Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - National Lifeline Association

Author:

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Send date:

Fri, 04/26/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/25/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Thu, 04/25/2024

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Digital Divide

Federal Agency

Federal Communications Commission

Federal Broadband Programs

Affordable Connectivity Program (was Emergency Broadband Benefit Program)

Internet/Broadband

Affordability/Cost/Price

Adoption

Universal Broadband

Legislation

Telecommunications Act of 1996

Level of Government

Federal

Marginalized Populations

Low-income

Universal Service Fund

Lifeline/Low-Income Consumers

National Lifeline Association Submits Comments to Senate Universal Service Fund Working Group

benton — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 17:50:38 +0000

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:

Congress and the FCC should either consolidate the Lifeline program with the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) or reform both so that they better serve the goal of making essential communications services affordable each and every month. Consolidating the ACP and Lifeline program would require reconciling policy differences.
Any future low-income program should be designed to ensure that low-income households have sustainably affordable access to essential communications services by carrying forward key program design elements from the ACP
The effectiveness of a low-income support program should be measured by whether low-income households have sustainably affordable access to essential communications services
Appropriated funding will be needed at least until USF reform can be accomplished
If ACP and Lifeline remain separate programs, they should be reformed to be more complementary and consistent
The FCC and USAC must be more transparent and accountable in the administration of any low-income affordability program

Benton Content:

https://www.nalalifeline.org/lifeline-news/nala-submits-comments-to-senate-unive…

Teaser:

The success of the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program demonstrates the urgent need for continued ACP funding and Lifeline program reform.

Source:

Author:

https://www.nalalifeline.org/member-news/nala-establishes-national-agent-coaliti…

Send date:

Fri, 08/25/2023

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 8/24/2023

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Thu, 08/24/2023

Coverage Type:

Analysis

NaLA Establishes National Agent Coalition to Support Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program Enrollment Representatives

benton — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 21:01:16 +0000

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. The group will ensure enrollment efforts are conducted with the highest level of business standards and will meet on an ongoing basis to develop and maintain a rigorous Agent Code of Conduct, among other agent and distributor resources.

Benton Content:

Teaser:

National trade association for distributors and representatives who conduct in-person enrollment into the Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs

Source:

Federal Broadband Programs

Send date:

Fri, 01/20/2023

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 1/19/2023

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Thu, 01/19/2023

Coverage Type:

Press Release

Affordable Connectivity Program (was Emergency Broadband Benefit Program)

Lobbying

Marginalized Populations

Low-income

Universal Service Fund

Lifeline/Low-Income Consumers

2022 Annual Consumer Survey

benton — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 01:34:51 +0000

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. Consumers rely on subsidized mobile broadband access to participate equally in all facets of daily life.

Benton Content:

https://www.nalalifeline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/NaLA-Consumer-Survey-Gra…

Teaser:

Low-income consumers use Lifeline and/or ACP service to connect to family and to access other government programs, healthcare, jobs and online education.

Source:

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1007003413241/NaLA%20Lifeline%20and%20EBB%20OCH%20E…

Send date:

Thu, 12/15/2022

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 12/14/2022

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Wed, 12/14/2022

Coverage Type:

Research

National Lifeline Association Discusses Lifeline and Emergency Broadband Benefit Programs with Rosenworcel's Staff

benton — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 19:31:32 +0000

On October 4, 2021, the National Lifeline Association (NaLA) met with the Office of Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Rosenworcel to discuss the Lifeline Program and the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. The discussion focused on the Lifeline minimum service standards (MSS), getting the Lifeline program ready for the end of the EBB and certain Lifeline and EBB process improvements that should be made by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). There is a looming December 1, 2021 deadline for another dramatic increase in the mobile broadband MSS. In her dissent to the 2019 MSS Waiver Order, then Commissioner Rosenworcel called a pause at 2 GB a “smart approach” because another arbitrary increase would do “nothing to provide the certainty we need for this program.” She went on to correctly foresee that “without pausing for review, the FCC will simply be back in the same place, wrestling with the same issues, and more of the same scheduled service adjustments at this time next year.” She was right. Unfortunately, the FCC’s majority did not listen and instead increased the mobile broadband MSS in 2019 to 3 GB, and then the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau did the same thing in 2020 by increasing the MSS again to 4.5 GB. Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s view that pausing the mobile broadband MSS would be a “smart approach” is as true today as it was in 2019. However, the FCC also needs to address the petitions for reconsideration of the 2016 Lifeline Modernization Order’s mobile broadband MSS formula that have been pending for five years. Further, the FCC should waive reimbursement reductions to restore the Lifeline voice reimbursement to $9.25 per month for which many Lifeline providers will offer unlimited or the equivalent of unlimited voice minutes (e.g., 3,000) to eligible low-income households. The FCC could also address these MSS issues more permanently by taking action on the NaLA Petition for Rulemaking filed on April 19, 2021.

Benton Content:

Teaser:

The looming December 1, 2021 deadline for another dramatic increase in the mobile broadband Lifeline minimum service standards

Source:

Author:

Lifeline/Low-Income Consumers

Send date:

Tue, 10/12/2021

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 10/8/2021

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Fri, 10/08/2021

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Agenda

Report on past event

Upcoming policy issue

Internet/Broadband

Affordability/Cost/Price

Universal Broadband

Universal Service Fund

Headlines Specific Topic:

Coronavirus and Connectivity

National Lifeline Association Seeks FCC Rulemaking

benton — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 22:27:52 +0000

The National Lifeline Association urged the Federal Communications Commission to expeditiously release a Public Notice seeking comment on the association's Petition for Rulemaking so that others can comment on it and the FCC can build a record to take the necessary actions to transition the Lifeline program into a program that is post-Emergency Broadband Benefit Program ready. The FCC should not work in a linear fashion, but rather consider important improvements to the Lifeline program now so that those improvements can be in place when the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program funding runs out.

Benton Content:

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1061090767330/NaLA%20Lifeline%20Petition%20for%20Ru…

Teaser:

Now Is the Time to Make Lifeline Post-Emergency Broadband Benefit Ready

Source:

Author: