FCC Issues Temporary Waiver of Certain Lifeline Rules and Allows T-Mobile to Provide Service on Emergency Basis

The Federal Communications Commission takes emergency action to ensure continuity of Lifeline service for the Lifeline households formerly served by Q Link Wireless LLC prior to its suspension. The FCC finds good cause exists to temporarily waive certain Lifeline requirements to prevent disruption to certain Lifeline subscribers’ service in the wake of Q Link’s suspension from the Lifeline program. The waiver of these rules will allow T-Mobile USA, Inc, with which Q Link contracted as an underlying service provider for its previous Lifeline offering, to provide the Lifeline-discounted service on an emergency basis to persons who would otherwise abruptly lose that service.