Handing Out Phones in Person Challenged

On May 16, 2013, the FCC issued a public notice seeking comment on ... Read More

GAO Audit Requested by Sen. McCaskill

Senator Claire McCaskill, a long-time critic of the Lifeline program, has sent a ... Read More

Legislation Introduced in Senate to Eliminate Lifeline Funding for Cellphone Service

Senators Vitter (R-LA) and Inhofe (R-OK) introduced legislation today to end Lifeline funding ... Read More

FCC Reports 2012 Recertification Results

Today, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") released a Public Notice announcing the results of the ... Read More

Testimony Posted in Advance of Congressional Lifeline Hearing

As discussed in our earlier blog post, the sub-committee of the U.S. House ... Read More

Congress

The U.S. CapitolGAO Audit Requested by Sen. McCaskill

By Danielle Frappier on Thu, 16 May 2013
Senator Claire McCaskill, a long-time critic of the Lifeline program, has sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office ("GAO"), requesting that it evaluate the FCC's recent reforms.  She requested that the GAO's Forensic Audit and Investigative Service team examine the extent to which the reforms have been effective and whether further ...
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The U.S. CapitolLegislation Introduced in Senate to Eliminate Lifeline Funding for Cellphone Service

By Danielle Frappier on Tue, 07 May 2013
Senators Vitter (R-LA) and Inhofe (R-OK) introduced legislation today to end Lifeline funding for cellphone service.  While the text of the legislation has not been posted, in a statement about the bill Sen. Vitter said that the program "has expanded far beyond its original intent," presumably referring to the decision ...
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The U.S. CapitolTestimony Posted in Advance of Congressional Lifeline Hearing

By Danielle Frappier on Thu, 25 Apr 2013
As discussed in our earlier blog post, the sub-committee of the U.S. House of Representatives charged with overseeing the telecommunications industry (the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Committee on Energy and Commerce), will hold a hearing today to discuss the federal Lifeline program.  In advance of the hearing, the witnesses ...
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FCC

Cell PhoneHanding Out Phones in Person Challenged

By Adam Shoemaker on Fri, 17 May 2013
On May 16, 2013, the FCC issued a public notice seeking comment on a Petition for Rulemaking submitted by TracFone Wireless on May 13, 2013.  The petition asks the FCC to prohibit carriers from distributing Lifeline-support phones through in-person methods.  Doing so, TracFone claims, would reduce waste, fraud, and abuse ...
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ChartFCC Reports 2012 Recertification Results

By Jim Tomlinson on Thu, 25 Apr 2013
Today, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") released a Public Notice announcing the results of the 2012 Lifeline annual recertification process.  In February 2012, the FCC required all eligible telecommunications carriers to recertify the eligibility of their subscriber bases as of June 1, 2012 by the end of 2012, and report the results to the Universal ...
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MailboxesRural Territory Now Easier to Serve: FCC Waives Requirement to Serve Entire Rural Service Area

By Adam Shoemaker on Tue, 16 Apr 2013
On April 15, 2013,  the FCC released an Order granting forbearance to Lifeline-only ETCs from the requirement that these ETCs serve the entirety of rural service areas.  Previously, in order for a Lifeline-only ETC to provide service in a rural area, the ETC would have to commit to offer service ...
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State

MinnesotaMinnesota PUC Reminds Low Income Consumers to Recertify for Lifeline

By Jim Tomlinson on Fri, 15 Mar 2013
On March 7, 2013, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission ("PUC") issued a public notice reminding eligible low income Minnesotans that they must re-certify their eligibility in order to continue to receive benefits under the federal Lifeline program and the state Telephone Assistance Program ("TAP") for low income individuals. The PUC indicated ...
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GeorgiaUpdate: Georgia Commission Proposes Alterations to $5 Minimum Rate Rule

By Jim Smith on Thu, 21 Feb 2013
On February 19, 2013, the Georgia PSC initiated a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) to propose changes to the $5 minimum monthly Lifeline rate requirement it adopted on January 16 but which still has not taken effect.  As reported then, the $5 minimum rate rule was adopted in a ...
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OklahomaLifeline Rules Being Revised in Oklahoma

By Jim Smith on Fri, 08 Feb 2013
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) issued two wide-ranging Notices of Proposed Rulemaking on December 19, 2012 to revise its universal service rules, with many proposals impacting Lifeline ETCs.  In one (Cause No. RM 201200013), the OCC proposes new rules for Lifeline ETCs that would outlaw marketing from mobile locations; require ...
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General

NewspaperWashington Post Article Debunks “False Rumors” Surrounding Lifeline Program

By Jim Smith on Tue, 16 Apr 2013
An April 10th, 2013 Washington Post article by national political correspondent Karen Tumulty provides an informed and balanced perspective on the controversies swirling around the federal Lifeline program and ongoing Congressional scrutiny of it.  Among other things, Tumulty debunks claims that the Obama administration is distributing free cellphones (“Obamaphones”) to welfare ...
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Colleagues holding question markSprint Filing Profiles Typical Lifeline Subscriber

By Adam Shoemaker on Tue, 16 Apr 2013
In advance of Congressional hearings next week, Sprint Nextel filed with the FCC a snapshot of its Virgin Mobile/Assurance Wireless Lifeline subscriber base, providing insight into the demographic characteristics of Lifeline participants.  Sprint’s filing revealed that its average Lifeline subscriber is a 47 year-old woman with a household income of less than ...
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Financial Planning and Review of Year End ReportsLifeline Subsidies a Significant Benefit According to Study

By Adam Shoemaker on Fri, 17 Aug 2012
In a study titled “Subsidized Cell Phones Provide Significant Economic Gains for Poor and Near-Poor Americans,” Nicholas P. Sullivan, a fellow at the Center for Emerging Market Enterprises at the Fletcher School (Tufts University), investigates the economic impact a Lifeline-subsidized wireless phone has in the lives of low-income subscribers.  The ...
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National Lifeline Accountability Database

Data storage cyber conceptDatabase Update: California Conditionally Permitted to Opt Out of National Lifeline Database

By Melissa Slawson on Mon, 04 Mar 2013
On March 4, 2013, the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau issued an Order conditionally granting certification of the California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC") to opt out of the National Lifeline Accountability Database (“NLAD”).  The NLAD is intended to detect and eliminate duplicate Lifeline support provided to individuals and households and is expected to come online later ...
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Data storage cyber conceptDatabase Update: Texas Permitted to Opt Out of Lifeline Anti-Duplicates Database

By Jim Tomlinson on Thu, 28 Feb 2013
On Feb. 27, the Public Utility Commission of Texas ("PUCT") circulated notice to eligible telecommunications carriers in Texas that it has been granted permission by the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") to opt out of participation in the National Lifeline Accountability Database ("NLAD").  The NLAD is intended to detect and eliminate duplicate Lifeline support ...
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Data storage cyber conceptDatabase Update: Vermont Permitted to Opt Out of Lifeline Anti-Duplicates Database

By Jim Tomlinson on Wed, 27 Feb 2013
On Feb. 15, 2013, the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau issued an Order granting the certification of the Vermont Department of Public Service to opt out of the National Lifeline Accountability Database (“NLAD”), which is intended to detect and eliminate duplicate Lifeline support provided to individuals and households.  The NLAD is ...
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Broadband Pilot

internetBroadband Pilot Launched for Lifeline Program

By Danielle Frappier on Wed, 19 Dec 2012
A recent FCC order announced that DWT client, Nexus Communications, Inc. d/b/a ReachOut Wireless, was selected as one of the fourteen participants in an FCC pilot project to expand the Lifeline program to funding broadband services. The Lifeline program currently subsidizes discounts on wireline and wireless voice telephony services. Like ...
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