Rebooting Lifeline for More Affordable Broadband

The Federal Communications Commission is considering upgrading Lifeline once again, this time to include broadband service. With broadband, as with telephone service in the 1980s, there is a significant adoption gap between the haves and have-nots. In fact, data suggest that fewer than half of all households making under $20,000 have access to high-speed Internet at home. We believe that modernizing Lifeline to include subsidies for broadband service is crucial.

Today, broadband is just as much of a necessity as phone service. For some it’s even more essential. Families depend on the Internet to get jobs, stay informed and access critical social services. Rebooting Lifeline will expand broadband adoption for these households; even more importantly it will make broadband service more affordable. A family of four making $23,000 a year may opt to purchase broadband service even without the subsidy so that their kids can do their homework. Participating in Lifeline and getting that extra $10 a month might mean the difference between sending their kids to school with supplies and sending them without. Lifeline isn’t just about expanding access — it’s about helping struggling families preserve their basic dignity so they don’t have to choose between essential telecommunications services and other necessities. The FCC should move forward with its plans to bring Lifeline into the digital age, but it shouldn’t stop there. The agency needs to pursue a comprehensive policy agenda aimed at building several long-term solutions to close the digital divide. Improving Lifeline is just one step in that journey.