May 31st marks the official last day of a covid-19 pandemic-era internet subsidy, the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The up to $30 monthly broadband discount (up to $75 for those on Tribal lands) helped 23 million low-income households in every county in the US access high-speed internet during a period when that connection became more vital than ever as businesses and schools shut their doors. The Federal Communications Commission and industry players have warned for months that the program would soon run out of money unless Congress found a way to fund it, but the money never materialized.
“Without Congressional action to extend funding for the program, millions of households are now at risk of losing their internet connections,”…