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DA 18-627
Released:  June 18, 2018
WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES THE INITIAL LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL LIFELINE ELIGIBILITY VERIFIER DATABASE
WC Docket No. 11-42
	By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces that the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier database (National Verifier) is now operational in Colorado, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.  
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 into 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).
  The National Verifier has been designed to verify Lifeline subscriber eligibility, conduct checks to prevent duplicate benefits, recertify subscriber eligibility, and calculate support payments to eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs).  
As of June 18, 2018, ETCs in these six states can begin using the National Verifier to verify the eligibility of consumers applying for Lifeline service.  The National Verifier’s launch today is a soft launch, which means that ETCs may begin using the National Verifier for eligibility determinations but may also continue to use existing eligibility determination processes.  This soft launch period will allow ETCs to become familiar with the National Verifier online portal before use of the National Verifier becomes mandatory.  If an ETC uses existing eligibility processes to determine a subscriber’s eligibility during the soft launch period, the ETC must comply with the Commission’s existing rules for eligibility determinations. See 47 CFR §§ 54.410(a), 54.410(b)(1), 54.410(c)(1), 54.410(d), 54.410(g).
  During the soft launch, only ETCs will have access to the National Verifier.  Consumers will be able to access the National Verifier at a later date once the hard launch takes place.  

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 –