White House announces new plan to provide high speed internet to eligible households

The White House announced this week that it will be launching a new initiative to put high speed internet into the households of American families who may need assistance paying for it.

The new program, called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), will bring access to affordable high speed internet to tens of millions of United States households. By partnering with large internet providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, the program will allow households to apply for up to $30 off their internet bill per month, or up to $75 per month on tribal lands.

“To ensure the most efficient use of those public dollars and to deliver maximum cost savings to families, the Biden-Harris Administration has secured commitments from 20 leading internet providers—covering more than 80% of the U.S. population across urban, suburban, and rural areas—to either increase speeds or cut prices, making sure they all offer ACP-eligible households high-speed, high-quality internet plans for no more than $30/month,” says a White House statement.

The program fulfills a campaign promise important to the president to make high speed internet access available to all Americans and help close the technology gap between higher and lower-income households.

“High-speed internet service is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. But too many families go without high-speed internet because of the cost or have to cut back on other essentials to make their monthly internet service payments. Lowering prices—including the cost of high-speed internet service—is President Biden’s top priority,” said the White House.

Individuals can check to see if they are eligible for the ACP by visiting the White House website to calculate household income and determine whether they automatically qualify for the program.