The ACP Is Dead: Long Live the ACP

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. Though it has existed for decades, Lifeline is significantly smaller and far more limited in scope than the ACP. Congress alone can remedy this problem with a comprehensive solution to broadband affordability. Thankfully, they have already done the work to create a free-market, light-touch program that gives customers flexibility to choose broadband services that meet their needs. While the best time to find a long-term solution for the ACP was months ago, the second-best time is now. Congress must come together and bring votes to the floor to ensure this important program can continue in a revenue-neutral way and give themselves a runway for meaningful USF reform to provide a long-term solution to broadband affordability.