Federal Communications Commission DA 21-336 DA 21-336 Released: March 19, 2021 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON THE STATE OF THE LIFELINE MARKETPLACE WC Docket No. 11-42 Comment Date: April 19, 2021 Reply Comment Date: May 4, 2021 In the 2016 Lifeline Order, the Commission directed the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) to submit a State of the Lifeline Marketplace Report by June 30, 2021. 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, 3987, para. 66 (2016) (2016 Lifeline Order). The Commission directed the Bureau to review the Lifeline marketplace and make a recommendation to the Commission regarding whether the Lifeline program’s transition to chiefly supporting broadband services, as set out in the 2016 Lifeline Order, should be completed. Id. By this Public Notice, the Bureau seeks input on the state of the Lifeline marketplace to inform the Bureau’s review for the report it will submit to the Commission, including the prevalence of subscriptions to various service offerings in the Lifeline program, the affordability of both voice and broadband services, the pace since adoption of the 2016 Lifeline Order at which voice and data usage has changed, minimum service standards, and the net benefits of continuing to support voice service as a standalone option. Id. The Bureau also seeks comment on the intersection between the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and the Lifeline marketplace. Pursuant to section 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or before April 19, 2021 and reply comments on or before May 4, 2021. Filing Requirements. All filings must refer to WC Docket No. 11-42. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). · Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. · Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. · Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S-. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. · Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street, NE, Washington DC 20554. · Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings. This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2788 (Mar. 19, 2020), https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Government Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530. Ex Parte Rules. This proceeding shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. See 47 CFR §§ 1.1200 et seq. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must: (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made; and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenters written comments, memoranda, or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with section 1.1206(b) of the Commission’s rules. In proceedings governed by section 1.49(f) of the rules or for which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml., .ppt, searchable .pdf). Id. § 1.1206(b). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules. For further information regarding this proceeding, please contact Allison Jones, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at Allison.Jones@fcc.gov. - FCC - 2