Dear Editor,
Twenty-three million American households, including 416,000 in South Carolina, rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to get internet service and stay online. Unless Congress acts soon, the monthly broadband benefit will end, with devastating consequences for under-resourced households.
The ACP is a $14.2 billion federal broadband benefit funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that provides eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 per month (up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands) and a one-time $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Nationwide, 51.6 million households, including 17.7 million unconnected households, are eligible for the ACP, making it a critical tool for closing America’s stubborn digital divide, two-thirds of which is due to affordability.
In South Carolina, more than 874,000 households are eligible for the ACP. and 416,000 households (48 percent) have enrolled. Among these households that would be impacted are an estimated 30,000 Veteran households, 94,000 senior households and 149,000 households with income below 200 percent of the federal poverty line.
If Congress does not pass The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Extension Act of 2024, enrolled households will see a significant spike in their internet bill and potentially lose service entirely. Without home internet, struggling Americans cannot access online education, healthcare, the social safety net, critical government services, and the digital economy. Access to home internet increases the annual income of an under-resourced American household by $2,200.
The Affordable Connectivity Program is a bipartisan success story. Forty-four percent of enrollees live in Republican congressional districts, and 55 percent in Democratic congressional districts. Majorities in both parties support the ACP: 64 percent of Republicans and 95 percent of Democrats.
South Carolina residents can call on their representatives in Congress to take action to support The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Extension Act of 2024.
AJ Kirby (EducationSuperHighway)
San Francisco
