California PUC to Look at Updating Calculations for Lifeline Subsidy Amounts
The California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to start a rulemaking to update the state's Lifeline program. CPUC had been scheduled to vote that day on submitting the state's final BEAD proposal to NTIA (see 2511180007), but that was delayed until the agency's Dec. 18 meeting.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
The rulemaking will look at updating the methodology used to calculate the subsidy amounts that program participants receive and the minimum level of service that companies offering Lifeline service need to provide, said Ana Johnson, deputy executive director of the CPUC's broadband and communications division. She noted that the methodology would tie the subsidy amount to the proposed minimum service standards required in Lifeline. The CPUC communications division would conduct market analyses to assess the affordability of service and then adjust the subsidy amount, as well as the minimum service standards, she said.
Johnson added that the rulemaking will also look at ways to improve the state's Lifeline application and renewal processes and to provide Lifeline support during a natural disaster or emergency. An FCC order Thursday said California can no longer opt out of the federal verification system for Lifeline subscribers and use its own (see 2511200031).