USTelecom filed a petition for waiver of some of the...
USTelecom filed a petition for waiver of some of the Lifeline rules Wednesday, arguing that eligible telecom carriers have no control over whether states will meet their obligation to provide ETCs with notice of a subscriber’s eligibility, a prerequisite to…
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an ETC’s ability to enroll new customers in compliance with three sections of the Commission’s rules (http://xrl.us/bm5ajm). USTelecom requested a waiver of those rules, to apply in a state where eligibility determinations reside with state officials, and where the state is unable to modify its Lifeline enrollment procedures to meet the June 1 deadline. Without the waiver, “some or all new low-income consumers will not receive Lifeline benefits to which they otherwise are entitled,” USTelecom said. In California, Florida, New York and Texas, more than 50,000 low-income subscribers would see their benefits denied -- “a draconian result that the Commission should make every effort to avoid,” the association said.