National Lifeline Association
2026 NaLA Lifeline Subscriber Survey Results Reveal Lifeline as Essential Infrastructure
For low-income Americans, the Lifeline program is not merely a discount—it is essential access infrastructure. With 91% of subscribers preferring mobile wireless service with hotspot capability over fixed broadband, it is clear that mobility is a functional requirement, not a preference, for this population. The current benefit level supports incremental use but falls short of providing the sustained connectivity needed for full, consistent access to telehealth, remote work, and coursework.
Notice of National Lifeline Association Presentation to Office of Chairman Carr
Representatives for the National Lifeline Association met with the Office of Chairman Carr to discuss the draft Lifeline Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released on January 28, 2026. NaLA emphasized the need for and urged the Commission to revise the Draft NPRM to include questions about whether the $9.25 monthly support amount is enough to make entry-level broadband plans affordable for Lifeline-eligible households. Recognizing that program integrity relies on rules that attract participation by eligible households and compliance-centric providers, NaLA offered the following specific feedbac
NaLA Submits Comments to Bipartisan, Bicameral Universal Service Fund Working Group
As the only ecosystem-based organization focused on ensuring that low-income Americans have sustainable, affordable access to essential communications services, NaLA has submitted comments to the recently re-launched bipartisan, bicameral Universal Service Fund (USF) Working Group. Because NaLA’s members have extensive experience offering affordable communications services to low-income households through their participation in the Lifeline program, NaLA has focused its comments almost exclusively on the USF’s Lifeline program.
NaLA Releases Findings from Annual Consumer Survey
NaLA’s Annual Consumer Survey sheds light on life without the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Results from over 68,000 respondents, collected between November 1 and 20, 2024, highlight the critical need for the Lifeline and ACP programs to connect low-income households. This year, NaLA’s survey also included more than 30,000 personal testimonies from Lifeline and/or former ACP participants. These stories underscore the profound impact of both programs on consumers and the urgent need for continued support. Key findings include:
ACP: The Fight Isn’t Over
Starting in June, 23 million households in the US will have to make a difficult decision: pay more for their monthly internet bill or cut their budget somewhere else to pay for it or go without internet access. This is because the federal subsidy that one in six households has relied on to connect to the internet each month ran out of funds at the end of May. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has lapsed but isn’t dead yet.
National Lifeline Association Seeks $30/Month Lifeline Benefit
The National Lifeline Association (NaLA) submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission requesting that the FCC temporarily waive the Lifeline reimbursement amounts in the Commission’s rules until Congress allocates additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) or passes broader legislation to reform the Universal Service Fund (USF) and pay for the ACP in an alternative manner.
National Lifeline Association Submits Comments to Senate Universal Service Fund Working Group
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission must act swiftly and purposefully to ensure that low-income households continue to have sustainably affordable access to communications services through a fully funded low-income program that is structured to effectively close the affordability component of the digital divide while preserving program integrity. National Lifeline Association (NaLA) offers the following recommendations and observations:
NaLA Establishes National Agent Coalition to Support Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program Enrollment Representatives
The National Lifeline Association (NaLA) announces the establishment of the National Agent Coalition (NAC), the national trade association for distributors and representatives who conduct in-person enrollment into the Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs (ACP). NAC will serve as a voice for agents, who are on the front lines of bridging the digital divide through these programs. They will support the industry by providing resources for agents, increasing agent impact and ensuring eligible consumers are enrolled.
2022 Annual Consumer Survey
The Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) serve a vital role in providing low-income Americans with affordable access to essential communication services. Between November 21 and December 8, 2022, the National Lifeline Association (NaLA) surveyed more than 60,000 customers who use the Lifeline and/or ACP program about who they are and how they use the programs. Survey results indicate that low-income consumers use Lifeline and/or ACP service to connect to family and to access other government programs, healthcare, jobs and online education.