Broadband Affordability is an Ongoing Challenge for Low-Income Households

A new survey from the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society focusing on low-income Americans shows that affordability challenges are pervasive for low-income households, a problem the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helped alleviate for those most in need. The survey finds that:

1. Many are paying monthly service fees that put a strain on their household budgets, as more than 53% said that they found it either very (11%) or somewhat (42%) hard to afford their monthly internet service fee.
2. Subscription vulnerability—meaning households that live at or near the poverty level, have suffered service disconnections, or struggle to pay for their broadband bill—is a reality for 43% of low-income households. For them, a home internet connection can be a “sometimes thing” and another stressor on a tight household budget.

The ACP helped ease these pressures. Reliance on ACP was greatest among those for whom affordability worries remain most acute. Some 36% of households in areas with high housing costs and problems dealing with an unexpected expense enrolled in ACP. This compares with 22% of all other respondents. Fifty-eight percent of households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are highly likely to be subscription vulnerable—38% of all SNAP households enrolled in ACP.