FCC Votes to Launch Pilot Program to Include Broadband Internet Service in Lifeline

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lifeline program, run by the FCC has provided free telephone service to those who cannot afford it for the past twenty five years. Now, Bloomberg News is reporting that the FCC has voted to start a pilot program to test the feasibility of adding broadband internet service to the program, with the goal of helping those who can least afford it, access the Internet.

The Lifeline program is paid for by a surcharge on the bill of every other phone subscriber, including cell phone service. Currently, that surcharge is a flat $2.25 for most customers. If the broadband service is added to the program, it's likely the surcharge will go up, though as yet, no amount has been disclosed. Bloomberg reports that the Lifeline fund currently has an operating budget of about $1.3 billion and that the pilot program will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 million.

The Times reports that 32% of homes in the United States still do not have broadband access, and that number rises to nearly two thirds of homes with low income families.

Bloomberg News reports that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski spoke after the vote saying that "Broadband has gone from being a luxury to a necessity in the 21st century" as the reason for the pilot program.

The vote came after discussions about the program for several months. Some members of the committee that oversees the Lifeline project feared reprisals from Congress for voting to start a new program without consulting those on Capitol Hill. Other's such as Rep. Anna G. Eshoo stressed their support by speaking to the media. She said "...the establishment of a broadband adoption pilot program will help close our nation's digital divide..." Her comments were directed at the growing distance between the rich and poor in this country with the poor being left behind now in ways that may prevent them from ever getting ahead, as access to the Internet is now seen as a critical part of the education process.

The Times also noted that the new pilot program by the FCC will add to others already in place such as those offered by cable providers. Comcast for example offers broadband Internet service for a minimal fee to those who have children at home that take part in federally funded school lunch programs.

The FCC did not specify in its announcement who will be included in the pilot program or how long it will last.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/will-lifeline-guarantee-high-speed-internet-access-for-all-1.html