Deferring Lifeline Deadline Won't Delay Veteran Benefits, New York Says
Granting New York more time to align Lifeline with updated federal rules wouldn’t delay benefits to veterans or other customers, the state said. Staff from the New York Department of Public Service and FCC Wireline Bureau spoke by phone Thursday,…
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said a Friday ex parte letter in FCC docket 11-42. New York is one of several states supporting a USTelecom petition to waive a Dec. 2 Lifeline implementation deadline (see 1610240024). “Bureau Staff expressed their concern that the grant of a waiver would delay the extension of benefits to new categories of customers, including those receiving Veterans’ Benefits,” the state said. “With respect to New York’s waiver request this would not occur. Currently, New York State eligibility criteria includes Veterans’ benefits, which means that those customers are eligible to receive federal benefits as well. A waiver for New York would not therefore delay any receipt of Lifeline benefits for these customers.”