national verifier acp

Households that dispute an allegation of non-payment with the provider may file a complaint with the FCC's Consumer Complaint Center. on NARA's archives.gov. 47 U.S.C. Even if some or all of a provider's ACP payment has been offset to satisfy an outstanding Federal or State debt, it is required to pass the ACP discount to the customer for the service or connected device claimed. In considering this decision, the Commission is not persuaded by comments in the record suggesting that such a limited commission-based compensation prohibition is unnecessary or that representative registration in the RAD alone is sufficient to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) - Spectrum A household may file a complaint against its provider via the FCCs Consumer Complaint Center, consumercomplaints.fcc.gov; visit acpbenefit.org for more information on ACP. However, each of the separate Affordable Connectivity Program rules the Commission adopt here serve a particular function toward these goals. See ACP Public Notice, establishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned Cricket Wireless Affordable Connectivity Program Enrollment The automatic ACP credit will be removed from your account, and your rate plan will continue at full price. ) The effective date of the provider's removal from the Affordable Connectivity Program; ( Metro by TMobile features and services for personal use only. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides eligible low-income households a monthly discount of up to $30 for broadband service (up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands) as well as a one-time up to $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. 141. 1752(b)(11), the Commission finds good cause, to the extent necessary, to adopt these rules without notice and public procedure because implementing the rest of the program without these statutorily mandated consumer protections would undermine the overall scheme. If a prospective participant is on red light, it will need to satisfy or make arrangements to satisfy any debts owed to the Commission before its application and/or election notice will be processed. Election Notice Process and Requirements, b. Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program including monthly rental costs for equipment such as modems, routers, and hotspot devices and antennas. 1752(b)(3), (i)(5). The price information from at least one of these analogous devices must be available from a major retailer, such as Amazon, Apple, B&H, BJ's, Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, Lenovo, Micro Center (Micro Electronics), Microsoft, Newegg, Office Depot, Office Max, Sam's Club, Samsung, Staples, Target, TigerDirect, and Walmart (not including third-party sellers on any of these retailers' websites). The Commission directs the Bureau to coordinate with USAC to make changes to the identity documentation requirements as necessary to administer the program and promote program integrity and the Commission directs the Bureau to work with USAC to explore whether other systems or databases could be used to verify the identity of consumers who provide alternative documentation instead of the last four digits of their social security number. All Metro by T-Mobile rate plans with smartphone data qualify for the ACP benefit. (f) What are the program benefits? The Commission adopts in its rules the Infrastructure Act's $30.00 standard monthly discount and reimbursement rate. Were making the program available through Metro by T-Mobile and Assurance Wireless. Commission Collaboration with Other Federal Agencies. and services, go to Broadband internet access service. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the Wireline Competition Bureau shall automatically approve as a participating provider a broadband provider that has an established program as of April 1, 2020, that is widely available and offers internet service offerings to eligible households and maintains verification processes that are sufficient to avoid fraud, waste, and abuse. has no substantive legal effect. Effective March 16, 2022, except for 47 CFR 54.1802(b), 54.1804, 54.1807(b), 54.1808(c)(1) and (2), 54.1809(c), and 54.1810(a) and (b), which are effective April 15, 2022. It may be beneficial to provide access to the National Verifier to a limited number of neutral, trusted third party entities, such as schools and school districts, or other local or State government entities, for purposes of assisting consumers with completing and submitting an application for the Affordable Connectivity Program, provided that the consumer is physically present with the person providing assistance. Providers must submit updated and accurate contact information and similar administrative information within ten business days of the change in information. To see if you qualify for ACP, go to the federal government's National Verifier site at acpbenefit.org. Please visit the National Verifier to verify your eligibility and confirm enrollment. How to Complete National Verifier for ACP - YouTube While providers must also allow existing subscribers to apply the affordable connectivity benefit to legacy or grandfathered plans, the Commission considers this requirement satisfied if providers accommodate requests by existing subscribers to apply the affordable connectivity benefit to legacy or grandfathered plans on a case-by-case basis no later than 60 days after the request. 149. The tracker was last updated on May 29, 2023. An economic unit consists of all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household. Providers are further required to apply the affordable connectivity benefit to the household's account promptly. And even if a particular type of modem, router, or other associated equipment is technically necessary in order to use a specific type of broadband internet access service, a participating provider may not compel or pressure an eligible household to purchase or rent such equipment from the provider in conjunction with selecting (or applying the benefit to) that type of service if the needed equipment is also available from other vendors and the household could opt to obtain it from someone other than the provider. Consumers looking for general information on the Federal Communications Commissions (FCCs) Affordable Connectivity Program should visit See, e.g., (c) Transition provisions for participating providers that are removed or that voluntarily withdraw from the program and their subscribers. The National Verifier has already been modified to make eligibility determinations based on the eligibility criteria that were added (WIC and income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) and removed (substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020) in the Infrastructure Act for purposes of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Step 4: Sign up for service with Metro to get a FREE phone and a $30credit. Finally, a provider must describe why its established program requires approval of an alternative verification process and it is required to explain why it proposes to use an alternative verification process instead of the National Verifier eligibility determinations. 39. Tracking and Reporting of Available Funding, H. Transition of Legacy EBB Program Households, J. ViX Terms of Use and Privacy Policy apply. Commissions based on the number of Lifeline applications or successful Lifeline enrollments are one such incentive, and by limiting them today, we remove a financial incentive for committing fraudulent activity. While the Bureau and USAC have engaged in remedial actions to prevent this specific abuse, the Commission is concerned that the financial incentives for provider sales agents based on enrollments and applications invites program waste. The provider is required to describe the processes it (or a third-party) uses to verify the required information and is required to explain why the alternative process would be sufficient to avoid waste, fraud, and abuse. Prior to transmitting subscriber information to the NLAD, service providers must also comply with the disclosure and consent requirements that the Commission adopts in the Report and Order and must submit changes to subscriber information to the NLAD within 10 business days. In those situations, the participating provider claiming reimbursement must retain documentation demonstrating that the amount claimed by the provider is fully passed through to the eligible household as a discount off the monthly price that the eligible household otherwise would have paid to the bulk purchaser. Instead, the Commission adopts a hybrid approach that takes into consideration the various categories of legacy EBB households, and each category's respective potential level of risk for an adverse experience. 804(2). The Commission believes a wide range of outreach is needed to best promote awareness of and increase participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program. eric.wu@fcc.gov. Suspension and removal in general. 33. et seq. The Commission prohibits providers from imposing restrictions on switching internet service offerings. category of legacy EBB Program households, including any household opt-ins. Failure to comply with these rules may result in administrative forfeitures or other penalties. Providers must retain all documentation or recordings of written or oral disclosures made to consumers in connection with ACP enrollment, as well as any other oral or written notifications and consumer disclosures required by the ACP rules consistent with the ACP recordkeeping requirements, and make them available for inspection upon request. 3 Consumers who participate in other service provider low-income programs may also be eligible for direct enrollment in the ACP. Connected device reimbursement and the National Lifeline Accountability Database. 132. Coordination With Lifeline Opt-Out States. However, certain practices may constitute inappropriate downselling and should be prohibited to avoid potential consumer harm. (1) A participating provider shall not engage in any practice that is reasonably likely to cause a household to believe it is prohibited or restricted from transferring its benefit to a different participating provider. If your Affordable Connectivity Program discount is removed due to inactivity, you may reapply at any time by visiting metro-tmo.com/ACP. (f) 1 ) The date when the service purchased by the eligible household will no longer be available from the provider at the discounted rate subject to the affordable connectivity benefit; ( The Commission declines to permit partial month, pro-rated reimbursement at this time. For this category of legacy EBB households, participating providers must retain documentation sufficient to demonstrate that this is the applicable transition path, consistent with the document retention requirements the Commission adopts in the Order. A bill is not considered unpaidand thus, there is no nonpaymentuntil after the payment due date specified on the bill has passed and the subscriber has failed to satisfy the obligation to pay the bill in a timely manner. And, each eligible household can only receive one Affordable Connectivity Program benefit. Definition of Usage. Providers with approved EBB Program alternative verification processes can continue to use those processes when enrolling households in the Affordable Connectivity Program in a manner consistent with the Affordable Connectivity Program's revised eligibility criteria and these providers need not seek new Commission approval for their alternative verification processes that already are compliant with these requirements. Participating providers shall comply with the following requirements for transferring an eligible household's affordable connectivity program benefit between providers. To measure the first performance metric, the Commission will conduct consumer and provider outreach that will aim to capture program satisfaction. The Commission directs USAC to make changes to the NLAD that are necessary to implement the rules and requirements that the Commission adopts in the Report and Order and to give participating service providers advance notice of any NLAD system changes for the Affordable Connectivity Program so they can make corresponding changes to their systems. The ACP credit will be in place until the federal government funds for the program are depleted (and not renewed), conditions of your eligibility change, or your service with Metro by T-Mobile ends. Start Printed Page 8357. To receive your Affordable Connectivity Program benefit through Optimum, you'll need to first confirm your eligibility through the National Verifier and then submit your information (including your Affordable . 177. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Board 3501-3521. 103. 47 CFR 54.400(f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (o), and (p). . Applying for a federal grant program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Once a Login.gov account is created, applicants can begin the SAM registration process which can take up to four weeks to complete. However, communicating information regarding higher-speed or higher-priced service tiers is not in itself prohibited upselling in the absence of further evidence. Therefore, the Commission finds that at this time, preventing providers from recovering discounts that are unable to be claimed solely as a result of the transfer is unnecessary to protect consumers from the consequences of the transfer. A consumer may be eligible for ACP-supported service if they qualify for Lifeline or a Lifeline-qualifying program, such as SNAP or Medicaid. benefit program operated by the Federal Communications Commission and, if it ends, or when a household is no longer eligible, customers will be subject to the provider's regular rates, terms, and conditions. (c) Keep your devices connected at home or on the go with 8GB mobile hotspot data included in your plan. (d) Start Printed Page 8381 Start Printed Page 8352 Before the account is activated, the user will receive an automated email titled "FCC Account Request Verification" and must verify its account email address as prompted. The Commission will not require legacy EBB Program households who transition to the Affordable Connectivity Program to submit a new household worksheet if they reside at the same address as another ACP subscriber. Providers that did not participate in the EBB Program and have not been designated as ETCs by a State or the Commission must file for automatic approval or expedited approval from the Commission. Eligible households that live at a single address, such as senior and student living, mobile home parks, apartment buildings, and Federal units, and that receive service as part of a bulk billing arrangement where the households are not directly billed for services by their internet service provider, but instead pay a monthly fee for broadband services to their landlord, should be permitted to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Providers that receive automatic approval to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program will use the National Verifier and the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) to verify household eligibility or their own alternative household eligibility verification processes, or the combination of both, before seeking reimbursement. However, a provider's decision to leave the program will impact any households receiving ACP-supported service from that provider, and care must be taken to ensure that those households have an opportunity to transfer their benefit to another ACP provider. 39. Prohibited network use rules & other restrictions apply. 110. De-enrollment for failure to re-certify. A statement identifying where the provider received Bureau approval to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program. F, tit. In the Infrastructure Act, Congress established the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) on the basis of the preexisting Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program), with modifications designed to transform it from an emergency response to a public health crisis to a longer-term program to support making discounted broadband service and connected devices available to low-income households. The Commission further directs USAC to monitor exceptions and conduct program integrity reviews for a sampling of benefit transfers. For details on the ACP program, visit https://www.fcc.gov/acp. This interpretation continues to allow participation by ETCs and non-ETC broadband providers, including not only traditional internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as cable providers and wireless internet service providers, but also non-traditional broadband providers like community-owned networks, electric cooperatives, and municipal governments. (ii) Pressuring an eligible household to purchase a service or bundled plan to benefit the provider but not the household. Eligible telecommunications carriers. 201. The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. A participating provider that provides an ACP-supported broadband service to a household may be reimbursed up to $100 for a connected device delivered to the household, provided that the charge to such eligible household is more than $10 but less than $50 for such connected device (defined in the statute as a laptop, desktop computer, or a tablet). For specific directions on how to apply for Lifeline in all three states, visit the National Verifier and select the relevant state from the drop-down menu and press "Get Started." If you have questions about your application, or would like an application mailed to you, contact Lifeline at (800) 234-9473 or LifelineSupport@usac.org. Only official editions of the 152. i.e., Certain restrictions apply. See The Commission delegates financial oversight of the program to OMD and directs it to work in coordination with the Bureau to ensure that all financial aspects of the program have adequate internal controls. Application of Section 54.10. Service providers conducting recertification based on these non-National Verifier subscriber eligibility verification methods are required to collect and retain the necessary subscriber eligibility documentation. Established Program as of April 1, 2020. 1752(b)(10)(A). All entities applying for funding must provide an EIN. This map allows you to find the number of ACP-enrolled households by state or congressional district. While the EBB Program required participating providers to have offered retail broadband internet access service to eligible households as of December 1, 2020, the Infrastructure Act removed the December 1, 2020, restriction, and therefore participating providers will only need to establish they offered broadband services to end-users prior to seeking to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Eligible consumers may obtain ACP service from any participating provider and may transfer their ACP benefit to another participating provider at any time. (6) Any other information necessary to establish the participating provider in the Administrator's systems. Associated equipment should be eligible to be reimbursed as part of the service benefit. The ACP benefit is non-transferable and is limited to one benefit per household. While reimbursement cannot go toward the whole value of a bundle that includes video, the data, voice, and/or text messaging portions of the bundle can be reimbursable, but the video portion of any bundle must be apportioned out before determining the amount that is reimbursable for broadband purposes of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Login.gov provides a streamlined process with a single sign on for participating federal government agencies, eliminating the need to remember multiple usernames and passwords. Minimum Service Standards. . Accordingly, the Commission prohibits participating providers from requiring consumers to obtain an ACP-supported device in order to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Step 4: Sign up for service with Metro to get a FREE phone and a $30 credit. See Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, a participating provider shall de-enroll an Affordable Connectivity Program subscriber who does not respond to the provider's attempts to obtain re-certification of the subscriber's continued eligibility as required by 54.1806(f); or who fails to provide the annual one-per-household re-certification as required by 54.1806(f)(6). Start Printed Page 8354 ) Instructions on how to find and select a new participating provider and to request such a transfer; ( By activating your device and service, you agree to the Metro by, and fill out the application form for the ACP benefit or stop by your nearby Metro by, Under FCC rules, you must use your Metro by, If you have concerns about the enrollment process or the quality of the ACP service Metro by, , users > 35GB/mo. The Infrastructure Act defines an eligible participating provider as a broadband service provider that has either received Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) designation under 47 U.S.C. Removal means involuntary discontinuation of a provider's participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program pursuant to the process outlined in paragraphs (e)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section. Consumers who are eligible for both the Affordable Connectivity Program and the Lifeline program can apply for and participate in both programs, up to the full cost of their monthly broadband service. 69. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to As of January 14, 2022, approximately 265,000 households had enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program and more than 9 million The removed provider shall also send a second written notice to consumers at least 15 days before the date by which the provider can no longer offer ACP-supported service. Accordingly, the Commission directs the Bureau, the Office of General Counsel, and OMD to collaborate with relevant Federal agencies to ensure that households participating in relevant qualifying programs are provided information about the Affordable Connectivity Program, which will include encouraging other Federal agencies to update their System of Records Notices to permit information sharing related to the Affordable Connectivity Program. Sales tax and regulatory fees are included in the monthly plan price. (4) Where two or more participating providers file a claim for a connected device reimbursement for the same subscriber, only the participating provider whose information was received and processed by the National Lifeline Accountability Database or Lifeline Claims System first, as determined by the Administrator, will be entitled to a connected device reimbursement for that subscriber. Providers that make changes to approved procedures are required to inform the Commission in writing of those changes by filing a new application documenting the changes. 166. This feature is not available for this document. The Infrastructure Act, 47 U.S.C. 1752(a)(8))fixed or mobilethat permits households to rely on these connections for the purposes essential to telework, remote learning, and telehealth. 2. and documentation supporting verification of eligibility, and (8) certification that the information included in the application is true. See 4 Lifeline Fifth Report and Order The Commission directs the Bureau and OEA, with support from USAC, to develop a process to mask data as necessary, consistent with the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(b). 158. provider reimbursement process, call centers for program support, provider and consumer outreach, and conducting program integrity reviews. seq., The Infrastructure Act maintained for the Affordable Connectivity Program the three methods for verifying household eligibility: The National Verifier, an approved service provider alternative verification process, and school-based eligibility verifications. Regulatory Flexibility Act. Additionally, service providers may rely on a school to verify consumer eligibility under the free and reduced-price school lunch or school breakfast program, so long as service providers comply with certain document retention and certification requirements. Examples include, but are not limited to: Misrepresenting or failing to accurately disclose to a household the rules and requirements regarding transfers in the Affordable Connectivity Program as set out further following; charging a fee to the household for transferring their benefit to another provider; or suggesting that the provider may change the consumer's service plan if they transfer their benefit to another provider. (vi) The provider shall retain records demonstrating its compliance with these transition requirements. 171. ) Instructions on how to find and select a new participating provider and to request such a transfer; ( An across-the-board opt-out approach does not provide consumers enough agency in the decision. As a path for recourse to parties aggrieved by decisions issued by USAC, review of decisions issued by USAC to follow the requirements set forth in 47 CFR part 54, subpart I.
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