Achieving Affordability: State Strategies for Getting Everyone Online

In the absence of federal leadership, state governments are working to ensure that every household can afford to get and stay connected.

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. This report examines 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. These approaches fall into six broad categories:

1. Low-Cost Plans
2. State Lifeline Reform
3. One-Time Subsidies
4. Low-Income Housing Incentives
5. Consumer Protections and Transparency Measures
6. Enhanced Competition and Consumer Choice

There is no one-size-fits-all solution—but, as this report makes clear, there are multiple viable paths. States are diverse, with a range of existing institutions, political circumstances, and markets; certain conditions facilitate certain policy responses. States pursuing broadband affordability must consider key factors:

• Available state resources, such as fiscal and institutional capacity
• Local market landscape, including providers and their offerings
• The time horizon of affordability needs
• Positions of key political, industry, and consumer groups
• Implementation strategies for enrolling households and managing program outreach