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Update: Senate Hearing Vents Lifeline Concerns, Proposals In Advance of New...
As previously reported, on June 2 the U.S. Senate’s Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet held a hearing on “Lifeline: Improving Accountability and Effectiveness,” in...
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FCC Proposes Major Overhaul of Lifeline Program Including Support for Broadband
Earlier today, the FCC adopted an order and further notice of proposed rulemaking (referred to below as “Order and FNPRM”) that will revise some aspects of the Lifeline program and proposes to make...
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USAC Creates “VP of Stakeholder Engagement” Position
USAC has created a new position, Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement, and has selected Kate Hays to serve as the first person in that role. Prior to joining USAC, Ms. Hays served as COO and Senior...
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Text of New FCC Order Released
Earlier today, the FCC released the text of the new Lifeline order and notice of proposed rulemaking adopted at its open meeting last Thursday. In a prior blog post, we summarized the discussion from...
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FCC Adopts New Rules, Proposes Further Reforms for Lifeline Program
Last week, the FCC released its second major order in the Lifeline reform proceeding: Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Order on Reconsideration, Second Report and Order, and Memorandum...
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TracFone Settles Handset Unlocking Proceeding
On July 1, 2015, TracFone Wireless, Inc. reached a settlement with the FCC concerning an investigation into TracFone’s handset locking and unlocking practices. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau had been...
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New Lifeline Order to Become Effective Aug.13
Comment Deadlines Announced Last month we reported that the FCC had adopted new reforms to the Lifeline program and proposed further rule changes in its Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,...
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Comment Deadline Extended in Lifeline Rulemaking
In July, we reported that the FCC implemented several changes to the Lifeline program, and the corresponding deadlines when those changes will become effective. At the time, the Commission also issued...
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USAC Request for Information Contemplates National Lifeline Eligibility...
On September 10, USAC posted a Request for Information (RFI)—usually a precursor to an RFP—to prospective vendors of a third party “national Lifeline eligibility verifier” system, proposed in the FCC’s...
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Second Chance to File Oppositions to CTIA Challenge
In its June 2015 Lifeline Order on Reconsideration, the FCC adopted a new rule which requires ETCs to retain documentation demonstrating subscriber eligibility for Lifeline, such as a copy of the...
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TracFone Withdraws Emergency Petition
As previously reported, in October 2014 TracFone filed an Emergency Petition with the FCC asking it to preempt state 911 fees on Lifeline subscribers who receive no-charge wireless Lifeline service. In...
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New Lifeline Rules to Become Effective Beginning February 4
Last summer, the FCC adopted new rules for the Lifeline program in its Second Order and NPRM (see our prior analysis of the order), including: the retention of eligibility documentation (such as scans...
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FCC Releases 2016 Broadband Progress Report
According to the Federal Communications Commission, 90 percent of Americans have access to broadband Internet access service at the FCC’s benchmark speeds of 25 Mbps for downloads/3 Mbps for uploads....
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FCC Delays Effective Date of Oklahoma Tribal Lifeline Change to June 8
This past Tuesday, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued an Order delaying for 120 days the effective date of the agency’s new interpretation of “former reservations in Oklahoma” for purposes of...
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Lawmakers Echo FCC Chairman’s Call for Lifeline to Support Broadband
Members of Congress are asking FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to further modernize the Lifeline program to include broadband Internet services. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and 85 other members of the House...
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Commissioners Wheeler and Clyburn Unveil Aspects of Major Lifeline Overhaul
On March 8, 2016, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn unveiled a fact sheet summarizing their plan to “re-orient” the Lifeline program towards broadband service and a recap of the...
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The People Have Spoken, Will the FCC Listen?
If you’ve been following the most recent round of Lifeline reform proceedings, you will have noticed two things: The overwhelming majority of Lifeline stakeholders agree that Lifeline support should...
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FCC Passes New Lifeline Rules During Dramatic Meeting
After a series of delays due to intense last minute negotiations and culminating in its meeting starting 3.5 hours late, the FCC voted yesterday along party lines to permit low-income recipients to...
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Lifeline Proceeding Highlights Flaws, Reflects Political Climate at FCC
Last week’s contentious vote on Lifeline reform, remarkable for playing out so publically, not only highlighted flaws in the FCC’s administrative practices but also reflected how polarized the...
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Record Fine, Possible “Death Sentence” for Alleged Lifeline Violations...
On April 7, the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability (“NAL”) against a wireless Lifeline provider, Total Call Mobile, Inc. (“Total Call”). An investigation conducted by the Universal Service...
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