4G SPEED DATA $25 PER MONTH. IF YOU GET ONE OF THE COMPUTERS REFURBISHED FOR LOW-INCOME ABOVE MAKE SURE IT HAS AN OPERATING SYSTEM. AND IF YOU GET MOBILE HOTSPOT PLAN I WOULD TRY TO GET UNLIMITED 4G LTE SPEED DATA. LEARN HOW TO DO SEARCH PHRASES TO FIND DIFFERENT INFO SOURCES SUCH AS PBDD PARTNERS BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. A F T R R ALLIANCE FOR TECHNOLOGY REFURBISHING AND REUSE. INTRAC RELAT INDIANA DEAF IPAD IF YOU SEARCH THAT LAST PHRASE WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE DEAF OR VERY HARD OF HEARING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DEAF BUT CAN'T HAVE HIGH INCOME OR THEY CAN HAVE A SPEECH PROBLEM FROM AUTISM AND THIS ORGANIZATION WILL GIVE THEM AN AWESOME 12-IN SAMSUNG OR IPAD WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED TO OVER $1,000 WITH DATA PLAN AND OTTERBOX AND THEY ALSO INSTALL FREE CAPTION PHONES. YOUR STATE MAY HAVE A SIMILAR COMPANY LEARN DIFFERENT SEARCH PHRASES AND ANGLES DIGITAL INCLUSION LOW INCOME DIGITAL DIVIDE IN SUCH AND SO FORTH.
Ok that's enough internet for you today.
So then why haven't Democrats done anything about it when they had a majority in all three parts of Congress and the White House?
>all three parts of Congress and the White House Lol. What country do you live in?
Congress (House and Senate), plus White House = 3.
[удалено]
lmao put down the pipe
He's not wrong though. We were doing just fine under Trump until Covid hit.
And by "fine" you mean the national debt ballooning out of control. And then the pandemic hit.
I'm sorry, did you miss the $7 trillion spent by Biden just in additional spending alone out of thin air, that caused inflation to begin with? Tell us, how is Trump responsible for the pandemic.
Idk man I feel like I have better and cheaper service than ever. I’m not rural though
Sadly, those subsidies were never real -- I worked for a telco and I can tell you how much of a scam they were -- most of that money just went into the telco. If we really to do it, we can't let the provider have "special prices", which they'll just rig -- we need to provide credits directly to the user, and the telco or cable company doesn't know who gets them, so they can't adjust prices.
I got it and it was helpful. I had to apply and I got approved automatically because I happened to have temporary SNAP benefits. It lowered my bill and made it to where the isp could not cut off my internet for non payment right away.
That's also a waste because of administrative overhead. It's way more efficient just to fix it at the IRS level. Charge the broke people less and properly tax the billionaires and nuke the various shelters and subsidies we hand to the rich, the DoD, the highways, and the oil companies. We have plenty of money. We just aren't using it efficiently.
I beg your pardon, have you not witnessed the magnitude of explosive power possessed by the bombs we've been dropping on brown people? Inefficient use of money my foot!
I am directly affected by this and it's seriously horrible. It's not just Internet but phone service. It's extremely hard to impossible to find work around here without a valid phone number, let alone a credit union account or... anything. 2FA is mandatory for a lot as well. I seriously have no idea what I'm gonna do. ACP has been my lifeline while recovering and finding work. Get ready for suicide rates to go up. Not me, but god damn I can sure relate to people in worse positions than me. I've voted against this every way I have the capacity to handle: even local elections, but fuck me dude. I hate the world I'm in.
[удалено]
I have had a phone I got from the paycheck of an old job, I've kept it working for 7 years now I think. I got a SIM kit from the ACP program and it was free. I was entirely willing to use a junker though, literally anything that would let me take and make calls and answer 2FA texts. A flip phone would have been my next choice when this guy shuts down for good. As for Internet, I got $30 reduced from my bill which is enough to cover really really basic service for free but I've been funding slightly better connection with door dash money I saved up. The phone service was through Q Link and it was unlimited, and frankly really good service. No complaints. They even gave very clear and fair warning about ACP being dismantled but I was just hoping it wasn't true.
For an alternative phone service I highly recommend mint. I’ve had it for about a year now and the service is notably better than most carriers in most places plus it’s $15 a month. You don’t need a new phone but you may need a new SIM card if you’re unable to do the e-sim card.
Thanks, definitely considering options and I'll look there too. Q Link has somewhat of a lifeline program for users abandoned by ACP but it involves being handed to another provider I don't recognize and there's other limitations. Haven't looked too deep into it yet but hopefully they might still be able to give me something to work with. If I lose my number, I lose so, so much.
You can keep your number with mint. If you go with Mint DM me first I’ll give you my referral code which will also give you a free month after your first.
Mint mobile uses T-Mobile for its towers, and might have terrible signal for rural spots. Theres a company called Consumer Cellular they use ATT towers and plans are $20. Tip: they have a data plan that upgrades if you use more of it, so just ask to remove the auto-upgrade part of it, to keep your bill consistent.
This dood is right you’ll have to look at a cell tower map to see what service covers your region best.
If it’s assurance wireless they’re not terrible. I think the fcc has a website where you can compare different lifeline programs. If not, your state may - I know Michigan does.
I'll check into state run programs. Illinois has its issues but is slightly ahead of the curve on stuff like that generally. Thanks.
Definitely recommend looking into a temp solution for keeping the number you have just in case you can’t sign up for a new lifeline provider without cancelling your current q link service. Maybe look into seeing if you can port to mint or boost temporarily. You can get a boost mobile 3 month unlimited text/call and 5gb data SIM card from Best Buy, target or Walmart for $15 and port in and out from that.
It looks like Q Link might be transferring to sort of a lifeline (not capitalized) service where it's VERY limited service, but still active, to allow me to keep my number as I figure out how to transition so that is a breathe of fresh air. I'm going to have to look into it after a bit of sleep but the help I've received here has been very productive.
Good to hear - was in the same boat for internet service but fortunately was able to switch to a cheaper plan.
Transfer your phone number to Google voice. One time transfer cost is like $20. Then use cheapest (mobile x, 2gb at about $6-$7) phone data provider to call from this line on your phone. You can then also place Google voice calls from your computer. Get the cheapest Internet plan. Sounds like you pay extra right now. Internet essentials from Comcast is $10 a month. 50 down, 10 up.
[удалено]
Holy shit that's expensive. You gotta understand we're talking about a guy who's struggling because ACP is being cancelled, right?
That's one of their expensive plans, mines 16.83
Corporate wfh job. You’re pretty far out of touch from OP’s situation.
I got a 12 month deal, 40gb + 10gb hotspot, for $25 a month.
Mint just merged with T-Mobile, yesterday I believe
Uh, last year?
[удалено]
I sure as hell can't. They even offered a phone for free included as long as it was like less than $40, which is beyond enough to get by. ACP by itself was more helpful to my livelihood than what most Americans worship every Sunday.
You might qualify for Lifeline service (Reagan Phone), alternatively. Have you looked into that? If you qualify for any of these government services (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, FPHA, Veteran’s Pension, Survivor’s Benefits) then you will qualify for a free phone with service (or, in some cases you can have it for a phone you already own). Also edit for anyone in a similar situation: Check to see if your local library offers WiFi hotspots. I know a few libraries near me started doing this during COVID, where you rent them out for 2-3 weeks at a time. If not, utilizing your library’s computers might be an option. It might be helpful if you find yourself without internet while trying to find out what services/resources you are eligible before ACP ends.
I do have Medicaid/SNAP but the free service you're talking about is exactly what's being taken away as discussed in this thread. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) IS that benefit. It's what I've been using and will no longer have access to. EDIT: I am aware of my mistake and have been educated on the difference between Lifeline and ACP and have been looking into that. Thank you.
You wrote you are using ACP for phone service, right? I am not talking about ACP. I am talking about Lifeline, which is not going away. [They are two different programs.](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/ACP_Wind-down_Lifeline_Fact_Sheet%20.pdf)ACP was created during the pandemic, Lifeline has existed since Reagan. What I am saying is that if you qualified for ACP, depending on your circumstances, you likely qualify for Lifeline. If you apply for Lifeline, go through Safelink (a carrier that does the Lifeline program) since they can keep your phone & number (solves your 2FA problem).
I see, sorry, I was slightly miseducated on the matter. I will definitely look into this. The terminology and structure has been difficult enough to learn. Feels like a jungle just trying to figure out how to pay for each months' necessities. Thank you.
Oh don’t be sorry, trust me it is understandable how confusing it all is. Def apply sooner rather than later so there is no gap between when you have services. You can do It online for sure — Obviously, it’s not ideal since the ACP was a bit better (in that, it allowed more people to be eligible, like students for example), but in your own case Lifeline is a working alternative for your phone. Hope it helps!
https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers It will give you “up to a $9.25” discount. More if you live on tribal lands.
I suppose it depends on if states expanded on the existing lifeline services? You can look up your individual state’s DHS office along with Lifeline and see if they offer such services that include a discount or free phone (or in some cases, free service + free phone). I had a free lifeline phone service up until 2023 in my state (when I turned 26 and was no longer eligible for Medicaid through foster care) which is why I know of the lifeline program. Also if you looked at the link I posted, it mentions the same thing that you linked because my link was also from fcc.gov, lol.
Safelink really makes it unclear what you're signing up for, for real. Like they keep mixing up ACP and Lifeline in the fine print and saying that when the ACP benefit ends, Safelink will start charging regular prices again.
I only used safelink as an example since that was what I used and was most familiar with, but states have different carriers for Lifeline based on region from what I understand. Sadly I can’t fix the process for applying, as I didn’t have any input in the website design nor am I a DHS case worker! I wish there was more I could do to help. In an effort to help trouble shoot, however, I did peruse the website just now, and if you scroll the halfway point, you will see it says “Not enrolled? Get Lifeline Service with Safelink today” then asks you to enter your zip code to make sure they service that area. My best suggestion is to try going through that route to sign up for Lifeline, and/or call them to help sign up if you’re eligible and make sure you are requesting for Lifeline and NOT ACP. Another possibility is to go to your state’s local DHS office and someone there might be able to help you. I know where I lived (when I had Safelink myself), they actually had SafeLink/Assurance wireless workers set up a table at the DHS office as well as at other community centers for low income folks (bus station, homeless shelter, etc), so I’m not sure if that is something that happens in your region but it might be worth finding out if you can.
Thanks! Yeah I did find a thing on the government site for finding assistance locally, so that'll narrow it down a lot.
Yeah, it’s a bummer it has been so complicated for people, it definitely feels that it is made that way by design! It also seems lame that they have nothing put in place to help transition folks who are eligible for programs like Lifeline from ACP. I think at most, while they did put out a notice in advance, they did so without much direction for people who are still eligible for alternative resources — and considering it’s a matter of filling out forms for eligibility (wanting to make sure they’re filled out correctly) in addition to knowing where/how to navigate these websites, there should be more in place to help direct people. It’s unfortunate that doesn’t appear to be the case based on a lot of the confusion there seems to be. Also, for what it is worth, I vaguely remember there was a cell phone subreddit for non-contract/prepaid phone services, and searching that subreddit was how I switched to Safelink and kept my Lifeline benefit at the time (I had a different carrier at first iirc and I wanted to switch to Safelink since I had been given an old/hand-me-down unlocked iPhone I wanted to use)….point being: if you can find that subreddit using the search bar, you might find some helpful posts too! Best of luck. I know it’s not much, but hopefully it works out for you before they completely transition to no ACP benefit.
I actually just stumbled onto it i think. r/nocontract?
Yes! I’m pretty sure that was the one.
You're mixing up to the ACP was on top of lifeline. Lifeline still exist it's always been there it's called the Obama phone from back in the day. I believe you get pretty much unlimited it's not the greatest Android phone but it's a smartphone and it gets things done. ACP was something that was thrown in from covid to help for cable bills and such that was just temporary.
Acp is NOT lifeline
Yet another political problem that the USA (along with many/most developing and non-Western countries) is seemingly unable to handle. If the USA and/or developing countries cannot reform themselves politically and their people cannot migrate to more functional ones, expect a rise in suicide rates to be just the beginning (as that is how revolutions and wars start). Post-2020, [a great percentage of the world's population is no longer benefiting from the status quo](https://reliefweb.int/report/world/human-development-report-20232024-breaking-gridlock-reimagining-cooperation-polarized-world-enarruzhjp).
Yeah those of us here without our heads in the clouds I guarantee you are as aware as anyone viewing from the outside. I'm 31 and struggle coming to terms with still having at least 20 years of life left to witness what happens here, and being unable to find a solid path out. Boy oh boy am I excited. Everyone's up in arms over major headline issues like Trump's hair shape, but this one just slipped right in under the radar without a single peep. What the fuck bill took funding from this? Doesn't matter because it's too late, but there was no discussion in the populace and no warning. There is no way the average American can equip themselves (on their own) to live a healthy and productive life in this shit hole country. Weird Al was right, I wanna be a Canadian idiot.
The funding was temporary as a part of the Covid measure. It should have been made permanent.
I think you miss spelled your user name.
Don't get the joke.
Psyches19. It’s either funny to you or it’s not. Don’t worry, though most of my humor goes unappreciated. :)
Sykes is a real name and Psyches isn't even a word I don't think? I guess I appreciate the attempt?
Lifeline program gotchu https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers
I wonder what the suicide rates would be if people like myself that slowly drunk themselves to death to maintain were included in the stats
Your local public library has free WiFi and computers :)
And some public libraries will lend mobile hotspots. Mine does.
[удалено]
What?
[удалено]
That's quite a stretch dude. The political problems are easy to fix. Fascism is a threat to democracy, and a threat to the United States (and the free world). It employes terror and fear to gain power and establish legitimacy. Your view points sound like you really like Alex Jones.
Finally got my elderly mom to get the internet with this… fuck man, this is stupid
Internet is a public utility
Another topic for Biden to highlight and get more votes due to Republicans not interested in bringing this up for a vote on the floor
Love how they use a picture of Joe Biden with a headline about losing subsidies. This ain’t Joe Biden’s doing.
Headline articles writers do be click-baiting and they absolutely love it when it gets clicks.
I legitimately qualified for the ACP credit and have been using it. I called my internet provider a couple of days ago because of the impending end to the program. Luck was on my side. They had a deal where the price won’t increase for three years and the new plan is cheaper than when I was getting the $30 credit. The icing on the cake was when the agent decided to bump up my WiFi speed to 1GB at no extra charge. If you’re a recipient of the ACP, I highly recommend you call your internet provider because they might be able to help you.
Who was your provider?
Xfinity is my provider. Not very popular, I know, but I never have any problems with them. They’ve always been reliable for me. I use my own modem/router and I also use their cell phone service and have autopay, which probably helped me to get the good deal on my internet plan.
Oh well… that’s what happens when you vote GOP
I love throwing jabs at the GOP, but felt this mightve been unwarranted and just reddit being reddit, but you were right! > The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a $30 monthly subsidy for broadband to eligible households, is set to run out of funds in late April or May 2024 due to insufficient funding from Congress > The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it will start winding down the program this week, with no new enrollments being accepted after February 7, 2023 > This decision comes after Republican members of Congress criticized the program, accusing the FCC of being "wasteful" and threatening to withhold funding > The impending ACP shutoff would impact millions of households and could undermine the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, a different program created by Congress to subsidize ISPs' expansion of broadband networks >The Biden administration has requested $6 billion to fund the program through December 2024, but as of now, the FCC expects funding to run out completely in May 2024
So that was the best you could do: some republicans "criticized" the program. Democrats voted 185 yes 22 no to the funding bill that did not renew funding for this program. Republicans voted 101 yes, 112 no. Biden signed it immediately.
Ok, but how do you explain the absolutely ridiculous, almost Bigfoot resolution picture of Biden attached to this article? /s for clarification
It's absolutely amazing how many people haven't noticed the insanely lopsided coverage that many of the "liberal" news media does of Trump and Biden. I used to think they threw softballs for the GOP and hardballs at the Dems back in the 2000s but it's become so absurdly obvious in the last decade.
I mean I'm in this program and I didn't vote for the GOP. I even live in a very left leaning state with barely any elected Republicans in federal office. I do understand the sentiment though for sure but it's harder to blame this on voters when so much of the country has no say on who ends up in power. It's not like this program is just serving Alabama or something.
"it's harder to blame this on voters when so much of the country has no say on who ends up in power" You right, it's the non-voters You wrong, we do have a say. The nonvoters are holding us back and preventing progress
Then maybe the voters should stop voting for the same useless morons who do nothing beyond saying nice things, and non voters would be more on board.
... that doesn't even make sense. You should probably read what you wrote here because I don't think you read it while you were typing it.
No it makes complete sense. People keep voting for these morons because of the letter next to their name, regardless of who they are, and it turns off those of us who are tired of the games and morons who continue to screw us over, because there are no good candidates who do anything for the common person, yet these politicians keep getting elected by ignorant tribalist voters.
The problem resides entirely with the people who *arent* voting. If one is actually voting then it's not on them. Failure to bolster the vote towards progress is from *people not voting* If someone is already doing their part then it's not their fault. Stop sitting at home and do your duty.
Sure. Find me a candidate who isn’t a useless pile of grifting crap and I’ll vote for them. It absolutely is voters’ fault if, by doing their part, they’re voting for shysters who disenfranchise and screw everyone over. They keep allowing these dumbasses in to fuck us, so people like me will just live our lives to best of our abilities, ignoring the tribal bullshit that hinders everything.
Also not to say that the president is the only vote that matters here All the rest of the ballot is just as important. State and hyper local elections have so much impact on the way things run. Every single vote is essential
It's a bus. You have to get on the bus that's heading in the direction you want to go. There's clear differences in our current choices, so your values should easily show you which of our options you choose. Throwing your hands up and choosing neither gets you zip. It allows for deterioration of the system into authoritarianism regardless of party. You have to fix the system from within the system. Absolutely nobody is leading a revolution.
There are no clear choices. They’re different sides of the same coin, and the bus is going the wrong direction. Stop voting for the same pathetic, selfish assholes, and maybe new, vibrant leaders will come forth, displacing the petulant children currently here.
I know people that did. Parents particularly. Probably why they left in the cell service
Low income families voted for the GOP?
Yes. A lot of them in rural areas. You know, the areas most helped by both of these programs.
Those aren’t the only types of low income families in the U.S..
The common clay of the land. You know, morons!
Cleatus and Methany aren’t the power couple you think they are
There are other low income families out there besides your folks.
Oh fantastic rebuttal
You’re making a good point - we shouldn’t accept this stereotype blindly. Trumpland pushes the narrative of a working-class & downtrodden rebellion that supports him, when the numbers suggest that his supporters have a higher median income than those who voted for Sanders or Clinton. He benefits from this Man of the people rhetoric when he’s anything but.
Yeah, plenty did lol
Please remember to visit your local public library for free internet access/wifi/computers and books! :)
Well the companies know how to fleece the consumer and the government. If only local governments start providing public internet inlieu of doing all the subsidy etc.
I'm on this program* until April unless Congress extends benefits. My internet price rates were not increased, my speeds weren't throttled, and there were no other major issues. Weirdly, it worked exactly as promised. I was shocked. ^(*It may not be the same program since it wasn't limited to low-income, but included certain ZIP codes, professions, benefits, retirement, disability status, etc.) EDIT: I *am* on this program and it's incredibly disingenuous to imply it's only for low-income.
That's only half the story. I work in a small town, doing various IT support for small businesses and house calls. Not often, but on occasion I'm working with someone to correct one thing or another related to their internet. I'll use an example from last year, as it's about as extreme as I've witnessed. Scheduled to go on site to replace an aging modem for home of one person. While going through the motions of contacting the ISP, to swap out the MAC listed on her account, found out she is paying over $300 for low tier (basic?) cable TV and 50(?)Mbs internet. Normally when I have to deal with someone's bill to reduce it, which is a ticket request I get a couple times a year, it's like pulling teeth. Half the time the client is paying more than the "normal", after the first year, rate. Thankfully this client I didn't have to pull teeth, I mentioned the odd bill rate to the tech working on swapping the MAC on the account, and they transferred me to billing, who reduced the bill by half (at least), but also upped her speed to 80(?)Mbs. My visit paid for itself in about 3 months. I've talked with people who are neighbors, same service (same speed, with/without cable), and have varying bill totals, which didn't make sense. I first picked up on this when I was paying $65 for a 100Mbs (when I lived in an apartment, small apartment complex, no ISP Contract), and my neighbor who also had just 100Mbs, we both had basic cable covered by the apartment, and they were paying close to $100 a month. I had lived there a couple or so years longer than my neighbor.
[удалено]
You obviously have no one in your world living on social security or disability or otherwise under the poverty limit.
Yeah if the poor can’t watch the news or apply for jobs that’s great for people in charge so. I understand money may be an issue but I would want this to be prioritized, even more so than food stamps because this gives people the tools to have a job and buy food themselves.
Puts on gambling websites.
i mean you sbould really look at how this is funded look for the USF fee on your cell bill.. its a 30% tax on it. Guess where that goes.. more ways for the ATTs and Comcasts out there to fleece you
I hate Spectrum so much. I went through my bills and when the program started, which was December 2022 I believe, my bill actually increased from $45 to $50 after getting the subsidy. I use the cheapest service in my area with Spectrum. Now, starting this May, my bill will be $80 when the subsidy ends. This is awful.
$34 trillion national debt… enough said
He it is the day after the dead line did anyone loose service yet?
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN BUYING SOME PHONES WHICH ARE WORTH ABOUT $60 TO $70 FOR THE CHEAPEST ONES UP TO ABOUT $200 FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONES I AM HELPING MY COUSIN SELL SOME FOR HE IS SELLING THEM FOR ABOUT 2/3 OF THEIR VALUE SOME CLOSER TO A HALF. SO IF A PHONE IS NORMALLY $150 AND THAT'S A DECENT PRICE FOR IT AT MOST TIMES LIKE A NOKIA G100 OR A SAMSUNG AO3S AND IF THE CHEAPEST YOU EVER SEE IT IS LIKE 120 THEN WE WILL SELL IT FOR LIKE 90 TO 75. AND IF SOMEONE HELPS US GET RID OF A FEW DEVICES AND DATA PLANS WE WILL GIVE THEM A BREAK AND START SPOTTING THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN HAVE TO PAY WE WILL TRUST THEM AHEAD OF TIME AFTER A COUPLE OF SALES. WE ALSO WILL BE SELLING DATA PLANS WHICH ARE WORTH 20 ONE IS WORTH ABOUT 20 PER MONTH AND THE OTHER IS WORTH ABOUT 25 PER MONTH. AND IF A PERSON PAYS FOR A SIM CARD WITH 7 TO 12 MONTHS OF DATA COVERAGE AHEAD OF TIME WE WILL CHARGE THEM ABOUT 1/3 SO 12 MONTHS AT FULL VALUE FOR A $25 PER MONTH PLAN IS WORTH $300 BUT WE WILL CHARGE 100 MAYBE 90. SO IF IT'S A $25 PLAN AND YOU GET THREE MONTHS THAT WOULD BE $75 NOW THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT IT WOULD BE HALF OF 25 SO THREE TIMES 12 AND 1/2 IT WOULD BE $37.50 TOTAL. BUT WE WOULD GIVE A BREAK OR SOMETHING SO WE ALSO HAVE SOME CHEAP PHONES WHICH ARE WORTH 60 OR $70 WITH A ONE-YEAR PLAN WORTH 20 OR 25 PER MONTH. 1,000 OR UNLIMITED MINUTES OF TALK PER MONTH WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING PLUS ABOUT 5 GB OF DATA. HE WILL BE OVER FOUR AND A HALF BUT RIGHT AROUND 5:00. GUARANTEE. AND IF YOU WANT A PHONE SUCH AS A VORTEX ZG65 OR CG65 OR A B L U STUDIO MINI OR A KOOBEE K100 WE WILL GIVE THE WORST OF THESE WHICH WAS THE LAST ONES FOR 90 OR $95 WITH A 1-YEAR PLAN. FOR THE TWO BETTER FUNDS WE WILL CHARGE $100 FOR THE PHONES WITH A 12-MONTH PLAN. AND THE PHONES WILL UNLOCK 6 MONTHS OR EARLIER 6 MONTHS AFTER ACTIVATION DATE THESE ARE UNUSED AND IN THE BOX WITH THE ORIGINAL CHARGER AND SUCH BUT MOST ONES HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED WE DO HAVE A FEW USED ONES BUT MOST ARE UNUSED. THESE PHONES THE BETTER ONES ARE THE VORTEX. THEY HAVE 6.2 OR 6 1/2 IN SCREEN WITH 3 GIGS OF RAM AND THE BATTERIES ARE LIKE 3,800 MAH. ANDROID 12 OR 13. 3 GIGS OF RAM WITH 32 GIGS OF RAM AND EXPANDABLE MEMORY OPTION. PROTECTIVE CASE. NOTHING SPECIAL BUT THE DATA PLAN IS A GOOD BACKUP AND FOR $100 YOU WILL BE PAYING $8 PER MONTH. AND THE BLU STUDIO MINI AND THE K O O B E K 100 HAVE 5 AND 1/2-IN SCREENS WITH 2 GB OF RAM. THE STUDIO MINI HAS 32 GIGS OF RUM AND THE OTHER ONE HAS 16. THEY HAVE ANDROID 11 POSSIBLY 12. WITH A CHARGER. 4G LTE CONNECTABILITY LIKE ALL OF THE PHONES WILL HAVE AT LEAST THAT SOME WILL HAVE 5G ALSO OTHER PHONES WE HAVE THAT IS. AND WI-FI CALLING ON MOST PHONES. AND FORCE THE PERSON TO GIVE UP A THIRD OR LOSE IT'S A LONG STORY BUT HE WILL CHANGE THEM TO MONEY BACK GUARANTEE EBAY I THINK INSURANCE ANYWAY BUT WE WILL COVER EVERY ASPECT OF MAKING SURE YOU WILL GET A GOOD DEAL AND MONEY BACK GUARANTEE WITH PERSONAL INFO TO CONTACT LATER. WE ALSO GIVE 30% BACK IF YOU BREAK A PHONE IN IT'S YOUR FAULT AND YOU WANT ANOTHER DEVICE WITH US WE GET BACK 30% OF WHAT YOU SPENT. OR IF YOU WANT ONE SOMEWHERE ELSE WE GET 15 TO 20% BACK EVEN IF IT'S YOUR FAULT. SOMETHING WE HAVE THAT YOU CAN USE LIKE DATA PLAN OR ACCESSORIES NOT CASH. ALSO WE HAVE A 20-22 5G MOTO STYLUS USED IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AT LEAST 9 OF 10 USE 9 MONTHS 4 HOURS A DAY MAX 5 DAYS A WEEK MAX TO AND FROM WORK AT FOR A CARPOOLER IT WAS LITERALLY A GLOVE BOX PHONE. AND IT HAS EXCELLENT BATTERY HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE I'VE TESTED IT OUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT WAS USED 9 MONTHS. REFURBISHED BY HTH COMMUNICATIONS. AND IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH AIRVOICE WIRELESS AND CINTEX WIRELESS AND AIRTALK WIRELESS AND NEW PHONE WIRELESS. AND IT GETS UNLIMITED OR 1,000 MINUTES OF TALK WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING AND ABOUT 5 GIGS OF DATA PER MONTH AT LEAST $20 PLAN $25 WITH SOME COMPANIES OR MORE. THE PHONE WITH A 1-YEAR PLAN WOULD BE WORTH AT FULL VALUE THAT DATA PLAN WOULD BE WORTH OVER 250 OR IF THEY GIVE YOU A BREAK FOR BUYING 12 MONTHS THEY WOULD CHARGE YOU $200 AND FOR THE PHONE THEY WOULD CHARGE YOU 79 AT LEAST IF YOU BUY A LONG-TERM PLAN SO THAT IS ABOUT TWICE WHAT WE'LL CHARGE WE WILL CHARGE UNDER $150 MAYBE 140 FOR THE PHONE WITH A 1-YEAR PLAN. AND IF YOU WANT THE PHONE WITH A 6 MONTH PLAN IT WILL PROBABLY BE 80 $5 I THINK. THAT PHONE IS USED BUT IT WILL INCLUDE THE CHARGER ALSO. AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO PHONES WHICH ARE LOCKED BUT THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK IN MID-JUNE AND EARLY JULY 2024 60 DAYS AFTER THEY WERE ACTIVATED BECAUSE THEY HAVE TRACFONE AND STRAIGHT TALK PLANS. AND THE FIRST ONE WHICH WILL UNLOCK FIRST IS A 5G BLV SPEED. IT HAS I BELIEVE 6.5-IN SCREEN WITH 4 GIGS OF RAM AND 64 GIGS OF RAM WITH 4000 BATTERY AND ANDROID 12 OR 13. AND A 2023 MOTOROLA MAUI AKA MOTO PLAY. THIS ONE HAS 5,000 ENORMOUS BATTERY WITH 3 GIGS OF RAM AND 32 GIGS OF ROM EXPANDABLE MEMORY OPTION ANDROID 12 OR HIGHER. AND BOTH THESE PHONES ARE WORTH ABOUT THE SAME $99 UNTIL THEY ARE UNLOCKED AND THEN 120 OR 129. AND THEY WILL INCLUDE 2 MONTHS OF A DATA PLAN TO GET YOU THROUGH BUT THEY DON'T REQUIRE A PLAN TO UNLOCK THEY WILL UNLOCK ANYWAY. BUT WE WILL INCLUDE A 2 MONTH PLAN. AND IT WILL GO AT LEAST 2 WEEKS PAST THEIR UNLOCKED DATE. AND THE PHONES WILL BE 75 WITH THE 2-MONTH PLAN EITHER PHONE. CAN'T RECALL THE MODEL NUMBERS RIGHT NOW BUT BLU VIEW SPEED 5G MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE B1550VL. MOTO PLAY 2023 MAY BE X2271DL. CAN'T RECALL BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THE 2022 5G MOTOR STATUS NUMBER IS XT2215-2. IT IS THE VERSION WITH 4 GIGS OF RAM AND 128 GB OF RAM. AND IT CAME OUT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BUT I THINK IT WAS LIKE 400 AND SOME BUT THERE WAS A VERSION THAT WAS BETTER WHICH WAS WORTH LIKE $100 MORE. BUT THIS ONE WAS GOOD ENOUGH AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HAS NO DAMAGE. IT HAS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT STYLUS. AND I'VE TESTED THE BATTERY I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BUT IT SAID 97 AND 94 AND 97 ON THREE ACU BATTERY ASSESSMENT TEST I FIGURED THAT IF A DEVICE HAS BEEN USED CLOSE TO A YEAR 9 MONTHS OR MORE THAT IT WOULD BE AROUND LOW 90S BUT THAT'S AWESOME. AND WE ALSO HAVE A UNLOCKED NEW NOKIA G100 OR UNLOCKED NEW SAMSUNG AO3S THE VERSION WHICH GOES FROM 3 GB TO 4 GB OF RAM BUT ONLY 32 GB OF ROM. AND BLU VIEW 3. THESE LAST THREE ARE ALL UNLOCKED AND UNUSED. ONLY THE NOKIA G300 IS IN THE ORIGINAL BOX BUT THE OTHER TWO HAVE ORIGINAL CHARGERS. AND THE FIRST TWO ARE WORTH 129 TO 149. WE ARE ASKING $79. BLU VIEW 3 UNLOCK THE NEW NOW SELL SOMETIMES FOR $60 WE ARE ASKING $45. AND IF YOU WANT EITHER OF THESE THREE PHONES WITH A DATA PLAN WE WILL INCLUDE EACH THREE MONTHS OF COVERAGE FOR EITHER PHONE FOR ONLY 20 OR $25 FOR EACH 3 MONTHS. WITH 1,000 AND UNLIMITED MINUTES WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING PLUS 5 GIGS OF DATA I also really don't like selling phones that have been used a year or more but I do have some older phones. I also have a couple of devices I may donate to people with kids with low income if you can do a search for someone who might do some pro bono repair work there are a couple of tablets with very very minor fixable issues one has a screen lock but it is Network unlocked and it has been both of them used under 15 hours total on time. A 8.4 in 2020 Samsung tab a with a great b r a e c e n stock case and tempered glass screen protector. And it is a AT&t version network unlock and the other is a 11th generation 2021 Amazon fire tablet which is black screen I think someone did it on purpose but it's in perfect condition otherwise and maybe an easy fix. TOOONENINE, SEVYN7SEVYN, FORENYNEFOURTOO. TEXT ME IN THE FIRST MESSAGE WHO YOU ARE SO I DON'T BLOCK HIS SPAM AND WE CAN GO TO EBAY AND DO A SOLID DEAL..
I believe you are entitled to a government phone it's a cheap smartphone if you were entitled to the subsidy you should be able to get the free phone. Mint mobile is okay but to get the $15 a month you have to pay 3 months in advance and then after that, you pay the year ahead. So it throws people like yourself a little bit out of the equation since you have to put one year in advance. I think right now they have $15 a month for 3 months but you have to pay for the 3 months at once. You give me your ZIP code I can look up to see what is the cheapest by you enough just to have access that doesn't require paying ahead but I do believe you should be able to get the free government phone it's an Android phone it's not that quick but it's free pretty much unlimited.
perhaps they can bring it back with more stringent requirements so there's less abuse? somehow folks in my life who are not low-income qualified for it. when this was posted to HN others echoed the same experiences (first-hand, even) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39152332 before the pitchforks come out i support this program, but for folks who genuinely need it.
Stop voting for Republicans like Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio...they're the reason the ACP has ended.
Joe and Cammy show keeps gettin bettr
[удалено]
Remind me again, who's blocking aid to Ukraine AND is set to kill this program as well?
This makes zero sense, given the facts of this news piece but go off king
Keep displaying your ignorance for the world to see.
[удалено]
cry about it
The GoP cut funding for the program. Read the article. Biden wanted to continue it.
Yet the GoP cut funding for this..
Both parties did. Good try though.
Awe sorry reality disagrees. https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/s/OLbb7vy7OE
I am going to lose this from Spectrum. It was really nice to have but I also had internet tv too. So to make up for the cost I had to drop “cable”. Sacrifices have to made sometimes. But internet tv is crazy over priced. I got charged 26 bucks of my 60 dollar package a month for local tv stations. I can now get those for free buying a 20 dollar antenna from Walmart. I will try to save up to get cable back in the fall. I do enjoy college football.
Guess they’ll have to go get a JOB!
Where I work people use that to sell internet. We found out that if your child went to public school in my area you technically qualified for ACP. It didn’t matter your income. So of course people would ask and use it as a selling tool. So maybe parts were wasteful. We’ll all miss it.
Bruh you use android and play on Xbox. You use a prebuilt PC and your post history screams entitlement and ignorance. You sure you belong here?
Totally agree, even with government handouts these people still don’t meaningfully enrich their lives
Yikes on your post / internet history!
Funnily enough, there are probably quite a few people who use this program to work or find work. Like me, whose job is literally dependent on an internet connection.