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Joe Biden in Washington: 20 providers have already agreed
Photo: JIM LO SCALZO/EPA
High-speed Internet is "not a luxury anymore, it's a necessity" - similar to the telephone in the days of his grandfather, said US President Joe Biden.
He wants to give millions of low-income households access to free, high-speed Internet.
20 providers have agreed to provide high-speed Internet connections for low-income households for $30 a month.
This corresponds to the subsidy that such households can receive from a government program.
According to the White House, the 20 providers cover the Internet supply for 80 percent of the approximately 330 million inhabitants in the USA.
Their pledges enabled millions of households to ultimately get high-speed internet for free.
Government wants to encourage competition
Biden said the measure is just one of the steps to bring down the cost of high-speed Internet connections for consumers.
His government also wants to promote competition and expand infrastructure.
More than 65 million US citizens live in places with a single Internet provider and have to pay higher prices for lack of competition.
More than 30 million would have their home in places without fast internet.
The plans should give many families a little more financial leeway, the president said.
The US is suffering from soaring cost of living, which is putting increasing pressure on the Biden administration ahead of November's congressional elections.
ani/dpa
