Millions Left with No Internet After End of Affordable Connectivity Program

When the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, jobs went virtual and educational institutions switched to online learning.  Many people struggled to financially to pay for Internet to meet these demands.  In response to the need for affordable internet access, the government established the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to temporarily help low-income households pay for broadband service through reimbursement and discounts.   For a long-term solution to the internet service affordability problem, Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to replace the EBB Program in late 2021.  Funding for the program ended at the beginning of 2024, and the program provided its final month of assistance in April 2024, leaving thousands of ...