FCC Commissioner: Ending affordable internet is a gut punch to US prosperity

of affordable connectivity program We help 23 million American households get online. However, on the February 8th program, started to loosen Due to lack of funds.

New households are currently unable to join. Soon, today’s households will have to choose between price shock and disconnection. We cannot allow this to happen.

The Affordable Connections Program established in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act low income household High-quality Internet access services are often available for free. Americans in all 50 states use it — from 130,000 households in my home state of Kansas to 1.1 million households in Ohio to 270,000 households in Nevada.

These households live in rural areas and urban centres.In fact, the program has Rural enrollment exceeded expectations.they are still alive too tribal land. They include young learners, grandparents, and everyone in between.

Simply put, the Affordable Connectivity Program is the most effective program in helping low-income Americans get online and stay online. In fact, it is the most successful program to date in a decades-long bipartisan effort to solve the digital divide.

But affordable connectivity programs are in jeopardy. Without additional funding from Congress, the program will run out of funding as early as April.

This means millions of Americans will no longer have access to affordable broadband. As soon as the funds run out, these low-income households’ monthly internet bills will skyrocket. I think a lot of them won’t be able to stay connected.

Nationally, 49 percent of these households are “vulnerable to coverage.” This means it’s very difficult to fit your internet into your monthly budget and you’re always on the verge of disconnecting. Few states offer affordable internet programs that these households can rely on. While some states may step in and try to create one, others do not, and state efforts are unlikely to match the scale of affordable connectivity programs, much less reach full implementation in just a few months. That is impossible.

All that remains is the philanthropy of Internet service providers.many of them Agreed to create a lower cost plan There is no business case for partnering with the Affordable Connectivity Program to keep 23 million households connected for free without federal support.that’s natural Internet service provider itself I’m looking for program funded.

Removing internet connectivity could radically change the fate of these families. for example, Almost a quarter of teens live in households with annual incomes of less than $30,000. They said they may not be able to complete their homework because they lack a reliable computer or internet access.

Internet access increases employment and income For low income people.Access to telemedicine services increase access to care and reduce costs.

These studies show that today, Internet access is essential to almost every part of life. It also shows that connectivity is often needed most when families can’t afford broadband (for example, when changing jobs or experiencing health concerns).

The broader impact of ending the Affordable Connectivity Program will not only be felt by individual households. It would handcuff the country to the biggest investment it has ever made in broadband infrastructure. Broadband Equity Access and Adoption Program.

The program spent $42.5 billion to build new networks that would reach millions of previously unserved or underserved households, primarily in rural areas. But without affordable connectivity programs, broadband equity access and deployment funding will remain as far out of reach as possible. Affordable connectivity programs reduce the risk and cost of building into these rural homes because more of the serviceable population can afford to enroll.

In recent research, Affordable Connectivity Program will reduce subsidies needed to encourage rural building by as much as 25%. This program allows states to invest more money and connect more rural homes. Without it, they can’t.

I’m happy to say that there is hope. The program’s widespread adoption has prompted calls from across the country to restore funding.

President Biden asks Congress This is to fund the program as part of the budget. 26 bipartisan governors and 174 Mayor He urged Congress to do the same.

Support within Congress itself is bipartisan and bicameral.of Affordable Connectivity Program Extension MethodIt would provide $7 billion to restore funding to the program and has Democratic and Republican sponsors in both the House and Senate.The Senate Republican sponsor was part of a group of eight Republican senators who advocated for the continuation of the program. Until June 2023 at the earliest.

as President Biden said: Just a few weeks ago in North Carolina.[high]- High-speed internet is no longer a luxury, but an absolute necessity. ”

Closing the digital divide means opening opportunities for everyone, including the millions of Americans who can’t afford or don’t have access to broadband. At this pivotal moment, we cannot go back.

Jeffrey Starks is a member of the Federal Communications Commission.