Add broadband to Lifeline, Clyburn says
Broadband services should be added to Lifeline, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said at an American Enterprise Institute panel Wednesday on reforming the program. Internet access is “the greatest equalizer of our time” and “key in helping to break the cycle…
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of persistent poverty,” Clyburn said. She said 70 percent of American adults have connectivity at home, but only 64 percent with incomes of less than $30,000 have online access. Saying adding broadband alone is “insufficient” in reforming the program, Clyburn also proposed establishing minimum service standards for any provider getting the $9.25 monthly Lifeline subsidy, to “ensure we get the most value for each universal service dollar and better service for Lifeline recipients.” Providers shouldn't be responsible for determining customer eligibility, Clyburn said, saying such a change would eliminate incentives for waste, fraud and abuse. Customers would also not have to provide sensitive financial information to providers, she said. As the commission did with the E-rate program, Clyburn said, allowing consumers to apply for Lifeline at the same time they apply for other government benefits would “provide a better experience for consumers and streamline our efforts,” Clyburn said. The FCC should also enter into public-private partnerships to coordinate outreach efforts for the program, she said.