Cox California (Cox) Cox urged the Commission to adopt LifeLine Program guidelines that are technologically and competitively neutral, consistent with the federal universal service program, and simple and straight-forward. Cox argued that the Commission should adopt the service elements required for federal universal service programs because they are competitively and technologically neutral, straight-forward, consistent with the Moore Act and do not contravene Section 710(a). According to Cox, the Commission should adopt minimum service requirements and rules that allow LifeLine subscribers to benefit from the competitive marketplace, just as non-LifeLine subscribers do. Cox argued that the Commission should not pursue “minimal” plans or “non-minimal” or any plans that traditional wireline providers can offer but which other providers, such as wireless and VoIP cannot. Cox characterized the proposals in the Scoping Memo regarding discounts equal to SSAs are discriminatory, not competitively-neutral, and in violation of the Moore Act because they would apply to only one type of provider. According to Cox, the Commission must allow the existing practice of including LifeLine in bundled service offerings; a rule stating otherwise would be discriminatory towards LifeLine consumers and contravene LifeLine’s purpose. The Commission, according to Cox, should adopt a definition of basic service/LifeLine service that allows, but does not require, VoIP providers to participate in the LifeLine Program. Cox argued the Commission should not adopt any proposal that would continue the cap on LifeLine rates, set a statewide rate, or cap the amounts LifeLine providers are reimbursed. Cox asserted that the Commission should not re-litigate issues it has resolved relatively recently, including, but not limited to, the SSA and use of the
We recognize that wireless service is not functionally available and sufficient to provide a voice-grade connection inside all household residences, a fact raised in PPHs held in rural areas, such as Eureka and in urban areas such as San Francisco. Residents of Humboldt and Del Norte counties in the northwestern part of California reported that wireless service is not available in many areas due to the terrain, sparse population, and decisions of service providers not to build facilities or to expand wireless service to places like the upriver portion of the Yurok reservation. Several San Francisco residents spoke of the difficulty in making wireless calls from inside their single residency occupancy hotels, and concerns about privacy and safety if they had to go outside to make a call. The CPUC is conducting a mapping project to provide more detailed accurate maps of wireless signals. This initiative is intended to provide “groundtruthing” regarding wireless signal coverage. Californians may download the Calspeed app through Google Play to participate in the project using an Android phone. The CPUC is in the process of expanding the project to Apple iPhones. This project will help identify wireless signal availability and signal strength at a more granular level. It will help customers choose the service which best meets their needs, identify gaps in coverage, and indicate opportunities for infrastructure investment and policy adjustments to encourage improved and expanded wireless service to Californians across the state. We believe that the California LifeLine requirements for disclosures, connection, minimum service elements, and return policies we adopt today will allow people who want to choose LifeLine wireless service to find a product and provider that best suits their needs. By continuing to require that LifeLine wireline work inside the home, California LifeLine participants will
Oklahoma Support $1.17 $1.17 $1.17 $1.17 $1.17 N/A N/A N/A Total Support $35.42 $35.42 $35.42 $35.42 $35.42 $34.25 Monthly Discounted Rate $1 $4.58 $1 $1 $6.20 Free $1 $4.58 Number of Voice Minutes 1,000 Unlimited 500 1,000 Unlimited 250 1,000 Unlimited Domestic Messaging (Text) Or 2,000 texts Not Available 1,500 500 Not Available rate of 1 minute per text Or 1,000 texts Not Available Additional Voice Minutes Starts at $5 for 60 voice minutes increments of $5, $10, $15, $20, $25, $30, $50 and $60 OKLAHOMA’S APPROVED LIFELINE WIRELESS PROVIDERS WIRELESS PROVIDER’S NAME FEDERAL OKLAHOMA Assist Wireless, LLC 1 Blue Jay Wireless, LLC 1 Boomerang Wireless d/b/a en Touch Wireless 1 Budget PrePay, Inc. d/b/a Budget Phone, Inc. 1 Easy Telephone Services Co. d/b/a Easy Wireless 1 Head Start Telecom, Inc. d/b/a Dartphone () 1 1 Icon Telecom, Inc. () 1 1 IM Telecom, LLC d/b/a Infiniti Mobile 1 Nexus Communications, INC, d/b/a Nexus Communications TSI, Inc. 1 Q Link Wireless LLC 1 SafeTel, LLC (pending) 1 TAG Mobile, LLC 1 TelRite Corp. d/b/a Life Wireless 1 TerraCom, Inc. 1 1 The Telephone Co., Inc. 1 1 True Wireless, LLC 1 YourTel America, Inc. () 1 TOTAL #OF LIFELINE WIRELESS PROVIDERS SERVING ALL EXCHANGES IN OKLAHOMA 17 4 Likewise, ETCs providing Lifeline in federally recognized tribal land in California would be eligible to receive enhanced federal Lifeline support of $25 in addition to the $9.25 resulting in total federal support of $34.25 per participant.
Service providers shall not require contracts lasting more than two years for California LifeLine participants; and the terms offered to them must be comparable to the terms offered for other customers for the same services and/or devices, except as needed to comply with California LifeLine rules. Joint Consumers expressed concern with regards to contracts lasting more than one year. We recognize the validity of Joint Consumers’ concern. If a California LifeLine wireless provider signs up a participant for a contract term of more than a year, the California LifeLine provider must prominently disclose to the participant that if at any time the participant’s discounted service is terminated, he or she will be subject to the retail rates charged by the service provider for any service that the customer has received or used, in addition to any applicable early termination fees. In a subsequent ruling, we can explore possible methods for alleviating the disparity between the existing eligibility period and contracts lasting more than a year. In the meantime, the robust disclosures requirement in this Decision should be sufficient to adequately inform consumers about the program. Equivalent Rates for Purchasing Additional Voice Minutes The provider shall provide participants an option to purchase additional voice minutes. Moreover, the provider shall allow participants to purchase additional minutes of voice service at the lowest charge offered to other retail customers for comparable plans with similar services and/or features. Furthermore, the provider may offer plans in which service may end, e.g., phone operation ceases except for 911 calls and calls to special service numbers 211, 311, 511, 611, 711, and 811 when the participant has used all of the allotted voice minutes, but shall prominently disclose that the phone will cease operation