FCC Seeks Comment on USTelecom Petition for Waiver of Lifeline Rules

The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a Petition for Waiver (petition) filed on April 25, 2012 by the United States Telecom Association (USTelecom).

In its petition, USTelecom requests that the Commission temporarily waive several rules established in the recent Lifeline Reform Order. Specifically, USTelecom seeks a temporary waiver from the obligation to obtain a signed customer certification and a notice of customer eligibility from certain states prior to seeking reimbursement (sections 54.407(d), 54.410(b)(2), 54.410(c)(2)). USTelecom requests that the waiver apply to ETCs in those states which make initial determinations of customer eligibility and are unable to modify their procedures in time for the ETCs to comply with sections 54.407(d), 54.410(b)(2) and 54.410 by June 1, 2012.3 USTelecom requests that the waiver last until a state is able to provide ETCs with the required notices of eligibility and customer certifications. Interested parties may file comments on or before May 15, 2012. Because at least some of the rules from which USTelecom seeks waiver will go into effect June 1, 2012 the Bureau adopts an expedited comment period for this proceeding.

[WC Docket Nos. 12-23, 11-42, 03-109; CC Docket No. 96-45]