Verizon should expand Lifeline broadband beyond FiOS territory, says National Hispanic Media Coalition

Verizon plans to offer Lifeline-supported broadband services where it offers FiOS service today, but the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) says the telecommunication company's efforts don’t go far enough. The NHMC says Verizon should offer Lifeline-enabled broadband throughout its entire footprint. “While this is a good first step, NHMC believes Verizon must better serve its low-income customers by expanding its Lifeline broadband service to its entire broadband footprint and not only where it offers FiOS,” said the NHMC.

In a filing Verizon issued earlier in Dec, the company said it plans to offer Lifeline-based broadband in FiOS areas starting in the middle of 2017 to address the broadband “affordability challenge.” “We hope that providing qualifying low-income Americans with the choice to use their Lifeline benefit for our eligible broadband Internet access services will help address this affordability challenge and will be another useful step towards closing the remaining digital divide,” Verizon said. However, the issue is that Verizon, along with other large telecommunication and cable companies AT&T and Charter, sought forbearance of Lifeline broadband Internet access service (BIAS) requirements.