Support for the Affordable Connectivity Program

Imagine if you couldn’t afford the internet access that would enable you to apply for employment, work remotely, fill out online-only benefits applications, or do telehealth appointments with doctors located several hours (and a full tank of gas) away. In 2023 in the United States of America, affordability remains one of the main barriers to households getting robust broadband service at home, including disproportionate numbers of low-income individuals and families, residents of rural and Tribal areas, and members of historically marginalized communities.

Until lapsing in May 2024, the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helped more than 23 million out of 52 million eligible U.S. households get connected—and stay connected—with a high-speed home internet plan. Benefiting both Republican and Democratic-led Congressional districts equally, the ACP enabled eligible households to afford digital technologies and the benefits that flow from connectivity.

Despite widespread bipartisan support among voters, organizations, and members of Congress alike for renewed funding for ACP, Congress failed to appropriate the necessary funds to support ACP’s continued operation. As a result, the program ended new enrollments in February 2024 and officially lapsed at the end of May 2024. Individuals and households impacted by the end of ACP are encouraged to check their eligibility for participation in the Universal Service Fund’s Lifeline program for broadband affordability assistance and programs offered by their local ISP.

Programs that offer subsidies for broadband internet have been found to benefit users beyond their cost savings. For example, increased employment rates and earnings create more than $2,200 in annual economic benefit for low-income households. They are found to have an outsized effect on users, creating $2 in economic benefit for every dollar spent on the subsidy. These programs also facilitate access to more affordable healthcare via telehealth, with an average savings of $93 per care visit, $120 per specialist visit, and $141 per urgent care visit. Even internet service providers benefit from these programs, as they bring new users to their networks and help existing users continue to pay for their plans.

Clearly, programs like the ACP present a historic opportunity to address the digital divide in the U.S., with the potential to make a lasting impact on people’s ability to access digital technology and the benefits that connectivity produces—but only if Congress can sustainably fund these programs.

Below, we’ve linked pages cataloging a wide range of press, blogs, letters, reports, and stories in support of the ACP. These pages will be updated periodically as we continue the push for a long-term federal broadband affordability program to help maintain the momentum the U.S. has achieved in addressing the fundamental challenge of its digital divide.