Dear Community Partner,

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that high-speed internet is a necessity, connecting households to their schools, jobs, doctors, social services and other essential relationships. Yet 18.3 million Americans, including low-income, disabled and elderly populations, people of color, and those who live in rural and Tribal areas, still lack access to broadband internet.

On Dec. 31, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which Congress created through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The ACP is a longer-term program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB). The EBB program made $3.2 billion available to subsidize monthly broadband service bills for low-income households. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act added $14.2 billion for the ACP, while leaving the EBB’s basic framework in place. But the law also made some critical changes.

Join us on Tuesday, June 21, when Consumer Action will host a free webinar on the Affordable Connectivity Program. The presentation will feature speakers Amina Fazlullah, director of equity policy at Common Sense Media, and Keyla Hernandez-Ulloa, associate chief of the Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division for the Federal Communications Commission.

The webinar will cover:

How the digital divide affects low-income households, and why the ACP is a massive win in connecting kids and teachers at home
Internet connectivity in public housing, in rural areas and on Tribal lands
Barriers and challenges to the expansion of broadband
What the ACP is, and how it differs from the EBB
Who qualifies for the ACP, and how consumers can apply
What consumer protections are offered by the ACP, and how to file a complaint
Resources and tool kits for consumers

AFC professionals can earn 1.5 CEUs for participation in this free, 90-minute webinar. Click on the link below to register:

Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Time: 10:00 a.m. PT (11:00 a.m. MT; 12:00 p.m. CT; 1:00 p.m. ET)
Click here to register.

If you have questions for our guest speakers, please send them to [email protected] by June 14. We want to hear from you! Please email me with any questions regarding the webinar.

We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely,

Linda Williams
Community Outreach and Training Manager
Consumer Action

Consumer Action presents this webinar with funding from AT&T.

Through education and advocacy, nonprofit Consumer Action fights for strong consumer rights and policies that promote fairness and financial prosperity for underrepresented consumers nationwide.

www.consumer-action.org

©2022 Consumer Action
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