Make broadband far more affordable

We urge Congress to establish a broadband credit — call it America’s Broadband Credit — to ensure many more people can afford high-speed Internet access. Congress could set a household subsidy of $50 per month, which is roughly the cost of medium-tier broadband plans in urban settings (and it could provide a higher subsidy for tribal lands). That subsidy would allow anyone and any device in the household to be connected to the Internet, simultaneously, which is how so many families today are operating. That would be an improvement over the current Lifeline program for low-income households. Under that program, which offers a subsidy of less than $10 per month, most recipients use the benefit on a single mobile device. Anyone who currently qualifies for the FCC’s Lifeline program would be eligible for the ABC. But Congress should also include families who have children in Title I schools, which have a high percentage of lower-income students, senior citizens who are at particular risk from the coronavirus, and people in need of long-term telehealth services. Congress should ensure that household eligibility can be quickly verified by a broadband provider so that people are able to order service easily, and it should fund systems that enable eligible households free from red tape. ABC households should be able to pick their broadband provider and choose the best deal for their needs, incentivizing broadband providers to compete for their business. To expedite enrollment, providers of service should make it available without any waiting period or deposit; allow enrollment regardless of past arrearages; and permit termination at any time without penalty. We recommend that Congress require any broadband network it funds to provide an inexpensive option for low-income households.

[Mignon Clyburn served as a commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission from 2009 to 2018, including a term as acting chairwoman in 2013. Jonathan Sallet, a senior fellow at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, is a former general counsel at the FCC.]