Since 2021, nearly 30,000 Erie County residents have received a $30 monthly discount on their internet services through the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program.
Unless Congress approves a bill to provide more funding, however, the program will likely run out of money in April, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
Eliminating the $30 monthly discount will likely result in some low-income Erie residents having to cancel their internet service, said Marcus Atkinson, cofounder of Eastside Renaissance, an economic revitalization plan for the Parade Street neighborhood.
“We’re talking about a lot of older, more mature residents on fixed incomes who have taken advantage of this program,” Atkinson said. “These seniors, especially if they are income-restricted, need to be technologically connected, especially with more programs coming out, like telehealth.”
The Affordable Connectivity Program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, enables qualified households to receive a $30 monthly discount of internet and a one-time $100 discount on a computer or tablet. More than 22 million U.S. households have enrolled in the program since it was created.