Inflation has hit many Americans hard in the last year, making it harder to pay bills, yet for most people, the internet is a service they can’t do without.
Thankfully, there is good news: Internet service providers like Viasat, working with the government, can help provide individuals and families in certain states with lower-cost internet service options.
The Connect America Fund (CAF) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program designed to expand access to voice and broadband services.
It’s not the first time the U.S. has worked to extend services nationally. In the 20th century, the U.S. government extended electricity and phone service to rural America. In the 1950s and 60s, a similar program built the highway system. Recently, the FCC designed a program focused on bringing broadband to rural America.
Viasat is a proud participant in the CAF Phase II program. Through it, the company is offering plans with discounted satellite internet and phone service (Viasat Voice) to qualifying service areas. Click here to learn more about Viasat’s CAF II program. Viasat rolled out its program in Colorado at the end of 2021, and in an additional 19 states in early December 2022
The plans are available to select underserved areas of Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
The Viasat CAF II Connection 25 plan starts at $89.99 a month, and includes 600 GB of High-Speed Data, provided at speeds of up to 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.
Voice service can be added for an additional $29.99 a month. Viasat Voice is also available without internet for $58.99 a month.
Subscribers in eligible areas can get an added discount if they qualify for Lifeline, another FCC program that lowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service. The Lifeline program gives a discount of $9.25 a month for internet, or $5.25 a month for voice service. Subscribers currently can choose the internet or voice discount, but not both, and the discount is non-transferable.
Additional Lifeline discounts are available to those who live on federally recognized Tribal lands in the awarded census blocks.
“We’re expanding access and offering some new services for customers in areas that don’t have access to high-speed internet,” said Cynthia York, Viasat’s director of product management. “This is a great program, and we hope people will take advantage of it.”
Because eligibility varies by state and locality, York urged consumers who may benefit from the CAF II program to call 855-851-7419 to speak with an agent to learn what is available.
Find more information on these low-cost, affordable plans here.