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U.S. regulator seeks to extend Lifeline programme to provide affordable Internet access to low-income households.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week proposed a broadband subsidy to make Internet access more affordable for low-income households.
If implemented, the scheme will see the FCC’s Lifeline programme, which gives eligible consumers a US$9.25 monthly subsidy for fixed voice services, extended to include standalone fixed or mobile broadband services and bundles of fixed or mobile voice and data services.
"Since 1985, Lifeline subsidies have helped make phone service affordable for low-income Americans. Now, Lifeline must evolve to meet today’s most pressing communications need: access to broadband," the FCC said in a statement on Tuesday. "With affordability still the largest single barrier to broadband adoption in low-income households, the draft order would reboot Lifeline to enable all Americans to share in the opportunities broadband connectivity provides."
Under the proposal, the FCC will apply minimum service standards to ensure that subsidised broadband services meet modern needs.
The proposed standards are 10 Mbps downlink and 1 Mbps uplink speeds, and a minimum allowance of 150 GB per month for fixed broadband, and 500 MB per month of 3G data, increasing to 2 GB per month by 2018 for mobile broadband. From 1 December this year, subsidised mobile services must also include unlimited voice minutes.
The FCC said it plans to establish a National Eligibility Verifier, a neutral third party tasked with preventing ineligible consumers receiving subsidies and reducing the administrative burden on telcos.
The extended Lifeline programme will be subject to a review in mid-2019.
The FCC plans to vote on the proposal on 31 March.
