Fact of the Week: 55 Percent of People Were Not Aware of the COVID-Era Program To Subsidize Internet Adoption for Low-Income Consumers
Source: Linda Hardesty, “AT&T survey finds most consumers aren’t aware of broadband subsidies,” Fierce Telecom, January 26, 2022.
Commentary: An AT&T survey conducted in 21 states showed that as of October 2021, most consumers were not aware of the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. The survey showed that older consumers and minority consumers were less likely to be aware of the EBB program. Moreover, awareness was lower among consumers without an Internet connection.
The program was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to boost Internet connectivity for low-income consumers and was converted into the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021. Under ACP, eligible households can receive $30 per month off their broadband Internet bill and a one-time discount of up to $100 for the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.
The survey provides further evidence that when it comes to Internet adoption, the United States suffers from an outreach and communication problem. While the United States is a world leader in broadband Internet deployment, it lags behind other advanced nations in broadband Internet adoption. A lack of proper communication about the existence and benefits of a program like ACP only exaggerates this issue.
