JD Vance

Broadband Affordability Falters in 2025

In spite of the political salience of 'affordability,' federal rollbacks, industry pressure, and stalled state efforts took a toll on low-income Americans' broadband.

Jericho Casper

Jan 4, 2026 — 7 min read

Editor's Note: Published on Dec. 12, 2025; republished on Jan. 4, 2026.

Affordability was the political buzzword of 2025.

12 Days of Broadband 2025 (click to open)

On the First Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: One Carr driving the Federal Communications Commission.
On the Second Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: Two superpowers racing toward AI superintelligence dominance.
On the Third Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: Three branches of government (and some formerly independent agencies).
On the Fourth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: Four programs with Universal Service Funds.
On the Fifth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: 56 states and territories without digital equity grants.
On the Sixth Day of Broadband, my true level sent to me: Less than 6 months for a broadband permit.
On the Seventh Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: Data center-powered electricity bills up 70 percent.
On the Eighth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: 800 megahertz of spectrum to sell at auction.
On the Ninth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: $9 billion + 12 billion (or $21 billion) in BEAD remaining funds.
On the Tenth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: Not even $10/month for an affordable connectivity program.
On the Eleventh Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: Through BEAD and broadband, 110 million locations served.
On the Twelfth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: More than 1200 megahertz of spectrum for unlicensed wireless.

**Click to read each of the 12 Days of Broadband articles!**

But when it came to the affordability of broadband, a conversation that dominated 2024 after a federal subsidy helping one in six U.S. families afford Internet service expired – the topic barely surfaced in 2025.

Governors skipped the topic in their State of the State addresses this year; New York City’s newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not broach it on the campaign trail, despite his platform centered on affordable housing, transit, and other cost-of-living issues; and Vice President J.D. Vance, who campaigned on the issue in 2024, made little mention in his first year in office.

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JD Vance 12 Days of Broadband Zohran Mamdani Tasha Boerner Karl Bode Amy Klobuchar Jim Clyburn Howard Lutnick Brendan Carr Olivia Trusty Anna Gomez ACA Connects NCTA Affordable Broadband Act ABA ACP CAHIA DEA USF IIJA BEAD Charter Verizon COX SNAP medicaid