Broadband Industry Quietly Ends Capitol Hill Push to Restore Low-Income Internet Subsidy

The $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program, which offered up to $30 monthly discounts for qualifying households and up to $75 for those on tribal land, officially ended in June after Congress chose not to renew its funding.

Since the program expired, internet service providers like Charter, Verizon, and Comcast have significantly reduced their efforts to revive it. The program, which supported approximately 23 million households—many of whom had inconsistent or no internet access prior to enrollment—ceased accepting new applications in February as funding dwindled.

While broadband companies have reported some customer losses since the program’s end, the overall impact has been less severe than anticipated. “Generally speaking, the impact on the companies so far is less than feared,” noted analyst Craig Moffett. “But that doesn’t change the fact that families who relied on this support may now lose broadband access.”

Despite ongoing efforts by some lawmakers to reinstate the ACP, broadband companies have scaled back their advocacy, with uncertainty about funding sources and the upcoming election contributing to the lack of momentum. Analyst Blair Levin observed that the industry’s support for the program appears to be tepid, lacking significant financial backing for lobbying or advocacy.

In Congress, both Democrats and Republicans have proposed bills to reinstate the ACP, with funding requests between $6 billion and $7 billion. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, and Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., have expressed hopes for a swift resolution, especially with the school year approaching.

The ACP was initially funded as the Emergency Broadband Benefit during the pandemic, providing critical support as internet usage surged. However, as the pandemic’s urgency fades, securing additional funding for these subsidies has become increasingly challenging.

Election year dynamics are also complicating the situation. For instance, GOP Senator JD Vance, a previous supporter of the ACP, has reduced his advocacy after being named as Donald Trump’s running mate. With potential shifts in Congressional control following November’s elections, priorities may shift away from the ACP.

As Congress focuses on a stopgap funding bill to avoid a shutdown, the ACP faces diminishing prospects. “ISPs are signaling to Wall Street that this thing is dead and are not putting effort into it,” said Gigi Sohn, a broadband advocate and former FCC commissioner.