The internet is one of those utilities that was once considered a luxury but now is all-but-required for modern life success. For anyone working from home or going to school from home, having a reliable internet service provider at a reasonable price is essential.
Equally important are fast download speeds and the ability for multiple people to be online at once. This guide breaks down military discounts on internet service available to military families and veterans.
All of the companies we’re covering in this round-up have specific eligibility requirements, so it’s best to check with the company directly to ensure you have the necessary documentation on hand.
To verify your military status, some internet service providers may require you to create an account with military verification websites like Veterans Advantage, SheerID, or ID.me. Others might require you to verify eligibility online with military pay stubs or a copy of your military ID.
Best Internet Service Providers in 2024
Looking for a quick list? Here are the three top internet service providers that offer discounts or deals for military servicemembers, veterans, and their families.
For a more extensive review of all the top options, including our top three, keep reading below.
AT&T Fiber – Best for Bundles
AT&T Fiber offers speeds of up to 5 Gbps with equal upload and download speeds, unlimited data caps, ultra-low latency, and ActiveArmor internet security.
The extra savings kick in when you bundle other services such as AT&T wireless and DIRECTV with your internet service. Plus, there is a $15/month military and veteran discount (learn more below).
Verizon Fios – Best Overall Military Perks
Verizon Fios offers great discounts for military servicemembers and veterans with speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to 1 Gig, plus a handful of perks that make them standout from the rest. Plan perks include things like Walmart+ free for 3-12 months, Verizon gift cards ranging from $50 to $100, $300 off a Verizon Stream TV Soundbar, and more.
Getting the military discount is super easy – just confirm your eligibility with ID.me’s verification tool.
HughesNet – Best for Satellite Internet
Unfortunately, not everyone lives in an area with access to high-speed fiber internet. Thankfully, HughesNet can provide fast speeds and built-in Wi-Fi to nearly any location.
While HughesNet does not have a dedicated military or veteran discount, they do offer a monthly discount of $30 under the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program for eligible households.
The Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a U.S. government program that helps many low income households with discounts for internet service and equipment costs.
You are likely eligible if your household’s income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line, or if you or someone you live with currently receives a government benefit like Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits, SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, Pell Grant, Free and Reduced-Price Lunch, or Lifeline.
Eligible households enrolled in ACP will receive up to $30 (or $75 on Tribal lands) off their monthly internet service and equipment, and be subject to the rules and requirements of the ACP program.
AT&T Fiber
For active-duty U.S. military servicemembers, veterans, and their families, AT&T offers a $15 monthly discount on AT&T Fiber internet and DIRECTV services.
AT&T also offers discounts for bundling multiple services, including wireless, internet, and TV.
Additionally, AT&T’s Signature Program provides special rates for qualified sponsoring groups, such as:
- Government Employees
- College & University Students
- Employees of participant companies
Active-duty military members simply need a .mil e-mail address to sign up for the program. Military veterans will need to verify eligibility through documentation.
How do you get the military discount from AT&T online?
Claiming the AT&T military discount online is fairly straight forward. Active-duty military members can go to the AT&T Signature Program website and sign up with their .mil email address.
Veterans can sign up here, but will need to provide documentation to receive the discount, such as the following:
- Department of Defense Form DD214 indicating an honorable discharge
- Valid retired Military ID
- Current AMVETS membership card
- Veteran designated driver’s license
- Veteran Health Insurance card
Signing up for the AT&T military discount in-store
In addition to signing up for the military discount online, active duty servicemembers and veterans can sign up for the discount at any AT&T retail store. For military families and qualified spouses of active duty or deceased U.S. military servicemembers, providing documentation in-store is the only way to obtain the discount.
Acceptable forms of documentation include:
- Veteran’s Designated Driver’s License
- Valid Retired Military ID
- Current AMVETS Membership Card
- Veteran Health Insurance Card (VHIC)
- Department of Defense Form DD214 (indicating an honorable discharge)
- Department of Defense Sponsorship Card (for spouses of deceased veterans)
Visit AT&T’s website for its latest offerings.
Xfinity (Comcast)
When it comes to high-speed internet, digital cable, and more, Xfinity’s deals depend on your location and are always changing.
Xfinity doesn’t currently offer a monthly discount for members of the military. However, for a limited time, Comcast/Xfinity is providing a special promotion for active-duty servicemembers and veterans.
If you signed up for Xfinity service with a contract within the past 90 days, you may be eligible to receive a special $100 prepaid card as well.
Verizon/FiOS
Like other large, national companies, Verizon offers a generous bundle package to help make internet service, mobile service, home phone, streaming, cable and more, more affordable. The company currently offers three different bundling options that can save you upwards of $100 each month.
If you’re looking specifically for internet service, Verizon/FiOS offers military members home internet starting at $34.99/month + taxes and equipment charges.
You’ll need to confirm eligibility to take advantage of these discounted internet service rates.
T-Mobile Home Internet
T-Mobile is known for offering one of the best military discounts on mobile phone services with their Magenta Military and Magenta MAX Military plans. But, T-Mobile has also entered the home internet space, with great pricing to boot.
Current T-Mobile account holders can simply enter their cell phone number to quickly see if their location is eligible for service. If you’re not a current customer, you’ll need to also enter the physical address of the location where you’d like service.
T-Mobile is America’s fastest growing home internet service provider. The unique factor to T-Mobile’s internet offering is that it is entirely wireless – the service is provided over a 5G cell connection. This makes the service attractive for folks living in areas where physical broadband or fiber lines have not yet been ran.
Typical download speeds range between 33-182 Mbps, great for streaming video, surfing the web, and working from home. Online gaming is possible, but a wired connection is always best to avoid latiency issues.
All-in-all, T-Mobile home internet is a fantastic deal for military service members and veterans who are already subscribers to T-Mobile’s Magenta and Magenta MAX Military plans.
Spectrum (Charter Communications)
Spectrum is one of the top three internet service providers in the U.S. by market share. At this time, Spectrum does not have a dedicated discount for veterans or military families.
However, they do have promotions and discount programs for new subscribers, with the most commonly used one being a $30/month first-year discount on their basic 300 Mbps internet plan.
Outside of their internet service, phone subscribers can take advantage of a benefit offered by Spectrum which allows you to reserve your phone number for up to 3 years from the time you cancel your Spectrum Home Phone and/or Mobile service.
This benefit is part of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), and if you return to your current location within the 3 years of canceling your service, you can reactivate your saved phone number(s).
To be eligible for this benefit, you must be an active military service member and have received relocation orders or a deployment letter stating that you’ll be deployed for at least 90 days. You can start your request online or by mail, and you’ll need to include your relocation order document or deployment letter in either JPEG or PDF format.
HughesNet
For some military service members and veterans, internet access can be difficult due to their location. Either fiber or broadband lines have not been extended to their home, or their property is not in a good location to access 5G cell towers. Thankfully, there are still options like HughesNet!
HughesNet is a satellite internet service provider – it sends a request for a web page from your device to a satellite 22,000 miles out in space that is in geosynchronous orbit. Download speeds are typically around 25 Mbps, and upload speeds are around 3 Mbps.
The service is great for those that do not have access to a wired or 5G connection for the home, with sufficent speeds for streaming video, browsing the internet, and conducting remote work. Gaming is not reccomended on HughesNet connections, due to the significant latency created through satellite transmission.
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a US-based company that provides high-speed internet services to residential and business customers. They offer a variety of internet plans with speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps, along with other services such as TV and phone.
Cox Internet does not have a military or veteran discount on monthly service. However, new subscribers can still save up to $40/month on select plans for the first 12 months with a one year term agreement.
Military servicemembers and veterans may also qualify for free Cox Internet, saving up to $30/month through the Affordable Connectivity Program – a U.S. government program that helps many low income households with discounts for internet service and equipment costs.
CenturyLink
CenturyLink is a telecommunications company that offers internet services to residential and business customers in the United States. They offer a variety of internet plans with different speeds, ranging from 15 Mbps to 940 Mbps, with pricing varying depending on location and plan chosen.
The company’s internet services utilize different technologies depending on availability in the area, including fiber-optic, DSL, and fixed wireless. Fiber-optic internet is available in select locations, offering faster speeds and more reliable connections. DSL internet uses existing phone lines to deliver internet service and is available in more areas. Fixed wireless internet utilizes a wireless signal transmitted from a nearby tower and is available in select rural areas.
CenturyLink also offers additional services such as home phone, TV, and security services. They offer a variety of internet bundles that include these additional services for customers who want to combine their telecommunications services.
At this time, CenturyLink does not offer a military discount. However, they do offer several introductory offers and discounts to new subscribers, plus bundles that provide options for customers who want to combine their telecommunications needs.
Optimum (Altice USA)
Optimum is a service of Altice USA, and is a provider of high-speed internet services, serving both residential and business customers. They offer a variety of internet plans with speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 5 Gigabit, along with other services such as TV and phone.
While Optimum does not currently offer deals like military or senior discounts, their regular prices for internet customers and regular special deals are very competitive.
One of the most popular plans offers speeds of up to 300 Mbps, no annual contract, and unlimited data caps starting at $40/month (requires auto pay and paperless billing). The cost decreases to $30/month when bundled with a mobile plan.
Frontier Internet
Frontier Communications is a US-based company that provides high-speed internet services to residential and business customers. They offer a variety of internet plans with speeds ranging from 6 Mbps to 940 Mbps, along with other services such as TV and phone.
Pricing for Frontier Communications’ internet plans varies depending on the speed and package selected, but as of the writing of this article, their internet plans ranged from $49.99 per month for 500 Mbps to $154.99 per month for 5 Gbps. Depending on your service area, Frontier may offer lower prices for non-fiber internet services.
Frontier has previously offered a discount to active duty military members and veterans, as well as first responders and teachers. The discount provided a savings of $10 per month on select internet plans. However, it is unclear if Frontier is still offering this discount.
It’s always best to check with Frontier Communications directly to confirm their current deals, pricing, and military discount details.
Mediacom
Mediacom Communications is a telecommunications company that provides internet, cable TV, and phone services to residential and business customers. Mediacom offers a variety of internet plans with speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 2 Gbps, depending on your location.
The company also offers Wi-Fi coverage throughout the home or office, as well as anti-virus and security features. Mediacom’s internet services are available in 22 states across the United States and are delivered through a mix of fiber optic and cable technologies. Additionally, Mediacom provides 24/7 customer support and offers a variety of add-on services, such as email hosting and online backup solutions, to enhance the customer experience.
At this time, Mediacom does not offer a dedicated military discount. However, Mediacom is known as a military-friendly employer, and is proud to have hundreds of veterans that work with them every day. If you find yourself in the middle of the transition from the military to civilian work, you may want to consider a career with Mediacom.
Regional Internet Service Providers
Do you prefer internet service through a smaller, regional provider?
No problem. Sometimes regional companies will also offer military discounts for internet service. Or you might be able to entice them to match these offers from their national competitors.
Simply call your internet service provider about any available military discounts or deals.
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Michael Terrell says
HughesNet is not great. It has a high latency which prevents you from using VOIP phones, other than HughesNet service at a higher price.
There are websites that I have a lot of trouble using,. This includes RallyPoint. I sometimes go weeks where I can’t use the site. Their 55GHz satellites are in a much higher orbit than their older satellites.
I’ve worked in that industry for years so I’m familiar with the physics.
Richard Jubinville says
I have Charter/Spectrun as my ISP for internet /TV and phone, but I do not see them listed as a company offering discounts?
joyce aussie-weaver says
I am really mystified by the compensation allotted me. My husband was a Navy Commander, 26 years service, diagnosed with prostate cancer attributed to agent orange. Date of death was January 2, 2021. He was 100% disabled. service connection for the cause of death was granted. He was allotted $3,697.28 month of death. the initial DIC grant was $1,357.56. i was named beneficiary. My husband and I talked about my future and he was comfortable that I would receive $3,697.28 plus $1,357.56. Surprisingly, i receive $1,357.56 monthly. His social security is $2,2166. even people on welfare are compensated better than this. i do not want to live on the street. should i be doing something else? what benefits do I qualify for?
Tim Hinds says
Sorry you are just now finding this out. I am facing a short future and I too am rated 100%. I was very concerned for my wife’s welfare so I made sure of the benefits available. I found just as you did that you don’t get the the disability benefit after the veteran dies. You are receiving the death benefit for service related death. You are quite right that it’s a marginal amount for sure.
There are other benefits available to the spouse of veterans such as assistance with assisted care facilities. So be sure you keep that in mind.
Robert says
Very helpful didn’t know my cable company gives a discount to veterans.