In a decisive move to keep America connected, President Joe Biden highlighted recent voluntary commitments from various internet service providers to offer affordable high-speed internet plans, a gesture that becomes increasingly impactful as the Affordable Connectivity Program's subsidies reach their sunset today. In a briefing published earlier, the official statement released by the White House details the end of a chapter for the program that enabled over 23 million households to shave off $30-75 from their monthly cyberspace costs.
Clocking in at the eleventh hour, these internet firms—ranging from local operations like Allo Fiber and Vermont Telephone Company to industry stalwarts such as AT&T and Comcast—have agreed to put forward plans that won't exceed $30 a month for eligible low-income households, a commitment that stands through the end of 2024. But today marks the final day that families will, without the renewal of Congress-funded support, be able to easily afford the internet's vast reach. The President is now pushing Congress to once again restore funding to the Affordable Connectivity Program, with Biden expressing back in October last year that even $30 is too much for some families, as he requested a supplemental $6 billion.
Despite reaching a climactic point where millions could potentially find themselves disconnected, the President seems unyielded, noting the collective coverage of these willing providers that amounts to approximately 10 million ACP households. These subscribers, current and to come, are now guaranteed a reprieve with plans that ensure no additional fees and waive restrictive data caps, according to the White House.
Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to rally behind its wide net of plans to ensure that high-speed internet isn't a luxury but a given for every American citizen. With a colossal $90 billion reserved for the endeavor, substantial ventures such as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, funded with a hefty $42.45 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are mandated to draw up affordable solutions for the networks it enables. Additionally, as of now, they've managed to quickly roll out thousands of connectivity devices and lay miles of crucial fiber, creating new pathways where high costs or rural isolation once enforced silence.
