8/16 FCC Reply Comments Urging Retained Support for Voice-Only Services in the Lifeline Program

New America's Open Technology Institute filed reply comments with the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) urging the agency to halt its planned phase-out of voice-only support in the Lifeline program. OTI called on the Commission to heed the widespread agreement including industry, public interest, and state public utilities commission entities arguing that the phase-down and phase-out of voice-only Lifeline support would harm the low-income consumers who rely on Lifeline-supported phone services for work, education, and emergency needs. An introduction is available below:

The record shows nearly unanimous consensus since 2016 that voice-only support should not be phased out of the Lifeline program. The National Lifeline Association noted that earlier this year, commenters on the State of the Lifeline Marketplace Report (“Lifeline Marketplace Report”) Public Notice unanimously supported retaining or reinstating full Lifeline support for voice service and no stakeholder argued for its phase out. Additionally, following the release of the 2016 order, several parties filed petitions for reconsideration asking the Commission not to phase down support for Lifeline voice service. The Commission should therefore retain support for voice-only service.

Removing voice-only support will harm a consistent percentage of low-income customers who have demonstrated that is the service they most desire with the help of the Lifeline subsidy. These households will face unnecessary financial burdens as they will instead have to purchase either more expensive broadband bundles or voice-only services without Lifeline’s support.

Additionally, voice services are critical for emergency situations and services, and removing the support needed to access voice services will endanger low-income households who currently rely on voice-only Lifeline support.