Reinstating the FCC’s auction authority could save the Affordable Connectivity Program

The $14.2 billion allocated to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is projected to run out by mid-2024. With the options running thin, there may be a potential source of funding for the ACP for Congress to consider—only this time, it’s intricately connected to the US spectrum auctions that were formerly under Federal Communications Commission jurisdiction. With $230 billion dollars of revenue generated by the process of selling government-owned spectrum assets since it began in 1994, approximately 1/6th of average annual proceeds could keep the ACP afloat, helping new subscribers get online and keeping existing ones connected as the need for affordable broadband grows. But this can only happen if Congress reauthorizes the FCC to restart the process after allowing the agency’s auction authority to lapse earlier in 2023. Restoring the FCC’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions could raise millions—if not billions—of dollars that could help close the digital divide and bridge the gap between those with internet access and those without.