Twenty-three million families will either have to pay more for internet or cancel their subscriptions altogether if a federal subsidy program to help with the monthly bill runs out of money.

President Joe Biden recently traveled to North Carolina to promote his goal of affordable internet access for all Americans, but the promise for 23 million families across the U.S. is on shaky ground.

That’s because a subsidy that helps people with limited resources afford internet access is set to expire this spring.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides $30 a month for qualifying families in most places and $75 on tribal lands, will run out of money by the end of April if Congress doesn’t extend it further.

“I think this should be high priority for Congress,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat who has worked with a bipartisan group of governors to promote the program, said in a phone interview. “To many families, $30 a month is a big deal.”

  • Grimy@lemmy.world
    18·
    7 months ago

    Internet has always struck me as something that should be nationalized and supplied by the state (for free)

    Everyone needs it and the whole nation just gets squeezed by these companies.

    • Wrench@lemmy.world
      13·
      7 months ago

      And requires a lot of infrastructure on public roads and poles. Why this is still private after it was clear ISPs operated like gangs with turf is beyond me. It was clear that it should be nationalized 2 decades ago.

      • ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world
        6·
        7 months ago

        The Constitution explicitly calls for the creation of the post office and postal roads. The same rationale that enabling fast reliable communication is a duty of government could easily be extended to the internet. It Biden pushed for this, emphasizing how it would enable people living in small rural towns to work remotely, he would steal a large amount of traditionally Republican voters.

        • Wrench@lemmy.world
          9·
          7 months ago

          Even in high density cities. Google fiber failed to bring fast and cheap internet to most of the country because the ISP mafias made it impossible.

          Ohh, you need access to this public pole? Well, by law (that we lobbied for), you have to have a representative from each ISP connected to that pole to be present. Looks like we’re booked for a year. Oh, sorry, something came up and we weren’t able to make the meeting you set up a year ago. Guess you’ll have to try again, but oh look, we’re booked for another years. Sowee