High-speed internet has become an everyday necessity in recent years, which is why the state and local governments across Maine have made it a priority to deliver connectivity to all who need it.
However, the federally funded Affordable Connectivity Program is on the cusp of running out of money if Congress does not act to extend its funding. Its expiration would thwart any realistic possibility of closing the digital divide, the gap between those who have access to modern information and communications technology and those who don’t.
The program ensures that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. It provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands.
The program works. In Cumberland County alone, more than 14,000 households depend on it for their connection. Across Maine, more 92,000 households are enrolled.
There are two primary reasons why Maine and the United States at large depend upon the program to close the digital divide.
First is the issue of affordability. Analysis shows that two-thirds of unconnected Americans are offline because they lack the income needed to comfortably afford the cost of a broadband subscription, making this the most significant barrier we need to address in our fight to close the digital divide.
Second, the program plays a key role in assisting broadband infrastructure expansion efforts. This issue is particularly prevalent in Maine, among the most rural states in the nation.
Maine will receive more than $270 million in federal funding to expand broadband infrastructure. The Affordable Connectivity Program significantly bolsters broadband infrastructure efforts – reducing the subsidy needed to incentivize providers to build out to rural areas by 25%.
Gov. Janet Mills has established a bold but necessary pledge to achieve universal connectivity across the state by the end of 2024. At the Greater Portland Council of Governments, we’re identifying what barriers residents face in getting online and seeking solutions to overcome those barriers. The Affordable Connectivity Program is one of the most effective tools we have for addressing the pervasive barriers people face.
On multiple fronts, it’s clear that the program is an integral part of our efforts to get more people online, especially in Maine. Bridging the digital divide is impossible without it.
The stakes are high. If Congress does not act, thousands of Mainers and tens of millions of Americans will be thrust back into the painful circumstance of having to choose between affording the cost of groceries or paying for the broadband they need for work and their children need for school. Our digital divide will widen.
Our Maine delegation in Congress deserves credit for voting to create the Affordable Connectivity Program. But it is critical that they build upon that great work now. Congress must prioritize the preservation of the program – before it is too late.
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