Frequently Asked Questions

No — this is a required program change. State Farm is removing provided internet from all agent offices. You will be contacted by State Farm to schedule your transition, or you can opt in proactively by submitting the Agent Choice Internet Migration Form. A ticket is created and you will receive next steps by email within 24 hours.

Yes. The 2028 Agent's Agreement lists internet among agent office expenses: "the expenses of any office including... internet service." This is a permanent change, not a pilot program.

State Farm is transitioning agents from SF-provided internet to their own internet service. Under Agent Choice Internet, you select and pay for your own Internet Service Provider and connect to the SF network using a VPN and YubiKey. You receive a $200/month stipend to help offset costs.

State Farm says the change enables agents to get faster and more efficient internet than SF currently provides, gives flexibility to use one connection for both agents and customers, and allows agents to reconfigure phones or workstations within the office more freely.

Not yet. It is not currently available to first-time agents. For all other agents, it is either being rolled out automatically or available via voluntary opt-in. Note: the program is not currently available to first-time agents.

Once you transition, SF's Install Coordination & Services (IC&S) team will schedule your hardware removal and provide shipping boxes for you to return printers and phones to SF.

The stipend begins when SF equipment is removed from your office. For offices with more than one agent, the primary agent receives the stipend. The duration of the stipend continues to be evaluated by SF.

Agent Choice Internet is a managed network service that handles everything your SF office needs to get online: we help you select an Internet Service Provider, set up your network hardware, and then remotely manage and monitor your network on an ongoing basis. You don't have to become an IT person — that's our job.

You can — but you'd be taking on internet service research, hardware selection, installation, network configuration, and ongoing troubleshooting yourself. When something goes wrong (and with business-critical internet, it will), you're calling a consumer support line. And when State Farm's Zoom Phone rollout arrives, you'll need wired infrastructure and a managed switch already in place to support desk phones. ACI handles all of it for roughly what the $200 stipend covers — so most agents pay little to nothing out of pocket to have a professional manage the whole stack.

You make the final call, but we make it easy. We survey your office address, research available Internet Service Providers, and present you with options and a recommendation based on performance, price, and reliability. Once you choose, we handle the signup paperwork. We recommend cable or fiber for optimal VPN performance and help right-size your bandwidth based on your team size.

We monitor your network's uptime, performance, and security remotely using UniFi Site Manager. We apply software updates, handle configuration changes (like adding a new device), and can diagnose most network-level issues without setting foot in your office.

All of our management is remote. If a physical hardware issue requires an on-site visit, we'll coordinate that separately. Day-to-day management — monitoring, updates, configuration — is handled remotely.

No. We manage your network — the routers, switches, and access points. End-user device support (computers, SF applications, Jabber, YubiKey) is handled by your normal SF support channels. If your VPN won't connect or Jabber is acting up, that's an SF IT issue, not a network issue.

Call us first. We'll determine whether it's a network issue (our responsibility) or an Internet Service Provider outage (your provider's responsibility). We can often diagnose and resolve network-level issues remotely within minutes. For provider outages, we'll help you escalate with them.

If the issue is with the Internet Service Provider (outage, line problem), it's between you and your provider — we'll help you communicate with them. If it's a hardware failure, we'll replace the equipment under your lease agreement.

Plans are sized to your office — how many people, how much coverage, and whether you want add-ons like cameras or wired desks — and start at $109/mo for a small WiFi-only office. Every plan includes the hardware lease, remote management, and internet setup support. Use the office sizer on our Pricing page to see your exact price. Your internet bill is separate and billed directly by the provider.

No. The monthly plan price covers your hardware lease and managed service. Your Internet Service Provider bills you directly for internet service. We help you research and set up the provider, but the ongoing provider cost ($80-120/mo typical) is a separate bill. Together, most agents find their total monthly cost fits within or near the $200 stipend.

For most small offices, your total monthly cost (internet service + our management plan) comes in at or near the stipend amount — many agents pay little to nothing out of pocket.

No. All hardware (gateways, switches, access points) is leased from ACI. We own it, we manage it, and we replace it if it fails. This keeps your upfront costs low and ensures you always have current, supported hardware.

Equipment must be returned to ACI at the end of your contract. Early termination fees may apply — ask us for details when you sign up.

There's no long-term lock-in or stated minimum term. Early termination fees may apply if you cancel and are fully disclosed before you sign. First month's payment is due at signing.

No. Your plan includes hardware, management, monitoring, software updates, and configuration changes. The only additional costs are your internet bill (separate) and any out-of-scope on-site visits.

All hardware is UniFi by Ubiquiti — commercial-grade networking equipment used by enterprise IT teams worldwide. Depending on your plan, this includes a gateway (router/firewall), network switch (included from 4-person offices up), and a WiFi 6 access point.

Yes. We configure all hardware to be fully compatible with the Cisco Secure Client VPN that SF agents use with YubiKey.

Hardware ships within a few business days of order confirmation. Installation is typically completed in 1-2 hours, coordinated with your SF transition timeline.

SF recommends the following minimums based on team size: 2 users 50 Mbps, 5 users 100 Mbps, 7 users 150 Mbps, 10 users 250 Mbps. We'll help you select the right plan based on your office size. Keep in mind that the VPN may add a small overhead, so we generally recommend choosing a speed tier above the minimum.

Our standard plan (one U6-Lite access point) covers offices up to approximately 800 square feet with good coverage. Larger office plans include higher-performance APs. For offices with walls, glass, or concrete that degrade WiFi signal, a wired setup may be better — we'll recommend the right solution for your space.

If you already have personal internet service contracted at your office, no additional Internet Service Provider setup is needed — you may just need a review of your speed for adequate performance. We'll assess your existing service and help determine if it meets SF requirements.

Installation coordination is included in your setup fee. However, for offices located outside our local service area, an additional travel fee may apply. We'll always disclose this before you sign anything — no surprises.

Hard phones are not compatible with Agent Choice Internet at this time — you'll use the Jabber softphone on your workstation. Zoom Phone hard phones are expected to work once State Farm completes that rollout. When Zoom Phone arrives, your office phones will run entirely over your internet connection — making a managed network with adequate bandwidth and Quality of Service (QoS) essential. ACI's managed switch prioritizes voice traffic so calls stay clear even when the rest of the office is busy. Getting your managed network in place now means the infrastructure is already ready when Zoom Phone rolls out.

Yes. Since you'll be using Jabber softphones instead of desk phones, all office members will need headsets or speakerphones. SF provides a list of tested, compatible models. These are agent-sourced — you purchase them. They're available online or at retail stores.

It depends on the model. State Farm has a compatibility list. The HP 5700 and HP M507X (converted to wireless) are compatible. The M555X, 506X, and 556DN are NOT compatible — SF's IC&S team ships a compatible replacement. That swap is handled by State Farm, not ACI. USB printers keep working. Check with your SF IC&S coordinator before equipment removal date. Don't buy printers requiring driver/software downloads without checking SF's approved hardware list (Automation System Agreement, Exhibit A on SFNet).

For network printers (HP 5700 or M507X), the whole office prints over WiFi as before. USB-only printers work one workstation at a time — each person physically connects via USB. If your printer isn't on SF's compatible list, SF handles replacement — outside ACI's scope. Ink and toner are the agent's responsibility; discounted supplies through ODP Business Solutions (formerly Office Depot) via the Neighborhood Marketing Platform.

You'll connect to the SF network using Cisco Secure Client VPN with YubiKey multi-factor authentication. The VPN creates a secure encrypted tunnel between your laptop and the SF network. Our network hardware is configured to be fully compatible with this setup.

A YubiKey is a physical USB security device used for multi-factor authentication. It's required for connecting to the SF VPN. YubiKeys can be ordered via the Neighborhood Marketing Platform. You must have a YubiKey enrolled before your transition to Agent Choice Internet.

The VPN doesn't throttle or set a fixed speed, but may slow things slightly as traffic passes through security checks. SF says typical office speeds range from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Speeds below 100 Mbps may cause issues. This is why we recommend right-sizing your Internet Service Provider plan.

Yes. Customers and employees can use the same WiFi. Access to the SF internal network is restricted to authorized users and devices through the VPN. Your customer-facing internet and your SF VPN traffic are logically separated.

You have several options SF recommends: (1) Relocate temporarily — go to any location with internet (coffee shop, library) and connect via VPN + Jabber. (2) Tether from a mobile hotspot — use your cell phone's hotspot if your plan allows. (3) Work from another SF agent's office — if you have a mutual agreement. (4) Backup Internet Service Provider — consider a secondary internet connection (cellular hotspot or a second line) for critical downtime situations. We can advise on backup options.

We can advise on backup internet connection options as part of your setup. Many providers offer backup internet services using LTE or satellite that can serve as a failover. Ask us about this when you sign up. Note: State Farm's own business continuity documentation recommends that agents add both a backup internet connection and a battery backup to every office. ACI offers both — 5G Cellular Failover and Battery Backup Power are available on any plan.