Upcoming Dates

11/12
2025
November Monthly Webinar
12/10
2025
December Monthly Webinar

See full calendar

Resources

How It Works

Lifeline is a federal program that offers a monthly benefit of up to $9.25 towards phone or internet services for eligible subscribers (up to $34.25 for those living on Tribal lands).

Eligible Consumers

A consumer can qualify for the Lifeline benefit if their income is 135% or less than the federal poverty guidelines, or if they participate in SNAP, Medicaid, or other federal programs. See the full list of qualifying factors.

Eligible Services

Lifeline subscribers can apply their benefit to home or mobile phone service or to high-speed broadband.

The Process

These steps will help service providers navigate the process to join Lifeline as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC).

1

Become an ETC

2

Create a Compliance Plan

3

Obtain a Study Area Code

4

Obtain a 498 ID

Get Started

Announcements

October Maintenance Reminder

Oct 15, 2025

Monthly and Ad Hoc System Maintenance, October 17 

USAC will perform system maintenance starting Friday, October 17 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 18. Users will be unable to submit applications at this time.

The production environments of the following systems are impacted: 

  • National Verifier...

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Lifeline Newsletter – September 2025

Sep 30, 2025

  • PQA Requests for Information Are Going Out for Lifeline

    • USAC is aware that users were experiencing unexpected intermittent errors with the National Verifier and National Verifier...

    Read More
Intermittent Issues in the National Verifier

Sep 23, 2025

USAC is aware that users are experiencing intermittent issues performing transactions in the National Verifier and National...

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September Monthly Maintenance Reminder

Sep 17, 2025

USAC will perform scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, September 19 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET...

Read More
Read more announcements