The FCC reports on new Lifeline standards for 2023. (Reminder: The Lifeline Program is a government benefit program that provides eligible low-income consumers with a discount on monthly service for voice (telephone), Broadband Internet Access Service (or BIAS, usually called internet service), or a combined telephone/internet service product from a landline or wireless provider.)
By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces updated minimum service standards for Lifeline-supported service as required by the 2016 Lifeline Order.
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The 2016 Lifeline Order established minimum service standards for certain Lifeline-supported services and
established annual increases in those standards either in the Commission’s rules or pursuant to calculations set out in the Order and the Commission’s rules.2
Accordingly, we announce the newly calculated minimum service standard for fixed broadband data usage allowance. This new standard will take effect on December 1, 2022. Additionally, we announce that the budget for federal universal service support for the Lifeline program for calendar year 2023 will be $2,572,862,300.3
Mobile broadband minimum service standard. On July 1, 2022, the Bureau acted to pause any increase in the Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity. 4 As such, the standard will continue to be 4.5 GB per month until at least December 1, 2023.
Fixed broadband minimum service standard for data usage allowance. Pursuant to the 2016 Lifeline Order, beginning December 1, 2022, the Lifeline minimum service standard for fixed broadband data usage will be 1280 GB per month, as calculated from the 2022 Urban Rate Survey data.5
Mobile voice telephony minimum service standard. The 2016 Lifeline Order established an automatic update to the Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile voice service through November 30, 2018.6
Accordingly, pursuant to the 2016 Lifeline Order, on December 1, 2022, the Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile voice service will remain unchanged, at 1000 minutes per month.
I received what would have been a really nice phone from my lifeline provider but it had manufacturer defects and it’s covered under warranty but my company will not send me a new phone unless I pay a huge shipping fee which goes completely against the entire standards of the lifeline program you know seeing as how I’m a government benefit recipient. I have tried three other companies and none of them will offer me a free phone unless I give them the ACP with the lifeline but I use my ACP for home internet I don’t want to disrupt that service. Please tell me when did they change the rules so that they wouldn’t give you a new phone they used to hand out new phones like candy.
That is a conundrum! I don’t normally do anything with free phones. Do you mind if I pass your question onto some other folks more on the frontlines of free phones?
I could look up and answer but I feel like someone who has dealt with this will have a better answer.