Politics & Government
Worcester Human Rights Commission Wants Lower Internet Bills
The Worcester Human Rights Commission recently held a hearing on internet access and cost in the city.
WORCESTER, MA — How would you like to only pay $30 per month for internet service — no bundles or time limits involved?
The Worcester Human Rights Commission recently voted to recommend that officials place a cap on internet costs as the city renegotiates its contract with Spectrum, Worcester's sole cable and internet provider.
The unanimous vote came during an October hearing about broadband internet access in Worcester as a whole. The hearing covered a recent Worcester Regional Research Bureau report on broadband access here, which, among other findings, said that internet speeds in Worcester may not be good enough to keep up with demands of remote work and remote learning.
The report also looked at how many households in Worcester have access to broadband internet, which is defined as a download speed of 25 megabytes per-second, and upload speeds of up to 3 Mbps. The report found that broadband penetration did increase between 2017 and 2019, but also neighborhoods in the central part of Worcester have the lowest rates of broadband access.
The federal government's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides up to $30 per month to low-income households to help pay for internet. As part of contract negotiations with Spectrum, the HRC voted to recommend the city manager cap internet costs at whatever the current ACP benefit is.
Capping the cost of internet in Worcester would provide a sizeable discount for many customers. The company's cheapest plan is $20 per month for relatively slow download speeds up to 30 Mbps. Spectrum doesn't advertise what kind of upload speeds come with that or any other plan. For tasks like video calls — which were paramount for students in Worcester learning remotely during the pandemic — the Federal Communications Commission recommends upload speeds of about 3.8 Mbps. Spectrum offers slightly faster plans from $30 to $90 per month, but those prices are limited to 12 to 24-month terms.
Right now, Worcester is in the midst of an "ascertainment" period for cable and internet renewal. The city's Cable Television Advisory Committee is in the midst of holding public hearings about what residents want in the next Spectrum contract before it expires in October 2023. That committee will meet next on Nov. 9 to gather public feedback on cable and internet needs.
The Human Rights Commission's recommendation will be passed to the city manager's office for possible inclusion in contract negotiations, but is not binding.
