NaLA: ACP's End Leaves an Affordability Hole That Lifeline Doesn't Fill
With the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) out of the picture, Lifeline's monthly benefits aren't covering the growing broadband affordability gap, the National Lifeline Association said in a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr posted Wednesday (docket 21-450). NaLA said its…
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most recent survey of more than 68,000 consumers found that 40% of respondents reduced their food spending to afford the monthly internet bill, 20% indicated they were unable to work remotely or accept shift work, and nearly 20% said their children were having difficulty completing homework. In addition, 36% reported having discontinued telehealth after ACP ended in 2024, and 70% said they relied on ACP and/or Lifeline benefits to access healthcare services, including telehealth. Lifeline’s $9.25 monthly subsidy “comes nowhere close to making basic retail internet service offerings affordable,” NaLA said, since most prepaid mobile broadband plans with at least 5GB of data and mobile hot spot cost $30 or more, and none offer a free smartphone. NaLA said it pushed for interim funding for a reformed ACP, and it supports long-term funding for a single low-income support program inside the USF.