New Lifeline Rules Effective January 27, 2020; Comment Period Set

The Federal Communications Commission published its new rule for its Lifeline program making January 27, 2020 the date the changes will go into effect. The changes include:

• The FCC restored the state role in designating eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) and traditional ETC designation categories, while taking steps to increase transparency with states to improve oversight functions.
• The FCC amended the Lifeline program rules to improve the integrity of providers’ enrollment and recertification processes, and also establishing protections to help prevent improper payment claims before they occur.
• The FCC improved its rules regarding Lifeline auditing practices.

In addition, the FCC set a public comment period as it considers additional changes to Lifeline. Comments are due on or before January 27, 2020 and reply comments are due on or before February 25, 2020 on a proposal to add a goal of broadband adoption to the Lifeline program, making additional program integrity improvements to the program, and establishing privacy training requirements for entities accessing Lifeline subscribers’ personal information.