Central Falls Connect brings free internet to low-income families citywide

CENTRAL FALLS, RI (October 7, 2022) – On Friday, Central Falls officials were joined by Verizon, Cox Communications, national nonprofit EducationSuperHighway, and community partners to celebrate the launch of Central Falls Connect, the city’s localized effort to rollout the $14 billion Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a new long-term federal benefit that will help to lower the cost of broadband service and help low-income families to afford internet service.

“This pandemic has been financially devastating to so many of our families and residents, and we want to do all we can to ensure no family is left unconnected to the internet because of the cost burden,” said Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera. “From our students who need Wi-Fi at home for school work to our many residents who need the internet to stay in touch with family members around the world, we’re ready to help more Central Falls households enroll in this great program.”

Over the past year, closing the broadband affordability gap has become a national priority. On November 6, 2021, Congress passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, which included $14.2 billion for the ACP, a federal broadband benefit that provides eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 per month and a one-time $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.

The broadband affordability gap disproportionately impacts low-income, Black, and Latino communities. In Central Falls, where many families are low-income and more than two-thirds of city residents are Latino, there are currently 3,127 ACP-eligible households, with 1,214 of those households currently unconnected to the internet. The Central Falls Office of Constituent Services, along with many community partners throughout the city, will be helping residents understand and enroll in the program.

“The Affordable Connectivity Program can connect millions of unconnected households and accelerate progress in closing the digital divide,” said Evan Marwell, Founder and CEO of EducationSuperHighway. “We are proud to partner with Mayor Rivera to drive awareness of this vital program and reach the 1,214 eligible households in Central Falls that have yet to sign up.”

“Progreso Latino enthusiastically supports the Affordable Connectivity Program as high-speed internet allows members of our Central Falls community to connect, earn, and learn. Our students connect to jobs, earn their GED, and learn English,” said Claudia Cordon, Co-Director of Education at Progreso Latino. “The internet also enables our community to access education, services, and support—now made widely possible by the ACP.”

Combined with commitments by Internet Service Providers, such as Verizon and Cox Communications, to deliver high-speed internet plans for no more than $30 per month, eligible households can now receive high-speed internet at no cost by pairing their ACP benefit with one of these "free with ACP" broadband plans.

“We are proud to have participated in ACP since its inception. But as we say in our credo: ‘tomorrow we will do better.’ Our free Fios Forward offer for low-income families will help close the digital divide and make sure more people benefit from the education, healthcare, economic, and social benefits of broadband,” said Michele Cinquegrano, Verizon Government Affairs at Verizon.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Central Falls in promoting our affordable connectivity options to help more people access the educational and employment opportunities of the Internet,” said Stephanie Federico, vice president of government and public affairs, Cox Communications. “This program is a powerful example of how public and private partnerships can ensure citizens – regardless of economic status – can unlock the possibilities that high-speed broadband has to offer.” 

Central Falls households qualify for the ACP program with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if any member of the household:

  • Participates in certain assistance programs (such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline);
  • Received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year;
  • Received approval for benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), in the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 school year; or
  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income program. 

To learn more, visit www.centralfallsri.gov/CFconnect.

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