The Lifeline program must be updated to address broadband,...
The Lifeline program must be updated to address broadband, wrote acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., in a joint op-ed for The Hill Monday. They each advocated similar positions last week (CD Sept 13 p5). The…
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op-ed described the program’s history, its importance and the challenges in reforming it to prevent fraud and abuse. “And it’s important that we look ahead,” Clyburn and Matsui wrote (http://bit.ly/17E6FDA). “Plain old voice service is necessary, but clearly not sufficient in today’s communications ecosystem. Universal broadband is imperative for all Americans, especially as our economy becomes increasingly linked to the Internet.” They pointed to the FCC’s Lifeline broadband pilot program. “The data the Pilot produces will guide us all as we consider the future of Lifeline and in Congress, the Broadband Adoption Act would allow households that qualify for Lifeline support to choose support for landline service, mobile service or broadband,” they said.