Thousands of El Pasoans could see a jump in their internet bill in May
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Pasoans could see an increase in their May internet bill if currently enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The internet accessibility program is set to expire by the end of April.
The ACP saves low-income households between $30-$75 each month on their monthly internet bills.
According to the White House, the federal program has helped 23 million American households, but funding for the initiative has run out.
In January, a bipartisan group of legislators co-sponsored the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act to provide an additional $7 billion for the ACP, but that bill has not been taken up for a vote.
In the El Paso and Southern New Mexico region, more than 152,000 households are enrolled in the ACP.
In a news release, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, said:
“Allowing the ACP funding to lapse would directly lead to increased broadband costs or direct cessation of internet services for millions of Americans and thousands of El Pasoans. In a modern world where broadband is increasingly becoming a necessity for school, work, and everyday life, I join my colleagues in urging Speaking Johnson to immediately provide additional funding to the ACP.”
KTSM reached out to Congressman Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, whose district oversees parts of El Paso, but a spokesperson said he was unavailable to comment.
A director of technology at a local school district said they noticed a need for expanded, low-cost high-speed internet during COVID.
“One thing we discovered in COVID is 5,000 of our 12,000 students had no Internet at all. So, when we were trying to provide online education, nearly over a third of our students had no access to any of that online,” said Gadsden ISD director of technology, Sam Snoddy.
In March, Gadsden ISD teamed up with Chaparral Wireless to provide free filtered internet service to all students in the district. Snoddy said rural communities will be hit hard should the ACP not receive more funding.
“High-speed internet in an urban area may be $40 a month. Equivalent for slower services is probably close to triple those cost in rural areas,” said Snoddy.
While Gadsden ISD is offering free internet to district households, Snoddy said the ACP offers more options and the impact will be greatly felt by low-income residents.
“It may not seem like a lot, but for low-income families, $30 a month is a lot. It’s a benefit,” said Snoddy.
A spokesperson with AT&T told KTSM the following in regard to ACP ending:
“We’ll work with customers enrolled in the ACP to find the solution that’s right for them should funding end, but we urge the government to act on a more permanent solution. If they fail to do so, we’re committed to providing options to help our customers adjust and have a variety of flexible plans available at a great value.”
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