Industry Cites Broadband Efforts for Veterans; Some Stress Rural Focus, Others Lifeline

notice seeking input on a Ray Baum's Act report due next year. Comcast said it's "unacceptable" about one-third of low-income veterans lack internet service at home, and only 60 percent own a computer. Through expansion of its Internet Essentials, "an estimated one million low-income veterans will be eligible for the comprehensive broadband adoption program," it said. It urged the FCC to "work closely with other agencies" and veterans services organizations. NTCA said more than 40 percent of the U.S. military comes from rural America and 24 percent of veterans live in rural areas. "Access to broadband-enabled health care and educational resources can enable their greater successes," said the RLEC group, citing its pilot telehealth program for veterans. Verizon urged the FCC to focus on rural broadband needs and deployment, including 5G: "Rural veterans account for a disproportionate share of the [Veterans Affairs Department's] patient population; are significantly older than non-rural veterans (and are therefore more likely to be diagnosed with chronic conditions); and are more likely to live far from medical facilities or specialists." The National Lifeline Association (NaLa) faulted the PN not mentioning Lifeline, which it said covers up to 1.3 million veterans and was modified in 2016 to cover vets on pensions and their survivors. TracFone advised continuing to let resellers participate in Lifeline, as did NaLa, and the company sought to fix national verifier implementation "complications" (see 1810040045).