FCC Grants Limited Waiver on Emergency Broadband Benefit Device Rule

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau addressed the petitions of Cox Communications and the National Lifeline Association (NaLA)  seeking an expedited grant of a limited waiver of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) reimbursement rules as they apply to the connected device discount. The Petitioners request a waiver of the rule that prohibits a provider from seeking a connected device reimbursement for households that are not receiving EBB Program-supported service by the same provider. NaLA also requests that the FCC direct the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to update the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) to allow providers to view whether another provider has enrolled the household with a connected device or if there is a reimbursement claim for a connected device associated with that household. The FCC granted the petitions and extended the waiver to the entire program. This waiver permits all participating providers offering a connected device to submit a reimbursement claim for a connected device discount provided to a household that had been receiving an EBB-supported service from that provider at the time the device was supplied to the household, even if the household subsequently transferred its benefit to another provider prior to the snapshot date.