The FCC reports…

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the counties in which conditional forbearance from the obligation to offer Lifeline-supported voice service applies, pursuant to the Commission’s 2016 Lifeline Order.1 This forbearance applies only to the Lifeline voice obligation of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that are designated for purposes of receiving both high-cost and Lifeline support (high-cost/Lifeline ETCs), and not to Lifeline-only ETCs.2 The Appendix lists the counties where the Commission’s conditional forbearance from high-cost/Lifeline ETCs’ Lifeline voice obligation will apply effective on September 8, 2026.

The 2016 Lifeline Order established conditional forbearance from Lifeline voice obligations in targeted areas where certain competitive conditions are met.3 To accomplish this forbearance, the Commission directed the Bureau to release a yearly Public Notice announcing the counties in which the competitive conditions are met.4 In particular, the Commission granted forbearance from high-cost/Lifeline ETCs’ obligation to offer and advertise Lifeline voice service in counties where the following conditions are met: (1) at least 51% of Lifeline subscribers in the county are obtaining broadband Internet access service; (2) there are at least three other providers of Lifeline broadband Internet access service that each serve at least 5% of the Lifeline broadband subscribers in that county; and (3) the ETC does not actually receive federal high-cost universal service support.5

Here are the 87 (out of 87) counties in Minnesota that are included in the list:

1. MN AITKIN
2. MN ANOKA
3. MN BECKER
4. MN BELTRAMI
5. MN BENTON
6. MN BIG STONE
7. MN BLUE EARTH
8. MN BROWN
9. MN CARLTON
10. MN CARVER
11. MN CASS
12. MN CHIPPEWA
13. MN CHISAGO
14. MN CLAY
15. MN CLEARWATER
16. MN COOK
17. MN COTTONWOOD
18. MN CROW WING
19. MN DAKOTA
20. MN DODGE
21. MN DOUGLAS
22. MN FARIBAULT
23. MN FILLMORE
24. MN FREEBORN
25. MN GOODHUE
26. MN GRANT
27. MN HENNEPIN
28. MN HOUSTON
29. MN HUBBARD
30. MN ISANTI
31. MN ITASCA
32. MN JACKSON
33. MN KANABEC
34. MN KANDIYOHI
35. MN KITTSON
36. MN KOOCHICHING
37. MN LAC QUI PARLE
38. MN LAKE
39. MN LAKE OF THE WOODS
40. MN LE SUEUR
41. MN LINCOLN
42. MN LYON
43. MN MCLEOD
44. MN MAHNOMEN
45. MN MARSHALL
46. MN MARTIN
47. MN MEEKER
48. MN MILLE LACS
49. MN MORRISON
50. MN MOWER
51. MN MURRAY
52. MN NICOLLET
53. MN NOBLES
54. MN NORMAN
55. MN OLMSTED
56. MN OTTER TAIL
57. MN PENNINGTON
58. MN PINE
59. MN PIPESTONE
60. MN POLK
61. MN POPE
62. MN RAMSEY
63. MN RED LAKE
64. MN REDWOOD
65. MN RENVILLE
66. MN RICE
67. MN ROCK
68. MN ROSEAU
69. MN ST. LOUIS
70. MN SCOTT
71. MN SHERBURNE
72. MN SIBLEY
73. MN STEARNS
74. MN STEELE
75. MN STEVENS
76. MN SWIFT
77. MN TODD
78. MN TRAVERSE
79. MN WABASHA
80. MN WADENA
81. MN WASECA
82. MN WASHINGTON
83. MN WATONWAN
84. MN WILKIN
85. MN WINONA
86. MN WRIGHT
87. MN YELLOW MEDICINE