FCC Lifeline Proposal to Eliminate Reseller Support Gets More Pushback
An FCC proposal to target Lifeline support to facilities-based providers drew more fire in reply comments filed in docket 17-287. Industry parties, local and state entities, and others said resellers should continue to participate in the low-income USF subsidy program.…
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Boston; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Texas cities said: "Lifeline must continue to prioritize affordability, not infrastructure." NARUC said it could find only one initial commenter backing the FCC's facilities-based proposal. It did support FCC proposals to eliminate the federal "Lifeline Broadband Provider" designation process and restore state authority over eligible telecom carrier designations, though others voiced objections. Various parties also expressed concerns about FCC proposals to impose a hard cap on the Lifeline budget and limitations on individual subscriber support, and some backed continuing funding of voice-only services.