Column: Connectivity program can complement future Wi-Fi in parks

Free Wi-Fi in parks would be a good bonus from the mayor’s traffic camera program, as noted in a recent editorial: “It could help those who can’t afford to buy internet access or cellphone high-speed data plans” (“Help for the Leeward Coast,” Our View, March 18). Resolutions also are pending in the Legislature urging the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) to install Wi-Fi in state parks.

Fortunately, there is a good complement available now to Wi-Fi in parks.

Acknowledging many exceptions — to be fixed by the big Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program (BEAD) over the next few years — few families on Oahu should be without fast, affordable internet service at home or on their smartphone. That would be ideal for telehealth and education.

The Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) will pay $30 a month per household to internet service providers (ISP); $75 monthly if living on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Many of the ISPs — Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom and AT&T, for examples — will provide an excellent broadband service for that $30 monthly, often leaving a net zero bill for eligible consumers.

And with the included Wi-Fi access point, mobile gigabytes are not used at home. A few of the providers provide devices — laptop computers or tablets — at $100 off and there are a number of nonprofit computer recyclers who provide free computers to graduates of computer literacy training.

Qualifying ACP households can take the benefit on a smart phone if they want. Also, some ISPs have many Wi-Fi access points around the islands.

To date, however, only about 40,700 of what may be 160,000 or more eligible Hawaii households statewide have taken advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Many families qualify under several programs and the degree of overlap is hard to estimate. For example Med-QUEST reports 455,425 individual enrollees as of Feb. 13 and there are about 88,000 SNAP (“food stamp”) households. There are many ways to qualify for the ACP, including SNAP, Med-QUEST, free or reduced school lunch, public housing, disability, Pell Grant, living on DHHL land or being low income.

The state Department of Health, some health providers and the ISPs are among the many to be thanked for progress signing up families for the ACP, but far more families can benefit. Recent good news about ACP outreach is that on March 10, the FCC announced a $350,000 grant to Elepaio Social Services in Waianae and $740,00 to DBEDT’s Broadband and Digital Equity Office for statewide sign-ups.

There are two ways to apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program. A person can call their internet service provider and say “I want your best ACP deal,” or they can enroll online at affordableconnectivity.gov to get a code to take to any participating ISP. In most cases, the online sign-up takes only a few minutes. The benefit is also transferable between ISPs and for starting new service.

As a member of the Hawaii Broadband Hui, I challenge every provider of health services, nutrition assistance, education and social services to promote the ACP with their clientele. Between in-person visits, email and snail mail, let’s get the word out. The Hui is doing some sign-ups at community events and looks forward to the outreach grant winners speeding up the process.

Unfortunately, the original ACP appropriation was $14.2 billion, so the funding could run out as early as 2024 unless Congress extends the program. We encourage our congressional delegation to support extending the ACP — as society benefits by all residents being on the information superhighway to higher quality of life, including better health care, education and job opportunities. Let’s get the ACP going now, and Wi-Fi in parks soon.

Daniel C. (Dan) Smith is a member of the Hawaii Broadband Hui, a lecturer at University of Hawaii-West Oahu and a retired Hawaiian Airlines avionics engineer.