Civil Rights, Labor and Anti-Poverty Groups Demand FCC Amend Lifeline to Help Low-Income Americans Pay Their Bills

As the economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic continues throughout the United States, a coalition of 25 organizations including the NAACP, the National Consumer Law Center and the Communications Workers of America is urging the Federal Communications Commission to make a number of changes to the Lifeline voice and broadband subsidy program to help low-income Americans pay their phone and internet bills. Among its requests, the coalition is calling on the FCC in a letter to extend certain rule waivers through the end of the year, making it harder for customers to be kicked out of the program; restore the monthly subsidy for voice call services to $9.25 from its current $7.25 payment; and freeze the scheduled increase in the minimum service standard that Lifeline providers must offer to customers pending further review of the program overall. “To slow the spread of COVID-19, low-income households need affordable telephone and Internet access to prevent person-to-person transmission,” the group wrote. “Lifeline is particularly critical for low-income consumer access to health care, employment, education, benefits and emergency services and more.” 

The letter, which was organized by the United Church of Christ, also has signatures from Public Knowledge, Common Sense Media, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, the Multicultural Media Telecom and Internet Council, and New America’s Open Technology Institute.