This is the news that millions of low-income Americans have wanted to hear for years: The Federal Communications Commission just expanded the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone program and it now includes internet service. In fact, the FCC is changing the whole emphasis of the Lifeline program from free government cell phones to Lifeline Broadband.
This exciting news was revealed in a memo from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Thomas Wheeler. (In fact, this is such exciting news that we’re honestly surprised it wasn’t revealed in a public ceremony complete with puffed-up politicians fighting for camera time, champagne toasts and confetti streaming down from the rafters.)
How much Internet will you get?
You’ll be able to get Lifeline Broadband in two flavors: fixed broadband (cable or DSL) or mobile (on your phone). You’ll be able to choose which is more important to you: a fixed high-speed broadband connection in your home, or free smartphone service with unlimited minutes that comes with a modest amount of internet usage.
Fixed Lifeline Broadband: The new ruling has opened up an entirely new category of Lifeline provider called the Lifeline Broadband Provider. Lifeline Service Providers who accept the FCC’s Lifeline subsidy are required to provide 150GB of data usage per month. If you don’t understand data numbers, that’s practically unlimited for the average user. And you will have 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speeds, which is considered roughly the average low-priced offering available today.
Mobile Lifeline Broadband: As for mobile internet, some Lifeline phone service providers already offer some data with their Lifeline phone plans (often referred to as Obama Phones), but they are primarily voice and texting plans. the FCC will require Lifeline phone providers to begin including a minimum of 500 MB of Internet data allowance per month by December 1 of this year. That minimum standard will gradually increase to 2 GB per month by the end of 2018. After that time, the FCC will decide if it should be again raised. 3G will be the minimum speed at least until 2019. In addition, voice plans will be required to offer unlimited voice.
What will Lifeline Broadband cost?
The Lifeline Assistance program was born in 2008 when Safelink Wireless handed out the first free government cell phone to some lucky customer in Tennessee. The FCC expects similar companies to spring to life and begin competing in its new Lifeline Broadband program.
This is all conjecture on our part, but here’s what what we anticipate that the final Lifeline line-up will look like:
- Some of those new Lifeline Broadband Providers will figure out a way to offer high-speed broadband service for free (in other words, the $9.25 subsidy per account per month will be their only source of income)
- Others will figure out how to offer that service at greatly reduced monthly rates (in other words, they may resemble current programs such as Comcast’s Internet Essentials that costs low-income consumers a mere $9.95 per month)
- Some major Internet service providers (such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc) will merely discount their standard Internet plans by $9.25 per month. (In other words, they will do what the bare minimum required of them by the new edicts and nothing more.)
Faster and easier to qualify
The FCC created the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) as a weapon to crack down on fraud, waste and abuse in the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone program. That same program is now being expanded to include Lifeline Broadband service, making the NLAD has even more important.
When you sign up for a Lifeline Broadband, your name will immediately be checked against the database to make sure you aren’t already enrolled for a subsidized account. Wait time will be substantially decreased because the check will be performed in real-time. (Of course, that also means that you can be denied in real time if you’re trying to sign up for a fraudulent second Lifeline account.)
How does this impact current low-income Internet providers?
As a result of prior legal settlements, the FCC requires companies such as Comcast and CenturyLink to offer low-cost programs such as Internet Essentials and Internet Basics. These programs are restricted to low-income Americans and generally cost the consumer $9.95 per month.
Will the introduction of Lifeline Broadband make these programs obsolete and force them to gradually disappear? Or will companies such as Comcast and CenturyLink make a few simple changes and transform themselves into Lifeline Broadband Providers?
Comcast seems committed to bringing it’s Internet Essentials program to millions of low-income Americans (although skeptics say Comcast is similar to a drug dealer hanging around a junior high campus, selling his drugs cheaply in order to hook a few more kids and assure himself of future customers), so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it transition into a Lifeline Broadband Provider. CenturyLink, on the other hand, seems far less committed to the program and we would be equally surprised if they don’t exit the cheap Internet business as soon as possible.
Our best guess? Some will, some won’t.
If that sounds like we’re not taking a position, blame it on the fact that we blew all our earlier predictions on the timing of Lifeline Broadband and don’t want to embarrass ourselves again.
Lifeline Broadband: The answer to millions of prayers
Several years ago we predicted that Lifeline Broadband would be introduced by the end of 2014. When that forecast turned out we were overly optimistic, we fearlessly amended that prediction and said it would be introduced by mid-2015. Once again we were overly optimistic about the speed at which government would move.
Prior predictions aside, no one is happier to see this FCC action than we are. We know that millions of low-income Americans will see Lifeline Broadband as a godsend — something that can help them land the jobs they so desperately need, something that can help their kids get better grades in school, something that the truly need to survive and thrive in 21st century America.
And for that we wish to thank all the politicians who fought for this program and all the FCC bureaucrats who worked so hard to make it happen.
tim says
how to qualify and how to sign up?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
It appears that Lifeline Broadband is dead in the water due to changes just announced by the Federal Communications Commission. We’re preparing an article that will explain it all very soon.
ron lawiski says
Whens the article coming
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Soon, Ron, very soon.
Steve says
Hello Cheap Internet,
My question of “do you see some major changes in policy coming to the Lifeline program short or long term now?” – back dated in the article “Cheap internet is here: 22 companies to offer Lifeline Broadband” on December 9, 2016 at 1:22 pm – two or three pages back in it from landing page.
Then your statement in the same article of “The new FCC Commissioner has put the whole program on hold. It’s a very messy situation. But we’ll update this story as soon as more information is available.” dated February 14, 2017 and same articles landing page.
https://www.cheapinternet.com/lifeline-broadband-is-here-22-companies-to-offer-services/comment-page-2#comment-88139
WELL – not even the first 100 days has passed now and we get this – while EU improves the situation with people’s privacy step by step, the US government does the opposite. . .
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has voted to roll back some net neutrality regulations that require broadband providers to inform customers about their network management practices.
The Republican-controlled FCC on Thursday suspended the net neutrality transparency requirements for broadband providers with fewer than 250,000 subscribers. Critics called the decision anticonsumer.
The transparency rule, waived for five years in a 2-1 party-line vote Thursday, requires broadband providers to explain to customers their pricing models and fees as well as their network management practices and the impact on broadband service.
The commission had previously exempted ISPs with fewer than 100,000 subscribers, but Thursday’s decision expands the number of ISPs not required to inform customers. Only about 20 U.S. ISPs have more than 250,000 subscribers.
The five-year waiver may be moot, however. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Republicans in Congress are considering ways to scrap a large chunk of the net neutrality regulations approved by the agency just two years ago.
Small ISPs have argued the transparency rules amount to burdensome and costly regulations, while consumer advocates have argued that broadband customers have the right to know when a provider is throttling traffic. The exemption will allow small ISPs to redirect the money they spend on compliance, Pai said.
“I firmly believe that these ISPs should spend their limited capital building out better broadband to rural America, not hiring lawyers and accountants to fill out unnecessary paperwork demanded by Washington, D.C.,” he said.
However, the White House Office of Management and Budget, under former President Barack Obama, found that compliance with the transparency rules takes each broadband provider less than seven hours a year, noted Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, a Democrat. The new waiver exempts some large companies with smaller broadband subsidiaries from the transparency rules, she said.
“In an ongoing quest to dismantle basic consumer protections for broadband services, the majority has decided to exempt billion-dollar public companies from being transparent with consumers,” Clyburn added. “This represents yet another in a series of steps being taken to jettison pro-consumer initiatives.”
The commission’s two Republicans defended the change. In January, the House of Representatives passed a bill with a similar exemption in a voice vote with no dissenters, Commissioner Michael O’Rielly noted.
The vote represents a “sensible and soundly justifiable exemption for small internet service providers from unnecessary and expensive” regulations, O’Rielly said.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Note that the full article I’ve sited stated that “The Republican-controlled FCC”, so I can’t help but think they are also sizing up the USAC – Lifeline program as well with it’s fat budget and revenue streams – as the cuts across all boards they’re wanting to make. It’s only time now as they learn of ways to make the cuts and focus in on the whole government support of the poor – trying to bump it back to the States which are boarderline broke anyway.
IS IT – truly a BAD Time to be POOR in the USA and a recipient of Gov. subsidies and programs. The rich has always ran this country, but now they’re in controlling rolls of it as well from all points.
Pray for us.
Steve
PS: Regards to ISP limited capital – heck if they cut executives big multi-Million dollar bonuses and truly used that money to built out rural America broadband. Just you watch any decisions being made by the Republican-controlled FCC is going to be a chain action to a blanket effect, just watch as “the majority has decided to exempt billion-dollar public companies from being transparent with consumers” is a fact this is transpiring already.
On a side note – is that the Border Wall is a double bladed sword – not only to keep some out, but to keep all in as well.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We cannot disagree with a word you say, Steve. Let’s all hope it works out.
Steve says
@Beatrice and Jack – January 27, 2017
Check out the PCs for People program found at the following link.
It may just be what you’re looking for:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Beatrice and jack Tullis says
We live in Emanuel County, GA, and we are seniors on a fixed income. I am presently using hughes net, but they keep going up on their costs; I have tried an wifi antenna, but I guess I am too far away, and can’t pick up an air wave. Can you help me find a low cost or free internet service for my area? I won’t be able to keep hughes net, unless they reduce me down to $10.00 a month or less. I have had to have some major surgeries due to a bad fall, and it is getting to expensive to be able to use the internet. Help! I have Verizon wireless for my home phone.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Unfortunately, you are correct that neither HughesNet nor Verizon participate in a low-income internet plan. But you should check out all the low-income programs found at the link below. With a little luck, one or more of them will be available in your area:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Debbie says
I am on Lifeline for my home phone. I am on SSI. How do I get on this program for the broadband internet service?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
The program is moving along at a snail’s pace, Debbie. However, there are other similar programs that may solve your problem. Check out all the low-income internet plans available over at our other website, CheapInternet.com. Here’s a link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Tom says
the problem is that you don’t tell people that they can have internet OR cell phone but not both.
1 lifeline per household, internet or cellphone. so the internet is pointless to offer to people, perhaps it’s just me thinking this. what’s your thoughts on this people ???
Tom says
the FCC will decide if it should be again raised. 3G will be the minimum speed at least until 2019. In addition, voice plans will be required to offer unlimited voice.
voice plans will be required to offer unlimited voice << does this start in 2019 or december 1, 2016 ?? you didn't make it clear or not, might need to update this.
Larry B says
Tracfone say they will provide 3G data. I’m wondering if 3G is the maximum speed or minimum? Would I get 4G LTE if I use an LTE smartphone?
There are petitions from several other companies on FCC web site.
https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-broadband-provider-petitions-public-comment-periods
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Yes, we’ve been talking to our contact at the USAC today and we’ll be preparing an article on this subject very soon.
If we had to guess, Larry, we’d say that 4G will be the max, but that’s just a wild (but educated) guess.
Larry B says
Looks like Safelink will basically offer a $10 discount off of Tracfone rates. Thus will cost $15/month for unlimited talk text and 500MB of data.
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1031208197814/TracFone%20-%20Petition%20for%20Designation%20as%20a%20LifeLine%20Broadband%20Provider%20sent%2010-31-16.pdf
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
This is the first news we’ve found on the Lifeline Broadband program. That’s odd because the plan is set to go into effect on December 2. We’re eagerly awaiting applications from a lot more companies.
rhonda says
my phone got broken in the drive so i need to see if i can replace it with another free goverment phone n to see if i can get internet with it for the house at a cheeper price im in fostoria mich 48435 does any one have any answers
thanks
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check out our other website, Rhonda. It’s called CheapInternet.com and it specializes in all the low-income internet plans. And there are a lot of them. Here’s a link to all those programs:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Sunny Gibson says
I desperately need assistance with affordable internet. I am working a part-time job, but can not afford the current market rate internet at $50 per mo. I live in Los Angeles and have very limited income.
What are the services that cover my area. Where can I apply for help? Please reply.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We can’t personally respond to individual commenters because of the volume of comment we receive every day, Sunny. But here’s an online response:
All the low-income plans currently available can be found at the link below. Check them all out carefully to find the ones for which you qualify that are also available in your area:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Maria Teresa says
I have researched everything.These low-cost Internet programs don’t include people who don’t have children or are not on SSI.I meet the age requirement,and need this to work at home.The companies have strict computer requirements.I currently have ATT Internet w/ 3.42 download
and .52 upload. What can I do?I also receive food stamps.Thanks,Maria Teresa
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check out the PCs for People program found at the following link, Maria. It may just be what you’re looking for:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Victoria Young says
What about people who live in rural areas? There is no cable or DSL service available in many rural areas. The local phone and cable company say they will be out here in 3 – 5 years. This make the only options for this area satellite or a service that is wireless. These both run around $80+ a month.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Unfortunately, Victoria, it’s the price you pay to live in that beautiful rural area.
Freddie dejoint says
I’m still waiting to get free internet boardband services, Bitches
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
And with an attitude like that you’ll have to wait a little longer.
C D says
A Godsend Indeed! I’ve spent months Agonizing over which service or bill to pay, or skip; have gone through 4 different Budgeting Programs unsuccessfully, in spite of being Frugal to a Fault! I’ve been Hung-Up on, placed on Interminable Holds, w/ crappy Music, just so I could get an EXEMPTION from the 90 days w/o their Service (Int Essentials) to be able to get it sooner, as due to several dis-Abilities I depend on the Internet for my very Independent Survival, outside a Nursing Home. What displeases me most is, I’m a Trained Investigative Journalist, and I’ve wasted so much time seeking this out! Imagine what others must go through. Thus–though w/ Internet issue still unresolved–I’m Grateful for having dug long enough til I found this site, with this Info. (I just hope and pray that IF Whoever–other than Jill Stein, gets elected–they will LV THESE PROGRAMS ALONE, and in Place). We, the former Middle Class, have had it, w/ Flat Below Poverty Level Incomes, and Rising Costs…
jennine kepnes says
i have locost internet thru PCS refurbished due to your newsletter info and cut chord w/comcast finally since had to go w/out 90 days of internet. been very pleased w/service other than cost of hotspot but still have landline phone w/comcast since hearing impaired and safe link phone i have is difficult to hear .do you know how and when lifeline phone service for smartphones will be available.i am 65,disabled,live in federal housing plan. pay 55.00 for landline so looking for low-cost phone service w/smartphone features or hearing aids compatibility. live in boston,ma.
thankyou for providing great info. now that i’m past 60 days would be eligible for comcast internet essentials.is there any advantage over pcs refurbished? thanks,
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We’re very happy to hear that you’re pleased with your service, Jeannine. We hear so many complaints here that a comment like yours is a breath of fresh air.
According to recent FCC news, every Lifeline phone will need to be a smartphone as of December 1, 2016. But it’s possible to get a smartphone before that date. For example, Q Link now offers smartphones to every NEW customer (the current customers kind of get screwed on this deal). Most other companies also allow you to upgrade to a smartphone for a small fee.
One thing you said confuses us. You referred to PCS refurbished. Are you referring to PCs for People? If so, our readers usually tell us they are very happy with that company’s service.
Donald Moore says
Is there any opportunities for employment with these new programs in states such as California to sign people up like they do with cell phones? If so, who are they? I would like to get involved.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Good question, Donald. Much to our surprise, not one company has announced its Lifeline Broadband plans, so we can’t give you an accurate answer. But keep visiting CheapInternet.com because we’ll report the news as soon as it’s available.