AT&T has launched a new program to address the issue that many consumers without Internet service say stranded them on the wrong side of the digital divide: price.
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Access from AT&T program will deliver Internet access to qualifying households at a more affordable rate.
In 2010, the FCC was correct in saying the Internet “is changing how we educate children, deliver health care, manage energy, ensure public safety, engage government, and access, organize, and disseminate knowledge."
1 While many consumers understood the tremendous benefits that high-speed Internet could deliver, a sizeable number did not. According to the Pew Research Center, more than half of consumers without a home Internet connection in 2010 did not see a “major disadvantage” in being disconnected.
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Today, however, opinions have shifted. Two-thirds of those without a home connection say they face a major disadvantage in many areas, including job searches, accessing health information, or connecting with government services.
3 The Access from AT&T program is now available in the 21 states of AT&T’s wireline footprint to households in which at least one person participates in the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). AT&T will deliver a speed of 10Mbps, 5Mbps, or 3Mbps—whichever is the fastest available at the address. Customers assigned a speed tier of 10Mbps or 5Mbps will pay $10 per month, and those assigned 3Mbps will pay $5 per month.
Qualifying households will not be required to pay installation or Internet equipment fees to participate in Access from AT&T, which will last a total of four years. Participants who sign up for service in the final year will receive the discounted rates for 12 months. Other eligibility requirements apply.
ACA encourages its members to spread the word about this important new program, which could empower countless people to connect to the resources they need to thrive.
Click here to learn more about the Access from AT&T program.