A Roadmap for Affordable Broadband: Lessons from the Emergency Broadband Benefit

The phase-out of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB) and the transition to the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) represents an opportunity to take stock of the EBB program’s impact, and adjust key parameters to enhance the impact of the ACP. This policy brief seeks to contribute to this goal by evaluating the EBB program along three dimensions: 1) whether the program reached those in most need; 2) whether program uptake was higher for households with characteristics unrelated to the eligibility criteria; 3) whether local area factors affected opportunities and incentives for program participation. Ultimately, the goal of this study is to inform the design and support the implementation of the ACP program in ways that enhance its impact and cost-effectiveness.

Overall, the findings of this study suggest there is significant room to improve program targeting and outreach efforts, as well as to facilitate enrollment procedures for key groups of potential beneficiaries. Critically, the findings suggest that the primary impact of the EBB program was to alleviate the cost burden for households that were already connected pre-pandemic, with only modest impact in bringing new households online. A key task for ACP is to significantly expand coverage, particularly in areas with low residential connectivity pre-pandemic.