FCC Record, Volume 27, No. 8, Pages 6653 to 6954, Supplement (February-March 2012) Page: 6,665
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rates between households earning less than $10,000 and all households has steadily narrowed since the
inception of Lifeline. When consumers are able to only intermittently remain on the network, they are not
fully connected to society and the economy because, among the economy because, among other things, they are unable to apply for and
receive call-backs for jobs or reach important social services, health care, and public safety agencies on a
constant basis. The Commission has found that the low-income program "provide[s] the best source of
assistance for individuals to obtain and retain universal service, and, therefore, help maintain and improve
telephone subscribership"36 and fulfill our obligations under section 254 of the Act.
Chart 137
17. There are substantial benefits to increasing the availability of communications services,
including both voice and broadband service, for low-income Americans. As an initial matter, all
consumers, not just low-income consumers, receive value from the network effects of widespread voice
and broadband subscribershi."38 Moreover, voice service remains a prerequisite for full participation in
our economy and society.3 Those consumers without affordable, quality voice services are at a
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ability of Cricket's low-income subscriber base to maintain continuous access to the PSTN.") (Cricket Dec. 1 ex
parte Letter).
36 Universal Service First Report and Order, 12 FCC Red at 8845. para. 124 (emphasis added).
37 2011 MONITORING REPORT at Table 3.2 (for 1997 to 2011 data): 2011 WCB SUBSCRIBERSHIP REPORT at Table
6.14 (for 1984-1996 data). In FCC statistical reports, "'low-income" is defined as those subscribers earning $9,999
or less in 1984 dollars. See 2011 MONITORING REPORT AT 3-12. $9,999 in 1984 dollars is equal to $21,780 in 2011
dollars. See id. at Table 3.3.
38 See One Economy Comments at 12 ("'While individuals will discover personal socioeconomic gains from
adoption of broadband, a population of broadband adopters will lead to significant progress around strengthening
educational outcomes, increasing innovation and entrepreneurship reducing healthcare costs_ and improving the
efficiency of government services.").
39 See, e.g., Letter from Olivia Wein. National Consumer Law Center, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal
Communications Commission, WC Dkt. No. 11-42 et al., at 1 (filed Aug. 26, 201 1) (NCLC Aug. 26 exparte Letter)
(continued....)6665
Federal Communications Commission
FCC 12-11
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United States. Federal Communications Commission. FCC Record, Volume 27, No. 8, Pages 6653 to 6954, Supplement (February-March 2012), book, 2012; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc111169/m1/23/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.