Broadband legislation could be the next step in ensuring everyone has affordable access to the internet, experts say.
Internet for Low Income People: How to Get Free Internet (+ New Law in NY in 2021!)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill requiring internet service providers (ISPs) to provide more affordable internet options to low-income families across the state. The new bill will allow struggling families to get the digital access they need for as little as $15 a month. If successful, experts believe this push for better, cheaper internet could lead to other states following suit.
“I think policymakers will be watching closely [to see if] this benefits people. I think you’ll see other policymakers take this very seriously and evaluate whether it might make sense for their entity, whether it’s a city, a state or a county,” Rececca Watts, a regional vice president at Western Governors University, told Lifewire in a phone call.
Watts, who has been vocal about the need to close the digital divide, hopes New York’s move will encourage other states and organizations to do the same. She says some other municipalities are already looking at ways to treat internet access as a necessary service, like water or electricity.
