FCC Clarifies Broadband Lifeline Obligations for Rate-of-Return Carriers

Today, the Wireline Competition Bureau released an Order clarifying the broadband Lifeline obligations for rate-of-return carriers. WTA and NTCA filed in October 2016 a request for a temporary waiver of a provision in the Lifeline Modernization Order seen as requiring RLECs to provide standalone broadband service to their Lifeline customers. The Bureau Order clarifies that high-cost support recipients must permit Lifeline customers to apply their discount to standalone broadband offerings “where the ETC commercially offers standalone BIAS.” Accordingly, there is no specific requirement that high-cost recipients offer standalone BIAS service.