US Tech Future

“The United States has lately gotten serious about broadband expansion, with the federal government spending tens of billions of dollars to deploy services all over the country — especially in rural areas, where coverage is sparse. But how widely connectivity is available matters little if consumers can’t afford it. And unless Congress acts fast, many won’t be able to. The Affordable Connectivity Program came into being under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 after the coronavirus pandemic forced a huge portion of the population to work, learn and even socialize from computers at home. The benefit — $30 per month to households whose income falls under a certain poverty threshold or receive certain other federal benefits — has proved popular: Twenty-three million households — more than 1 in 6 nationwide — subscribe. More than two-thirds of respondents to an FCC survey of beneficiaries said they had inconsistent service beforehand or no service at all. And more than three-quarters say losing the benefit would disrupt their access.”

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“The impending end of the Affordable Connectivity Program in April poses a significant threat to the families who rely on its benefits, said Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks speaking at the 2024 INCOMPAS Policy Summit on Tuesday. Starks urgently called for the replenishment of funding for the ACP, highlighting its critical role in bridging the digital divide for millions of American households who struggle to maintain the cost of a monthly internet subscription, particularly those in low-income communities.”

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“Too often Congress is addicted to the drama of the last-minute deal. No matter how easy the decision before them, our national legislators like to wait until it’s almost too late before they do their jobs. The current issue perched on the edge of the congressional cliff is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a cost-effective, bipartisan government plan that helps low-income families get access to the internet that they need to lead more productive and successful lives.”

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“Verizon announced that Verizon Innovative Learning, the company’s award-winning education initiative focused on supporting digital equity and inclusion for students nationwide, has reached seven million students with digital skills training. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), there are still nearly 17 million school children in the U.S. that lack internet access at home. That’s why, over a decade ago, Verizon Innovative Learning was launched to address barriers to digital inclusion in Title I schools. With leading education partners, we empower students with new ways of learning through extensive support for educators, technology-integrated curriculum, emerging technologies including 5G, and free internet access. We have expanded access to our education programs to all nationwide through free immersive applications for any device, microcredential-aligned professional development, and tech-focused learning resources.”

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“A majority of beneficiaries of the Affordable Connectivity Program did not have quality internet access prior to the program’s inception, according to a new survey commissioned by the Federal Communications Commission. The December 2023 survey shows 68 percent of subsidy program’s participants had “inconsistent connectivity or zero connectivity” before signing up for the ACP. Of this group, 80 percent claimed affordability as the main barrier to connectivity. Roughly 47 percent of respondents and 53 percent of rural respondents claim they primarily relied on mobile service for internet connection prior to participating in the ACP.”

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“The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday warned that as many as three-quarters, or more than 17 million, of the 23 million households who participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program could see disruptions to their internet access should the program end. Funding for the ACP, which provides a $30-a-month subsidy to eligible low-income households for internet access, is set to run out at the end of April unless Congress provides more money to continue it. The FCC, which surveyed ACP households in December, also found that more than two-thirds of respondents had inconsistent or zero connectivity prior to enrolling in the program. Of that group, 80% cited affordability as the reason.”

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“In less than two months, if Congress does not act, tens of millions of people could find themselves unable to stay connected to high-speed internet. Thanks to the Affordable Connectivity Program, low-income Americans who qualify can choose from a variety of services and carriers in their area, applying a $30 discount, or $75 on tribal lands, in the form of a tech-neutral voucher. This high-speed connectivity allows thousands of individuals from Texas to Vermont to start businesses, stay in touch with family, book telehealth appointments, and more.”

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• “In late April, funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is expected to run out, endangering three critical years of progress in closing the digital divide. Recently, we surveyed over 1,700 ACP-enrollees who use the Providers app about what the broadband benefit has meant to them and how their lives will change if it expires. Here’s what we found:
  1. Nearly one-quarter of low-income households surveyed said that they would stop internet services altogether if ACP funding were to expire.
  2. Survey respondents use the internet for essential everyday activities, including work/job opportunities (44%), education (40%), health care (41%), online banking (48%), accessing government services (53%), finding food (33%).
  3. 58% of respondents say that affording internet access is at least somewhat difficult, even with the ACP.
  4. 60% of respondents are first-time subscribers to internet service through the ACP.
• The takeaway is clear: Unless the ACP is extended, families will have to make impossible tradeoffs between essential expenses or lose internet services altogether.”

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