Internet Providers to Increase Accessibility of Plans

The Biden Administration is slated to reveal a plan to get the internet to low-income households.

The Biden Administration is slated to reveal a plan to get the internet to low-income households.

Later today, United States President Joe Biden is slated to formally introduce his administration’s new plan to expand access to the internet to low-income households around the country. As part of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which was introduced as part of last year’s infrastructure bill, 20 of the largest broadband providers in the US have agreed to both lower the overall costs of internet plans, as well as increase their data speeds.

“From large providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon serving dozens of states, to smaller providers serving rural areas like Jackson Energy Authority in Tennessee and Comporium in North Carolina, the commitments will allow tens of millions of ACP-eligible households to receive high-speed internet at no cost,” reads the White House press release.

Approximately 48 million households in the country are estimated to be eligible for this plan. If enacted, it could cut the cost of general-use internet by up to $30 per month, and up to $75 per month on protected territories like the Native American tribal lands. Participating internet providers have sworn that no elligible family will need to pay more than $30 per month for their internet.

To clarify, these low-income plans will be ensured to operate at download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second. “That’s fast enough for a typical family of four to work from home, do schoolwork, browse the web, and stream high-definition shows and movies,” the White House press release adds. “In addition, the administration asked providers to offer such plans with no fees and no data caps.”