The White House on Monday announced plans to boost access to high-speed internet for low-income families, build on existing federal subsidies and give millions of Americans free internet access as the Biden Administration continues its push to close the digital divide.
The White House wants to close the digital divide.
The White House said that twenty internet service providers have agreed to either cut prices or increase speeds to provide eligible households with affordable high-speed internet access.
The companies will offer plans with speeds of at least 100 Mbps for $30 a month to households that qualify for the program, which was part of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package passed last year.
Millions of households are eligible for free high-speed internet services because of the announcement that eligible households receive a $30 subsidy towards internet bills each month.
Around 40% of households will be eligible for the ACP scheme, which is assessed on income level or participation in government programs.
More than 80% of the US population will be covered by the service providers involved, according to the White House.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, the importance of high-speed internet access was highlighted. Despite being a vital part of modern-day life, many Americans still don't have internet access at home or in public places. The burden is disproportionately felt by poorer, rural communities. The costs of connecting rural and remote areas can be significant, however, and a large part of the bipartisan package contained money to expand broadband internet to low-income and rural areas, largely through developing internet infrastructure like fiber-optic cables.
There were over 11 million. The White House said how many households have signed up for the benefit. More than 1,300 internet service providers participate in the program. This goes up to $75 a month for households on Tribal Lands.
The internet service providers are participating.
The effort to increase internet access faces a hurdle.
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