Javascript is not enabled.

Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.

Skip to content
Content starts here
CLOSE ×
Search
CLOSE ×
Search
Leaving AARP.org Website

You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Internet Costs Burden Many Households on Tight Budgets

AARP urges states to address broadband affordability for users 50-plus


a library with internet cables plugged into it
AARP (Getty Images 2)

Older Americans — many on fixed incomes — rely on the internet to schedule doctor’s appointments, apply for jobs, pay bills, learn new digital skills and access government services.

​But numerous federal programs that made internet affordable for low-income households has expired or been scrapped. ​​The result is that many people 50-plus struggle to afford internet access, with sometimes devastating effects.

​Tammy Madrid works as a services coordinator for the Elderly Housing Development & Operations Corporation in Albuquerque and has watched older adults in her community lose the ability to call family, check bank statements and send messages to their doctors.

​A program that helped them pay for internet access, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), lapsed in 2024. Forty-two residents had home internet service through the ACP in Madrid’s development. Now fewer than half have managed to keep internet in their apartments, Madrid says.

​​“You can see the frustration and sadness in their faces, especially for the ones that can’t Zoom [call] with their grandkids in another state or another country,” Madrid says. “It is heartbreaking.” ​​

Need help finding affordable internet?

One of the remaining federal initiatives still available to connect low-income communities is Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD). But it’s not clear whether this program, which was recently reshaped by the Trump administration, will be able to fully serve older adults who need it. ​​This program seeks to address the issue of accessibility, but questions remain surrounding affordability — and how those with limited technological experience can improve their skills.

​In response, AARP advocates nationwide have been meeting with state broadband offices, hosting tele‑town halls to brief AARP members, mobilizing volunteers to share personal stories and urging policymakers to prioritize digital resources for aging communities, particularly in rural areas.

​Most recently, AARP pushed for a bill in New Mexico that would provide $10 million to help low-income households afford internet service. That legislation passed both houses and is awaiting the governor’s signature. ​​“For decades, AARP has worked to advance digital access, affordability and adoption, because connectivity is foundational to health and economic security, as well as safety and independence,” wrote Coralette Hannon, director of livable communities for AARP, in a February statement submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which oversees BEAD.

Internet access gaps marginalize adults 50-plus

People view reliable internet as a basic necessity, on par with housing or electricity, but more than 30 percent of those 65 and older lack high-speed home service, according to AARP’s Older Adults Technology Services latest report.

​“We’ve talked about the digital divide for decades, and there are groups — older adults squarely being one of those — that have been traditionally left behind,” says Tim Morstad, a government affairs director at AARP specializing in livable communities.

​Those gaps were exacerbated in 2024 when the ACP, which provided monthly discounts on internet service for low-income households, ran out of money and was not renewed by Congress. ​​More than 23 million households, including nearly 2 in 5 headed by someone age 50 or older, relied on the ACP discounts. ​​Other programs that helped connect older adults to the internet dried up too. Last year, the Trump administration ended the Digital Equity Act, which funded state programs for computer skills training and initiatives that loaned laptops and tablets to those in need.

​BEAD is now the last of these federal broadband programs in operation.

​In 2021, Congress approved $42 billion for the program, and states began a multiyear process to submit proposals outlining how they planned to spend their share to connect underserved communities.

​But in June, NTIA overhauled the program.

​New rules narrowed down which local organizations qualify for the funds. Because of these new rules, some locations—such as senior centers, job training centers and adult day facilities—no longer qualify.

​As a result, some sites that would have been ideal candidates for supporting older adults’ digital inclusion lost eligibility, says Caroline Stratton, research director at the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society.

An analysis by New York Law School shows the number of BEAD-eligible locations has dropped about 14 percent.

Libraries, senior centers and other aging-focused institutions “often serve as essential digital lifelines for older adults, offering access to Wi-Fi, computers, digital literacy programs and public assistance with online services,” according to a letter AARP offices sent to state broadband offices in the fall.

​So as soon as states began developing their plans to apply for BEAD funding, AARP urged them to be inclusive of spaces serving older adults.

​Thanks to this advocacy work, some states — Nebraska, Texas, South Dakota, Illinois and others — were able to include such centers in their new plans.

​As of Feb. 9, all but six state plans have been approved by NTIA. ​

Future pathways for digital support

Some hope remains for states aiming to overcome persistent connectivity gaps not fully addressed by their BEAD plans.

Join Our Fight to Protect Older Americans

Here’s what you can do to help:

  • Sign up to become an AARP activist for the latest news and alerts on issues you care about.
  • Find out more about how we’re fighting for you every day in Congress and across the country.
  • AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Become a member or renew your membership today. ​​

​Already, states have been working to set up their own affordability programs or free up existing dollars to provide discounts to low-income households. ​​For example, New Mexico’s governor is expected to sign a bill into law providing broadband assistance to as many as 100,000 low-income families statewide, after AARP pushed hard for passage.

​Another possibility is that states could be allowed to use any leftover BEAD funds to subsidize costs for or support digital skills training — barriers left unaddressed when the ACP and the Digital Equity Act lapsed.

​AARP has been a strong proponent of letting states keep unused BEAD funds to advance other digital initiatives, especially since virtually all states identified digital skills gaps among older adults as a persistent obstacle in their broadband plans. ​​“If Americans — especially older adults — lack the skills and confidence to use the internet safely and effectively, the nation will not realize the full return on this historic infrastructure investment,” AARP’s Hannon wrote.

​NTIA has yet to issue final guidance on whether state broadband offices will be permitted to keep these funds, and if so, how they may be used. ​

Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member?

Join AARP for only $11 per year with a 5-year membership. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.