Over 1 Million In Ohio May Lose Internet Starting In May

The Internet has become one of the most used tools in our everyday lives as humans. We rely on the internet for communication, work-related programming, recalling information, and more every single day. Many people have also moved on from linear television and radio and choose to stream their entertainment using the internet, meaning the internet industry is growing.

As the internet industry continues to grow and humans become more reliant on the internet, the costs of the services are rising based on supply and demand. This has led many people to choose between paying for the Internet or other necessities and most of them decided to let go of the Internet. That's when there was an initiative called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) brought forward to supply low-cost internet services to these families, which could be ending in May, leaving tons of Ohioians without internet services.

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The ACP is only going to expire because the funds budgeted for this cause are about to run out, leaving millions across the country without internet services. Ohio is one of 5 states that has over 1 million residents enrolled in the ACP. The ACP is set to expire at the beginning of May and will affect every state but some are worse than others, here is how Ohio will be affected and how the Buckeye State compares to the others.

As of right now, there will be some partial discounts that will be applied to accounts in May but if there is no funding allocated by the end of the month, the program will come to an end. Ohio has the 5th most ACP users in the country with 1,141,482, who could all lose internet by the end of May. To just fund the ACP for another year in Ohio it would cost $410,914,080.00.

Other government programs will provide free or discounted internet services to those currently enrolled in the ACP if the program were to end. Although there are other options, surveys show that 77% of ACP users will end their current plan and go without the internet if the ACP is not funded.