FCC Issues Further Guidance for Affordable Connectivity Program

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau waives certain provisions of rules governing the internet service offering, standard rate, provider participation, and election notice requirements for the end of the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program as a result of the text in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Bureau also provides additional guidance to help consumers, participating service providers, program partners, and other stakeholders prepare for the transition from the EBB Program to the Affordable Connectivity Program. This guidance covers:

1. The transition of EBB providers to the Affordable Connectivity Program.
2. The timing of the enrollment freeze for the EBB Program and the start of enrollments for the Affordable Connectivity Program. Starting at 6:00 p.m. (EST) on December 30, 2021, the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) will be closed for purposes of subscriber transfers and the addition of new subscribers, and service providers will no longer be able to enroll qualified consumers in the EBB Program. The NLAD will reopen for subscriber transfers and the addition of new subscribers to the Affordable Connectivity Program on December 31, 2021.
3. The continued access to the paper and online EBB Program applications.
4. The treatment of pending applications for the EBB Program on and after December 31, 2021. The FCC strongly encourages consumers to submit their application for the EBB Program and enroll with a service provider well in advance of the freeze in EBB Program enrollments. If a household has a pending EBB Program application after EBB Program enrollments cease, regardless of whether the application was submitted in the application portal or via a mailed paper application, that household can continue to rely on that application for purposes of an eligibility determination and enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
5. The households that qualify for the 60-day transition period.
6. The reverification process for certain households enrolled in the EBB Program. The majority of legacy EBB Program households will not need to reverify their eligibility to continue to receive the Affordable Connectivity Program benefit after the end of the transition period. USAC will conduct the reverifications and necessary de-enrollments for impacted households that were deemed qualified for the EBB Program through the National Verifier. USAC will also conduct the reverification and necessary de-enrollments for impacted households that were deemed qualified for the EBB Program through a service provider approved alternative verification process, if the service provider informed USAC that it will not continue using its approved alternative verification process for the Affordable Connectivity Program.
7. The service provider consumer notification responsibilities about the upcoming program changes. The FCC directs: 
   • USAC to notify all households enrolled in the EBB Program about the upcoming program changes and also update the relevant websites to include information about these changes.
   • Service providers with EBB Program households to communicate with those households about the upcoming changes. At a minimum, this information will include: (1) the change in the program name to the Affordable Connectivity Program; (2) the effective date of December 31, 2021 for the new program; (3) the continued availability of their current subsidy amount during the 60-day transition period; (4) the beginning and end dates of the 60-day transition period; (5) the subsidy amounts available under the Affordable Connectivity Program after the 60-day transition period; (6) that the subscriber may switch service offerings at any time; and (7) that the subscriber will receive additional information if they are required to take any steps to retain any benefit after March 1, 2022.