HOUSTON – Thousands of families in the Houston area rely on the Internet for various aspects of their daily lives, including work, school, and healthcare.
Through the Affordable Connectivity Program, the Biden-Harris Administration, as part of their Investing in America agenda, has taken steps towards reducing costs, including internet expenses, for American families nationwide. This program, established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is the largest internet affordability program in our country’s history, benefiting 23 million households by saving them $30-75 each month on their internet bills.
Recommended Videos
Eligible households have the opportunity to receive a one-time discount of up to $100 towards the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. To qualify for this device discount, households must contribute more than $10 but less than $50 towards the purchase price.
In Texas, more than 1,709,233 households are currently benefiting or have benefited from the program. The state has received $877,514,220 in funding from the Affordable Connectivity Program, which means families in Texas are saving about $50 million monthly with the program.
But, unless Congress takes action, this program could come to an end in the spring, potentially leaving millions of Americans unable to afford high-speed internet service.
To extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, the Biden-Harris Administration submitted a supplemental request for $6 billion to Congress on October 25, 2023.
As of March, Congress has not yet extended funding for the program, which is set to end in April.