On January 21, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopting the final rule for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program.
Digital Divide
Program Overview
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB) is now the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP replaced the EBB on December 31, 2021. An additional $14.2 billion was appropriated to the ACP to continue offering broadband service discounts and device reimbursements for qualifying households. The main changes to the program are:
Image Credit: Christopher Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, for the Internet Society
Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, and Secretary Gina Raimondo announced the launch of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. The program consists of $1 billion in grants from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and will be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration(NTIA).
Congress ordered the FCC to create a broadband mapping system that empowers community members to challenge insufficient broadband access. They have not done so in “Establishing the Digital Opportunity Data Collection: Modernizing the FCC Form 477 Data Program” (April 2021).
Broadband is critical for Indian Country, but it is often unavailable. In 2019, the American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) found that 18 percent of Tribal reservation residents have no Internet access, while 33 percent rely on smartphones for Internet service. Even where broadband is available, the cost can be a barrier to access.
Arizona State University is committed to serving its Indigenous students, especially in uncertain times, such as these. We know that Indigenous students are less likely than their peers to have adequate internet access at home, which makes online learning extremely difficult if not impossible. Earlier this year, we published a policy brief that outlined the challenges students face and listed public policy decisions that can bring about change for the good.
A new bill announced today by the co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus would give tribes emergency authority of broadband spectrum over their lands, in an effort to greatly increase internet access for tribal nations grappling with COVID-19 pandemic response.