Analysis: Low-income Americans will take a $20 billion hit when the Affordable Connectivity Program expires

More than 23 million low-income American households will soon see a new line item in monthly expense statements: prohibitively expensive internet bills. For some, the new cost will eat into other essential areas of their budget—for others, it will mean going without the internet altogether. While the federal price tag for monthly internet subsidies under the Affordable Connectivity Program comes to $8.4 billion annually, our research indicates that, for low-income communities, the economic impact of losing the ACP will be more than twice that. Accounting for lost economic opportunities, education, telehealth services, and the internet subsidies themselves, vulnerable communities are projected to lose over $20 billion annually in economic benefits. Ensuring everyone in the United States, regardless of income level, has reliable access to high-speed internet service makes for a more resilient and competitive economy. Congress must take action to fund the ACP.