Low Income
About Low Income:
- Overview of the Program
- Overview of the Process
- Individual Outreach
- Understanding Audits
- Filing Appeals
- HCLI Training Events
- Video Tutorials
Low Income Tools:
Latest News / Important Notices / Alerts
Below are current news announcements relevant to the Low Income Program. You can access previous announcements by clicking the latest news archive.
FCC releases an Enforcement Advisory clarifying FCC Lifeline rules regarding consumer eligibility and duplicative service
On December 5, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an Enforcement Advisory reminding carriers offering Lifeline service of their obligation to confirm consumers' eligibility and to avoid providing duplicative service. The Commission is actively investigating reported violations and alerts Lifeline providers that they may face stiff penalties if they do not strictly adhere to the Commission's rules.
FCC Order clarifies that consumers may not receive more than one Lifeline subsidy
On June 21, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) clarified its rules to prohibit consumers from receiving more than one Lifeline-subsidized wireless telephone or discounted wireline home telephone. The FCC took this action to eliminate and prevent waste by ensuring that multiple carriers do not receive support for serving the same consumer. USAC will play a key role in implementing the FCC's mandate by: identifying consumers that receive Lifeline service from more than one carrier; informing these consumers that they must choose to take Lifeline service from only one provider; and notifying each carrier that was not selected by a particular consumer to de-enroll that individual from Lifeline service.
For more information please consult the following documents:
FCC News Release (PDF)
FCC Report and Order (PDF)
FCC Consumer Tip Sheet (PDF)
FCC Guidance Letter to USAC (PDF)
"Understanding the Red Light Rule" webinar for contributors and service providers on June 27 and 30.
Results from the 2010 Participation Rate Study are now available
2010 Participation Rates by State
2010 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State
Public Notice: Annual Verification Survey and Certification (4/28/11)
The FCC released a Public Notice reminding ETCS that the deadline for submitting the Annual Certification and Verification Letter is August 31, 2011, and August 31st each subsequent year. Please note that the FCC has adopted a new version of the Annual Certification and Verification Letter for use beginning in 2011. Beginning in 2011, carriers filing verification results must differentiate between those subscribers that are no longer eligible for Lifeline and those that do not respond to the request to verify eligibility. The Public Notice also includes Frequently Asked Questions and, for companies that must follow the federal verification procedures, instructions for calculating a statistically valid sample.
FCC Guidance Letter Regarding Duplicates
On January 21, the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC, provided guidance to USAC regarding Lifeline subscribers that receive multiple Lifeline discounts from two eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs). ETCs should review this guidance letter in order to become familiar with the procedures mandated by the FCC for both the treatment of duplicate Lifeline subscribers claimed by two ETCs, and instances in which more than one Lifeline subsidy is provided to two consumers in the same household.
2011 Federal Poverty Guidelines.
USAC has published new Low Income poverty guidelines. Click here to view the 2011 USAC poverty guidelines.
The Low Income Online Form 497 and the High Cost Online Form 525 websites are now available.
The Low Income Online Form 497 and the High Cost Online Form 525 website issues have been resolved.
If you continue to experience issues using the online forms, please contact the High Cost/Low Income Division at (202) 776-0200.
Webinar for Telecommunications and Internet Service Providers on October 5, 6, or 7 – How to File and Submit Changes Using FCC Form 498
USAC Launches its Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program
In August 2010, USAC rolled out its Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program. The PQA Program enables USAC to provide accurate, timely information about improper payments to the FCC, as required by the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA). Under this program, USAC assesses specific payments made to beneficiaries in all four USF programs (Schools and Libraries, High Cost, Low Income, and Rural Health Care) to determine if these payments were made in accordance with program rules. Using results of these assessments, USAC calculates estimates of improper payment rates across entire USF programs and provides this information to the FCC.
For more information about the PQA Program and to obtain specific PQA document requirements, please click here. For a list of FAQs that provide information about the program, what to do if you are selected, and how/when to submit documents, click here.
Update your Form 498 with electronic banking information to ensure continued timely USF disbursements!
REMINDER! Beginning August 31, USAC will withhold support payments to any entity that has not provided electronic banking information. If your company does not have electronic banking information on its FCC Form 498 for each of the programs in which it participates, you may not receive your USF disbursements! Banking information must be received in advance of August 31st, so make Form 498 updates using USAC's E-File System right away!
Note: E-File updates your information immediately, while paper forms take longer to process. Forms mailed too close to August 31st may not be processed by the deadline. USAC suggests using E-File.
USAC encourages Service Providers who have provided banking information in the past to log onto E-file regularly to confirm that information is accurate and up to date.
The HHS Poverty Guidelines for the Remainder of 2010
Legislation enacted in late 2009 and early 2010 prohibited publication of 2010 poverty guidelines before May 31, 2010, and required that the 2009 poverty guidelines remain in effect until publication of updated guidelines. Legislation to further delay publication of the 2010 guidelines did not pass. The procedure for updating the 2010 guidelines was modified to take into account the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the period for which their publication was delayed. As a result, the 2009 poverty guideline figures will remain in effect for the remainder of 2010.
For more information on the 2009 poverty guideline extension, please visit The Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) webpage on poverty guidelines at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/POVERTY/10poverty.shtml
USAC has published new Low Income poverty guidelines. Click here to view the current USAC poverty guidelines.
Public Notice: Annual Verification Survey and Certification
The FCC released a Public Notice reminding ETCS that the deadline for submitting the Annual Certification and Verification Letter is August 31, 2010, and August 31st each subsequent year. The Public Notice includes Frequently Asked Questions and, for companies that must follow the federal verification procedures, instructions for calculating a statistically valid sample.
High Cost and Low Income Trainings in Seattle, Chicago, and Orlando
Extension of the 2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) Until at Least May 31, 2010
Congress has taken action to keep the 2009 poverty guidelines in effect until at least May 31, 2010.
Congressional actions on this matter have been in response to a decrease in the annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for 2009, projected during 2009 and announced on January 15, 2010 (see http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_01152010.pdf, Table 1A). In the absence of legislative change, this decrease – the first since the poverty guidelines began to be issued in 1965 – would have required HHS to issue 2010 poverty guidelines that were lower than the 2009 poverty guidelines.
For more information on the 2009 poverty guideline extension, please visit The Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) webpage on poverty guidelines at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/POVERTY/09extension.shtml.
USAC will publish new Low Income poverty guidelines once the new DHHS FPG becomes available. To view the current USAC poverty guidelines go to: Income_Requirements.pdf.
