For a few years, a federal benefit took $30 off the monthly internet bill for tens of millions of households — about $75 a month on tribal lands. Then it stopped. On June 1, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission ended the Affordable Connectivity Program after Congress did not renew its funding, and roughly 23 million enrolled households lost the discount. Many Texas families felt the difference in their July statement.
That leaves a lot of Texans paying full freight for home internet at a time when most other bills are already climbing. The good news: there are still real, legitimate ways to bring the number down — some through existing federal programs, most through ordinary steps any household can take. This guide walks through the options that actually work, with no upsells and no gimmicks.
Start by checking whether you still qualify for help
The Affordable Connectivity Program is gone, but the FCC’s older Lifeline program is not. Lifeline provides a discount of up to $9.25 a month (and more on tribal lands) toward phone or internet service for qualifying low-income households. You generally qualify if your income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if you participate in a program like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or certain veterans benefits. You can check eligibility and apply through the National Verifier.
Lifeline is smaller than the old ACP discount, but for an eligible Texas household it is real money — more than $100 a year — and it stacks with the negotiating steps below. When the ACP ended, the FCC pointed consumers toward Lifeline and toward low-income plans that individual internet providers offer on their own.
Call and ask for the retention department
The single most effective step for most households costs nothing but a phone call. Internet pricing is heavily promotional: the rate you signed up for usually expires after 12 or 24 months and quietly rolls to a higher “standard” rate. Pull out your most recent bill and compare it to what you were paying a year ago. If it jumped, that promotion likely lapsed.
When you call, ask to be transferred to “retention” or “loyalty.” Be polite, be specific, and be ready to mention that you are comparing other providers. Carriers routinely have unadvertised offers they extend to customers who ask. The Federal Trade Commission’s consumer guidance on paying less for internet service walks through this and the points below.
Drop the rented equipment fee
Many bills carry a monthly charge of roughly $10 to $15 to rent the modem or gateway. Over a year that is $120 to $180. If your provider allows it, buying a compatible modem and router can pay for itself in well under a year. The FTC notes that equipment rental fees are one of the most overlooked line items on a typical bill. Confirm compatibility with your provider before you buy, and keep the receipt.
Match the plan to how you actually use it
Providers steer new customers toward the fastest, priciest tiers, but most households do not need a gigabit connection. If two or three people are streaming and browsing, a mid-tier plan is usually plenty. Look at what speed you are paying for versus what you use. You can test your real-world speed for free, and you can read the FCC’s plain-language explainer on how much speed different activities need. Downshifting one tier can shave $10 to $20 a month with no noticeable difference.
Read the “Broadband Facts” label before you renew
Since 2024, the FCC has required providers to display a standardized Broadband Nutrition Label — a nutrition-label-style box that lists the monthly price, whether it is an introductory rate, when that rate expires, data caps, and all the add-on fees. It is the clearest single tool for comparing plans honestly, because it forces the real all-in price into one place. Look for the label on the provider’s website or in your account before you agree to any renewal.
Compare what’s actually available at your address
Competition is uneven across Texas. A household in a dense Houston or Dallas neighborhood may have three or four providers competing, while a rural address may have one wired option plus satellite or fixed wireless. The FCC’s National Broadband Map lets you type in your address and see which providers report service there. Even one competing offer gives you leverage in the retention call.
Rural Texans face a different version of this problem: fewer wired choices and, often, higher prices for slower service. If your address has only one cable or DSL provider, the leverage of a competing offer shrinks — but it doesn’t disappear. Fixed-wireless and satellite options have expanded across rural Texas, and federal and state broadband-expansion efforts continue to extend fiber into underserved areas. Checking the FCC’s National Broadband Map periodically is worthwhile, because a new provider reaching your area is the single biggest thing that can change your pricing power. If the map shows a provider you weren’t aware of, that’s a reason to call your current company and ask them to match.
Watch the bundle math
Bundling internet with cable TV or phone can look cheaper on paper, but the “savings” often disappear when the promotional period ends or when you add equipment and broadcast fees. Price the internet line by itself, then compare. If you have already cut the cord on traditional TV, a bundle may be costing you for services you no longer use.
Beware of “discount” offers that aren’t
Because the ACP ended, scammers have used its name to phish for personal information, promising to “re-enroll” you. The FCC has been explicit: the program is over, and no legitimate outreach will ask you to pay a fee or hand over banking details to restore it. If anyone contacts you claiming to restore an internet discount in exchange for a payment or your Social Security number, treat it as a scam and report it to the FTC.
A realistic plan for this month
Put together, these steps add up. Check Lifeline eligibility through the National Verifier; pull last year’s bill to spot an expired promotion; call retention with a competing offer in hand; ask whether you can drop the equipment rental; right-size your speed tier; and use the Broadband Label to confirm the all-in price before you renew. None of it requires a new contract you’ll regret, and most of it can be done in an afternoon.
Internet has become as essential as electricity for paying bills, seeing a doctor, and keeping in touch. It is also one of the few household costs where a single phone call can still move the number. For Texans watching every dollar, that makes it worth the hour.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor. Figures are linked to their primary sources; where a claim could not be verified from the public record, we say so.
