New Poll:
Broadband Affordability Program Maintains Overwhelming Bipartisan Support
The Affordable Connectivity Series
January 8, 2024
by Joel Thayer, President of The Digital Progress Institute
New polling shows that the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) continues to be overwhelmingly popular among Republican, Democratic, and Independent voters alike. Among Independents, the margin of support for ACP has jumped from 40% to 56% over the last year.
Created in 2021 as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and administered by the Federal Communications Commission, the ACP provides qualifying households with up to $30 off their monthly home internet bills and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Coupled with affordable offers for high-speed internet plans for $30 per month or less, qualifying Americans are paying $0 for broadband access. What’s more, eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. Eligibility is defined as households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if a member of the household meets specific criteria.
Over 22 million people have enrolled in the program nationwide—including more than 500,000 in Louisiana, more than 400,000 in Kentucky, and more than 1.1 million in Ohio. Our Affordable Connectivity Congressional Map shows precisely where. But the ACP is in jeopardy. Based on current trends, the ACP funding is projected to run out by April unless Congress addresses the affordable broadband cliff.
A strong, bipartisan majority of voters (79%) support continuing the ACP, including 62% of Republicans, 78% of Independents, and 96% of Democrats, according to a national survey of 1,000 registered voters conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and RG Strategies in December 2023. Similar majorities also hold for urban, suburban, and rural households, who all support ACP by 73% or more.
Given the important role the ACP plays in ensuring millions of low-income American families and veterans can continue to access the internet for work, school, telemedicine, and other purposes, Congress must act now to reauthorize funding and preserve this overwhelmingly popular program.
KEY FINDINGS
There is strong national support for continuing the Affordable Connectivity Program that helps qualifying low-income households pay for Internet service.
Majorities of voters across all key sub-groups support continuing the program.
| Total Support | Total Oppose | |
| Republicans | 62% | 38% |
| Independents | 78% | 22% |
| Democrats | 96% | 4% |
| Urban | 90% | 10% |
| Suburban | 73% | 26% |
| Rural | 80% | 19% |
Majorities of voters across all sub-groups support continuing the program.
| Total Support | Total Oppose | Margin | Total Support | Total Oppose | Margin | |||
| Total | 79% | 20% | +59% | Total | 79% | 20% | +59% | |
| Men | 74% | 25% | +49% | Men <College | 70% | 29% | +41% | |
| Women | 84% | 15% | +69% | Men College+ | 82% | 18% | +64% | |
| 18-34 | 88% | 12% | +76% | Women <College | 83% | 17% | +66% | |
| 35-44 | 75% | 25% | +50% | Women College+ | 86% | 13% | +73% | |
| 45-54 | 84% | 16% | +68% | White <College | 68% | 32% | +36% | |
| 55-64 | 78% | 22% | +56% | White College+ | 87% | 13% | +74% | |
| 65+ | 74% | 25% | +49% | GOP/Lean | 62% | 38% | +24% | |
| Men 18-54 | 80% | 20% | +60% | Independent | 78% | 22% | +56% | |
| Men 55+ | 67% | 32% | +35% | Dem/Lean | 96% | 4% | +92% | |
| Women 18-54 | 86% | 14% | +72% | Conservative | 60% | 39% | +21% | |
| Women 55+ | 83% | 16% | +67% | Moderate | 83% | 16% | +67% | |
| Northeast | 71% | 29% | +42% | Liberal | 96% | 3% | +93% | |
| Midwest | 80% | 20% | +60% | Trump 2020 | 62% | 37% | +25% | |
| South | 80% | 19% | +61% | Biden 2020 | 93% | 6% | +87% | |
| West | 76% | 24% | +74% | Lower/Working | 78% | 22% | +56% | |
| White | 76% | 24% | +52% | Middle | 81% | 19% | +62% | |
| VOC | 88% | 12% | +76% | Upper/Well to Do | 78% | 22% | +56% | |
| Black | 89% | 11% | +78% | Employed | 79% | 21% | +58% | |
| Hispanic | 86% | 14% | +72% | Retired | 78% | 22% | +56% | |
| White Men | 68% | 32% | +36% | Not Employed | 80% | 20% | +60% | |
| White Women | 85% | 15% | +70% | Adopt Tech-Yes | 82% | 18% | +64% | |
| VOC Men | 91% | 9% | +82% | Adopt Tech-No | 78% | 21% | +57% | |
| VOC Women | 86% | 14% | +72% | Right Direction | 95% | 5% | +90% | |
| Urban Core | 90% | 10% | +80% | Wrong Track | 73% | 26% | +47% | |
| Urban Ring | 78% | 22% | +56% | HS or Less | 78% | 22% | +56% | |
| Outer Burbs | 73% | 26% | +47% | Some College | 75% | 27% | +48% | |
| Rural | 80% | 19% | +61% | College Grad | 82% | 16% | +66% | |
| Post Grad | 88% | 15% | +73% |
METHODOLOGY
Public Opinion Strategies and RG Strategies conducted a national survey of N=1,005 registered voters. Half the interviews were conducted via cellphone and landline and the other half were conducted via text-to-web interviewing. Interviews were conducted December 15-19, 2023. The margin of error for a sample size of N=1,005 is +3.09%.
The formulation of the question:
The Affordable Connectivity Program is a bipartisan federal government program that helps lower the cost of Internet service. Without this program, twenty-two million qualifying low-income households would be at risk of losing access to the Internet. Do you support or oppose continuing this program?