New York City Council Suggests FCC Reconsider Changes to Lifeline Program

The Council of the City of New York sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on March 13, 2018, to urge the FCC to reverse course on recent and proposed actions regarding the Lifeline program. They urged the FCC to: ensure Lifeline remains accessible for those who now depend on it; maintain mobile voice-only service options for all Lifeline-eligible consumers rather than just those in rural areas; not require members to pay into the program when services exceed the discount; and retain and support those free plans that are priced at the same level as the program subsidy and offer limited minutes and a free cellphone, among other things.