Arlington, VA-The American Consumer Institute Center (ACI) submitted comments in response to the NTIA Listening Session on the use of BEAD funds saved through the Trump Administration’s Benefit of the Bargain reforms, emphasizing that leftover funds should be directed toward cost-efficient, consumer-focused solutions that address the primary drivers of the digital divide—affordability and low adoption.
Citing NTIA data showing that 73.6 percent of offline Americans are disconnected due to non-deployment barriers, ACI urged guidance that prioritizes digital skills literacy, one-time device assistance, and targeted broadband vouchers for low-income households, while rejecting proposals to subsidize municipal broadband networks or ongoing business operations.
ACI concluded that, with clear guidance and a focus on non-deployment initiatives, remaining BEAD funds can further advance the program’s goal of closing the digital divide and ensuring taxpayer dollars are put to their best and highest use.
Read ACI’s public comments here.
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The American Consumer Institute is a nonprofit education and research organization