Calling on the Federal Communications Commission to reinstate the Lifeline Broadband Provider designations granted to nine companies which created a one-stop application process that significantly reduced the time, burden and expense of receiving a license and making available broadband internet service to millions of people in poverty.

WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau granted Lifeline Broadband Provider (LBP) designations to nine companies between December 1, 2016 and January 18, 2017 as part of it effort to expand provision of broadband services to low income people; and

WHEREAS, The new LBP designation permits providers to submit one application to the FCC to serve any state, instead of the traditional, expensive and time-consuming approach of seeking individual state-by-state licenses, and also avoids the need for an FCC-approved compliance plan that had prevented many providers from offering broadband in new areas; and

WHEREAS, Fourteen days after the inauguration, that same Bureau revoked its decisions and returned those LBP petitions to pending, non-streamlined status, thus limiting competition and consumer choice for Lifeline customers; and

WHEREAS, Notwithstanding this revocation decision, the Wireline Competition Bureau has asked for public comment, due on or before March 16, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Lifeline has brought affordable telephone service to millions of people in poverty. Now it is the only federal program poised to bring broadband to poor families across the U.S. so that they can connect to jobs, complete their homework, and communicate with healthcare providers and emergency services; and

WHEREAS, The Pew Research Center on Internet and American Life Project reported in 2013 that 30% of US households were without broadband internet access. That percentage more than doubles in some low-income communities; and

WHEREAS, On October 20, 2016 the Philadelphia City Council recognized the importance of internet broadband for low-income families through its authorization of Resolution 160936 to hold public hearings on how to make mobile wi-fi hotspot access free and readily available through the Free Library of Philadelphia, now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it` hereby calls on the Federal Communications Commission to reinstate the Lifeline Broadband Provider designations granted to nine companies which created a one-stop application process that significantly reduced the time, burden and expense of receiving a license and make available broadband internet service to millions of people in poverty.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an electronic copy of this resolution be transmitted to the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System as an official public comment of this legislative body.

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