FCC Reports 2012 Recertification Results

Today, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") released a Public Notice announcing the results of the 2012 Lifeline annual recertification process.  In February 2012, the FCC required all eligible telecommunications carriers to recertify the eligibility of their subscriber bases as of June 1, 2012 by the end of 2012, and report the results to the Universal Service Administrative Company in January 2013.  Subscribers who were no longer eligible or who did not respond to attempts to recertify their eligibility were de-enrolled from the program.

Today, the FCC reported that 29% of all subscribers enrolled in the Lifeline program in June 2012 had been de-enrolled, which is estimated will result in $400 Million in savings in 2013.  The 29% de-enrollment figure is well below the 41% figure estimated in a high-profile article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal in February 2013.