CPUC Won't Make Dec. 2 Lifeline Deadline, Seeks 1-Year Waiver
California wants another year to align its state LifeLine program with the updated federal low-income program, the California Public Utilities Commission said Friday. In a petition in docket 11-42, the CPUC said California, like some other states, won’t make the…
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FCC’s Dec. 2 deadline for implementing parts of its order adding broadband internet access service as a supported service in the program (see 1610210046). The CPUC asked for a temporary waiver to implement rules and processes by Oct. 31, 2017. The California LifeLine administrator and providers “have informed the CPUC that they need 11 to 18 months to make these changes to their systems,” the CPUC said: “Because so many California Lifeline subscribers will be affected by the changes to the federal rules, the CPUC, the Administrator, and service providers must carefully plan, implement, and test the changes before rolling them out.” Cox Communications supported the CPUC petition last week (see 1610240024). Some states have sued the FCC over the Lifeline order (see 1610120050). Earlier last week, the CPUC OK’d an order allowing uncertified fixed VoIP carriers to voluntarily participate in California LifeLine. The companies will be able to participate even if they don’t have a certificate of public convenience and necessity to operate in California, the CPUC said in the proposal (see 1609280017). “By adding fixed-VoIP services to the LifeLine Program, we are furthering our goal of achieving technological neutrality across platforms and providing more choices for consumers,” CPUC President Michael Picker said in a news release Thursday. “We also adopted service elements that will preserve essential consumer protections and ensure that minimum voice communication needs are met, regardless of income.” Meanwhile, the Arizona Corporation Commission OK’d three wireless companies to receive federal funds for providing or expanding Lifeline service for low-income residents, the ACC said in a Friday news release. Under its authority to designate eligible telecom carriers, the state commission signed off on an application by Tag Mobile to be designated as an ETC for mostly rural areas of Arizona, and applications by i-Wireless and Telrite to expand services deeper into rural areas, the ACC said.