Affordable Connectivity Program needs permanent funding

In an op-ed published by The Hill, “Affordable Connectivity Program needs permanent funding,” CEO and founder of Vernonburg Group Paul Garnett advocates for the continuation of the ACP. While increasing access to broadband is necessary, the adoption gap must also be addressed. For every American without broadband service available, up to twice as many have service available but still don’t subscribe. Affordability is a key barrier to broadband subscription, which is why the $30 monthly subsidy that the program offers to low-income households is so important. The ACP has been successful thus far, with almost 12 million U.S. households signed up already. However, funding for the program is likely to run out by mid-2024. The most immediate solution is for state broadband offices — using discretion granted to them under the infrastructure bill’s BEAD Program, as well as other federal funding programs — to extend ACP funding for eligible households in their states in order to sustain the economic and social benefits of the program.