Just approved for Lifeline, already have ACP

Hello there @user_ead0a5 thank you so much for using our Forums as a tool to get help. We are happy to take a look into this for you to see how we can help get you enrolled in the mentioned program. To get started please select the "peer to peer chat" icon (upper right corner of this page), click the "new message" icon, type/select "Xfinity Support", and then type/send your name with your address.

They, meaning Xfinity, told me the very same thing. I have looked up on the government website and clearly that is not accurate. Sounds like Xfinity needs to do some additional training for their customer service reps and inform them that they are giving out wrong information. I was already getting the ACP through Xfinity for my internet service. Then I went and applied for lifeline as the government website states you can have both. So when I signed up for my lifeline I got this crazy email from Xfinity telling me that not only was I going to be billed from now on, but that they've gone back and taken my credit away from last month too when last month I hadn't even applied yet! Not only is that just completely unethical and wrong it's also completely and factually inaccurate!!!!  I am fully allowed to have my ACP through Xfinity and still get lifeline and get that for the phone service (that takes lifeline)of my choosing. Xfinity needs to correct this erroneous information that they are sending out to everyone. On top of that they need to quit taking my credits away when they are not even correct or legally allowed to do so!! Pretty sure the government knows better than them as both programs are government programs!! 

Hello All I am new at Xfinity living in a Senior Community who includes includes internet with our Rent and i have been with lifeline for years and never had to pay talk text & 5gb but I would only buy more data for my use...this was all from SafeLink. I called Xfinity who has Contracted with my Senior Community but was never given a top box so I called for top box which I never gotten in 4 years, so the rep ordered, asked did I have phone provider advised her no and having lifeline & can I transfer phone number from SafeLink to Xfinity she asked did I have ACP I didn't but was approved right I ordered a camera & was approved for $5.00 a month on that I asked so how much my bill would be she said $10-15 with taxes. Well my bill was for $62.08 a month she put me on a plan with them at unlimited data included, and 24/7 camera monitor (that's another price included) installation charges, box charged & device charged & taxes for all kinds of things) I told them I'm not paying for something I didn't asked for & I was being Crammed by their Rep & a Mgr needs to listen to the call but to this day has not. But they said they'll disconnect my Service. And that bill was to be pay by 11/26/22 And I already got bill for Dec. Called another time to discuss and was so rudely offended by her saying I am upset & go get a glass of water 3x we didn't get anywhere but me telling her stop saying that to me I hung up. Xfinity is not good they don't follow protocol, dishonest, they allow Cramming (against the law) & under Government Regulations well I don't believe in Unfairness & no Accountability. So since I'm under auto pay I closed my account.... let's see if they can deduct anything.... If they put me in Collections (I'm a Senior Citizen) with Legal background & we'll be going to court...,.

I am a Diamond level member and I am so disgusted by Comcast/Xfinity representatives giving me conflicting information just to get more money from me!!

I have been speaking with 6 different people about the Safelink/Lifeline program with credits being transferred to Comcast ($9.99/mo) so I would continue with free mobile service and a new phone IN ADDITION TO receiving ACP benefits of $30/mo being applied to my internet service (Essentials including modem/router).  NO ONE has been able to confirm this information and so I know I will get my new phone WITH A BILL THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY and ultimately I will be canceling the new phone and mobile service.  I am going to start looking for alternatives to Xfinity altogether.  After 25 years, I am ready to cut the cord and leave Comcast because of these false promises and misinformation.  If the government websites state that I CAN receive lifeline free cell service AND ACP $30 discount on internet then why is Xfinity denying what is rightfully mine?   

I had an Xfinity customer service lady yell and even argue with me telling me that I can not have both Lifeline and ACP at the same time. I have never had a customer service person yell and argue with me like that before, then she transferred me to someone in the ACP department with Xfinity who told me the same thing she told me. This information is completely false! I can have both programs. I received a email last week from Xfinity with a bill telling me my ACP was transferred to another service. It was not transferred because I only have Lifeline with Safelink not ACP with Safelink. Infact I spoke with the Lifeline gov service representative and she told me that starting my Lifeline with Safelink should not affect my internet service with Xfinity. I have filed a complaint with the BBB. There is a gov website link that clearly says you can have Lifeline and ACP with the same or separate service companies. Someone needs to clear this up and Xfinity customer service representatives should never yell and argue with a customer for any reason. I am disabled and I do not need to be yelled at or argued with by Xfinity customer service reps who are stating something completely different than what the gov says.

I forgot to add that the man I spoke with who was suppose to be a ACP rep was referring to Lifeline as a "Obama Phone". I told him I have a Motorola G Style that my family member paid almost 400.00 for and it was not a free "Obama Phone". Even if it was a free phone, this was so rude!

YOU CAN HAVE BOTH THE LIFELINE BENEFIT AND THE ACP BENEFIT. AS A MATTER OF FACT THE LIFELINE BENEFIT MAKES YOU AUTOMATICALLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE ACP BENEFIT. YOU CAN USE THEM TOGETHER FOR THE SAME DATA PLAN LIKE IF YOU COMBINE BOTH YOUR ACP AND LIFELINE BENEFIT TOGETHER YOU WILL GET UNLIMITED TALK WITH UNLIMITED TEXTING PLUS UNLIMITED 2G SPEED SLOW DATA WITH ASSURANCE WIRELESS AND WITH SAFELINK WIRELESS. BUT WITH ASSURANCE YOU WILL GET 35 GB OF HIGH-SPEED DATA. AND WITH SAFELINK YOU WILL GET 25 GB. AFTER YOU USE THESE AMOUNTS OF HIGH-SPEED DATA YOUR DATA SPEED MAY SLOW DOWN OR MAY NOT DEPENDING UPON WHETHER OR NOT THE MAIN CARRIER IS CONGESTED OR NOT. THE MAIN CARRIER FOR ASSURANCE IS EITHER T-MOBILE OR METRO. AND THE CARRIER FOR SAFELINK IS VERIZON WHICH OWNS TRACFONE WHICH IS A BIG BUNCH OF COMPANIES AND SAFELINK IS IN THOSE COMPANIES.

NOW YOU CAN USE YOUR ACP BENEFIT TOWARDS YOUR XFINITY AND YOU WILL GET FREE WI-FI AT 100 MBPS DOWNLOAD SPEED AND 10 MEGABYTES PER SECOND UPLOAD SPEED WITH UNLIMITED DATA. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET THAT IS A BETTER IDEA ACTUALLY BECAUSE IT ONLY COST $10 PER MONTH FOR THE XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS BASIC PLAN. IT IS UNLIMITED DATA AT 50 MBPS. AND WHETHER YOU GET THE BASIC PLAN FOR $10 OUT OF POCKET A MONTH OR WHETHER YOU GET THE PLUS PLAN FOR FREE USING YOUR ACP BENEFIT YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO BUY A NEW DELL LAPTOP FOR $150 WHICH MAY BE WORTH $300. EITHER A 3100 CHROMEBOOK OR A 3120 LATITUDE. THE 3120 IS BETTER.

FOR MOST PEOPLE IS BEST TO COMBINE BOTH YOUR BENEFITS TOWARD SAFELINK OR ASSURANCE.

BUT FIRST USE THEM SEPARATELY SO YOU CAN USE YOUR ACP BENEFIT TO HELP YOU GET A TABLET WITH ONE OF THE COMPANIES WHO GIVES A DISCOUNT A TABLET.

SARVER WIRELESS GIVES THE BEST TABLET IF YOU CHOOSE THE 10-IN T10 ELITE SKY DEVICES TABLET. IT COST ONLY $20.

AIRTALK WIRELESS AND CINTEX WIRELESS SOMETIMES OFFER A SAMSUNG TAB S4 OR SAMSUNG TAB S3 TABLETS. THESE ARE PROBABLY THE BEST ANYONE OFFERS ALTHOUGH THEY ARE REFURBISHED. THE S4 WAS $730 WHEN IT CAME OUT IN 2018.

CULTURE WIRELESS GIVES A FAIRLY DECENT MOOLAH WIRELESS 10-IN TABLET SO THAT WOULD BE THE THIRD ONE I THINK IS BEST. BUT LIKE SARVER WIRELESS AND SOME OTHER COMPANIES WHO OFFER TABLETS CULTURE WIRELESS DOES NOT GIVE MUCH HIGH-SPEED DATA FOR FREE EACH MONTH FOR THE ACP BENEFIT. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR TABLET FIRST AND THEN TRANSFER YOUR BENEFITS LATER.

AFTRR IS A SITE WHICH MEANS ALLIANCE FOR TECHNOLOGY REFURBISHING AND REUSE. THEY HAVE SOME DISCOUNTED REFURBISHERS. AND THEY HAVE SOME ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SITES ON THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HEARING OR SPEECH OR SITE. OR YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A TWO-IN-1 UNDER $50 FROM CHROMEBOOKS R US.

TYPE THE PHRASE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM PROVIDERS NEAR ME. AND THEN ENTER YOUR CITY AND STATE OR YOUR ZIP CODE NOT BOTH. THEN YOU CLICK ON LIFELINE TO SEE WHICH PROVIDERS ACCEPT THE LIFELINE BENEFIT WHICH IS 9:25 PER MONTH. YOU CAN USE THAT TOWARD MOBILE OR FIXED DATA. THEN CLICK ON ACP PROVIDERS AND YOU WILL SEE WHO ACCEPTS THAT BENEFIT WHICH IS $30 PER MONTH TOWARD YOUR DATA PLAN. AND THE ACP BENEFIT ALSO PAYS $100 ONE-TIME BENEFIT TO HELP YOU GET A TABLET OR A COMPUTER BUT XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS LOW COST COMPUTER DOES NOT ACCEPT THE BENEFIT UNFORTUNATELY. THE COMPANIES WHO OFFER REFURBISHED LAPTOPS UNDER $50 FOR THE ACP BENEFIT MAY REQUIRE YOU TO PURCHASE A MOBILE HOTSPOT DEVICE. PCS FOR PEOPLE OR HUMANIT OR INTERCONNECTION ALSO KNOWN AS CONNECTALL.

That is right-on, I spoke to 3 persons already on the phone about me using my Lifeline credit benefit they all keep telling me I have to choose between one or the other?  So what is going? I would like to up my service! with internet with stream!

I am on lifeline for a separate phone provider and ACP internet through Xfinity. I also tried to utilize the remaining from ACP and transfer my lifeline to Xfinity so I would have both with Xfinity and was told they didn't except the lifeline or the remainder from ACP towards phone service. Now I am seeing others with the same problem and success for one person. My internet service is great through Xfinity but my phone through another company is bad. I am disabled, live by myself and have to get outside to get phone reception. When its cold I can't do it and if I have an emergency inside I am screwed! I get no service inside at all. I have gotten no responses for my phone problems from anyone including the FCC and phone company. How about it Xfinity, can you be my hero? Can you connect me with someone who is knowledgeable about Lifeline and ACP through your company? I was told by lifeline I could transfer to any provider who accepts Lifeline/ACP and combine them for services. Thanks! 

ACP and Lifeline are NOT one and the same. They have different rules, stipulations and standards, particularly in regards to what is expected from the service providers. Because of this, Xfinity does not participate in Lifeline.

Having understood that, you say you were told you couldn't use your remaining ACP balance toward Xfinity Mobile service? That is FALSE. Did a rep tell you this? When did they say this? True, ACP was restricted to internet service at first, but it has been several months, at least, since they have extended the credit to cell service. So, while you might have to relinquish Lifeline service, you should TOTALLY get online and sign up for Xfinity Mobile. Because their network depends heavily on their wifi boxes, you should see a dramatic increase in your cell service. Now, understand, this means your mobile DATA allowance will be significantly less than what you are currently given via your Lifeline provider. In order to get free cell service from Xfinity you will only get 1 GB. So get used to signing into other WIFI hotspots!

Lastly, regarding your terrible cell signal, do you know if your phone has WIFI Calling? Research your phone model and how to access it. Also, download Google Voice. That will provide you a second number that allows you to text and call via WIFI. Good luck to you!

dfea49, thanks for the comment, but the website for ACP and Lifeline states that you can combine the two with those who participate. I can also transfer my benefits to any company who participates. A rep from Xfinity did tell me that couldn't use the rest of the allowance towards phone. Yet they tried to get me to use the rest of what is left in the ACP account towards faster internet service. That was short of a scam. I'm going to try again, someone along the line has to have knowledge about this with Xfinity. These chat bots are worthless on this site. As far as google, they are nothing but a bunch a scam artists. I have a tablet that I received from the state I live in which had a phone program for hearing impaired which had nothing to do with google. Because google couldn't access my crappy android phone they shut down my hearing impaired phone program because it was on an android tablet. They have bought their way into everything involved with the internet. There isn't a phone or program app that they don't control right along with all the clueless people who can't think on their own and the government who backs them!

     It appears to me that Comcast(Xfinity) doesn't want your wireless business badly enough to really help you get the free service you qualified for.  Although they are randomly listed 3rd in MN as an ACP provider (see website link), they are not listed as a Lifeline provider nor is there an "*" after their "Comcast(Xfinity)" business name which would indicate they provide both services.  
     Since there are dozens of Lifeline providers in MN, and you don't need a hardline connection like cable internet or wired telephone to get service, I'd look for a provider who will actually help you; preferrably one who uses the cell towers and technology which matches your phone (i.e. AT&T, Verison, T-Mobile).  Ask them when you call.  If they won't tell you, keep shopping until you find someone who will!

     https://cnm.universalservice.org/

Good Luck!

     One would think the ACP and Lifeline would be a "cash cow" for Comcast (Xfinity).  Tell people they can get something they want at a discount (ACP) or for free (Lifeline), sign them up, and collect from the government as long as they qualify.  Why make it difficult for your current and potentially new customers?