FCC votes to provide Internet subsidy for low-income households

[IDemo]

Source: UPI

WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) -- The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted in favor of covering broadband Internet access for low-income households with a telephone subsidy program it has offered for 30 years.

Three of the five members of the FCC voted in favor of reforming the program, called Lifeline, to include web access.

Established in 1985, the Lifeline program has provided qualifying low-income Americans with a $9.25 per month subsidy toward phone service. Thursday's vote favors expanding it to include broadband Internet, although the final structure of what that may look like is yet to be determined.

Expanding the program still needs further government approval, where there is opposition to the expansion proposal. Some critics believe the $2 billion-per-year Lifeline program is already rife with abuses and fraud -- and that the existing program should be fixed before it should be expanded, CNBC reported Thursday.



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2015/06/18/FCC-votes-to-provide-Internet-subsidy-for-low-income-households/2771434670590/

[msongs]

1. internet providers are pretty much gougers so they will be glad to get more customers nt

[ToxMarz]

2. WooHoo! ObamaNet!

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

8. Will work nicely with my old ObamaPhone!

[Boxturtle]

3. Shouldn't this mean

that the internet should be regulated by the government? The price we pay for inferior internet access is a crime.

[RobertEarl]

4. Socialism from our government

It's a good thing!!

[jwirr]

5. When you get into the application they tell you that you cannot have two lifelines. Okay so is this

lifeline the same as what is called Medical Alert lifeline?

[Change has come]

6. No

This is standard land line service for people with very limited income. I believe it's for local calls only so no long distance. Here in Nevada it costs $12.00 per month.

[jwirr]

7. Thank you.

[CreekDog]

10. It's not phone service, it's internet service

[Rossi]

9. A whole $9.25 a month!

Magnificenct generosity!