White House touts ISP commitments to increase affordable accessWhite House touts ISP commitments to increase affordable access

Vermont Telephone Company

The ACP is a $14.2 billion program that provides a monthly broadband subsidy of up to $30 to qualifying low-income homes. That subsidy bumps to $75 for households on tribal land. The ACP was funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as a long-term replacement for the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), a short-term subsidy created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to commitments from the ISPs, the Biden administration is making a further push to get people to sign up for the program, including with a new website – GetInternet.gov – where people can access information about signing up for the ACP.

The White House is also enlisting help from public interest groups, as well as cities, states and federal agencies to reach people by text message and email: "For example, Michigan, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Mesa, Arizona, and New York City will text millions of eligible households," said the announcement. The Social Security Administration will also email "all 1.6 million Supplemental Security Income recipients who have a 'My Social Security' account, letting them know that they are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program."

Additional efforts to expand sign-ups to the program are crucial: Research suggests that the ACP could cover up to 48 million eligible households. But according to FCC data, only 11.7 million households have signed up as of May 9.

Broadband providers joined the White House for a press event today highlighting the affordability program and the administration's commitment to closing the digital divide.

In a press release on Monday, Comcast announced its expanded commitment to the ACP with the launch of Internet Essentials Plus, "a service that includes 100 Mbps speed, a cable modem, access to millions of WiFi hotspots, and unlimited data for $29.95 per month." The company is also "equipping tens of thousands of call center representatives to help customers sign up for Internet Essentials Plus and educate about ACP."

WOW CEO Teresa Elder also noted the provider's collaboration with the White House on the company's Q1 2022 earnings call Monday morning: "We're very excited about the Affordable Connectivity Program," she said. "We've continued to see that program grow and offer customers who would have difficulty affording broadband a $30 subsidy per month. We now have over 11,000 customers who are active on either the EBB, or ACP program now, and that's up 1,500 this last quarter."

ISPs vs FCC

The agreement with ISPs comes amid a parallel fight to confirm a full commission to the FCC. President Biden's pick for fifth commissioner, Gigi Sohn, has been awaiting confirmation since October 2021 in the face of attacks coming from dark money groups and industry lobbyists.

The latest of those fights is being led by One Country Project, a rural Democratic PAC with ties to Forbes Tate Partners, which lobbies on behalf of large ISPs.

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