Cable companies to effectively offer free internet to low-income homes

The Biden administration said it had secured commitments from 20 ISPs to either reduce prices or increase speeds to serve low-income households, according to the White House. press release published on Monday.

The news means tens of millions of households can get high-speed internet for free, according to the White House. Low-income households eligible for the Affordable Care Program passed by Congress can receive up to $ 30 a month in discounts on their Internet bills. As Internet service providers committed to the White House have agreed to offer ACP households high-speed internet plans for no more than this amount, participants will be able to effectively receive internet service for free.

The White House said the commitments came from companies including AT&T, Verizon and Comcast (the parent company of CNBC owner NBCUniversal). In general, the participating ISPs offer high-speed Internet in places where more than 80% of the US population and nearly 50% of rural residents live.

A high-speed plan, according to the White House, should offer a download speed of at least 100 megabits per second wherever the ISP’s infrastructure is able to do so.

As part of the program, Verizon has reduced the cost of the Fios service from $ 39.99 per month to $ 30 per month to offer upload and download speeds of at least 200 megabits per second, the White House said. Spectrum has doubled its plan speed from $ 30 a month to 50 to 100 megabits per second download speed for ACP participants, he added.

The administration also launched GetInternet.gov to guide users on how to sign up for ACP and find local vendors that are part of the program. He also plans to reach eligible households through other federal aid programs they may receive, such as Pell Grants or Medicaid.

Disclosure: Comcast owns the parent company of CNBC NBCUniversal.

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