The Lifeline Program provides affordable access to telecommunications for needy Americans across the United States. This program has been in operation since the 1980s when the Reagan Administration agreed to allow the Federal Communications Commission to set up the Lifeline Program in response changes in the Telecommunications Act.
When the Lifeline Program was in its infancy in 1985, the intention was to provide lower-cost or, in some cases, free telephone landlines in the homes of families who could not afford it. This was normally in families who lived at or below the poverty line, or those who lived in rural communities. Rural communities often suffered the blow of expensive telecommunications bills as a result of the lack of proper infrastructure to provide access to telephone lines.
During the Bush Administration Hurricane Katrina left millions of southern Americans without homes, electricity, running water or a means of communicating with their loved ones who were missing or separated from them. The Lifeline Program was amended in order to provide free mobile phones for the victims. This meant that those living without a roof over their heads or with no access to electricity, as many of the houses were under water at this point, were able to have a means of communicating with health and safety services, or at the very least, trying to find their loved ones.
When the dust began to settle after the disaster, the Lifeline Program was never re-visited and free mobile phones became a permanent part of the government assistance program. This meant that instead of just a landline at a reduced fee (or with the installation charges waived), eligible Americans could now apply for and receive a free mobile phone.
Eligibility does vary from state to state, but generally, if one can prove that they are living at 135% of the poverty line or are a participant in one of the approved state or federal-run assistance programs, such as the Food Stamps or Free School Lunches program, one could potentially receive a free mobile phone. What is more, one would also receive free talk minutes and free texts per month. Proof would have to be given through tax returns, pay stubs, or official documentation outlining the applicants’ participation in any of the federal or state assistance programs.
It is now becoming clear, especially to the State of California, that the world has become much more advanced than what a landline telephone can possibly keep up with. Democratic Representatives Doris Matsui, Henry Waxman and Anna Eschoo have put forward a bill that proposes that the Lifeline Program expands to providing affordable broadband services to all participants by the year 2020. There are currently, according to them, 100 million American homes without access to Broadband because they cannot afford it or they do not need it. There is also another almost 20 million American homes in rural areas that do not have the network access to broadband because of a lack of infrastructure, thereby increasing the prices of broadband access.
Matsui stated that we live in a society moving towards an online community at lightning speed. As a result, businesses have gone online, healthcare has gone online, and education systems have gone online; now, even over 80% of job applications are done online. For those who do not have access to the internet as a result of expensive broadband, it is a constant struggle to stay connected and abreast of advances in technology, health and education, much less try to stay employed or in the school systems. More and more schools are moving to have their lessons done online. Students who do not have access to the internet at home are at an immediate disadvantage to those that do. Schools that are contained in the lower-income catchment areas have computers that are either too old to support any current operating systems and educational programs, or just do not even have the computers on the school grounds. This means that students that are graduating from those lower-income areas are placed at a huge competitive disadvantage compared to those students coming from more affluent areas where they are taught with all the latest technological equipment, including broadband.
This is also being seen in the employment sector, where those wanting to apply to jobs are being herded towards the internet. Application forms for most jobs are based online and are required to be filled out and emailed to the Human Resources department of the company that is providing the employment position. This proves to be very difficult for those who are unemployed and therefore unable to afford access to the internet. This also becomes a slippery slope for those who have come from areas in which their schooling has become quite limited with access to computers as a result of little to no funding. Lack of access from an early age leads to lack of knowledge in the computer world. This leads to an even further increase in the gap between the Haves and Have Not’s. Internet access is not just a luxury enjoyed by the rich minority; it has become a necessity for the vast majority.
The Federal Communications Commission has, in the last couple of years, put out a pilot program that addresses this very issue. They have provided affordable broadband service to several Lifeline participants through several broadband providers in order to test the waters. The criteria for eligibility for this pilot program have been that there must be at least one child in the household that is participating in the School Lunches Free Lunch program. The broadband access is as low as $9.95 a month for eligible families, with an opportunity to purchase a newly refurbished laptop at a very low cost as well.
Another caveat to this pilot program is that eligible households must choose between broadband, a free mobile phone or a landline. For an extra fee per month, the families can choose between several different bundle packages, with a combination of phone and broadband or broadband and mobile, or all three, at a nominal fee.
The Lifeline Program was rolled out back in the 80s in order to address the obvious divide between those who could afford telecommunications and those who, for one reason or another, could not. It was recognized back then that access to telecommunications was vital to survival in the modern world. Without access to a phone or a landline, one could not access emergency or health services or stay in contact with friends and family. This would seriously jeopardize the quality of life in the United States, and the Federal Communications Commission wanted to make sure that all Americans, regardless of income or area of residency, had the opportunity to a higher quality of life.
Now, the Lifeline Program understands that it does need to modernize even further. With the advent of the internet, it is not only just about access to a telephone in the home that is of paramount importance. Since the credit crash of 2008, many people are no longer living in a permanent residence and therefore a landline is just not a feasible option for those people. There is also the issue of those living in safe havens, such as battered women and abused teens, or those living homeless on the streets. Without access to a free mobile phone, these populations do not have access to 9-1-1 as most of the phone booths in America have now been dismantled or destroyed. What was originally seen as a sign of prosperity is now a symbol of safety. A mobile phone has saved many a life during an emergency situation and this is something that should be available to everyone, not just those who can afford it. Safety is a human right, not a luxury.
With the bill that has been forwarded by the Representatives of the State of California, it is hoped that the Lifeline Program will be able to launch universal broadband access for everyone across the USA who are participants of the Lifeline program. This is important for all American citizens, and for the country to remain competitive in the world market. The USA was recently ranked 15th in the world, behind South Korea and Germany with respect to broadband adoption per capita, which can signify a falling behind in economics and financial aspects as well. Now that the world functions in an online community, universal access to broadband is extremely important.
Let us hope that the Lifeline Program gets the support it requires in order to make the universal broadband access a reality. Support Lifeline!
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