Low-income homes drop Internet service after Congress kills discount program

The death of the US government's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is starting to result in disconnection of Internet service for Americans with low incomes. Charter Communications reported a net loss of 154,000 Internet subscribers that it said was mostly driven by customers canceling after losing the federal discount. About 100,000 of those subscribers were reportedly getting the discount, which in some cases made Internet service free to the consumer. Charter's Q2 2024 earnings report provides some of the first evidence of users dropping Internet service after losing the discount. Separately, the FCC Lifeline program that provides $9.25 monthly discounts is in jeopardy after a court ruling. Lifeline is paid for by the Universal Service Fund, which was the subject of a constitutional challenge.