A Staggering 240,000 Coloradans Could Lose Internet This Month

If not for the internet, many of us would have had a hard time continuing to work through the COVID-19 pandemic. So many people in Colorado switched to working remotely, including DJs, professionals, students, and even our state government.

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While this was happening, the feds stepped up to create a program in 2021 to help with the cost of having internet at home, especially for families who could not afford it. Fast forward to 2024, the program is about to end. Leaving hundreds of thousands of Colorado residents wondering what will happen to their internet connection.

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The Affordable Connectivity Program

WhistleOut.com describes the ACP as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act meant to help low-income and rural Americans and Coloradans stay connected when many had to stay home to work or learn remotely. The program gave a monthly credit to residents earning less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.

Number of Households Enrolled in Colorado

According to Whistleout.com,  there are currently 242,487 Colorado residents who are a part of the Affordable Connectivity Program. In March, the FCC announced the ACP program would be giving out the final month of benefits in April of 2024. The FCC explains residents can pay the more expensive rate, switch to a cheaper plan (if available), or cancel their internet service.

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FCC Lifeline Program

Based on the number of households in America enrolled in the program, it would take another 7.8 billion to fund ACP for 12 more months. The FCC has a program that offers smaller amounts of assistance for qualifying households. The "Lifeline" program offers discounted broadband internet. You can find out more about this program here.