Waxman Warns Clyburn on Lifeline Deadline; USTelecom Offers State Update
Ex-Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., warned FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn that "millions of Lifeline consumers would be adversely affected" if the agency proceeds with a "reduction in the de-enrollment for nonusage rule" from 60 days to 30 days on Dec. 2,…
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as scheduled. "As my client, TracFone described in a motion to stay or defer the effective date of the revised rule, many Lifeline consumers temporarily cease using the service for short periods due to illness, hospitalization, or due to broken or misplaced handsets. However, those consumers fully intend to remain in the program," said Waxman, chairman of Waxman Strategies, in a filing posted Monday in docket 11-42 reporting a call with the Clyburn. "TracFone estimates that it would have had to de-enroll from the Lifeline program approximately 1.1 million low-income households during the first quarter of 2016 had the revised rule been in effect at that time." He asked the FCC to stay or defer the effective date, or grant a blanket interim waiver as requested by the Lifeline Connects Coalition (see 1610260033). On another Lifeline deadline issue, USTelecom said Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey and Ohio have made legal changes such that they no longer are believed to need a waiver the association is seeking to give states more time to align their Lifeline rules with broadband and administrative changes to the federal program to assist low-income telecom users. The association said it understands that Oregon, South Carolina and Washington, D.C., will soon be making such changes, which would leave 16 states and Puerto Rico still needing the waiver relief (see 1610210046). Michigan, Missouri, New York, Utah, Vermont and Puerto Rico have filed in support of the petition and California, Vermont and Wisconsin have filed separate waiver requests, a USTelecom filing said. GVNW Consulting meanwhile supported an NTCA/WTA petition seeking a temporary waiver for their members and similarly situated rural telcos "of the language contained in the Lifeline Modernization Order that requires 'ETCs [eligible telecom carriers] receiving high-cost support [to] offer a Lifeline-supported standalone broadband offering where the ETC is required to offer Lifeline-supported BIAS [broadband internet access service].’”