After the ACP Ends: How Nonprofits and Libraries Are Powering the Next Wave of Community Connectivity

The ACP Sunset and the Rise of Local Innovation

When the FCC announced the end of Affordable Connectivity Program funding in 2024, more than one in five U.S. households saw their internet bills surge overnight (CNN).

What could have widened the digital divide instead became a catalyst for creativity. Across the country, nonprofits, libraries, and local governments began turning short-term subsidy reliance into long-term community infrastructure, supported by mission-driven partners like Mobile Citizen, working to keep affordable connectivity within reach for those who need it most.

Libraries: The Backbone of Digital Equity

Libraries have long been digital lifelines for underserved communities. After ACP ended, their role expanded dramatically—from offering public Wi-Fi to managing full hotspot lending networks and digital literacy labs.

According to the American Library Association, nearly half of U.S. libraries now lend hotspots. Libraries like those in Cleveland distributed hundreds of devices during the ACP sunset, helping families stay connected.

A Cleveland library system that borrowed 200 Mobile Citizen hotspots reported that 98% of borrowers completed online homework without interruption.

• Hotspot lending programs: Extending Wi-Fi into homes
• Community learning spaces: Offering digital skills and telehealth guidance
• After-hours Wi-Fi zones: Expanding coverage into public parks

Read how Kansas City Library uses Mobile Citizen hotspots and Why libraries are leading digital equity.

Nonprofits Bridging the Connectivity Gap

While libraries anchor access locally, nonprofits ensure it scales. Organizations such as PCs for People, EveryoneOn, and Human-I-T now pair devices with affordable internet for veterans, seniors, and low-income households.

Mobile Citizen complements these efforts by delivering unlimited mobile broadband through its Affordable Wireless Internet program—offering T-Mobile network access to schools, libraries, and 501(c)(3) organizations.

“We’ve seen nonprofits evolve from ACP enrollment hubs to connectivity providers—building self-sufficient access models that reach the same families ACP once served.”

Get started with affordable hotspots for your org and read how nonprofits are adapting after ACP ended.

How Communities Are Sustaining Access Without ACP

After the federal program ended, organizations began experimenting with new, sustainable connectivity models.

1. Hotspot Lending Networks

Libraries and nonprofits now maintain shared hotspot inventories, rotating devices between families for year-round use.

Explore our mobile hotspot devices

2. Community Wi-Fi Expansion

Many municipalities and housing authorities useNTIA BroadbandUSA grants and BEAD funding to extend Wi-Fi into public parks and recreation centers.

3. Device + Connectivity Programs

Refurbished laptops paired with Mobile Citizen hotspots ensure families not only get connected—but stay connected.

4. Digital Literacy & Workforce Training

Libraries and nonprofits now integrate digital skills classes with their lending programs, ensuring residents gain practical confidence online. See Digital literacy via library workshops

Mobile Citizen’s Role in the New Connectivity Ecosystem

Mobile Citizen—a project of Voqal—focuses exclusively on empowering organizations with affordable, unlimited 4G and 5G data for digital inclusion programs.

Partner benefits include:

• Transparent annual pricing (no overages)
• Reliable hardware and nationwide service
• Dedicated support for education and nonprofit partners

Check if your organization qualifies

Powered by T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network, these partnerships enable mission-driven connectivity across schools, shelters, and community centers.

A Connected Future Without Federal Subsidy

The end of ACP didn’t end digital inclusion—it evolved it. Today’s connectivity movement is community-owned, powered by collaboration and local funding.

Federal programs like the BEAD and Digital Equity Act (NTIA Dashboard) now fund long-term broadband infrastructure, while nonprofits and libraries lead on-the-ground implementation.

See how one nonprofit closed the gap with robotics + hotspots and For family options, see our low-income guide