Join OTI in Urging Congress to Refund the Affordable Connectivity Program on Don’t Disconnect US Day

Today, one in six households in the United States will receive notice that the Affordable Connectivity Program will be ending soon, disrupting families’ access and connection to affordable, reliable broadband internet and exacerbating the nation’s digital divide.

Across the United States, individuals and families struggle to afford the high monthly costs of broadband internet at home. Cost remains a primary barrier to internet access—particularly for low-income, Tribal, and rural households—and it impedes access to education, healthcare, and work opportunities, as well as government services.

To help bridge the digital divide and connect more households to the benefits of broadband, Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP provides eligible low-income households and individuals with a discount up to $30 per month toward internet services and up to $75 per month for those on qualifying Tribal lands.

To date, the ACP has helped over 23 million households of the 52 million eligible get connected—and stay connected—to high-speed home internet. Communities from Michigan and Arizona to West Virginia, Florida, and beyond are using the ACP to advance digital equity and bring online opportunities and services to those who need it most. According to the Universal Service Fund, these households include over 960,000 veteran households, 3.2 million families with a K-12 student receiving free or reduced-price lunches, 1.1 million low-income college students, and 10 million subscribers who are 50 or older. Broadband subsidy programs like ACP have been shown to help increase employment rates and earnings for low-income households, facilitate access to more affordable healthcare via telehealth, and address the homework gap.

While some lawmakers have expressed skepticism of the program, the ACP has gained widespread bipartisan support among voters, organizations, and members of Congress alike for its success at helping low-income families afford connectivity. Without the ACP’s support, families on tight budgets would face higher internet bills and may need to choose between paying for internet or other basic necessities.

Unfortunately, without action from Congress, the ACP is set to run out of funds, potentially as early as May, ending critical internet subsidies to families across the United States. On January 10, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced the “Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024” in both chambers of Congress. This legislation would appropriate $7 billion to the ACP to continue its support to families in need for the 2024 fiscal year.

The Open Technology Institute (OTI) at New America joins over 400 industry organizations, state/local/Tribal governments, public interest groups, and community-based organizations in urging Congress to pass this legislation before the ACP runs out of funds and millions are unable to afford this connectivity.

As part of Don’t Disconnect US Day, OTI encourages households across the country to call their Congressional representatives and urge that they act now to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program. Participants can find resources, call scripts, and more at www.dontdisconnectus.org.

Re-funding the ACP is the first step toward developing a long-term funding solution that allows the program to remain an available resource for the millions of low-income households who depend on it for their internet access.

To learn more about the ACP and how it is helping households and communities across the country, visit OTI’s ACP resources page. This collection catalogs a wide range of press, blogs, letters, reports, stories, and data in support of the ACP. These pages are updated periodically as we continue to advocate for additional ACP funding.