High-Cost Recipient Lifeline Broadband Obligations High-Cost Funding Mechanism Relevant Service Areas High-Cost Broadband Obligation Lifeline Broadband Obligation Lifeline Order Citations Adopted Support Mechanisms Phase I Frozen Support (47 CFR § 54.312(a)) Areas served by price cap carriers Must use 100 percent of frozen support to build and operate 10/1 Mbps broadband-capable networks in areas substantially unserved by an unsubsidized competitor (47 CFR § 54.313(c)(4)) No obligation to offer broadband. Carrier must file notice to avail itself of this forbearance. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311-13, & n.803 Phase II Connect America Cost Model Support (47 CFR § 54.310) Areas served by price cap carriers Must offer 10/1 Mbps broadband to a set number of locations in eligible census blocks in exchange for receiving six years of support (47 CFR §§ 54.309(a), 54.310(b) & (c)) Obligation to offer broadband attaches where ETC (1) has deployed a broadband network pursuant to its high-cost public interest obligation to offer broadband, and (2) is commercially offering qualifying service to that area. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311-12, 318 Phase II Auction Support (47 CFR § 54.310) Areas served by price cap carriers and rate-of-return carriers in some limited circumstances Must offer broadband to a set number of locations in eligible census blocks in exchange for receiving 10 years of support (in some circumstances support term may be shorter); broadband speed will vary based on the tier of the bid (10/1 Mbps, 25/3 Mbps, 100/20 Mbps, or 1 Gigabit per second/500 Mbps) (47 CFR §§ 54.309(a), 54.310(b) & (c)) Obligation to offer broadband attaches where ETC (1) has deployed a broadband network pursuant to its high-cost public interest obligation to offer broadband, and (2) is commercially offering qualifying service to that area. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311-12
Alaska Plan for Carriers (47 CFR § 54.306) Areas served by rate-of-return carriers in Alaska Alaska rate-of-return carriers with approved performance plans will receive 10 years of support in exchange for committing to tailored service obligations; not all recipients will be committing to offer broadband (47 CFR § 54.308(c)) Carriers are subject to the Lifeline broadband obligation, given ongoing support, to the extent they offer broadband meeting Lifeline minimum service standards. Obligation to offer Lifeline-discounted broadband attaches where ETC (1) has deployed a broadband network pursuant to its high-cost public interest obligation to offer broadband, and (2) is commercially offering qualifying service to that area. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311 Alaska Mobile Plan for Competitive ETCs (47 CFR § 54.317) Areas served by competitive ETCs in remote Alaska Alaska competitive ETCs with approved performance plans will receive 10 years of support in exchange for committing to tailored service obligations; recipients may commit to extend 4G LTE to populations currently served by 2G or 3G, or in some cases will commit to maintain 2G or 3G service or upgrade 2G to 3G; support will also be auctioned off for unserved remote areas of Alaska, with performance obligations to be determined at the time of such auction ((47 CFR § 54.308(d)) Carriers are subject to Lifeline broadband obligation, given ongoing support, to the extent they offer broadband meeting Lifeline minimum service standards. Obligation to offer Lifeline-discounted broadband attaches where ETC (1) has deployed a broadband network pursuant to its high-cost public interest obligation to offer broadband, and (2) is commercially offering qualifying service to that area. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311 Competitive ETC Frozen Support (47 CFR § 54.307) Areas served by competitive ETCs No high-cost broadband obligation No obligation to offer broadband. Carrier must file notice to avail itself of this forbearance. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311-13, & n.77, 803
Mobility Fund Phase I (47 CFR § 54.1001) Areas served by competitive ETCs Received one-time support (in three installments) to deploy 3G networks no later than two years from authorization or 4G networks no later than three years from authorization covering at least 75% of the designated road miles within the area for which support is provided (47 CFR §§ 54.1006) No obligation to offer broadband, because the high-cost support is not ongoing. Carrier must file notice to avail itself of this forbearance. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311-13 Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I (47 CFR § 54.1001) Areas served by competitive ETCs Received one-time support (in three installments) to deploy 3G networks no later than two years from authorization or 4G networks no later than three years from authorization covering at least 75% of the population within the area for which support is provided (47 CFR § 54.1006) No obligation to offer broadband, because the high-cost support is not ongoing. Carrier must file notice to avail itself of this forbearance. Lifeline Modernization Order, paras. 35, 311-13