News
An FCC commissioner has slammed inaction from Congress as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is set to expire on June 1.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Allowing ACP funding to lapse is penny wise and pound foolish, according to FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez.
Gomez, a Democrat, said millions of American households will lose support for internet connectivity when the program officially ends June 1.
“We know that high-speed Internet service is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for all families, no matter who they are or where they live,” Gomez said, through comments released to the media.
Gomez said the discontinuance of the ACP will undo significant progress towards closing the digital divide.
“It is, as they say, penny wise and pound foolish,” Gomez said. “Connectivity has never been more important.”
Allowing ACP funding to lapse may also have competitive impacts on the country, Gomez said.
“The ACP benefited every corner of the country – from rural, urban, and suburban to communities on Tribal lands as well as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities – and it has been key to connecting communities historically on the wrong side of the digital divide.”
The federal program, which had helped millions afford broadband, has been on its last legs since April.
The FCC stopped accepting new ACP enrollments in February. In May, ACP customers have been receiving a partial subsidy of $14 per ACP customer, or $35 per qualifying Tribal customer.
Previously, the program provided eligible households $30 per month towards internet service. A benefit of $75 per month was also available to those who qualified on Tribal lands.
Some households could also receive a one-time discount on purchasing a laptop, desktop, or tablet.
Nearly 23 million households nationwide relied on the ACP program to help pay for internet. Households were considered eligible if their income was at or below 200 percent of poverty guidelines set by the government.
Despite glimmers of hope to renew funding for the program, the Republican led U.S. House of Representatives has still failed to approve any measure to renew funding for the ACP.
Gomez said it will mean millions of Americans facing rising bills and the threat of disconnection from internet service.
“By ensuring that all Americans can afford high-speed internet, the ACP is an investment in our nation’s prosperity and the promise of opportunity for all,” Gomez said. “It is critical that Congress act to save the ACP and keep the progress made to close the digital divide.”
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