9/18/2012 – Annual ETC Certification Form and Instructions
The FCC is currently in the process of obtaining OMB approval of a new Annual Lifeline Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Certification Form.

The Lifeline Reform Order (FCC 12-11) requires eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to annually re-certify the eligibility of every Lifeline subscriber. See Step 8: Annual ETC Certification for more information.

8/31/2012 – ETCs Must Submit August 2012 Claims on New FCC Form 497
Beginning with the August 2012 data month, ETCs must submit Low Income support claims on the new version of the FCC Form 497. Revisions to data for months prior to August 2012 should be submitted on the old version of the FCC Form 497. Both the new and old versions of the FCC Form 497 can be found on the Lifeline Forms page.

Beginning September 1, 2012, an Officer must sign the new version of the FCC Form 497 as well as any revised forms submitted within the rolling revision window.

8/30/2012 – Only Company Officers Can Certify FCC Form 497
Beginning September 1, 2012, only an officer can certify an eligible telecommunications carrier's (ETC's) FCC Form 497. Non-officer employees will no longer be able to certify the form. If you need to give additional employees the "officer" entitlement in E-File so they can certify FCC Form 497 on your company's behalf, please log in to update their entitlements on or after September 1, 2012.

Only individuals designated on FCC Form 498 as the “Service Provider Officer” or “Service Provider General Contact” may create or deactivate FCC Form 497 officer entitlements.

More information is available in the Establishing User Entitlements and Online Filing user guides.

8/24/2012 – Webinar Recording Now Available
A recording of the webinar, "Changes to the Lifeline Disbursement Process and New FCC Form 497" is now available in the Online Learning Library. The webinar is split into two recordings.

8/20/2012 – Webinar on August 23: Changes to the Lifeline Disbursement Process & New FCC Form 497
Join USAC for a webinar about changes to the disbursement process, the new FCC Form 497, and the officer certification requirement. The presentation will be followed by a live Q&A. More Information

7/31/2012 – New FCC Form 497
Changes to the Low Income support claim filing process are in effect September 1, 2012.

Eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must file their August 2012 Low Income support claims on the new version of the FCC Form 497.

Please note the following important issues:

• Beginning with August 2012 Low Income support claims, the basic support amount of $9.25 per month is in effect for all ETCs.
• Tribal lands support amounts are available in addition to the basic support amount of $9.25 per month.
• August 2012 Low Income support claims cannot be filed until September 1, 2012.
• USAC will not accept any August 2012 Low Income support claims filed on the old version of the FCC Form 497.
• The new version of the FCC Form 497 requires that an officer of the ETC certify the form.
• If your company files the FCC Form 497 electronically via USAC’s E-File system, a company officer must have the proper entitlements to certify the FCC Form 497 as of September 1, 2012.
• Original and revised support claims for months prior to August 2012 must be submitted on the old version of the FCC Form 497. However, original or revised submissions for months prior to August 2012 that are filed electronically via USAC’s E-File system must be certified by a company officer.

Please contact USAC’s Low Income Team at (202) 776-0200 or via email with questions.

7/26/2012 – Annual Certification Requirement for ETCs
(Updated from 6/14/12)

The Lifeline Reform Order (FCC 12-11) requires eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to annually re-certify the eligibility of every Lifeline subscriber. The Order also requires ETCs to make certain certifications after the ETC conducts its annual re-certification of its consumers’ continuing eligibility for Lifeline. The first ETC certification is due to USAC by January 31, 2013. That submission will include the results of ETCs’ re-certification of their subscriber bases as of June 1, 2012.

This new annual re-certification requirement replaces the previous process by which ETCs re-certified only a sample of their total Lifeline subscribers and submitted the results to USAC by August 31 of each year. There is no longer an August 31 deadline for submitting annual certifications. Instead, ETCs must obtain re-certifications from 100 percent of their Lifeline subscribers as of June 1 and submit those results to USAC no later than January 31.

The FCC is in the process of obtaining OMB approval of a new Annual Lifeline Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Certification Form.

If your company has filed an annual certification form in 2012, please note that it is likely not compliant with the requirements set out in the Lifeline Reform Order. ETCs should not file their annual certifications until the Annual Lifeline Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Certification Form has been approved by OMB. USAC will post an announcement once the form is approved. Completed Annual Lifeline Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Certification Forms are due January 31, 2013.

6/6/2012 – Pre-Screening Tool Now Available to Help Consumers Determine Eligibility
The Lifeline Pre-Screening Tool is available to help consumers determine whether they are eligible for Lifeline, and whether they reside at an address with more than one household.

5/30/2012 – Announcing Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC—Register Today!
Join USAC and the FCC on June 19, 2012, at a training focused on the changes to the Lifeline Program. Register early! This session is limited to 100 participants. Visit the Lifeline Trainings and Outreach page for more information and to register.

5/30/2012 – FCC Adopts 12-Month Filing Window for FCC Form 497 Lifeline Support Claims
Carriers are reminded that the Lifeline Reform Order (para. 305) adopts a 12-month window for filing original or revised Lifeline support claims with USAC. The 12-month window is calculated from the date the form is due. For example, FCC Form 497 containing data for the month May 2011 was due in June 2011. Applying the 12-month window, the last day of June 2012 is the last day carriers can submit new or revised Lifeline support claims for May 2011. Accordingly, USAC will not accept any new or revised FCC Forms 497 for data months that are outside of this 12-month window.

Data Month	Last Month to File New or Revised Claims
April 2011	May 2012
May 2011	June 2012
June 2011	July 2012
July 2011	August 2012
August 2011	September 2012
September 2011	October 2012
October 2011	November 2012
November 2011	December 2012
December 2011	January 2013
January 2012	February 2013
February 2012	March 2013

5/25/2012 – New Requirements for Verifying Consumer Eligibility Begin in June
Beginning June 1, 2012, all eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) are required to confirm an applicant's eligibility prior to enrolling the applicant in Lifeline. As required by the Lifeline Reform Order (para.101), USAC is providing information to help ETCs comply with the Order's requirements related to eligibility validation. Click here for more information.

5/10/2012 – Now Available - Lifeline Household Worksheet, used for determining whether there are multiple households at one address
As required by the Lifeline Modernization Order (paragraphs 78-79), USAC has developed a worksheet to assist carriers and consumers in determining whether more than one household resides at a single address. The worksheet must be completed any time more than one subscriber at a single residential address receives Lifeline service, or when a new applicant applies for Lifeline service at an address where there is already a Lifeline subscriber.

5/1/2012 – Transition Period for Lifeline Rate Beginning with April Support Claims
On May 1, 2012, the FCC released a Public Notice announcing the effective dates of several new rules governing the Lifeline Program. As set out in the Public Notice, the FCC has established a transition period during which time eligible telecommunications carriers, at their option, can claim either the new $9.25 rate or continue to claim Tiers 1 through 3, as appropriate. Therefore, beginning with Lifeline support claims filed on FCC Form 497 for data month April 2012, eligible telecommunications carriers can claim either a flat rate of $9.25, or they can use Tiers 1 through 3 to claim support. Carriers should continue to use the existing version of FCC Form 497 during this transition period when either rate is acceptable. Carriers claiming the flat $9.25 rate should enter this amount on Line 5 of FCC Form 497.

Beginning with data month August 2012, all carriers will be required to claim the flat rate of $9.25 per subscriber. Also, beginning in August 2012, carriers will be required to submit their support claims on a new version of FCC Form 497, which will be available on USAC’s website prior to that time. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about filing FCC Form 497, click here.

5/1/2012 – Effective Dates for New Lifeline Program Rules
The FCC released a Public Notice on May 1, 2012 announcing the effective dates of Lifeline rules with OMB approval.

The following rules are effective May 1, 2012:

54.202(a) – Required Showings for ETC Designation
54.401(d) – Required Filings With Administrator for State ETC Designations
54.403 – Lifeline Support Amount
54.404 – National Lifeline Accountability Database (excluding carrier obligations)
54.405 – Carrier Obligation to Offer Lifeline (except for portions of section 54.405(c) (Required Disclosures) and section 54.405(e)(4) (De-enrollment for failure to re-certify)).
54.407 – Requirements for Obtaining Reimbursement and Usage Requirement
54.416 – Annual ETC Certifications
54.417 – Recordkeeping Requirements
54.420(b) – Audit Requirements for New ETCs
54.422 – Annual Reporting Requirements

The following rules are effective June 1, 2012:

54.410(a)-(f) – Subscriber Eligibility Determination and Certification

Please see the Public Notice for additional information.

4/30/2012 – Transitioning Lifeline Payments from Projections to Actuals
In the Lifeline Modernization Order, the FCC mandated that USAC begin paying eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) on their actual support claims filed on FCC Form 497, rather than on USAC-generated projections. The Order specifies that USAC should begin a period of transitioning the carrier study area codes (SACs) it pays each month to payment on actual support claims, with the result that all SACs are paid on actuals no later than the disbursement that carriers receive at the end of October 2012.

ETCs that receive Lifeline support for more than one SAC should use the SAC Transition Sample Letter to inform USAC which SACs it should begin paying on actual support claims (that is, no longer include a projected payment amount), during which month of the transition. An ETC with multiple SACs can reduce the financial effect of transitioning to payment on actuals by having USAC begin paying some SACs on actual support claims each month, over a four month period, rather than eliminating projections for all SACs during the same month.

The SAC Transition Sample Letter is due to USAC by June 1. If a company with multiple SACs fails to provide this information to USAC, the Order directs USAC to select which SACs to transition each month. USAC will transition an ETC’s SACs proportionately to an ETC’s monthly disbursements so that the ETC will not experience the entire transition during one month. USAC will also inform the ETC which SACs it has selected to be moved to actual payments during which months.

4/13/2012 – New Website Launched
This week, USAC launched its new website, designed to make it easier to find and understand online information and tools for participating in universal service programs. For beneficiaries, contributors, and service providers who rely on USAC’s website for news, program requirements, and resources, all the same content and tools remain available. USAC has streamlined and multiplied the pathways for people to find what they need, clarified language, and de-cluttered the look and feel of the pages. These changes should serve particularly well the needs of newcomers to universal service, trying to make a successful start with contributions or participation in any of the four programs.

Email USAC with any comments or questions. Brief tutorials are available to help users get oriented to the new website.

4/4/2012 – Changes to Filing FCC Form 497
On February 6, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its Lifeline Reform Order (FCC 12-11), which makes significant changes to the federal Low Income Program. Several significant changes will go into effect April 2, 2012. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Filing FCC Form 497, click here.

4/4/2012 – Changes to Lifeline, Link Up, and TLS will take effect April 2, 2012
On February 6, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission released its Lifeline Reform Order (FCC 12-11) that makes significant changes to the federal Low Income Program. The changes summarized below went into effect April 2, 2012. A new version of FCC Form 497 will be posted on USAC's website after OMB approval as part of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The FCC published the PRA notice in the Federal Register on March 6, 2012 and noted that emergency approval of the Form 497 has been sought.

Link Up
Beginning April 2, 2012, Link Up support is no longer available for Non-Tribal Lifeline customers. March 2012 is the last month for which ETCs serving customers on non-Tribal lands can claim Link Up support on their FCC Form 497. For example, if an ETC serving non-Tribal lands currently receives Link Up support and enrolls a new subscriber on March 15, 2012, that ETC may claim Link Up support for that subscriber. If, however, that ETC enrolls a new subscriber on April 2, 2012, that ETC may not claim Link Up support for that subscriber.

ETCs that receive High Cost support may claim Tribal Link Up support to cover 100 percent of customary charge for commencing telecommunications service, up to $100, for eligible residents of Tribal lands.

TLS
Beginning April 2, 2012, Toll Limitation Service (TLS) support is capped at the lesser of $3.00 per subscriber or an ETC's incremental cost of providing the service per subscriber. March 2012 will be the last month ETC's may claim support for TLS reimbursement at rates higher than $3.00 per subscriber on FCC Form 497.

4/4/2012 – Extension of Effective Date of $9.25 Flat Rate
On March 29th, the FCC released a public notice informing carriers that the new $9.25 flat-rate will not be effective until the Office of Management and Budget approves the information collection requirements related to the $9.25 rate and the Commission publishes a subsequent notice in the Federal Register setting the effective date. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will approve the data collection requirements related to the $9.25 flat-rate no sooner than April 6. Following approval by OMB, the Commission will publish a notice in the Federal Register setting the date by which ETCs must come into compliance with the $9.25 flat rate. This date will be no sooner than 90 days after the notice is published.

3/29/2012 – Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Provides Guidance Regarding the Effective Date of Certain Rules Adopted in the Lifeline Reform Order
In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) notifies Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs) and other stakeholders that the amendments to section 54.403 of the Commission's rules adopted in the Commission's Lifeline Reform Order1 implementing the $9.25 flat rate on non-Tribal lands cannot become effective until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves the data collection provisions of that rule. Upon OMB approval, we intend to publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of the rule and providing no less than 90 days after such publication for ETCs to come into compliance with the provisions related to the $9.25 flat rate on non-Tribal lands.

For further information, please contact Jonathan Lechter, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484.

3/12/2012 – Changes to Filing FCC Form 497
On February 6, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its Lifeline Reform Order (FCC 12-11), which makes significant changes to the federal Low Income Program. Several significant changes will go into effect April 2, 2012. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Filing FCC Form 497 click here.

2/22/2012 – Changes to Lifeline, Link Up, and TLS will take effect April 2, 2012
On February 6, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission released its Lifeline Reform Order (FCC 12-11) that makes significant changes to the federal Low Income Program. The changes summarized below will go into effect April 2, 2012. A new version of FCC Form 497 will be posted on USAC's website after OMB approval as part of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The FCC published the PRA notice in the Federal Register on March 6, 2012 and noted that emergency approval of the Form 497 has been sought. The FCC Form 497 is expected to be approved by mid-April and carriers will be able to use it to submit for reimbursement for April subscribers, which are submitted in May 2012.

Lifeline
Beginning April 2, 2012, Eligible Telecommunications Carriers' (ETCs) federal Lifeline support will equal $9.25 per month for each eligible, Non-Tribal Lifeline subscriber pursuant to 47 C.F.R. 54.403 of the Commission's new rules. March 2012 will be the last month ETCs may claim federal support under the old Tiers 1 - 3. ETCs may claim up to an additional $25.00 for each eligible resident of Tribal lands (including any federally recognized Indian tribe's reservation, pueblo, or colony including former reservations in Oklahoma; Alaska Native Regions; Indian Allotments; or Hawaiian Home Lands) as long as the amount claimed on FCC Form 497 is not greater than the amount billed to the customer.

Link Up
Beginning April 2, 2012, Link Up support is no longer available for Non-Tribal Lifeline customers. March 2012 is the last month for which ETCs serving customers on non-Tribal lands can claim Link Up support on their FCC Form 497. For example, if an ETC serving non-Tribal lands currently receives Link Up support and enrolls a new subscriber on March 15, 2012, that ETC may claim Link Up support for that subscriber. If, however, that ETC enrolls a new subscriber on April 2, 2012, that ETC may not claim Link Up support for that subscriber. ETCs that receive High Cost support may claim Tribal Link Up support to cover 100 percent of customary charge for commencing telecommunications service, up to $100, for eligible residents of Tribal lands.

TLS
Beginning April 2, 2012, Toll Limitation Service (TLS) support is capped at the lesser of $3.00 per subscriber or an ETC's incremental cost of providing the service per subscriber. March 2012 will be the last month ETC's may claim support for TLS reimbursement at rates higher than $3.00 per subscriber on FCC Form 497.