Lifeline program

E95211

The Lifeline program is a U.S. federal initiative that provides discounted phone and broadband services to low-income consumers to help ensure affordable access to communications.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Lifeline National Verifier system 1

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf U.S. federal assistance program
telecommunications subsidy program
administeredBy Federal Communications Commission NERFINISHED
aimsToEnsure affordable access to communications services
appliesTo broadband internet access
wireless phone service
wireline phone service
beneficiaryType residential consumers
benefitForm monthly discount on service bill
benefitLimitation one Lifeline benefit per household
benefits discounted broadband service
discounted monthly service
discounted phone service
benefitType recurring monthly subsidy
country United States of America
surface form: United States
eligibilityCriterion income at or below a percentage of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
participation in certain federal assistance programs
excludes business lines
federalAssistanceProgramLink Federal Public Housing Assistance
Medicaid
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Supplemental Security Income
Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
fundingSource Universal Service Fund contributions from telecommunications providers
hasComponent Lifeline program self-linksurface differs
surface form: Lifeline National Verifier system
hasLimitation benefit available only to eligible low-income households
implementedThrough participating service providers
inception 1985
legalBasis Communications Act of 1934
Telecommunications Act of 1996 NERFINISHED
monitoredBy Universal Service Administrative Company NERFINISHED
overseenBy Universal Service Administrative Company NERFINISHED
partOf Universal Service Fund NERFINISHED
policyGoal promote universal service
reduce the digital divide
purpose to make telecommunications services affordable for low-income consumers
to support access to phone and broadband services
regulator Federal Communications Commission NERFINISHED
regulatoryChange modernized to include broadband services in the 2010s
regulatoryInstrument FCC rules in Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations
requires consumer eligibility verification
scope nationwide
sector broadband communications
telecommunications
serviceType broadband internet access service
voice telephone service
targetPopulation eligible households
low-income consumers

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lifeline program hasComponent Lifeline program self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Lifeline National Verifier system
Rural Health Care program relatedTo Lifeline program