Federal Communications Commission	DA 18-1251



2
DA 18-1251
Released:  December 13, 2018

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES FULL LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL LIFELINE ELIGIBILITY VERIFIER IN FIVE STATES AND ONE TERRITORY
WC Docket No. 11-42
By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces that effective January 15, 2019, the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) will fully launch in five states – Hawaii, Idaho, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and South Dakota – and one territory – Guam.  The Commission established the National Verifier in the 2016 Lifeline Order to make eligibility determinations and perform a variety of other functions necessary to enroll subscribers in the Lifeline program. See Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization et al., Third Report and Order, Further Report and Order, and Order on Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 3962, 4006, para. 126 (2016) (2016 Lifeline Order).
   

Starting on January 15, 2019, Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs) in these five states and one territory will be required to use the National Verifier to make eligibility determinations for all consumers applying for Lifeline service and must cease using legacy eligibility processes for prospective Lifeline subscribers.  In addition, on that same day, consumers can begin to check their eligibility for Lifeline service directly by using the National Verifier consumer portal available at CheckLifeline.org.  The consumer portal is available in both English and Spanish language versions.  Finally, consumers, as well as service providers, will be able to mail Lifeline program forms and documentation to USAC for manual review.  Consumers and service providers can obtain the Lifeline program application form by going to CheckLifeline.org and clicking on “print a paper form.”  Forms sent by mail should be sent to:

USAC Lifeline Support Center 
P.O. Box 7081 
London, KY 40742 

During the soft launch period for these five states and one territory, which was initiated on October 15, 2018, Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Launch of the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier in Five Additional States and One Territory, WC Docket No. 11-42, Public Notice, DA 18-1042 (WCB Oct. 11, 2018).

 reverification of existing Lifeline subscribers began.  That process will continue after January 15, 2019, to verify that subscribers in the National Verifier for these five states and one territory are eligible to receive Lifeline service.  In addition, annual recertification is now being conducted by the National Verifier for all Lifeline consumers in these five states and one territory. 

USAC has been conducting ongoing outreach and training for ETCs in the relevant states during the soft launch.  ETCs have also had access to a pre-production test environment during the soft launch, which was designed to improve ETCs’ ability to conduct sample transactions using test data that does not reflect actual Lifeline applicants and train their employees for readiness.  In order to ensure that ETCs continue to be supported during the transition to the National Verifier, USAC will be contacting ETCs in the relevant states to provide details regarding additional training opportunities.  Informational resource materials regarding the National Verifier are also available on USAC’s website. See https://www.usac.org/li/tools/national-verifier/how-to-use.aspx


For further information, please contact Allison Jones, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-1571, or at allison.jones@fcc.gov or Allison Baker, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-8128, or at allison.baker@fcc.gov.
– FCC –