Florida Administrative Code › 25 - PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION › 25 - Departmental › Chapter 25-4 - TELEPHONE COMPANIES › Part V - GENERAL SERVICE PROVISIONS › Section 25-4.0665 - Lifeline Assistance

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) Eligible
				  Telecommunications Companies must offer Lifeline Assistance as prescribed by
				  the Federal Communications Commission in  Title 47, Code of Federal Regulations,
				  Part 54, Subpart E, Universal Service Support for Low-Income Consumers,
				  Sections 54.400 through 54.423, as codified on October 1, 2021, which are
				  hereby incorporated into this rule by reference, and which are available at
http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15272
and may also be obtained from the Office of Industry & Market Analysis,
				  Public Service Commission, 2540 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL
				  32399-0850.
(2) Eligible
				  telecommunications carriers may assist customers with enrolling in the Lifeline
				  program through the provider portal with the National Lifeline Eligibility
				  Verifier, as defined in   Title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 54, Subpart
				  E, Universal Service Support for Low-Income Consumers, Section
				  54.400(o).
(3) All eligible
				  telecommunications carriers shall participate in the Lifeline Promotion
				  Process. For purposes of this rule, the Lifeline Promotion Process is an
				  electronic interface between the Department of Children and Families, the
				  Commission, and the eligible telecommunications carrier to provide eligible
				  consumers information on how to apply for Lifeline assistance following
				  enrollment in a qualifying public assistance program.
(a) The eligible telecommunications carrier
				  must maintain with the Commission the name(s), email address(es), and telephone
				  number(s) of at least one company representative who will manage the user
				  accounts on the Commission's Lifeline secure website.
(b) The Commission shall send an email to the
				  eligible telecommunications carrier informing the eligible telecommunications
				  carrier that a list of customers enrolled in a Lifeline qualifying public
				  assistance program is available for retrieval from the Commission's Lifeline
				  secure website.
(c) Eligible
				  telecommunications carriers must contact customers on the list to whom they
				  provide service and that do not already participate in Lifeline, to inform them
				  of the Lifeline application process with the National Lifeline Eligibility
				  Verifier. For customers on the list that are not contacted by the eligible
				  telecommunications carrier, within 20 calendar days of receiving the
				  Commission's email notification, the eligible telecommunications carrier must
				  provide to the Commission the customer identification number, name, address,
				  telephone number, and the Department of Children and Families application date.
				  This information can be provided via the Commission's dedicated Lifeline
				  facsimile telephone line at (850)717-0108, an electronic response via the
				  Commission's Lifeline secure website, or file the information with the Office
				  of Commission Clerk.
(d) Pursuant
				  to Section  364.107(1),
				  F.S., information filed by the eligible telecommunications carrier in
				  accordance with paragraph (3)(c) of this rule is confidential and exempt from
				  Section  119.07(1), F.S.
				  However, the eligible telecommunications carrier may disclose such information
				  consistent with the criteria in Section
				   364.107(3)(a),
				  F.S. For purposes of this rule, the information filed by the eligible
				  telecommunications carrier will be presumed necessary for disclosure to the
				  Commission pursuant to the criteria in Section 364.107(3)(a)4.,
				  F.S.