How States Are Making Broadband More Affordable

In the absence of federal leadership on internet affordability, states have become laboratories of innovation. From low-cost plans to consumer protections to housing-based incentives, they are testing resourceful ways to help residents become and stay connected. States looking to take action should study their peers, many of whom are pioneering creative strategies to get more people online. Some state governments have long prioritized broadband affordability, while others are only now stepping in to fill the vacuum left by Washington. Across their strategic plans, all states cite affordability as one of the chief barriers to achieving universal connectivity. In Achieving Affordability: State Strategies for Getting Everyone Online, I examine how states are working to make high-speed internet more affordable for their residents, offering a menu of policy options explored by states around the country.