Digital Inclusion

Broadband Adoption Slipping, Researchers Warn Pennsylvania Lawmakers

Cuts to federal benefits could push 233,000 households off broadband, researcher warns.

Jericho Casper

Jericho Casper

— 4 min read
Broadband Adoption Slipping, Researchers Warn Pennsylvania Lawmakers
Photo of (right) John Horrigan, Ph.D., senior fellow at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, and (left) Christopher Ali, Ph.D., pioneers chair in telecommunications for Pennsylvania State University, testify before the Pa. House Communications & Technology Committee in Indiana, Pa. on August 18, 2026.

August 21, 2026 – Witnesses told a Pennsylvania House committee this week the state’s next broadband challenge will be keeping households connected.

Broadband adoption has already slipped in Pennsylvania, they said, but the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill is about to make the problem substantially worse, with one witness estimating that the OBBB could result in the loss of roughly 233,000 broadband connections among Pennsylvania households in the lowest income quintile.

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Digital Inclusion Affordability John Horrigan Christoper Ali Pennsylvania State University Benton Institute for Broadband and Society Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Digital Equity Act BEAD OBBB

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