What happened when readers tried signing up for the government’s subsidized internet program?
Some succeeded, but many faced challenges. Here’s what they encountered and your most common questions answered.
After last week’s column on low enrollment in the federal government’s free or discounted internet subsidy, the Affordable Connectivity Program, I heard from a lot of readers about their experiences trying to sign up.
The process is supposed to be relatively simple. After applying to the program by submitting proof of eligibility, which is based on income or participation in various safety net programs, participants then contact and enroll with a partner internet service provider.
While participation is voluntary, more than 1,300 internet companies so far have partnered with the federal program, which secures a $30 monthly bill reduction for low-income households (or a $75 discount for qualifying residents on tribal lands). As of May, some 20 major providers agreed to offer a high-speed internet option at the same cost as the federal subsidy — making it free.
Some readers told me they’d never heard of the program. Some said they had but didn’t realize they qualified, and many others ran into issues trying to apply, which either slowed down their enrollment or discouraged them altogether.
Sunne Wright McPeak, president and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund, a nonprofit focused on equitable and affordable internet access, said that, based on interviews, focus groups and the experiences of local partner organizations, barriers to sign-up come down to a 60-40 problem.
About 60% of people simply don’t know about the program. Of the remaining 40%, half will be turned off by bureaucratic inefficiencies and runarounds by internet companies. The other half need to be walked through the process, be it because of language barriers, disabilities or lack of internet access or digital literacy.
Robert and Joanne Darling applied to the program after reading last week’s article.
“I knew about it before, but I really didn’t know how to go about getting at it and finding out whether or not we qualify,” Robert Darling told me.
They went through a bit of a back-and-forth submitting the right documentation to prove their eligibility, but eventually, they were approved. And while their internet provider, Hughes Network Systems, doesn’t offer a plan that would render service free, they secured a $30-a-month discount.
“While completing the application and getting set up with Hughes was quite a hassle (especially for a couple of late 80-year-olds),” the Darlings wrote in an email, “we were able to work through it and are grateful to receive the benefit.”
Others, though, weren’t so successful.
Some of you said you felt daunted by the effort of gathering and submitting the right eligibility proof or concerned about submitting such personal data because of the prevalence of scams.
There were also issues with user error, given that the process, especially when done online, can be especially tricky for those who don’t speak English or are less digitally literate, elderly or disabled — some of the primary targets for the program.
From the sample size of readers I spoke to, people had the most success when calling the state program coordinator or federal helplines.
Challenges with internet providers
Maria Solarez in Sonoma got approved for the program without much issue. “That part was pretty straightforward,” she told me.
But, when she went to apply the discount through Comcast, she was denied. She reapplied and was denied again. For her third attempt, she called the Affordable Connectivity Program coordinator hotline, and a representative found a way to contact Comcast by phone and joined her in a call.
She’s now waiting to hear if she’ll finally be approved.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be successful getting a discount on my internet even though I qualify,” Solarez said. If she’s rejected again, she might give up, she added. Though the hotline representatives gave her “a little bit of hope,” the time and energy invested without result so far is frustrating.
Indeed, from what I heard, the most common problem people encountered came when trying to sign up with internet providers. For many, the process is online, which limits support, or sales representatives give mixed messages about costs, eligibility and options.
While the experience differs company to company and even between customer service agents, “households are being upsold left and right,” McPeak told me. “There has to be better training and an attempt by the companies to actually want to promote this opportunity.”
She said companies need to focus more on enrolling new customers but noted recent improvements, including more prominent advertising and coordination with state agencies.
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