On December 8, 2021, Next Century Cities submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) to document feedback from local officials on the upcoming Affordable Connectivity Program (“ACP”). 

The ACP is a permanent broadband assistance program authorized by Congress in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 that will replace the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit (“EBB”) Program. The new program will provide up to $30/month for participants to spend on a broadband service subscription. For households on qualifying Tribal lands, the monthly benefit will remain at $75/month. While the ACP is a continuation of the EBB program, the upcoming transition provides the FCC with an opportunity to implement critical changes that improve program effectiveness and accountability measures. 

Throughout the development process and public education campaign for the EBB, local and state officials shared insights on what was required to ensure that low-income broadband subsidy programs reach households in need. NCC’s comments outline specific policy and programmatic updates that could improve the overall effectiveness of the ACP. Feedback from local officials informed the following recommendations:

• Current participating providers that are in good standing with the EBB program should be eligible for an expedited transition process.
• The FCC should utilize and expand its use of the US Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provisions to eliminate administrative hurdles and bolster enrollment among eligible students and their families.
• Consumers should be provided with a reasonable amount of time to correct issues with their initial applications or applications for recertification.
• The Commission should provide current EBB participants with adequate information and resources to facilitate a smooth transition to the ACP.
• Local governments and community organizations will be central partners for ACP outreach to increase awareness and enrollment. They need resources and information to support those efforts.
• The FCC should expand the range of eligible devices per household and the number of organizations authorized to issue devices in partnership with participating providers.
• The ACP must have adequate consumer protection safeguards while prioritizing transparency in reporting from service providers.

As the Commission designs and implements the Affordable Connectivity Program, Next Century Cities will continue to elevate local voices and advocate for an inclusive and accessible program. The transition from EBB to ACP will begin on December 31, 2021.  Communities should continue providing feedback on the program and propose improvements. 

Read NCC’s full comments here.