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Universal
Service |
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Universal
Service Program for Low-Income Consumers
The Low-Income program provides discounts on telephone installation
and monthly telephone service to qualifying consumers. The Low-Income
program is one of the components of the FCC's Universal Service Fund.
There are two programs available to qualified low-income consumers:
- Link-Up America helps consumers with telephone installation costs.
- Lifeline provides discounts on monthly telephone service.
Additional discounts are available to qualified subscribers living on
tribal lands. You can read more about the Low-Income program eligibility
criteria in the FCC's Universal Service Program for Low-Income Consumers
Carrier
Information on Providing Lifeline and Link-Up to Your Subscribers. |
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Over 1500 telephone companies in the United States and its territories
participate in the Federal Low-Income program.
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Many competitive and wireless telephone companies are eligible to
provide Lifeline and Link-Up support.
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In order to provide Lifeline and Link-Up, carriers must be designated
as Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs) by their state commission
or the FCC.
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After receiving ETC designation, carriers must file a Form 497 each
quarter with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)
to receive support for the discounts they provide customers.
For more information on providing low-income support go to: www.universalservice.org/li
HEADLINES - 2009
- Smith Bagley, Inc.: 5/4/09, The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Smith Bagley seeking an increase to Tier Four of the Universal Service Low-Income Program from $25 per month to $30 per month. Comments on the petition are due June 3, 2009 and reply comments are due June 18, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
- TracFone Wireless, Inc. Request for Waiver of Section 54.418 of the Commission’s Rules: 4/10/09, Granted a request from TracFone Wireless, Inc. for a conditional waiver of section 54.418 of the Commission's rules, which requires ETCs to notify their Lifeline and Link-Up customers about the DTV transition
.
Order: Word | Acrobat
- Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency TracFone Certification Petition: 3/30/09, The The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency asking the Commission to reject TracFone Wireless, Inc.'s certification of compliance with all Pennsylvania 911 and E911 obligations. Comments on the petition are due April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
- Virgin Mobile Conditional Forbearance and Lifeline ETC Order: 3/5/09, The Commission conditionally granted a petition filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile) seeking forbearance from the requirement that a carrier designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) provide services, at least in part, over its own facilities. The Commission granted Virgin Mobile forbearance for ETC designation for Lifeline universal service support only. The Commission also conditionally designated Virgin Mobile an ETC for Lifeline support only in New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Order: Word | Acrobat
TracFone PSAP Forbearance Condition Modification Order: 3/5/09,
The Commission modified a forbearance condition imposed on TracFone Wireless, Inc. as a requirement that TracFone must meet prior to receiving support under the Lifeline universal service program. Specifically, TracFone must request a certification from each public safety answering point (PSAP) where it provides Lifeline service confirming that TracFone provides its customers with access to basic and E911 service; however, if, within 90 days of TracFone's request a PSAP has not provided the certification and the PSAP has not made an affirmative finding that TracFone does not provide its customers with access to 911 and E911 service within the PSAP's service area, TracFone may self-certify that it meets the basic and E911 requirements.
Order: Word | Acrobat
HEADLINES - 2008
- TracFone Wireless, Inc.: 12/23/08, WCB seeks comment on TracFone’s request to modify the requirement that it obtain certification from each PSAP where it offers Lifeline service that it has 911 and E911 capabilities. The requirement was imposed by the order granting TracFone forbearance from the ETC facility requirement. Comments are due January 6, 2009, and reply comments are due January 13, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
- Commission Responds to D.C. Circuit Mandamus and Joint Board
Recommended Decision and Seeks Further Comment on Comprehensive Reform: 11/6/08,
The Commission addresses compensation rates for ISP-bound traffic,
declines to adopt the Joint Board's recommendations for reforming
distribution of high-cost universal service support, and seeks further
comment on comprehensive universal service and intercarrier compensation
reform. Comments will be due 14 days after publication in the Federal
Register, and reply comments will be due 21 days after Federal Register
publication.
Order: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell Joint Statement: Word | Acrobat
- AT&T (Kansas, Indiana, and Oklahoma) Petition for Review: 9/17/08,
The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for review
filed on August 18, 2008 by AT&T (Kansas, Indiana and Oklahoma) of
USAC's audit findings of AT&T's participation in the Lifeline program.
Specifically, AT&T seeks review of USAC's findings that AT&T: (1) was
required to maintain copies of Lifeline subscriber self-certifications
prior to the effective date of the Commission’s applicable rule; (2)
failed to comply with the Commission’s rule requiring eligible telecommunications
carriers (ETCs) to secure Lifeline-compliance certifications from their
resellers; (3) was required to advertise toll blocking and all other
services supported by federal universal service support mechanisms;
and (4) was required to populate Line 9 of FCC Form 497 (the Lifeline
and Link-Up Worksheet) with pro-rata dollars attributable to Lifeline
subscribers that entered or exited the Lifeline program mid-month.
Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November
3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
- Hayneville Fiber Transport, Inc. d/b/a Camellia Communications: 9/17/08,
The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Hayneville
Fiber Transport, Inc. d/b/a Camellia Communications that it be allowed
to revise its Form 525 line count reports filed with USAC. USAC adopted
a policy that competitive ETCs may not make line count revisions to
a Form 525 filing more than 24 months after the date of the original
filing. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due
November 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
- Low-Income USF Support Certification Public Notice: 8/5/08,
The Wireline Competition Bureau reminds eligible telecommunications
carriers (ETCs) that, by September 2, 2008, an ETC in a state with
its own state-based low-income universal service program must submit
a certification, signed by an officer of the company, to USAC attesting
that the ETC has complied with the state verification procedures. All
ETCs in federal default states must also submit their annual Lifeline
verification survey results to USAC by September 2, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
- Public Notice: 5/16/08, The Wireline Competition
Bureau seeks comment on a Qwest request for review of three USAC low-income
audit findings. Comments are due on June 16, 2008 and reply comments
are due on July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
- Order: 4/30/08, The Wireline Competition Bureau
grants a petition filed by Micronesian Telecommunications Corporation
and PTI Pacifica, Inc. to waive the DTV notification requirements in
section 54.418 of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | Acrobat
- Public Notice. 4/14/08, Wireline Competition Bureau
seeks comment on an AT&T petition, filed Jan. 7, 2008, seeking review
of a USAC audit decision. ATT seeks review of USAC’s finding that an
ETC must use Line 9 of FCC Form 497 if the ETC gains or loses Lifeline
customers mid-month. In its petition, AT&T asks the Commission to find
that USAC erred when it concluded that AT&T is required to populate
Line 9 of the FCC Form 497 with partial or pro-rata dollars attributable
to Lifeline subscribers who entered or left the Lifeline program during
any given month, regardless of whether the company sought partial or
pro-rata dollars from USAC. DA 08-855 Acrobat | Word
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