FCC, Broadband, Lifeline Program

Eligible Households on Tribal Lands Can Enroll in FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

Holland & Knight LLP on 5/3/2021

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on April 29, 2021, that starting May 12, 2021, eligible households will be able to enroll in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) through an approved...more

[Webinar] 12th Annual Update on federal Universal Service Fund (USF) developments - March 22nd, 12:00 pm ET

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP on 3/3/2021

Kelley Drye is proud to present our 12th Annual Update on federal Universal Service Fund (USF) developments. Please join us on March 22, 2021 for Kelley Drye’s annual webinar discussing the state of the federal Universal...more

Wireless Roundup (October 2020)

Wiley Rein LLP on 10/1/2020

Upcoming Filing and Comment Deadlines - FCC Seeks Comment on Emergency Access to Wi-Fi Access Points: Comments are due October 1 on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) Public Notice seeking comment...more

FCC Takes Steps to Radically Reshape and Shrink the Lifeline Program

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 12/6/2017

On November 16, 2017, a divided FCC voted 3-2 to adopt a controversial order and new rulemaking proceeding, adopting and proposing many changes that will radically reshape—and significantly shrink—the Lifeline program. The...more

Increased Lifeline Minimum Service Standards and Budget Cap for 2018 Announced

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 6/28/2017

In 2016, the FCC adopted its Lifeline Modernization Order, in which it introduced Lifeline subsidies for the provision of broadband services, and imposed graduated minimum service standards for Lifeline-supported broadband...more

FCC Chairman Pai Announces Plans to Require All Lifeline Providers to Seek Licenses from States—LBP Process to be Eliminated

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 3/31/2017

On March 29, 2017, FCC Chairman Pai announced plans to initiate a proceeding at the FCC to eliminate the Lifeline Broadband Provider (“LBP”) designation process administered by its Wireline Competition Bureau. He also...more

FCC Seeks Comment on Petitions Appealing Cancellation of Lifeline Broadband Provider Designations

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 3/3/2017

In a somewhat surprising move, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (“Bureau”) released two Public Notices seeking comment on two appeals of the Bureau’s own cancellation of the Lifeline Broadband Provider designations...more

Who Will Grant Licenses for Lifeline Broadband? FCC Takes a Pause in Pending Appeal to Consider New Administration’s Approach

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 2/7/2017

Last Friday, the FCC filed a motion with the DC Circuit to put a hold on the pending appeal of a portion of its 2016 Lifeline order finding that the FCC—and not the states—had sole jurisdiction to grant Lifeline broadband...more

FCC Cancels Recently Granted Lifeline Broadband Provider Licenses as Part of Larger Sweep of Wheeler-Era Decisions

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 2/7/2017

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau recently granted nine Lifeline Broadband Provider (“LBP”) designations: four on December 1, 2016 and five more on January 18, 2017, as part of its effort launched last year by...more

Chairman Pai Launches Rollback of Recent FCC Actions

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP on 2/6/2017

The FCC retracted actions related to net neutrality, network security, media ownership, and other hot-topic issues in a series of orders issued late Friday. The orders represent the first major salvo in Chairman Pai’s...more

DWT Gains Approval of Three Lifeline Broadband Provider Petitions Among Five New FCC Grants

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 1/30/2017

On January 18, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued an order granting five Lifeline Broadband Provider (LBP) petitions, enabling the grantees to receive Lifeline support for the provision of broadband Internet access...more

FCC Clarifies Lifeline Obligations for High-Cost ETCs

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 1/11/2017

In a brief Order released last Friday, the Wireline Competition Bureau clarified that recipients of high-cost funding were not required to create any standalone Lifeline-specific broadband service offerings. After the...more

FCC Grants States Extra Time to Implement Lifeline Rules

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 12/8/2016

On December 1, 2016, the day before new eligibility and port freeze rules imposed by the 2016 Lifeline Modernization Order on Lifeline-supported broadband services were to take effect, the FCC granted in part the petitions of...more

New Lifeline Rules Take Effect December 2 and Draft Plan Released for National Verifier

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 12/7/2016

The Lifeline program, created more than 30 years ago to make telephone service more affordable for low-income families, has undergone its most radical change to date. Effective last Friday, Lifeline has been expanded to...more

First Group of Lifeline Broadband Providers Designated by the FCC

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 12/6/2016

On December 1, 2016, the FCC somewhat unexpectedly issued an order approving four Lifeline Broadband Provider (“LBP”) applications, which will permit the companies to receive Lifeline support for the provision of broadband...more

What to Expect From the Trump FCC

Perkins Coie on 12/1/2016

In the days since the recent election, many tech, media and telecom industry observers remain unsure of what to expect from the Federal Communications Commission under the Trump administration. Fortunately, there are some...more

FCC Guidance Issued for ETCs That Do Not Want to Provide Lifeline Broadband Services

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 11/25/2016

On Nov. 22nd, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Public Notice describing the requirement that ETCs who do not want to provide Lifeline-supported broadband internet access services (now known as “BIAS”) file a...more

FCC Guidance Issued for Entities Interesting in Becoming Lifeline Broadband Providers

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 10/4/2016

On September 30th the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Public Notice describing the new Lifeline Broadband Provider (“LBP”) designation process, including details regarding what applicants should include in their...more

Effective Dates of New FCC Lifeline Rules Finalized

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 10/4/2016

Earlier today, the FCC announced in the Federal Register that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the remaining changes to the FCC’s Lifeline rules that were adopted in last spring’s Lifeline Modernization...more

FCC Approves Lifeline Compliance Plans for the First Time in Nearly Four Years

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 8/15/2016

For the first time in nearly four years, yesterday the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau announced the approval of two Lifeline compliance plans in a Public Notice. The FCC action comes after the April 27 release of its...more

12 States Appeal the FCC’s Lifeline Modernization Order

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 7/12/2016

Twelve states have filed a petition for review with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the FCC’s decision in the Lifeline Modernization Order to create a new type of federal ETC for the provision of...more

HUD and FCC Broadband Services Expansion Proposals

Best Best & Krieger LLP on 7/2/2016

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the FCC have released a set of proposals that could enhance public housing residents’ access to broadband services. In a three-part series of BB&K Legal Alerts, we have...more

FCC's Lifeline Order

Best Best & Krieger LLP on 6/29/2016

The Federal Communication Commission's recent expansion of Universal Services from supporting only voice services to broadband services (also known as the “Lifeline Broadband program”) could lead to enhanced broadband...more

New FCC Lifeline Rules: Effective Dates Clarified Multiple Times But Some Discrepancies Remain

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 6/29/2016

The Lifeline Modernization Order was published in the Federal Register on May 24, making the effective date of the Order June 23, 2016. Most of the rule changes, however, cannot take effect until the Office of Management and...more

NARUC Appeals FCC’s Lifeline Modernization Order

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 6/17/2016

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (“NARUC”) has filed a petition for review with the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit challenging the FCC’s decision in the Lifeline Modernization Order to...more

The United States Federal Communications Commission › Broadband › Lifeline Program

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