The Wireline Competition Bureau pauses the phase-out of Lifeline program support for voice-only services

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The FCC announces…

I. INTRODUCTION

1. In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issues a waiver pausing both the phase-out of Lifeline program support for voice-only services and changes to the Lifeline minimum service standards. As discussed below, we find good cause to pause these adjustments for a year because the Commission is undergoing a rulemaking proceeding that seeks comment on these issues and could result in changes to the Lifeline program.1

II. BACKGROUND

2. In the 2016 Lifeline Order, the Commission revised the Lifeline program to phase-in increasing broadband minimum service standards and phase-out Lifeline support for voice-only service.2 The Commission took these actions with the intent to “avoid undue consumer disruption and to allow Lifeline providers sufficient time to adjust operations as the Commission moves from a primarily voice-only Lifeline program to a Lifeline program embracing broadband services.”3

3. The 2016 Lifeline Order established a three-step schedule by which Lifeline support for voice-only service would be decreased before ending entirely, which so far has led to voice-only support being reduced to $5.25.4 The final step was to be a complete phase-out of Lifeline support for voice-only services on December 1, 2021, when support for such services was to be eliminated in most areas.5 However, the Bureau issued a waiver pausing the phase-out before support elimination occurred due in large part to many Lifeline subscribers’ continued reliance on voice service and has maintained this pause each year since through one-year waiver extensions.6 The most recent waiver is currently still in effect and ends on December 1, 2026.7

4. The Commission also created broadband capacity minimum service standards in the 2016 Lifeline Order effectuated through update mechanisms for the fixed and mobile broadband speed and data capacity standards to provide predictable improvements to these offerings.8 In prior years, the Commission has waived the mobile broadband capacity minimum service standard when it determined that doing so would be necessary to prevent service costs from rising to unaffordable levels.9

5. The Commission is currently considering recommendations to revise certain Lifeline rules in its 2026 Lifeline NPRM, released on February 23, 2026.10 The 2026 Lifeline NPRM launched a comprehensive review of the Lifeline program and seeks comment on support for voice-only service and the minimum service standards and their updated mechanisms.11 In the NPRM, the Commission asked whether it should maintain voice-only service support at the current $5.25 amount and the justifications for doing so, including “[h]ow vital is voice service to consumers’ ability to access public safety resources or to participate in today’s society” and whether these subscribers would be able to fulfill these needs through alternative services.12 The Commission also requested comment on Lifeline minimum service standards, including whether the current minimum service standards meet the needs of Lifeline subscribers, increasing minimum service standards could lead to prohibitively expensive plans or providers leaving the program, update mechanisms should exist, and these mechanisms should update the minimum service standards at set or variable amounts, among other issues.

DISCUSSION

6. The Bureau acts on its own motion to waive the implementation of the phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services and the increase in Lifeline minimum service standards for one year, until December 1, 2027. In evaluating whether good cause exists for waiver of its rules,14 the Commission considers whether the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest.15 The Commission may also take into account concerns of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of policy on an individual basis.16 Waiver of the Commission’s rules is therefore only appropriate if special circumstances warrant a deviation from the general rule, and such deviation will serve the public interest.17 The Bureau finds good cause to act on delegated authority to waive the Lifeline rules as described herein, as further discussed below.18

7. Careful consideration of how to continue to support a stable and robust affordable communications market through the Lifeline program led to our decision to issue this waiver. This waiver pauses changes to the minimum service standards and voice support phase-out as the Commission develops and analyzes the record in the 2026 Lifeline NPRM. By maintaining the current Lifeline program minimum service standards and support for voice-only service while these programmatic changes are under consideration, this Order prevents potential excessive provider obligations, subscriber confusion, and loss of service that could accompany multiple changes to the minimum services standards in a short period. For these reasons, we find good cause to pause the Lifeline minimum service standards for broadband and the phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services

IRRR shares Notice of Grant Opportunities

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In their last email alert, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR), provided a nice list of funding opportunities. The first one caught my eye, but I have already posted about it. But with minimal effort, I could make a connection between the funding and a broadband development or adoption project…

Open July 1:

  • Broadband Infrastructure grants assist projects that help households and businesses reach the state of Minnesota broadband speed goal.
  • Commercial Redevelopment grants assist with the full and selective demolition of commercial and industrial buildings and the clean-up of brownfields to pave the way for new development.
  • Culture & Tourism grants assist projects that support arts, culture, history, tourism and recreational activities, enhance the quality of life in the region and attract visitors.
  • Development Partnership grants assist with research, planning, education and development-based initiatives that support the long-term economic growth of northeastern Minnesota.
  • Downtown Redevelopment grants and loans support new construction on vacant downtown properties by helping fill project financing gaps.
  • Grant Writing Assistance grants reimburse the costs of preparing and applying for a non-agency grant that will advance economic growth.
  • Housing grants assist projects or programs that result in the creation of new housing units or the rehabilitation of existing housing units.
  • Mineland Reclamation grants assist with highly visible development and restoration of mining-impacted land.
  • Public Works grants support local and Tribal governments with infrastructure funding that provides essential services and promotes economic development.
  • Regional Trails grants assist with the design, engineering and construction of various types of recreational trails.
  • Residential Redevelopment grants assist with demolishing residential structures or full deconstruction of homes for reuse of materials.
  • Workforce Development grants assist with education, training and career awareness initiatives that address regional workforce needs and gaps emerging in industries and schools.

Opening Aug. 1:

  • Drilling Incentive grants stimulate exploration for new minerals, gas resources and/or new deposits of these resources.

Inver Grove Heights City Council approves one-year moratorium on data centers (Dakota County)

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MPR reports...

The Inver Grove Heights City Council voted 3-2 on Friday to pause the construction of data centers in the city.

The vote on the one-year moratorium came after residents — who filled the meeting room — expressed opposition to data centers, including one project that’s currently proposed.

Florida-based developer QLevr has proposed building a 54,000-square-foot data center on Carmen Avenue East in Inver Grove Heights. It’s considered to be smaller than most hyperscale data centers in Minnesota.

Earlier this week, city council members delayed a decision on whether to pause the construction of data centers until Friday’s meeting. The earlier meeting ended with frustrated residents shouting to express their displeasure.
…

The council on Friday also postponed consideration of the site plan for the proposed data center.

That’s after residents presented a petition with over 700 signatures to the state’s Environmental Quality Board on Thursday night, seeking an environmental review of the project. The petition for an environmental assessment worksheet, or EAW, pauses the proposed development for up to 30 days to further assess potential impacts.

 

MinnPost says data centers will be an election issue is Midterm Elections

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MinnPost reports…

“This is the new single-issue voter,” she said. “It’s not going to be abortion or LGBTQ or immigration issues. I think it’s going to be data centers, and I think that’s something both parties are going to have to reckon with.”

The politics of data centers

Spurred by a groundswell of fired up residents, the reckoning started at the DFL and GOP state conventions last month.

Two data center resolutions garnered broad support on DFL platform ballots. A moratorium drew 64% of the votes, while a more conciliatory (and palatable to labor unions) resolution focused on tighter regulations came in at 76%.

They look at the opinions of voters from different parties…

Although it’s Democrats who are most concerned about the environmental impacts of data centers, most Republicans also share that sentiment, an Ipsos poll found. Republicans oppose government restrictions on data centers more than Democrats do, but conservatives are quite split on the question.

Overall, the pollster concluded that…

“Partisan rifts on data centers come from unsurprising areas. Republicans have a stronger inclination for a more free-market approach, while Democrats are more cautious about environmental impacts. And while Republicans are slightly more optimistic about data centers, overall support for their construction remains low.”

Minnesota’s Republican convention wasn’t as focused on data centers as the DFL gathering. That said, platform committee members adopted a resolution calling for a data center pause.

OBD Broadband Update July 1: Funding updates and upcoming meetings

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates
  • NTIA funding opportunities on Tribal Lands and broadband news
  • Broadband Task Force, June meeting recap
  • Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

Thank you to the National Tribal Telecommunications Association (NTTA) for welcoming Office of Broadband Executive Director, Bree Maki, to present alongside Minnesota Telecom Alliance’s President/CEO, Brent Christensen at the 2026 NTTA Midwest Regional Tribal Broadband Summit last week! 

Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates

Minnesota continues to advance the federal BEAD program forward with steady, thoughtful progress through pre-contracting. As contracts are signed, the projects will be reflected on the dashboard, and progress will be able to be monitored on the Minnesota BEAD map.

  • A webinar for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program will be held Wednesday July 8 at 11 a.m. CT. for the Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems). The session agenda is posted on the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage under the “Broadband Development Training series” toggle. No registration required and the Teams link to join the session will be included on the agenda.
  • Reminder: Updated guidance was released June 16 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the updated FAQ Version 22 is available on NTIA’s webpage.

Additional information and resources will continue to be posted and updated on OBD BEAD’s webpage ensuring partners have ongoing access to the latest program developments.

NTIA funding opportunities on Tribal Lands and broadband news

Broadband Task Force, June meeting recap

The Broadband Task Force met virtually on Thursday June 18 and heard a panel presentation from Mediacom’s Christopher Lord, Sr. Director, Government Partnership Opportunities and Nuvera’s Kathy Lund, Vice President of Technical Services on experiences so far with the federal BEAD program, particularly challenges in the application process, activities for pre-contracting, and what has has worked well in Minnesota so far. The Office of Broadband Development’s Jennifer Frost and Megan Messerole presented general BEAD program and environmental permitting updates in addition to regular updates from OBD’s Executive Director, Bree Maki.

An overview was provided by the Mayo Clinic Housing-Based Socioeconomic Status (HOUSES) Program of the HOUSES Index, a tool developed to provide individual-level socioeconomic measure with relevancy to broadband and exploration of potential benefits from collaboration from experts Dr. Young Juhn, Dr. Chung Wi, and Dale Shim.

Information on past and upcoming meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the Line Extension Connection Program. For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form to complete, please call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.

OBD expects to announce a sixth round of the program with standard timelines using state funds later in 2026.

More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.

How the NDIA helped MN Hopkins Digital Access Initiative get people connected

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The National Digital Inclusion Alliance retells a story of helping Hopkins Digital Access Initiative…

On Sunday, January 25, 2026, our executive director Angela received an email with the subject line “Help Needed in Minnesota.” By Monday morning, we were on a call with the leaders of the Hopkins Digital Access Initiative (HDAI) – Rebekah Crosby, Carolyn Leslie, and Beth Kivett – forging a new partnership to address urgent digital inclusion needs in Hopkins, a first ring Minneapolis suburb, a community flooded with ICE and CPB agents.

The tactics employed by ICE and CPB in Minnesota made it unsafe for many Hopkins residents to leave their homes. It echoed of early-COVID lockdowns that left people cut off from their community, wondering how they would continue to work, go to school, feed their families, or do any daily activity. As rapid response resources were organized through websites, Whatsapp and Signal chats, and remote learning platforms, it became clear that digital access is still the linchpin that determines whether a household can receive support in a time of need.

Lesson Learned: Times of crisis put the digital divide in the spotlight. These moments are a powerful reminder that those who have connectivity, access, and skills can remain connected to their community when others cannot, which may mean access to lifesaving medical care, information on how to remain safe in emergencies, critical communication with family and friends, and more vital resources. During prolonged crises, connectivity allows people to participate in faith communities, earn income, maintain social connections, support others, and participate in more activities that contribute to individual and community resiliency.

You can check out the article for the full account, including lessons learned.

Want a flavor of each of the 87 counties in Minnesota? Check out UofM Extension

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I never really thought about counties until I got involved with broadband. Now, especially because of the annual MN Broadband County Profiles, the county is my touchpoint. University of Minnesota Extension offices are a huge boon to the counties, as they say, “bringing practical education to 1 million+ participants each year.”

I just learned of a cool, new tool they have: Minnesota 87: Extension in every county. It gives a little snapshot of each county through the lens of what Extension has done in the area, but I think each profile also gives a nice local flavor. It’s not directly related to broadband – but helpful to have a sense of the community and the projects they are pursuing.

Fiber Broadband Association updates FCC on fiber deployment stats

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The Fiber Association updates the FCC on fiber deployment based on their 2025 report…

As the Commission considers adopting its Nineteenth Section 706 Report, the Fiber
Broadband Association submits the following updated market statistics to facilitate a data-driven
assessment:
• For fixed broadband supply, as of year-end 2025, ~84.6M US homes (~60% of total homes) were passed by fiber, an annual growth rate of ~11%; ~39.3M homes were connected;1 as of September 2025, ~13.8M homes (~16% of total homes) had access to multiple fiber providers, an annual growth rate of ~16%.2
• For fixed broadband demand, as of Q1 2026, ~95% of fiber subscribers and ~89% of subscribers on DOCSIS networks were provisioned for 200 Mbps or faster service; ~37%
of fiber and DOCSIS subscribers were provisioned for service between 500-900 Mbps; and ~22% of fiber and DOCSIS subscribers were provisioned for gigabit service. Fiber subscribers used an average of 837.0 GB per month downstream and 106.68 GB upstream.3
We also note that the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping fixed broadband network traffic patterns and infrastructure requirements – and consequently, will require the Commission in future Section 706 Reports to reorient its definition of “advanced telecommunications capability” and analysis of whether advanced telecommunications capability being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.

Telehealth helps with access to mental healthcare for rural Minnesota’s communities of color – when they have broadband

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A recent publication from the Center for Rural Policy reports…

Rural Minnesota is changing. Across its small towns and open landscapes, people of color are becoming a larger part of the community—some newly arrived from other countries, others whose families have called this region home for generations.

As our previous research has shown (here and here), finding help for mental health concerns can be a struggle for anyone living in rural areas, but it can be even harder for BIPOC residents (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). Whether they are recent immigrants trying to navigate an unfamiliar system or long-time Minnesotans seeking care that understands their experiences, the challenges of finding accessible mental health services that meet their needs remain significant.

This makes access difficult…

While statewide outpatient statistics are not readily available, national evidence shows that rural residents face longer drives to outpatient clinics. The greater distance between communities and the sparse population of smaller towns create adverse economies of scale that increase the cost of providing services. This in turn has led to clinic closures and healthcare consolidation, further squeezing the supply of services over the years as healthcare companies try to keep revenue ahead of expenses. The closures also result in even longer drives to receive services. …

A lack of transportation or public transportation also limits people in rural areas,[3] who are more likely to not have their own vehicles or are unable to drive due to age, income, or disability even as the distances patients need to travel to get services continue to increase. According to a 2024 Minnesota Department of Health report on the state of rural healthcare, rural patients seeking inpatient mental health and chemical dependency treatment must travel three times farther than their urban counterparts.[4]

But while these challenges are tough for all rural families looking for help, they are even greater for people of color.

The report offers several recommendations for improvement, including telehealth for those with adequate broadband…

Telehealth can especially help rural people of color access appropriate, effective mental healthcare, says Terica Toliver, Senior Director of Clinical Therapy at Louisiana-based Iris Telehealth, which provides therapy via telehealth through her contract with ElevaCare in Southwest Minnesota. Telehealth gives people of color a broader range of providers to choose from, including providers who share the same racial and cultural backgrounds.

It’s not a perfect solution, however. Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans don’t have access to the broadband internet service required for telehealth to work reliably,[26] and telehealth isn’t for everyone. Some patients simply don’t feel comfortable talking to a stranger about their mental health on a digital screen.

In 2024 77 percent of E-Rate dollars went to the highest-need category

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Broadband Clusters reports on a powerful way that the federal government has had to help schools get broadband to those who are less likely to have access at home…

Every year, the federal government helps schools and libraries pay their internet bills through a program called E-Rate, part of the Universal Service Fund. In 2024, it approved $2.76 billion in discounts for 21,102 institutions across the country: 18,507 schools and school districts, and 2,595 libraries. This study matches every funded institution to Census data for the communities around it, to examine who the program serves and what those neighborhoods look like.

The discount each institution receives is set by the federal government based on how many students qualify for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) — free or reduced-price meals, a standard federal measure of household income. Schools where 75 percent or more of students qualify receive the deepest discounts: 80 to 90 percent off their bill. Schools where fewer than 35 percent qualify receive 20 to 49 percent off.

In 2024, 77.0 percent of E-Rate dollars went to the highest-need category. In the ZIP codes where those institutions operate, Census data shows 14.2 million households have no home internet subscription and 9.0 million have no large-screen device such as a laptop, desktop, or tablet.

New AI Data Center Moratorium Act bill introduced in US House

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

House Democrats have formally joined a Senate effort to halt the growth of artificial intelligence data centers.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., introduced the House companion to Sen. Bernie Sanders‘ (I-Vt.) AI Data Center Moratorium Act on Tuesday, expanding a bicameral effort to halt new development pending federal safeguards.

Work progresses with ImOn Communications’ FTTH deployment across the Twin Ports

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I wrote about this deployment last week, but here’s a slight update from WDIO…

Crews are busy installing fiber cables across Duluth, to make sure people can have high speed Internet services through ImOn.

Dave Ball, Sales and Operations Manager for ImOn Communications, added, “Every single customer is going to have their own fiber line going directly into their house. They’re not going to have to share bandwidth with their neighbors and other businesses. And, you know, we’re going up to speeds up to five gig and five gig symmetrical. And nobody in this area is up to those speeds.”

ImOn is investing $120 million dollars into the Northland. WDIO caught up with them in the Kenwood neighborhood on Wednesday. …

Connection to the customers will begin in August, according to Ball. They are doing about half of Duluth this year, and Superior. And then the other half of Duluth next year.

Based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the company has also pledged $100,000 to community organizations and non-profits.

How is AI changing network patterns? And what does that mean?

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Fierce Network points out that networks patterns are changing…

For 30 years, network traffic followed a rhythm you could set a clock by. A lull in the morning, a peak through the business day, demand falling off in the evening. And it flowed overwhelmingly in one direction: down, toward users pulling web pages, video and files. Networks were engineered around both assumptions. AI is breaking them. …

AI is driving the change, because AI doesn’t take lunch breaks. Human users generate requests intermittently and wait for responses, producing the peaks and valleys networks were built to anticipate. AI operates continuously, at machine speed, around the clock. As more traffic originates from machines rather than people, the daily curve loses its shape and demand approaches a constant load.

Not only are peak times changing – the direction of traffic is changing too…

Upstream bandwidth is now growing disproportionately faster than downstream. At MetTel, total bandwidth grew 30-40% annually, and last year 75-80% of that growth was upstream. For an industry that spent decades optimizing for heavy downstream and light upstream — asymmetry baked into everything from broadband tiers to consumer plans — that’s a striking reversal.

The source of the upstream surge is the edge. AI video processing at retail locations, camera-equipped wearables, and operational technology at oil and gas companies using cloud-based video analysis for asset management — all of it generates data that flows up and out of those environments, not down into them. As industry pushes AI inference closer to where data is generated — in factories, in the field, in the store — the return traffic is upstream by nature.

There’s more and the article looks at the implications for network engineers but I’m also wondering about implications for policymakers and local planners. Right now, the speed goals in Minnesota in 100 Mbps down and 20 up by 2026. Earlier this week, Bree Maki mentioned at the Tribal Telecommunications conference that we won’t make it and that it may be time to rethink that goal.

EVENT July 15: Litigation Update: Minnesota Telecom Alliance v. FCC

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An event hosted by the Federalist Society. on July 15 (2pm in MN)…

Topics:
Civil Rights • Communications & Technology
Communications & Technology Practice Group
  •  Webinar

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently vacated the Federal Communications Commission’s 2023 Digital Discrimination Order, finding the commission exceeded its statutory authority.
The dispute centered on the FCC’s implementation of Section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which directs the commission to prevent “digital discrimination of access” in broadband deployment and service. In carrying out this statutory mandate, the FCC adopted a disparate-impact framework, under which broadband providers and other entities that impact broadband could face liability for policies or practices that disproportionately affect certain communities without regard to discriminatory intent. The Eighth Circuit concluded that Section 60506 does not authorize the FCC’s disparate-impact regime or regulation of entities other than broadband providers.
Join us for a litigation update on the decision and its implications for broadband deployment, digital equity initiatives, FCC authority, and future efforts to address alleged discrimination in access to broadband service.
Featuring:

  • Dr. Christopher Ali, Pioneers Chair in Telecommunications, Penn State University
  • Jennifer B. Dickey, Vice President and Deputy Chief Counsel, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 
  • Daniel H. Kahn, Partner, Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer, LLP
  • [Moderator] Matthew Furlow, Counsel, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce

 

Notes and select videos from the 2026 Tribal Broadband Midwest Summit Day 2: AI for Tribal Communities

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The National Tribal Telecommunications Association hosted the 2026 Tribal Broadband Midwest Summit in Minnesota. I wrote about the first full day yesterday; today the conversation is all about AI. We got a practical introduction to AI and tribal leaders spoke about using AI to help preserve native languages. The presenters spoke about the difference between AI is a public for private environment.

Welcome from Godrey Enjady

  • Trying to get broadband to everyone
  • Learn to read contract and rules carefully
  • Teaching people how to use new resources and preserving culture

Understanding AI

  • AI is a shortcut for images
  • Using AI for language preservation
  • You need to verify AI results – good memory but not always right

Understanding AI in Tribal Broadband (language preservation)

Q: Is one AI tool (ChatGPT vs GROK…) and is paid worth it?
Each tool has a different benefit. Some folks have subscriptions to all; some none.
You get faster results and more use available if you pay. Creating code? You might want to pay. Simple question? Free is probably OK.
Try out a few tools and see what you like.
You do get different results if you use different tools.
Be cautious of uploading/sharing intellectual data with AI tools – even to have them help you figure something out. (Upload it becomes internalized with AI)

Q: Wat guard rails to you institute to keep data good?
It is a concern. Can’t let AI run amok.