Over 722,000 households in Georgia to lose internet affordability program

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Georgia Faces Loss of Internet Access for Low-Income Households

Over 722,000 households in Georgia will soon lose access to a monthly assistance program used to help low-income people get online.

That’s as the federal Affordable Connectivity Program winds down due to a lack of funding, with April being the last month the program could provide participants with their full benefits.

The Federal Communications Commission launched the Affordable Connectivity Program at the end of 2021 using $14.2 billion from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In just two months, 10 million households were enrolled nationwide. Today, that number is about 23 million.

The Impact of the Affordable Connectivity Program

1. The ACP gave qualifying households $30 a month to purchase a home internet plan, and a one-time allowance of $100 to go towards a computer or tablet.
2. But earlier this year, the FCC said the program was quickly running out of funds. And unless Congress acted to extend funding through the end of the year, the program would have to shut down.
3. In Georgia, the program has provided over $450 million in funding to low-income families. Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, which represents the heart of metro Atlanta, has almost 68,000 households enrolled in the benefit — around 23%.

Challenges and Urgent Need for Action

“People rely on certain things and they start building their budget around it. When you start retiring things and doing all of that, it’s not so easy for them to pivot.”

Richard Hicks, the CEO of Inspiredu, a digital equity and education nonprofit based in Atlanta

As of now, the FCC says enrolled households might get a partial benefit for May. But after that, the ball is in Congress’ court. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, President Joe Biden and digital equity advocates have all urged Congress to pass legislation to extend the program.

In a survey conducted earlier this year, the FCC found over three-quarters of households enrolled nationwide said they will likely have to change, or simply end, their home internet service once they stop receiving ACP benefits. About the same share of respondents say they use their ACP benefits at home to schedule healthcare appointments or do schoolwork. About half say they use it to work or apply for jobs.

That’s why having a home broadband connection, and on a computer or laptop, is so critical says Hicks. A smartphone simply can’t get the same done.

Hicks says digital education isn’t limited to young or old people. For example, he says adults might need help getting online to apply for social welfare benefits, like SNAP, or to view medical tests results, or do online banking. And many learning resources for students are now delivered online as well.

“Kids need the internet, parents need the internet.”

Andrea Rowland, mother of a DeKalb County student

Andrea Rowland is an administrative assistant living in DeKalb County. She says she came to Inspiredu because her son was struggling in school and needed online tutoring. The organization helped set her and her son up with a laptop.

But she didn’t qualify for ACP benefits. Participants need to be below 200% of federal poverty guidelines or be on some form of welfare benefits.

“I had to break down and pay the [internet] company,” Rowland said, “My bill is $90 now, and that’s only because I begged them for a discount.”

“It’s ridiculous,” she continued, “kids need the internet, parents need the internet.”

Rowland hopes she and other working parents will qualify for the next broadband assistance program to come along.

Digital Equity Plan to Address Access and Affordability in Georgia

As for Hicks, he is optimistic about the future. He says his group works with companies like Comcast, AT&T and T-Mobile to negotiate a low-cost solution for Inspiredu participants, something they will keep doing even after the ACP winds down.

He thinks the push for digital equity will only continue stronger from here.

“You have a small initiative like the ACP that gives birth to a bigger initiative down the road,” said Hicks.

The Digital Equity Act of 2021 put aside $2.75 billion towards three grant programs to make sure people across the country have the skills, technology and ability to get online.

This March, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration accepted Georgia’s Digital Equity plan to address digital access and affordability in the state.

The state hopes to achieve phase one of its plan, which includes supporting local digital connectivity programs and expanding device ownership, by the end of 2026.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to various SDGs. The lack of internet access for low-income households affects poverty reduction efforts (SDG 1), access to quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), innovation and infrastructure development (SDG 9), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), and the promotion of peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular, the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property.
• Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing states.
• Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular, information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women.
• Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading, and innovation, including through a focus on high-value-added and labor-intensive sectors.
• Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
• Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning.
• Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.

The article’s content relates to targets that aim to ensure equal access to economic resources and basic services for the poor and vulnerable (Target 1.4), increase the supply of qualified teachers (Target 4.c), enhance the use of technology to empower women (Target 5.b), achieve higher economic productivity through innovation (Target 8.2), increase access to information and communications technology (Target 9.c), promote social inclusion (Target 10.2), support sustainable urban development (Target 11.a), and ensure public access to information (Target 16.10).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 1.4.2: Proportion of men and women with secure rights to land, measured by (i) percentage with documented or recognized evidence of tenure, and (ii) percentage who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex.
• Indicator 4.c.1: Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; (c) lower secondary; and (d) upper secondary education who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g., pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country.
• Indicator 5.b.1: Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex.
• Indicator 8.2.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person.
• Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 11.a.1: Proportion of population living in cities that implement urban and regional development plans integrating population projections and resource needs, by size of city.
• Indicator 16.10.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory, and/or policy guarantees for public access to information.

The article implies indicators such as the proportion of individuals with secure rights to land (Indicator 1.4.2), the proportion of teachers who have received minimum training (Indicator 4.c.1), the proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone (Indicator 5.b.1), the annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (Indicator 8.2.1), the proportion of the population covered by a mobile network (Indicator 9.c.1), the proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (Indicator 10.2.1), the proportion of the population living in cities with integrated development plans (Indicator 11.a.1), and the number of countries with guarantees for public access to information (Indicator 16.10.2).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Fuente: wabe.org

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