President Joe Biden stated on Monday that 20 of the country’s internet providers have committed to decreasing rates for low-income households, a move that the government claims would give high-speed internet to 48 million people countrywide.

“My administration has been working closely with internet providers over the last three months. Big business intervened in this issue, asking them to lower their pricing and increase their speeds “Biden spoke about the endeavor during a White House Rose Garden event. “As a result, qualified families may now choose a plan from a partnering provider and obtain high-speed internet for free in most circumstances.”

The announcement comes after the administration’s bipartisan infrastructure bill included provisions to subsidize wireless internet for low-income families through the Affordable Connectivity Program, which uses grant funding to reduce internet service costs for eligible families by up to $30 per month.

Biden congratulated the participating providers, which included big-name companies like AT&T, Comcast, Frontier, Spectrum, and Verizon, as well as smaller companies like Jackson Energy Authority and Ideatek. According to the President, participating providers cover over 80% of the US population. He also framed the endeavor as part of his larger anti-inflation initiatives.

“My primary objective is fighting inflation and decreasing costs for families on products they need,” the President told legislators and executives in the garden. “Millions of families will benefit from today’s news, which will allow them a little more breathing room to help them pay their expenses. We worked with Democrats and Republicans, companies and organizations to make this happen, and we’ll keep fighting inflation and lowering the cost of living for all Americans, among other things.”

A member of a household must meet certain low-income thresholds or be enrolled in one of the nation’s assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, the Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, Pell Grants, or others, to be eligible for the program’s benefits.
So far, around 11.5 million homes have joined up for the ACP.

The Biden administration has considered a variety of solutions to address the country’s long-standing digital divide. Biden also asked Vice President Kamala Harris to lead White House efforts on broadband availability early in his presidency. However, the problem has spawned heated political debates about how much money to spend, where to spend it, and what sorts of internet connections Americans require to be competitive in the twenty-first century.

According to the White House, the 20 providers participating in Monday’s promise cover 80 percent of the country’s population and half of the country’s rural population.

The administration is also launching GetInternet.gov, a new website that will allow eligible households to connect to internet providers and sign up for the ACP, as well as launch outreach programs through federal programs whose beneficiaries qualify for subsidized internet and collaborate with cities and states to spread the word.