State pushes affordable internet
State officials want low-income households to know about federal money available for high-speed internet service.
A statewide initiative launched March 20 will first reach out to communities in Dover, Georgetown, Milford, Seaford and Wilmington, with plans to add other areas.
Gov. John Carney thanked the cities’ mayors for helping spread the word about the federal Affordable Connectivity Program.
“Stable, high-speed internet connection is critical for all Delaware families, students and businesses. The Affordable Connectivity Program will help ensure everyone has internet access for school, work, healthcare and more,” he said. “I want to thank all of our partners for working together to boost enrollment in this program, especially Mayor Christiansen, Mayor West, Mayor Campbell, Mayor Genshaw and Mayor Purzycki.”
ACP-eligible households include families with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and those who qualify for SNAP, Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch, WIC, and other government-funded programs.
Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the ACP provides eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 on their internet bill and a one-time $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. More than 140,000 Delaware households are estimated to be eligible for the ACP, but only about 32,000 have enrolled so far.
The Delaware initiative has partnered with EducationSuperHighway to help close the broadband affordability gap, officials said, and combined with commitments by internet service providers to deliver high-speed internet plans for no more than $30 per month, qualifying households may receive high-speed internet at no cost when they sign up for the ACP.
The latest initiative is part of an overall strategy in Delaware to connect currently unserved homes to high-speed fiber broadband, as well as to work toward digital equity by providing connections, devices, and skills in underserved communities – all funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
For more information, go to broadband.delaware.gov.
