Upcoming Dates

05/13
2026
May 2026 Monthly Webinar

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

LifelineSupport.org Improvements

Apr 17, 2026

USAC is excited to announce that Lifeline’s consumer website LifelineSupport.org has been updated to improve the consumer experience and make key information easier to access. The refresh includes new webpages, easier to understand content, and improved navigation. These updates are designed to better support both consumers and the organizations that assist them by making information clearer, more...

Read More
April Monthly System Maintenance

Apr 15, 2026

USAC will perform scheduled monthly system maintenance on Friday, April 17, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m....

Read More
Lifeline Claims System Notice

Apr 1, 2026

USAC is aware that the rate field in the claims input template is not pre-populating when the template...

Read More
FCC Form 481 Due by July 1, 2026

Apr 1, 2026

Eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) participating in the High Cost and/or Lifeline programs must annually file the FCC...

Read More
Lifeline Newsletter – March 2026

Mar 31, 2026

  • Lifeline Introduces a Tribal Lands Verification Tool for Consumers