Effective Dates of New FCC Lifeline Rules Finalized

Earlier today, the FCC announced in the Federal Register that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the remaining changes to the FCC’s Lifeline rules that were adopted in last spring’s Lifeline Modernization Order.  We provide an updated “Track Changes” version of the FCC’s revised Lifeline rules showing when each of the rule changes will become effective.  Additionally, the FCC released a Public Notice showing the effective date of each new rule.

As we previously wrote, there were some discrepancies between the effective dates as summarized by the FCC versus the Federal Register notice.  Today’s publication in the Federal Register resolves and finalizes the effective date for each of the new rules.  The bulk of the amendments to the rules will not become effective until December 2, 2016, and the amendments to rule 54.410(f) will not become effective until January 1, 2017, as we describe in another post. Nonetheless, carriers may now seek Lifeline Broadband Provider (“LBP”) designation from the FCC.

Our annotated version of the rules attempts to provide a practical guide to the new rule changes, but it is not definitive nor a substitute for seeking legal advice.  Finally, some of the rules are subject to a pending appeal and multiple petitions for reconsideration, which could alter the final rules in significant ways.  DWT will closely monitor the dates and keep you apprised of any changes.