Manage Your Benefit Recertify Every year, USAC will check to confirm you still qualify. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a U.S. government program run by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices like a laptop or tablet. Through the Affordable Connectivity Program, eligible households receive a temporary monthly credit on broadband service. For broadband-only consumers in California, consumers will need to apply through the National Verifier application system and the National Verifier will check the consumer's eligibility. Accept the system's terms of use and click Sign In. From DIY projects to healthy recipes, Jane enjoys sharing her ideas and experiences with her readers. Only low-income subscribers who have been found to be eligible are qualified to enroll. organization in the United States. Federal Communications Commission. If you need to talk to someone about your eligibility or application status, call the ACP Support Center at (877) 384-2575. This means that recertification and reverification requirements for all Tribal subscribers will resume on May 1, 2023. Service providers can also contact consumers about pending recertification to inform them that should have heard from USAC and should respond to USAC. Check your email for a verification code. Program and Income Verification This change led to savings of over $213 million in 2012.[10]. Reach out to your internet company directly to see if you can enroll in the program. Login or create a new account to complete the ACP application online (Online Application Instructions also available in 9 other languages). Subscribers must recertify their eligibility every year and should respond to any requests from the National Verifier's or state Lifeline administrator to recertify eligibility. Assistance for the National Verifier is available not only online, but also through phone support. Third-Party Identity Verification (TPIV). You can also reach them via email at [emailprotected]. Your email address will not be published. Lifeline is an FCCprogram that helps make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers. To apply for Lifeline benefits through the National Verifier, follow these steps: Please note that the processing time for your application may vary depending on several factors. Empowering consumers to choose the service plan that best meets their needs (including a plan they may already be on); Ensuring consumers have access to supported broadband services regardless of their credit status; Prohibiting providers from excluding consumers with past due balances or prior debt from enrolling in the program; Preventing consumers from being forced into more expensive or lower quality plans in order to receive the ACP; Ensuring that consumers are not liable for early termination fees; Reducing the potential for bill shock or other financial harms; Allowing ACP recipients to switch providers or broadband service offerings; and. During Lifeline Awareness Week, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel addressed the range of Americans who can receive support from the FCC's Lifeline program. Share sensitive information only on official, The Lifeline Across America Working Groupinitiated a study and compiled a report in 2006 where it presented its observations and conclusions concerning best practices for outreach on the Lifeline program. London, KY 40742. After you qualify, choose a phone or internet company near you and sign up for service with them. Subscribers can also purchase discounted broadband internet from participating providers. Tribal Link Up support is only offered to carriers who are building out infrastructure on Tribal lands, so not all carriers may be discounting their activation fee. NARUC: Regina Davis, rdavis@naruc.org After you qualify, choose a phone or internet company near you that offers the Lifeline benefit and sign up for service with them. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18773. You may also contact USAC's Lifeline Support Center for assistance at 1-800-234-9473 or by email at lifelinesupport@usac.org. ) or https:// means you've safely connected to Identity and Address Verification The National Verifier automatically verifies the consumer's identity and address using: Third-Party Identity Verification (TPIV), USPS Address Matching Service (AMS), and Data checks for duplicate benefits for the same person or the same address. Do you already get Lifeline Benefits? For more information, please watch this video. Please refer to the ACP Bulletins page and Lifeline Announcements page for more details. [5] In 1997, the FCC broadened the scope of the program under the 1997 Universal Service Order to make Lifeline more affordable for low-income households by raising the federal support amount. Subscribers found to be violating the one-discount-per-household rule may also be subject to criminal and/or civil penalties. People with print disabilities may request braille, large print, or screen-reader friendly versions of this article via the email form at fcc504@fcc.gov. This information is automatically checked against databases. If you are a person with a disability and need assistance with your Lifeline application, contact the Lifeline Support Center or call 800-243-9473. A locked padlock After the de-enrollment has occurred, NLAD will send an automated email to notify the service provider and the Failed Recertification De-enroll Report will be updated. Eligible users can apply for free cell phones, and also get additional free data with approval from the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Please refer to the ACP Bulletins page and Lifeline Announcements page for more details. Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program; Participates in one of these assistance programs: Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools. The FCC will use the contact information provided to share outreach information, as well as Emergency Broadband Benefit details and updates. Colorado, Mississippi, New Mexico and Utah will be the first states to use the National Verifier. The chart below provides a high-level overview of the recertification process: Subscribers that pass the data source check will not need to take any further action to retain their Lifeline benefit. To check the status of your National Verifier application, you can follow these steps: Please note that the processing time for your application may vary depending on various factors. Federal rules prohibit eligible low-income consumers from receiving more than one Lifeline discount per household. Otherwise, you may be subject to penalties. Recertification Application Types and Methods for Recertifying, Recertify by Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Visit the National Verifier. Lifeline provides subscribers a discount on qualifying monthly telephone service, broadband Internet service, or bundled voice-broadband packages purchased from participating wireline or wireless providers. can help you determine who is a member of your household. This process is conducted to ensure that active Lifeline subscribers are still eligible for the Lifeline benefit. The Lifeline program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). The ACP and Lifeline Support Centers' mailing address has changed to P.O. Acceptable documentation for income eligibility verification includes: The prior year's state, federal or Tribal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; Social Security statement of benefits; Veterans Administration statement of benefits; retirement or pension statement of benefits; Unemployment or Workers' Compensation statement of benefits; federal or Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; or divorce decree, child support award, or other official document containing income information. The biggest change in this proposal is to put in additional requirements to ensure that carriers enrolling subscribers can verify that the person is still living. If we cannot confirm your eligibility automatically, we will request additional documentation from you and provide information on how you can submit those documents for review. Sign Up to Get Lifeline. The FCC's Enforcement Bureau maintains a dedicated Lifeline Fraud Tip Line 1-855-4LL-TIPS (or 1-855-455-8477) and an email address Lifelinetips@fcc.gov to facilitate reporting of possible fraud in the program. You may also contact USAC's Lifeline Support Center for assistance at 1-800-234-9473 or lifelinesupport@usac.org. Application ID is also available on the Recertification Subscriber Status Report in NLAD. If you receive Lifeline service for free, the Lifeline program rules require you to use your service every 30 days to keep your benefit, in addition to complying with all other rules for the Lifeline program. Critics say that these changes would leave millions of poor Americans without phone service. USAC manages the NV and provides customer service to consumers through the Lifeline Support Center. Subscribers will receive scheduled reminders until they successfully recertify. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel talks about how the ACP can help families get connected to internet service (video is ASL interpreted). You may also print the application for Iowa, New York, North Dakota, or Wisconsin below. FCC rules prohibit more than one Lifeline service per household. More detailed information regarding acceptable documentation can be found at: https://www.lifelinesupport.org/documents-needed/. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA Subscribers will not receive written notice that USAC received their form after it is submitted, however they will be able to call the Lifeline Support Center for their status or the service provider can access this information via the Recertification Subscriber Status Report in NLAD. To locate a Lifeline provider in your state, go to https://data.usac.org/publicreports/CompaniesNearMe/Download/Report. An eligible subscriber may receive a discount on either a wireline or wireless voice service (but not both), or on broadband or bundled service. Please do not share any sensitive personal information via email. FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel 2023 Universal Service Administrative Company. In 1966, Lifeline began printing the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in each issue. A walkthrough of the recertification process can be found below: The National Verifier recertification process will generally start 90 days before a subscribers anniversary date in NLAD. Your email address will not be published. Which Internet Service Providers Are Participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program? Instructions for recertifying online are provided in the letter to the subscriber. FCC Press Secretarypaloma.perez@fcc.gov, Anne Veigle For any questions regarding the Lifeline application process, call USAC's toll-free number for the Lifeline Support Center at 1 (800) 234-9473, or email LifelineSupport@usac.org. Meet Jane, a passionate blogger with a love for all things creative. If you have any questions or concerns about your application status, you can contact the Lifeline Support Center by phone at 1-800-234-9473 or by email at [emailprotected]. 1. To find out more about how to apply on your own through the National Verifier, visit lifelinesupport.org (click "How to Use It" under "National Verifier"). The Lifeline discount for eligible subscribers is up to $9.25 per month for qualifying monthly broadband or bundled services that meet the broadband minimum service standards. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Lifeline applicants may demonstrate when initially enrolling in the program that any other Lifeline recipients residing at their residential address are part of a separate household. If you do not participate in Lifeline but receive service from a participating company that has its own low-income program, you may not need to apply for the ACP benefit. To participate in the Lifeline program, consumers must either have an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, the Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or certain Tribal Programs. Reach out to your internet company directly to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal TANF = Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Click the Sign In button in the upper right corner of the screen. Click the "Sign In" button in the upper right corner of the screen. The National Verifiers homepage can be found at https://nv.fcc.gov/lifeline. Box 9100 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18773. CT customers only - If you prefer to fax your information, please fax your Lifeline application with the required official documents to Verizon at 1.877.306.2190. Any mail sent to the old mailing address will be forwarded for a period of time. Note: On January 30, 2023, the FCC released a waiver temporarily extending the previous Lifeline waivers of the recertification and reverification requirements through April 30, 2023 for Tribal subscribers only. Question 4: Can I use Lifeline benefits for both my phone and internet service? On November 15, 2021, Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program, a long-term, $14 billion program, which will replaced the EBB Program. .gov website belongs to an official government These steps will help service providers navigate the process to join Lifeline as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC). Subscribers that fail the current recertification check, but passed their previous automated eligibility check, will be required to provide proof of eligibility and complete the Recertification Form. USACs website provides information regarding administrative aspects of the low-income program, as well as program requirements. Lowering the monthly cost of phone or internet service. You can also apply by mailing your application: Print an application in English or Spanish at https://www.lifelinesupport.org/wp-content/uploads/lifeline/documents/LI_Application_NVstates.pdf. All other Lifeline waivers previously in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have ended. Provision of a link to this initiative does not imply FCC endorsement of any particular participating provider. Subscribers will need their Application ID (provided on the recertification letter) to enter the IVR. During the National Verifier soft launch period, service providers will receive access to the National Verifier pre-production (test) environment to test out the system functionalities with mock data. Official websites use .govA Recertification is an annual requirement for Lifeline subscribers. Lifeline Across America Consumer Outreach. Your National Verifier ID serves as your unique identifier when determining your eligibility for the Lifeline program. Learn more about qualifying. The Lifeline program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). USAC will conduct outreach to these subscribers to inform them of the recertification requirement. Application Approval: After you submit an application, we will share the results with you. [2], The FCC established the Lifeline program in 1984 during the Ronald Reagan Administration to provide qualified individuals with discounts on phone service. Humanmicrobes.org Review . Apply now to confirm you qualify for the Lifeline program. Keep in mind that this ID can also be utilized for various other advantages. Because telephone subscribership levels on Tribal lands are the lowest in the country, enhanced Lifeline benefits are available to low-income residents of Tribal lands. Life Wireless provides access to reliable 5G (where . The information can be submitted online through the consumer or service provider portal or mailed to the Lifeline Support Center. FCC rules prohibit more than one Lifeline service per household. Since 1985, the Lifeline program has provided a discount on phone service for qualifying low-income consumers to ensure that all Americans have the opportunities and security that phone service brings, including being able to connect to jobs, family and emergency services. One year later, that number nearly tripled to 11,660. Answer: The Lifeline program is a federal initiative designed to provide low-income consumers with affordable access to phone and internet services. Subscribers may receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, but may not receive a discount on both services at the same time. Forms Instructions Documentation Guidelines Forms The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Application, Household Worksheet, and Recertification Form are available in English and Spanish.

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