Groups Urge Lifeline Conditions as Part of Verizon/Tracfone Approval
Approve Verizon’s buy of Tracfone only with conditions that protect Lifeline customers, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and a coalition of public interest and other groups urged the FCC. “We consider a robust Lifeline program to be…
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a top priority for the civil and human rights coalition,” said the leadership group in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-112: “The current record is devoid of any detailed plans for a long-term, robust investment in quality Lifeline services post-transaction.” The Lifeline program “allows our nation’s most vulnerable and marginalized communities to access vital communications services that would otherwise be unaffordable,” the coalition said: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, communications services have been more critical than ever, and the high level of unemployment that has resulted from it underscores the necessity of the Lifeline program.” The coalition includes Common Cause, Communications Workers of America and the United Church of Christ.