Here’s what regional, local internet service providers are saying about an ACP shutdown

The fate of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) remains unknown, but with the Federal Communications Commission scheduled to halt new enrollments in February, internet service providers are thinking about how a shutdown would impact the consumers relying on the subsidy. Some of the bigger companies like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon, said on their earnings calls they have backup plans if the ACP goes away. But what do the regional and rural providers think about the situation? Elliot Noss, CEO of Ting Internet said it’s less about how it will impact the business than how it would affect consumers at large. The ACP has been especially impactful in tribal communities, where households can receive up to $75 a month. Brian DeMarco, general manager at Montana-based Siyeh Communications, said ACP recipients make up roughly 15% of its customer base, which is a total of around 2,000 subscribers in the Blackfeet reservation. DeMarco hopes representatives at the state and federal level can “really get together and talk through the impact of taking $70 away from somebody.”