Words by Smiley Team
Today, with our entire life and work at least adjacent to the internet, having a stable and strong connection is all but essential. However, many in the United States still struggle to find consistent access.
According to the FCC, over 19 million Americans still lack access to broadband internet. That doesn’t count the many who struggle to consistently pay for internet and those that can’t afford a strong enough internet connection.
To support those in need, the White House recently released a plan to provide affordable internet to over 48 million Americans.
“As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the President and Vice President worked with Democrats and Republicans to create the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which allows tens of millions of American households to reduce their internet service costs by up to $30/month (or $75/month on Tribal lands),” the White House said in a statement.
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Pushing for affordable high-speed internet has been one of the key goals of the Biden administration thus far, and was a large part of his Infrastructure Bill.
“If we didn’t know it before, we know now: High-speed Internet is essential,” Biden said at a White House event in April 2022, honoring the National Teacher of the Year.
The program estimates that 48 million households will qualify for the program for a number of reasons, making up nearly 40% of the population.
The criteria to qualify starts at households that are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level but also expands to individuals that qualify for government support programs like SNAP and those who qualify for the federal Pell Grant.
The program will be initiated through internet service providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon serving dozens of states, and smaller providers serving rural areas like Jackson Energy Authority in Tennessee and Comporium in North Carolina.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is grateful for the efforts of these companies, and encourages additional internet service providers to join this effort to close the digital divide by offering high-speed, low-cost plans,” the White House said in a statement.
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