CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians may not have access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet unless members of Congress act before federal funds run out, senior White House officials warn.
More than 415,000 households in South Carolina, about one in five, are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides qualifying households with up to $30 a month off the cost of internet service for households on tribal lands. Up to $75 off. It also offers a one-time discount on the purchase of a laptop, desktop or tablet.
White House officials estimate the program has helped South Carolina families save a total of about $12.6 million per month.
The $14.2 billion program is among the initiatives funded through the bipartisan infrastructure law passed in 2021. However, with the funding set to run out at the end of April, millions of customers across the country will lose benefits unless Congress approves more funding.
Failure to extend the program would leave many households facing the choice of paying higher prices for Internet service or losing Internet service entirely.
The program stopped accepting applications in February, and internet providers have begun notifying customers of possible changes to help “avoid service interruptions and bill shocks,” according to the FCC.
“Today, more than 23 million households across the country rely on [the ACP] FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote in an April 2 letter: “Unless Congress takes action, April will be the month for those who rely on ACP (one in six nationwide) to households) will receive full benefits for the cost of broadband service for the last few months.”
The Biden administration had previously requested $6 billion to extend the program through the end of the year and is now urging Congress to take immediate action.
“If congressional Republicans don’t act, 23 million Americans, including millions of their own voters, will lose access to affordable high-speed internet and may be denied the benefits it brings, such as access to education, telemedicine, jobs Opportunities and more,” said Steve Benjamin, Senior Advisor to the President. “Congressional Republicans should stand up now to prevent Internet costs for their constituents from increasing in the coming weeks.”
In January of this year, New York State Representative Yvette Clark introduced the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, which would allocate an additional $7 billion to the program. Vermont Sen. Peter Welch (D) introduced a companion bill in the Senate, and both bills have bipartisan support.
However, not all of South Carolina’s congressional delegation is on board.
“While this pandemic-era program is designed to connect non-subscribers to the internet, it abuses “Our country is facing a severe debt crisis, and federally funded spending programs must focus on helping those who need help most.”
About 81,612 households in South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District, where Frye represents, are enrolled in the program, the most in the state, according to the White House. Frye’s office pointed to his voting record as a member of the state Legislature and in Washington as evidence of his support for broadband expansion.
“Congressman Frye is committed to finding better solutions to expand broadband in his district and across the state,” the statement continued.
The second-highest number of families using the program live in South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Jim Clyburn. The congressman signed a letter on Sept. 20 urging congressional leaders to support “urgently needed” funding.
“The continuation of the ACP will improve the economics of deployment and reaffirm our continued commitment to delivering broadband to millions of unserved and undersold households,” the letter said.
Senators Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham have not yet made clear whether they favor extending the ACP, but both have expressed strong support for expanding overall broadband access.
In 2020, Scott, Graham and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced legislation to allocate $10 billion to the Broadband Development Fund for broadband development in underserved areas. It ultimately did not move forward, but senators continued to advocate for more services in underserved areas, especially rural and poor urban areas.
Domestically, Clyburn worked with Governor Henry McMaster to ensure all South Carolinians have access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet. In 2022, the pair announced the GetConnectedSC campaign to further this goal.
In June 2023, the Palmetto State received $551.5 million from the Biden administration’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.
The funding, expected to be available in 2025, will be used primarily to deploy or upgrade broadband networks, but some funding may also be used for broadband adoption, training and workforce development efforts, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Additionally, state lawmakers approved $400 million in 2022 American Rescue Plan Act funding, which the South Carolina Broadband Office said will be used to help close the state’s “digital divide.”
As ACP ends, the FCC encourages customers to contact their internet service provider to learn how their bills may be affected and to ask if the company offers low-cost plans.