Christina FitzPatrick of Bow is the New Hampshire state director for AARP. Please visit aarp.org/ACP for more information.
It’s not hard to see why plans to connect low-income granite states to the internet have improved their quality of life. Without access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet and the digital skills needed to use it, too many older New Hampshire residents are unable to fully participate in today’s economy.
They may miss out on opportunities to learn online, access important services, and maintain the social connections that are vital to their well-being. They can’t buy essentials like groceries online, and they may not be able to virtually see a doctor or health care professional who is miles away.
Unfortunately, the lack of accessible and affordable high-speed internet has also become a barrier for many people, who find themselves increasingly isolated and without many options for maintaining these important connections.
That’s why AARP is fighting for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP); a federal program designed to help remove some of the financial barriers to high-speed internet access. ACP provides Internet rebates of up to $30 per month for qualifying households and up to $75 for households living on tribal lands. Currently, nearly 38,000-plus New Hampshire households receive discounts on their internet bills thanks to ACP. Nearly half of the households are over 50 years old.
But now this important program is in jeopardy. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Internet service providers have begun closing the program by contacting participants. The good news is that there is bipartisan support for extending the ACP. But unless Congress acts now to continue funding ACP, funding for the program will run out in April 2024. People currently enrolled in the program will no longer receive discounts on their internet bills.
Losing the discount would be a severe hardship for ACP beneficiary Thelma Hall, who lost her job due to an injury and lost her internet service because she had no income to pay her bills. Through the program, Thelma can communicate with family and friends via email and make doctor’s appointments, buy groceries and take classes.
Time is running out to protect 38,000 Granite State households from being disconnected. Without this program, many low-income residents would not have access to the internet and would be disconnected from work, medical appointments, friends and family. That’s why AARP urges Congress to support a bipartisan bill to fund ACP and help adults over 50 get affordable and reliable high-speed internet.
Residents enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Plan are now encouraged to contact their internet service provider or call the ACP Support Center at (877) 384-2575 to learn more about how this affects them.