Frontier: FCC's 10/1 Mbps Lifeline proposal could lock out rural customers

Frontier supports the Federal Communications Commission's move to include broadband service as part of the Lifeline reform process, but it is concerned that the regulator's 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream speed requirement could prevent some rural customers from being able to use Lifeline for wireline Internet.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced in May a number of new proposals that he says will restructure and modernize the regulator's $1.7 billion Lifeline voice service program by redirecting funds to extend broadband to lower income residents. In an FCC filing, Frontier said that while setting minimum standards is a not a bad idea, it "must not prevent or limit consumer choice." What this means is that some rural customers might not be able to use Lifeline for wireline broadband if they reside in a market where a 10/1 Mbps service isn't supported by their local provider.