New Research Shows Local Government Capacity and Internet Service Provider Involvement Key to Expanding Broadband Access

Posted in News policy-focus  |  Tagged News - Digital Economy

A new study from the Georgetown McDonough Center for Business and Public Policy on the $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) finds that local government capacity and the active participation of large internet service providers (ISPs) were critical to boosting enrollment beyond the traditional focus on reducing participation costs. While the ACP, launched in 2022, doubled participation rates in two years, fewer than half of eligible households enrolled before funding ended in mid-2024.

Researchers found counties with more local government employees and a strong large-ISP presence saw significantly higher take-up, aided by streamlined eligibility verification methods. In contrast, delayed outreach for grant funding and smaller ISPs’ limited capacity curbed enrollment gains. The findings suggest future broadband and means-tested programs should align private incentives with public goals, invest early in local administrative capacity, simplify enrollment, and synchronize outreach with program launch.

The study, authored by Tim DeStefano, associate research professor; Jeffrey Macher, professor of strategy, economics, and policy; and John Mayo, executive director of the Center for Business and Public Policy and Elsa Carlson McDonough Chair in Business Administration, offers a blueprint for improving the reach of large-scale social programs.

Read the Economic Policy Vignette – Beyond Participation Costs.