Transition of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program into the Affordable Connectivity Program

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act retains the basic structure of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program in the creation of a longer-term broadband affordability program to be called the Affordable Connectivity Program. In our first article, we looked at some of the bigger changes coming for broadband providers and consumers currently in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Here we look at more of the changes coming, particularly about raising awareness and participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program, data collection and analyses to be used to track the program's progress, the coming transition period as the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program becomes the Affordable Connectivity Program, and the possible sunset of the new program given its finite funding. The Federal Communications Commission is asking for public input—but on a tight timeline: initial comments are due Wednesday, December 8, and reply comments are due Tuesday, December 28.

[Kevin Taglang is Executive Editor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.]