FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel was to visit the Los Angeles Public Library's Pio Pico-Koreatown branch Thursday with Mayor Karen Bass (D) and EveryoneOn to promote the affordable connectivity program. The library launched a public campaign to increase enrollment, said a news release. “I’m grateful to Mayor Bass and our local community partners for collaborating with us to ensure families can get online and stay online, no matter who they are or where they live,” Rosenworcel said.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
What is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)?
The Affordable Connectivity Program was a recently expired subsidy for low-income households to lower the cost of purchasing broadband internet and connected devices. The program was signed into law as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and administered by the FCC up until June 1, 2024, due to expiration of the ACP’s funding.
Will the ACP Return?
Congress continues to debate restoring ACP funding, with immediate next steps likely to come from the Senate Commerce Committee or Congressional discussions on revising the Universal Service Fund.
FCC commissioners emphasized the need for action on spectrum policy and 5G, and more certainty on broadband affordability and deployment efforts, during Incompas’ policy summit Tuesday. Some industry experts also urged changes to sustain the USF because funding for the affordable connectivity program remains uncertain and the USF contribution factor continues to rise.
Next Century Cities urged the FCC to take a more granular approach to its annual data collection for the affordable connectivity program. Aggregate level data "fails to include location and demographic data about subscribers that can be used to build crucial models" on the program's success, NCC told an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, per an ex parte filing posted Thursday in docket 21-450. The group filed a petition for reconsideration on the matter with the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society in February (see 2302130062). NCC also stressed the need to require an "average speed measurement" instead of a "typical" speed in the forthcoming consumer broadband labels. "Broadband speed estimates are typically higher than actual speeds delivered," it said.
The end seems nigh for affordable connectivity program (ACP) funding, with dicey odds of Congress acting before its money runs out in early 2024, speakers said Wednesday at ACA Connects' 2023 Washington summit. Small cable operator participation in the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program will depend on the rules governing it, they said.
Industry groups urged the FCC not to revisit its current rules for the affordable connectivity program's annual data collection, in reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 21-450 (see 2301120056). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act required the commission to collect data on prices and subscription rates offered by participating providers. Consumer advocacy organizations disagreed and continued to back subscriber-level data collection with additional data points.
Industry groups and consumer advocacy organizations disagree about how the FCC should define digital discrimination and ways to facilitate equal access to broadband, according to comments posted through Wednesday in docket 22-69. The commission adopted an NPRM in December seeking comment on rules to combat digital discrimination, as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (see 2301190049).
FCC commissioners moved to assist survivors of domestic violence by approving an NPRM on access to affordable communications services, during the agency's open meeting Thursday (see 2301260050). lt also approved an item seeking comment on ways to further participation among tribal libraries in the E-rate program.
Commissioner Chris Nelson isn’t convinced eligible telecom carrier (ETC) designation is no longer necessary, the South Dakota Republican said at NARUC’s winter conference Tuesday. Telecom association officials on Nelson’s panel said Congress sees that the ETC process has run its course. Nelson and a District of Columbia consumer advocate raised concerns about possible impacts to service quality as telcos abandon state-regulated copper networks.
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and Next Century Cities asked the FCC to reconsider its decision to collect affordable connectivity program data on an aggregate basis rather than at the subscriber level (see 2301120056). The decision "falls short" of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's requirements and "undermines the overall integrity of the program," said a petition for reconsideration posted Monday in docket 21-450. The groups said subscriber-level data is "critical for informing efforts by federal and state agencies, public interest groups, and non-profit organizations to target public awareness and enrollment support strategies," adding the deferment of when the data collection will start is "arbitrary."
T-Mobile expanded its participation in the FCC’s affordable connectivity program to seven more states, bringing the total number covered to 48, T-Mobile said Wednesday. T-Mobile expanded the program to Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. Participants get “data, texting, calling and mobile hotspot data on Assurance Wireless’ plans" via T-Mobile's network and a free Android smartphone for new customers, the carrier said.