How Los Angeles County, California, Is Boosting Affordable Connectivity Program Enrollment

The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) shared the results of an advertising campaign that CETF developed and Los Angeles County (CA) joined as co-branded partner, resulting in outstanding growth in enrollments. CETF launched advertising in the first 3 weeks in December 2021, and saw Emergency Broadband Benefit sign-ups increase by 43 percent month over month. This chart illustrates the progress, adding 13,500 more sign-ups than November and turning around the downward trend seen earlier in the fall of 2021. With combined CETF and LA County funds, the campaign spent about $330,000, or a very cost-effective $7.65 per household. The campaign collateral is available for easy replication and customization — and keep in mind media advertising in most other markets is going to be less costly than it is in LA. The results:  The call center before the pilot, using just CETF ad dollars, had received an average of 1,400 calls/month. By comparison, during the December 2021 ad pilot, it received 5,013. The Internet for all now (IFAN) website advertised in the campaign previously had sent 2,200 people to the USAC subsidy application but in December sent 21,145.

[Susan Walters is Senior Vice President at CETF.]