FCC: April is last month for Affordable Connectivity Program payments
- Reference: 1709663765
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/03/05/us_fcc_declares_april_2024/
- Source link:
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made the [1]announcement on March 4, 2024, after months of protests failed to persuade lawmakers that keeping the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) running was worth the expense.
According to the FCC, more than 23 million US households rely on the program for high-speed internet access. The project subsidizes qualifying users to the tune of up to $30 a month for internet service or up to $75 a month for residents living on recognized tribal lands.
[2]
[3]New enrollments were stopped on February 8, 2024, as funding dwindled, and April 2024 will be the last month in which the ACP benefit will be provided in full. Customers will start to see the impact of its end in their May bills.
[4]
[5]
The Biden-Harris Administration sent the US Congress a supplemental request for $6 billion to continue the program in 2023 and, in a White House briefing on February 6, 2024, said: "The Biden-Harris Administration continues to call on Congress to pass legislation that would extend free and discounted high-speed internet for eligible households through 2024."
Sadly, words alone will not keep the data flowing.
[6]
In her latest letter to lawmakers regarding the situation, chairwoman of the FCC Jessica Rosenworcel noted the impact already being felt by households now locked out of enrolling in the program. "Others," she said, "have contacted the agency to express concern about the impending end of the program, noting its impact on older adults, families with school children, and military families at risk of losing their internet service without the ACP benefit.
"They worry that without ACP support, they will lose access to employment, education, health care, and more."
Rosenworcel said that 68 percent of ACP households had zero or inconsistent connectivity prior to their participation in the program. More than 75 percent expected service disruption if ACP ends.
[7]America's broadband bill subsidy runs out of money and halts enrollments
[8]FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program dangles by a financial thread
[9]FCC questions ISPs' selective memory about data caps
[10]Biden deal with ISPs: Low to no cost internet for 40% of US
There is [11]strong bipartisan support for continuing the program. However, the ACP also has its detractors. In a [12]letter [PDF] to Rosenworcel at the end of 2023, US senators, including Ted Cruz, queried the numbers stated by the FCC and pointed to "the program's record of targeting taxpayer subsidies to consumers who already had broadband."
"It is incumbent on lawmakers," said the US senators in 2023, "to protect taxpayers and make funding decisions based on clear evidence." ®
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[1] https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-issues-formal-notice-april-final-full-month-acp-program
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZeekFy7vvyePyvsHIMXbFQAAAc8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/06/fcc_acp_funding_shortfall/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZeekFy7vvyePyvsHIMXbFQAAAc8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZeekFy7vvyePyvsHIMXbFQAAAc8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZeekFy7vvyePyvsHIMXbFQAAAc8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/06/fcc_acp_funding_shortfall/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/09/affordable_connectivity_program_ending/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/19/fcc_data_cap_investigation/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/09/biden_admin_internet_subsidies/
[11] https://www.welch.senate.gov/lawmakers-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-extension-of-the-affordable-connectivity-program-to-continue-closing-the-digital-divide/
[12] https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/3c3175e8-1533-4b5a-8549-f4d058b8e1b5/F0FCDF42DDD0D07A3923C00B7B472D4A.thune-cruz-mcmorris-rodgers-latta-letter-to-chairwoman-rosenworcel-re.-acp.pdf
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Calling a spade a spade
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made the announcement on March 4, 2024, after months of protests failed to persuade lawmakers the MAGAts currently infesting the halls of Congress that keeping the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) running was worth the expense.
Nobody with an IQ above room temperature could possibly mistake a Republican as a "lawmaker".
Wait a second.
“ The Biden-Harris Administration sent the US Congress a supplemental request for $6 billion to continue the program in 2023”
Why would they need the funding? Have you looked at your phone bill lately? That is what we were told those extra taxes were for. Where did it go?
"targeting taxpayer subsidies to consumers who already had broadband" -- OH NO! They might have been able to shift some of their spending to other things that are important but were slightly lower priority and improve their lives! Poor people should only ever be able to have X number of dollars, otherwise they might start getting uppity and educated and vote me out!
Broadband is a necessity these days for most people to participate in the modern world, just like phone service is.
I've been trying for two years to get on SSDI (disability support), through 2 denials that are virtually automatic and finally a hearing, and should be getting the ruling from the judge anytime from now to the next month, then would have qualified for ACP (perhaps after applying for other programs that required me to get disability first), just in time for it to go away.
Not a problem here...
Not a problem here... FYI, ACP gives low-income families a $20-30 a month discount toward Internet service. The intent was to let low income families to at least be able to get some modest speed internet at home for something in the $0-20 a month range.
Here? Both the DSL and cable companies somehow got it arranged so ACP cannot be used on plans under $50/month (the cable co has a really bad like $30 a month plan with like a 150GB a month cap on it), and plans must be at full price (so at full price the next plans over the $30 one are like $80 or $90 a month.) So... a) People who use ACP cannot afford a $50-60 a month plan really. b) Those who buy this expensive internet anyway, usually signing up as a new customer and getting the "$X a month for Y years" discount gives a lower price than paying full price and taking off the ACP credit anyway. So, there's likely VERY few if any people here on DSL or cable on ACP.
But! Both Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile have been cleaning up, selling $20-35 a month 5G Home Internet (which is just a name, these devices will use 4G service if they're outside the 5G service area...) which with ACP credit costs $0-5 a month. These have only started here within like the last year. I suppose there's probably people on these plans that'll lose out. My parents are not on ACP, but $20 a month for unlimited data and "typical speeds of 100-300mbps" (they are right on the edge of the 5G service area so when the box gets a hint of 5G it does like 100-150mbps, but usually it's on 4G getting more like 20-120mbps... but it's hard to complain for $20.)
*I assume ISPs in Britain do this -- the cell phone companies here don't usually do this, but the DSL, cable, and dish (Dish Network and DirecTV) all tend to have a stated price for the service but frequently people are singed up on the "pay XX a month for Y years" sort of special. Both the cell cos and ISPs/TV providers tend to let customers stay on grandfathered plans, though (i.e. plan is not available to new customers, but they don't force anyone on it off it.)
The current house of repugnants
aka, the GOP majority won't do anything that Emperor Trump the 1st won't agree too.
If he gets elected in November then watch out for almost every federal program to be cut including Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. That is needed to fund the monster tax cuts to the top 1%.
It will be wonderful to watch how he governs from a cell at a Rykers.