August 6, 2026
California Subscribers Continued Eligibility Starts Today, August 6
Under direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and pursuant to the FCC OIG Advisory Regarding Deceased and Duplicate Lifeline Subscribers, USAC is initiating a continued eligibility process for federal subscribers who were previously determined eligible by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC). The continued eligibility process started today, August 6, 2026, and fulfils the 2026 recertification requirement for affected subscribers in California.Â
Subscribers will first be checked against automated databases to verify their eligibility, identity, address, duplicate address information, and to confirm they are not deceased. Subscribers can use the Acceptable Documentation Guide (English & Spanish) as a resource throughout the process if they need to upload documentation.Â
Subscribers must complete the process within 60 days. Service providers can track subscribers’ continued eligibility status using the Continued Eligibility Status Report in the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD).Â
USAC will host a dedicated Office Hour session for service providers who would like to attend on August 26, where they can ask questions about the continued eligibility process. For more information, please refer to the June 16 bulletin and watch our California Continued Eligibility Process training that was held on July 8, 2026.Â
July 27, 2026
Ad-Hoc System Maintenance on 7/30
USAC will perform an ad-hoc system maintenance on Thursday, July 30, from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
The production environments of the following systems are impacted:
- National Verifier Portal
- National Verifier Carrier API Â
National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) functions that require the National Verifier will also be affected (e.g., enroll or transfer transactions).
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
July 22, 2026
The FCC Releases Annual Public Notice: Conditional Forbearance on Lifeline Voice Obligations
On July 9, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued a Public Notice announcing a list of counties in which conditional forbearance, where certain service providers will no longer be required to offer Lifeline-supported voice service, applied. The conditional forbearance is effective September 8, 2026.
This forbearance only applies to Eligible Telecommunication Carriers (ETCs) with designations that enable them to receive both High Cost and Lifeline support, but do not actually receive federal high-cost universal service support. Lifeline-only ETCs must continue to provide voice service as required.
Providers that participate in both the Lifeline and High-Cost programs are required to advertise and offer Lifeline-supported voice services. However, in the 2016 Lifeline Order, the FCC established that this obligation could be waived in counties where certain competitive conditions are met. The Bureau evaluates data annually and publishes a list of counties where the following competitive conditions are met:
- At least 51% of Lifeline subscribers in the county are obtaining broadband internet access service.
- There are at least three other providers of Lifeline broadband internet access service that each serve at least 5% of the Lifeline broadband subscribers in that county.
For qualifying service providers, this forbearance will remain in place until 60 days after the FCC issues its 2027 update, which will publish a revised list of counties that meet the competitive conditions.
Note: This forbearance does not preclude ETCs from electing to provide and receive reimbursement for Lifeline-discounted voice service.
July 21, 2026
Ad-Hoc System Maintenance on 7/23
USAC will perform an ad-hoc system maintenance on Thursday, July 23, from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
The production environments of the following systems are impacted:
- National Verifier Portal
- National Verifier Carrier API Â
National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) functions that require the National Verifier will also be affected (e.g., enroll or transfer transactions).
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
