Jarrett Smith
June 7, 2021

The Biden Administration Expanded Broadband Access and Affordability with funding from last year’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Millions of families across the United States now have access to affordable, and even free, high-speed internet. Affordable broadband is a matter of racial and economic justice, as those without broadband are disproportionately Black and Brown folks, low-income families, or people in rural communities.

Every aspect of life in the U.S. requires access to the internet, including social services, health care, education, unemployment benefits, and more.  As the White House pointed out in their statement, “High-speed internet service is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity.” The coronavirus pandemic has proven that expanded Broadband access and affordability are critical for accessing health care, kids’ primary education, and other needs for communities across the country.  We must reduce costs and increase access to broadband so no family has to go without high-speed internet or cut back on other necessities to afford their internet payments.

Learn About the Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) launched in January 2022 to help more families afford broadband. It is the largest high-speed internet affordability program in our nation’s history. More than 11 million households are already enrolled in the ACP, but experts estimate that 48 million households—nearly 40% of households in the country—qualify.

Families whose household income is 200% of the Federal Poverty Level or less—about $55,000 per year for a family of four or $27,000 for an individual—or who have a member of their household participating in Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or a number of other federal support programs, are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

ACP provides households a discount of up to $30/month on internet service ($75/month on Tribal lands).  In addition to this discount, the Biden administration recently announced that 20 leading internet providers across the country have agreed to either reduce prices or raise speeds on internet plans they offer to provide ACP-eligible households with quality internet for no more than $30/month. When families pair the $30 ACP benefit with one of these plans, they will receive high-speed internet at no cost.

Connecting Families with Expanded Broadband Access and Affordability

Nearly 40% of households in the country qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and we need to make sure that every family that can benefit from this program does. The White House launched GetInternet.gov, an, easy-to-use website with details about signing up for ACP and finding participating internet providers, and is partnering with public interest organizations like Catholic Charities USA to conduct direct enrollment and outreach.

Visit GetInternet.gov today to find out if you qualify and share this information with your family, friends, and community.