FAQs

To learn more about establishing and updating user entitlements in One Portal (E-File), review the E-File User Guide. For questions about existing entitlements, please contact USAC at (888) 641-8722.

Yes. You must still complete the FCC Form 555. If you were not responsible for conducting any recertifications (due to being part of NV), you should enter “0” in blocks A – L.  If you were not required to conduct recertification but you still did, you must report the results for those subscribers.  

Yes. All ETCs that have a SAC assignment from USAC that has not been relinquished must complete and file FCC Form 555 with USAC, FCC, and relevant state and Tribal governments.

Yes. Only ETCs that do not assess or collect a monthly fee from their Lifeline subscribers need to report de-enrollment for non-usage. Most ETCs subject to the Non-usage Requirements are wireless service providers who offer a specific allotment of pre-paid minutes per month without a monthly fee after the application of the Lifeline discount. For more information pertaining to the de-enrollment requirements of pre-paid ETCs, refer to 47 C.F.R. Section 54.405(e)(3).

Other types of service providers should select “No” to the question “Is the ETC subject to the non-usage requirements,” and then the fields will be inactive/greyed out.

Report subscribers by the month of their anniversary date. You can review each subscriber’s anniversary date in NLAD.

If you were not responsible for conducting any recertifications (due to being part of NV), you should enter “0” in block A. If you were not required to conduct recertification but you still did, you must report the results for those subscribers. Enter the number of subscribers you had with anniversary dates for each data month. You must be able to support/document your claim.

If you were not responsible for conducting any recertifications (due to being part of NV), you should enter “0” in block B. If you were not required to conduct recertification but you still did, you must report the results for those subscribers. Subscribers de-enrolled before or after the recertification attempt begins should be accounted for in block B. This number should include all subscribers who de-enrolled for any reason, including those subscribers that discontinued Lifeline service with the service provider on their own initiative and those that the service provider de-enrolled from the Lifeline program (for example, subscribers de-enrolled for non-usage or who transferred their Lifeline benefits). If no subscribers were de-enrolled from Lifeline before or after the recertification attempt, the service provider should enter zero in block B.

If you were not responsible for conducting any recertifications (due to being part of NV), you should enter “0” in blocks D – L. If you were not required to conduct recertification but you still did, you must report the results for those subscribers. If your company performed the database query, the subscriber should be counted in block D (Subscribers recertified through access to state or federal database).

If a third party recertified the subscriber through a database check, the result should be reported in block L (Subscribers that recertified through a request from a state administrator).

A “state or federal database” means your company queried a database to determine the subscriber’s eligibility.

A “third party” means the subscriber’s eligibility was reviewed by a state administrator, third-party administrator, or USAC. For example, results from California, Oregon, and Texas should be reported in the “third party” section. If a third party performed the recertification, the results should always be reported in blocks I – L, even if they used a database.

It is the solely the service provider’s responsibility to file FCC Form 555. If you do not have the data needed to complete your filing, submit the filing with whatever data you have by the deadline, then submit a revision once the data is available. If a third party working on behalf of the state is not providing the information you need, contact your state administrator.

If you were not responsible for conducting any recertifications (due to being part of NV), you should enter “0” in blocks F – H. If you were not required to conduct recertification but you still did, you must report the results for those subscribers. List them in the “direct contact” section of the form (blocks F – H), not the third party section.

Yes. 497 Officer entitlements allow the user to certify both Lifeline Reimbursement Claims and the FCC Form 555 online.

Yes. One FCC Form 555 is required per SAC. Recertification results are no longer aggregated at the state level.

You can leave them black or enter zeros.

After filing with USAC via One Portal, service providers need to file a copy in the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System, Docket 14-171. Service providers must also submit a copy of the completed form with the relevant state and Tribal governments. Please check with your state public utilities/service commission for state requirements regarding your annual recertification.

FCC Form 555 Supplemental Information is available and “tooltips” are available within the One Portal. Click the question mark icon to view the relevant tooltip. More information is also available on the Annual Filings page. If you need further assistance, contact USAC at (888) 641-8722.