What's at stake?
With the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program last year and changes to existing Internet access programs by the Trump administration, the momentum to address digital gaps in the country has slowed.
The push to close the digital divide across the country may slow down, as the Trump administration moves to make changes to two Biden-era connectivity programs.
Last year, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which helped subsidize internet service provider costs for 23 million households across the country, ended. This year, changes to surviving internet access programs by the Trump administration could worsen various communities’ access to internet.
However, resources are still available to help you find and enroll for low cost internet service plans. Here’s how you can find and apply them in your area.
How do I find programs near me?
Everyone On, a nonprofit organization partnered with the state of California, offers a locator tool to search for internet service offers. This tool is available in English and Spanish.
To access the tool, click here. To find offers, simply input your zip code in the locator tool and select the attributes that apply to your household.
You are eligible for offers if the following apply to your household.
- Low-income
- Live in public housing
- Have a K-12/college student in your household
- Receive food stamps, free or reduced lunches at school or other public assistance programs
- Medicaid or Medi-Cal recipient
- Receive benefits from the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Once complete, the locator tool will automatically show affordable internet service provider plans in your area. On top of low cost internet plans, the locator tool also shows if you are eligible for low-cost computers.
Similarly, Internet for All Now, an initiative by the California Emerging Technology Fund, has its own locator tool that uses your zip code to find affordable plans near you.
How can I get help with signing up for internet services?
After finding a plan that fits your needs, you can apply online to begin the process of establishing internet services in your household. For enrollment assistance, internet for All Now offers help with completing applications by phone. You can get help filling out an application at 833-938-3298.
What’s changing with internet connectivity programs?
Originally starting in 2021 as a response to increased demand for internet-based services after the pandemic, the federal ACP program covered $30 per month from household internet bills. According to a study, the ACP served half of eligible households in California before the program was shuttered, despite being the “largest and most successful broadband affordability program in the nation’s history.”
By the time the ACP ended in June of last year, it was noted that “no single alternative exists that would fully replace ACP.”
Now, two other Biden-era programs are being affected: The Broadband Equity and Access Deployment program (BEAD) and the Digital Equity Act.
The BEAD program started in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act with the goal of providing broadband access to the entire country. $42.45 billion was appropriated to the program by Congress, and emphasized the use of fiber connections in infrastructure.
The Digital Equity Act, also established as part of Biden’s infrastructure bill in 2021, established grant programs to promote broadband adoption and tackle digital inequity, with $2.75 billion in congressional appropriations.
In May, President Trump announced he would be ending the Digital Equity Act, saying it was “illegal” and promoted “woke handouts.” Later that month, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it had terminated its grants tied to the act.
Similarly, despite some states already receiving approval for initial BEAD proposals, the Trump administration announced an overhaul in June that undid the fiber requirement and forced states to review their project proposals. Now, emphasis is put to implement projects as quickly and cheaply as possible, even if homes receive sub-par internet speeds.
