The White House recently announced that it has secured commitments from 20 internet service providers to reduce prices or increase speeds to serve low-income familiares across the United States. This means that around 48 million households could potentially access high-speed internet for free.
If individuals are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, then they could possibly get up to $30 per month taken off internet bills.
Some examples of companies that have agreed to participate in this program so far are AT&T (NYSE: T), Verizon (NYSE: VZ), and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA). According to AT&T CEO John Stanley, AT&T's new plan "when combined with federal ACP benefits, provides up to 100 Mbps of free internet service."
The reason that this new commodity came about is that $65 billion has been reserved for the Bipartisan Infrastructure law. It has helped to establish funding for the ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) and to centralize focus on remote schooling for children.
"High speed internet at home is no longer a luxury: it's a necessity for children to learn, workers to do their job, seniors and others to access health care through telemedicine, and for all of us to stay connected in this digital world," a senior administration official informed reporters.
There are many ways in which the Biden administration is ensuring that households are making the most of this new program. One of them is through collaboration with various states and cities. Some examples of states or cities that they are partnering with are Michigan, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Mesa, Arizona, and New York City.
Another way that the Biden administration will be ensuring that as many households as possible take advantage of this program is by partnering with public interest organizations. Some of these organizations include United Way, Goodwill, Catholic Charities USA, and UnidosUS.
They'll also be contacting households that are eligible through federal agencies. Individuals can discover their eligibility either through their income or by partaking in various programs, such as Pell Grants, Medicaid, or Supplemental Security Income. The Social Security Administration, for example, will reach out to the 1.6 million individuals with SSI accounts and inform them that they now qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program.