NTIA Offers FCC the Administration’s Recommendations on Lifeline

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration offers comments on behalf of the Administration in support of updating the Lifeline program to subsidize access to broadband for low-income consumers. Based on the Administration’s extensive experience in leading national broadband programs, the Administration recommends that the Federal Communications Commission make the following enhancements to the Lifeline program:

• Expand the Lifeline program to support broadband services while ensuring that voice service remains available for low-income individuals and communities;
• Subsidize Lifeline services for as long as subscribers’ incomes qualify them for program benefits and they desire the supported services;
• Leverage other federal and state low-income assistance programs, including coordinating enrollment and outreach, to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Lifeline and these other complementary low-income assistance programs; and
• Establish a national third-party verifier to determine low-income consumers’ eligibility to receive easy-to-use portable Lifeline benefits, either through a direct benefit or other means.