Upcoming Dates
Manage Your Account
Verify consumer eligibility and dispute verification failures:
How It Works
Lifeline is a federal program that offers a monthly benefit of $9.25 towards phone or internet services for eligible subscribers (up to $34.25 for those living on Tribal/Native 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).
Become an ETC
Create a Compliance Plan
Obtain a Study Area Code
Obtain a 498 ID
Announcements
Update: Intermittent Connectivity Issues in the National Verifier
Nov 20, 2019
National Verifier users may continue to experience intermittent connectivity issues. These may prevent users from completing eligibility checks in the National Verifier portal. This may also affect Lifeline Support Center review times. USAC is actively working to resolve this and will provide an update once access to the system is...
Read MoreFCC Partially Grants Lifeline Service Standards Relief
Nov 19, 2019
The FCC released an order today that partially grants carriers relief from the Minimum Service...
Read MoreIntermittent Connectivity Issues in the National Verifier and NLAD
Nov 19, 2019
The National Verifier and the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) are experiencing intermittent connectivity issues....
Read MoreFCC Releases Fifth Report and Order Thursday, November 14
Nov 15, 2019
On Thursday, November 14, the FCC released the Fifth Order and Report on "Bridging the...
Read MoreNovember System Maintenance Schedule
Nov 13, 2019
Reminder: Scheduled System Maintenance, November 15 The National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), National Verifier, and...
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