Jonathan Cannon

As of June 1, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is officially exhausted. This means that the 23 million households that rely on it can no longer receive a $30 per month discount on fixed or mobile broadband service. Without the ACP, customers’ main option is the antiquated Lifeline program, which offers $9.25 per month toward broadband service.

In less than two months, if Congress does not act, tens of millions of people could find themselves unable to stay connected to high-speed internet.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides eligible customers a discount of up to $30 per month for broadband services. The benefits of the ACP—especially compared to other programs—is that it is tech-neutral; it does not limit users to a specific means of connection and gives customers choices over what service they want. Absent congressional intervention, the program is due to run out of funding as early as April 2024.