Agenda

As expected, broadband industry lobby groups have sued the Federal Communications Commission in an attempt to nullify net neutrality rules that prohibit blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization. Lobby groups representing cable, telecom, and mobile Internet service providers sued the FCC in several US appeals courts.

 The Affordable Connectivity Program provided a way to bridge the digital divide for over 23 million US households, but congressional inaction has led to its unfortunate end. The consequences will be devastating. Soon, many underserved families in rural and urban communities alike will have to make the difficult sacrifice of losing access to telehealth services, online learning, employment opportunities, and so much more. Reliable broadband is essential to our way of life and economy. Without it, millions of families relying on the ACP for internet access will be left out and left behind.

“It is incredibly disappointing and just plain shameful that one of the most successful bipartisan programs to close the digital divide has lapsed. Every Congressional district in the country had constituents benefiting from this program, and still, Congress failed to deliver the funding needed to ensure that over 23 million households won’t lose connectivity. While the efforts made by the program's most ardent supporters in both Chambers were commendable, the resulting lapse of ACP makes it clear that the Congressional appropriations process is ill-suited for funding affordable broadband.

NEK Broadband and CVFiber announce a preliminary plan to join the two Communications Union Districts (CUDs). The proposed merger would unite resources, experience, expertise, and a shared commitment to deliver exceptional high-speed internet services to their collective 71 communities. Working together, they will be better able to support digital equity, economic growth, and community development across the Northeast Kingdom and Central Vermont.

At the end of May, the Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps over 23 million low-income households access high-speed internet at home, officially ran out of funding. This lapse occurs despite strong support from the White House and lawmakers of both parties, as well as the backing of four out of five Americans. The focus must now shift to delivering a long-term fix. Fortunately, the solution is staring us in the face.

The end of the ACP will undo the significant progress we have made toward closing the divide and harm millions of Americans. Not only that, but it will have economic and competitive consequences for our country if we fail to maximize the $42.5 billion investment we’ve made in broadband infrastructure through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program. It is, as they say, penny wise and pound foolish. Connectivity has never been more important.

Astound is the latest service provider to announce a low-income ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) replacement service.

May 31st is the final day that households will receive any benefit from the Affordable Connectivity Program on their internet bills. Without Congressional action to extend funding for the program, millions of households are now at risk of losing their internet connections.

Today, the bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program expires.  This will cause real harm to millions of Americans.  ACP is the most effective program we have ever had in closing the digital divide.  Over 23 million households enrolled in ACP, realizing the benefits of affordable, high-speed broadband.  And now we are leaving them behind. Let’s put that 23 million in context.  That’s one in six households in the country.  Millions of veterans, seniors, families of color, and households with children.

On May 31, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote to Congressional leaders to provide an update on the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Due to the expiration of funding, the FCC ended the ACP on May 31, 2024. Chairwoman Rosenworcel acknowledged some of the groups that will be impacted, including seniors, veterans, school-aged children, and Tribal households. The Chairwoman also detailed the steps the FCC has taken to help households adjust to the end of the ACP.