Advocates push for long-term fix after Affordable Connectivity Program ends

(InvestigateTV) — When 73-year-old Jacqueline Withers moved from New Jersey to North Carolina in 2020, she relied on affordable internet service to stay connected to family and friends.

“When you get to my age, it’s harder to connect with people,” Withers said.

That’s why she was so grateful for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) – a federal initiative that provided a $30 monthly discount on internet service for eligible low-income households.

But last year, the ACP ran out of funding and the program ended. Withers says losing the credit only added to her financial strain.

“These prices – that $30 made a big difference!” she exclaimed.

An AARP study of older adults who lost the discount found most still maintained home internet, but many had to “shuffle and juggle” other expenses to cover the cost.

Thomas Kamber, Executive Director of Older Adults Technology Services at AARP, said the internet can be a lifeline for older adults.

“They’re using it for medication management. They’re using it for social connection,” Kamber noted.

He said many seniors are now paying more each month for internet, and even modest increases can be hard to absorb.

“As we all know, many older adults are on fixed incomes, and they have to really watch every dollar each month. For older adults, those dollars are really limited,” he explained.

Kamber said that beyond access to services like telehealth, affordable internet also plays a crucial role in supporting seniors’ mental health.

“It’s not just because we get lonely, which is of itself a challenge, but loneliness has a health impact for older people. It’s been shown to have connections with people living longer,” he shared. “If they’re more socially connected, they stay out of the hospital, they have a better quality of life, and technology is the linchpin for that for so many older adults.”

Kamber said for seniors struggling to afford internet, one option is to look at alternatives – including satellite service for rural areas. But he adds that advocates are also pushing for a long-term fix.

For Withers, that means cutting back – using the lowest speed her provider offers – and hoping for change.

“So hopefully, they will be concerned enough about the senior citizens to either reinstate that program or have the internet companies give us a flat rate from now on until forever,” Withers said. “Because $70 a month or more, just for straight, low-band internet, is just outrageous!”

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