CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — 23 million Americans could see their internet bills go up by the end of this month as funding for the Affordable Connections Program (ACP) is running out.
The program was created as part of a bipartisan infrastructure deal and provides low-income households with a $30 monthly discount on their internet bills. No funding was allocated for the program in the latest federal funding bill. According to the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, more than 103,000 households in West Virginia are enrolled in her ACP as of May 2023, with 39% of all households eligible.
Dr. Christopher Ali, a telecommunications professor at Penn State University, testified before Congress on the subject of broadband expansion. He said broadband prices are higher in rural areas due to lower housing density, and the program “helps low-income households in two ways. One is by providing broadband, if possible, with other utilities and other needs. “Our aim is to provide support so that they do not have to make sacrifices in between.” It also allows you to participate in the digital ecosystem. ”
12 News also interviewed Heather Gate, executive vice president of digital inclusion at the nonprofit Connected Nation and chair of the FCC advisory committee Communication Equity and Diversity Council.
Gate called the end of ACP “very unfortunate,” saying the pandemic is a tipping point given that many parts of daily life have moved online and many people have upgraded their internet to keep up. He said he felt that way.
However, Dr. Ali said the need for internet connectivity has not gone away. He said internet connectivity allows people to take advantage of telemedicine, do homework and work remotely. In addition to that, various studies have shown that access to the Internet leads to better GDP, health, and educational outcomes.
Gate said the benefits of ACP are two-fold: It makes the internet more accessible to low-income households, while also providing internet service providers with a customer base and funding to build better access in more rural areas. He said this is because they can provide it.
