Announcements

June 19, 2024

June Monthly Maintenance Reminder

System Maintenance

USAC will perform scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, June 21 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22.

The production environments of the following systems are impacted:

• National Verifier Portal
• National Verifier Carrier API
• National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD)
• Lifeline Claims System (LCS)
• Representative Accountability Database (RAD)
• Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS)

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Note: All scheduled maintenance dates for NV and NLAD are available on the USAC website.

May 30, 2024

May Lifeline Newsletter

• Reminder: New PO Box Address for Lifeline Support Center
• FCC Form 481 Due July 1, 2024
• Lifeline Program Compliance Reminder: Available Resources for Service Providers
• June Webinar: Using the Lifeline Claim System (LCS)
• June Maintenance Schedule

View full newsletter

May 28, 2024

Connectivity Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems Resolved

USAC is aware that users were experiencing issues performing transactions in Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Verifier (NV) and National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD). The connectivity issues began this afternoon around 4:20 p.m. ET.

The issue has been resolved and full connectivity was restored at 5:30 p.m. ET. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

May 24, 2024

National Verifier Access Through One Portal

USAC is aware that service providers may not be able to access the National Verifier through One Portal. As a reminder, providers have the option of logging into their National Verifier account at GetInternet.gov.

USAC is working to restore National Verifier access through One Portal and will provide an update soon. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  

May 23, 2024

FCC Reminders Regarding the Lifeline Program

On May 23, 2024, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) shared a letter to eligible telecommunications carriers (ETC) thanking them for their support throughout the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and encouraging greater involvement in the Lifeline program as the ACP winds-down. The letter also reminds ETCs of their advertising obligations, per FCC’s rules at 47 C.F.R. § 54.405(b).
Service providers should utilize outreach materials and methods designed to reach eligible households that do not currently receive service. For example, service providers may:

• Post notices at public transportation stops and agencies, shelters, and soup kitchens,
• Run public service announcements,
• Provide information booths at central locations,
• Provide customer service to program participants who have disabilities on an equal basis by using telecommunications relay services (TRS), text telephone (TTY), and speech-to-speech (STS) services, and
• Provide outreach materials in braille.

USAC recommends that Lifeline service providers proactively review their advertising material periodically to ensure the outreach is accurate, up-to-date, and includes necessary information for consumers.

Service providers can also coordinate their outreach efforts with government agencies that administer any of the relevant government assistance programs such as social service agencies, Tribal organizations, community centers, public schools, and nursing homes. Lifeline resource materials are available on the LifelineSupport.org Community Education webpage.

The Bureau also released a Public Notice reinforcing these points and reminding ETCs of their obligations to ensure compliance with the Commission’s usage requirements, pass through of the full Lifeline benefit, and properly update any Lifeline compliance plans.

May 23, 2024

FCC Encourages State Partners to Boost Lifeline Awareness

On March 23, 2024, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shared a letter with state partners thanking them for their support throughout the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and encouraging involvement in raising awareness of the Lifeline program as the ACP winds-down.

We encourage state partners to raise awareness of the Lifeline program to help eligible households stay connected. USAC has several resources tailored for state partners to assist in reaching eligible households, learn more on USAC’s State and Federal Partners page. State partners can also contact the FCC at Outreach@fcc.gov to request Lifeline program training, enrollment process information, or inquire about outreach initiatives.

May 23, 2024

May Monthly Maintenance Reminder

System Maintenance

USAC will perform scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, May 24 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 25.

The production environments of the following systems are impacted:

• National Verifier Portal
• National Verifier Carrier API

National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) functions that require the National Verifier will also be affected (e.g., enroll of transfer transactions). We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Note: All scheduled maintenance dates for NV are available on the USAC website.

April 30, 2024

April Lifeline Newsletter

• Coming Soon: New P.O. Box Address for Lifeline Support Center
• Reverification Group Two: On-Hand Documentation Deadline Approaching
• Lifeline Program Compliance Reminder: RAD Annual Agreement
• May Webinar: Navigating USAC Systems
• May Maintenance Schedule

View full newsletter

April 24, 2024

Ad-hoc System Maintenance

USAC will be conducting an ad-hoc system maintenance to the following staging environments starting on Monday, April 29 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET:

• National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD)
• Lifeline Claims System (LCS)
• Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS)

The production environments will not be affected. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Note: All scheduled maintenance dates for NLAD and NV are available on the USAC website.

April 17, 2024

April Monthly Maintenance Reminder

System Maintenance

USAC will perform a scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, April 19 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 20.

The production environments of the following systems are impacted:
•    National Verifier Portal
•    National Verifier Carrier API
•    National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD)
•    Lifeline Claims System (LCS)
•    Representative Accountability Database (RAD)
•    Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS)

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Note: All scheduled maintenance dates for NLAD and NV are available on the USAC website.

April 15, 2024

Intermittent Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems Resolved

USAC is aware that users were experiencing unexpected intermittent issues with Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the Representative Accountability Database (RAD) and National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) that began this morning.

All systems have been restored, we apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.

April 15, 2024

Intermittent Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems

USAC is aware that users are experiencing unexpected intermittent issues with Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the Representative Accountability Database (RAD) and National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) that began this morning. Intermittent issues may be occurring in other systems as well.

USAC is actively working on resolving the issues. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

April 12, 2024

Intermittent Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems Resolved

USAC is aware that users were experiencing unexpected intermittent issues with Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS) that began this morning.

All systems have been restored, we apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.

April 12, 2024

Intermittent Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems

USAC is aware that users are experiencing unexpected intermittent issues with Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS) that began this morning. Intermittent issues may be occurring in other systems as well.

USAC is actively working on resolving the issues. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

April 4, 2024

Access Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems Resolved

USAC is aware that users were experiencing access issues with Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Verifier (NV), NV Carrier API, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS) that began this morning around 10:10 a.m. ET. The access issues were resolved at 1 p.m. ET.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

April 4, 2024

Access Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems

USAC is aware that users are experiencing access issues with Lifeline and ACP systems as of 10:10 a.m. ET today. The systems impacted are Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Verifier (NV), NV Carrier API, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS).

USAC is actively working on restoring access and will send an update soon. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

March 29, 2024

RESOLVED: USAC Systems Experiencing Intermittent Connectivity Issues

Several USAC systems are experiencing intermittent connectivity issues. Our team is working to resolve the issues. We apologize for the inconvenience.

March 29, 2024

Connectivity Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems

USAC is aware that users are experiencing issues performing transactions in Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Verifier (NV), National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), and Representative Accountability Database (RAD). The connectivity issues began this morning around 3:40 a.m. ET.

USAC is actively working on resolving the issues and will share further updates as they become available. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

March 28, 2024

March Lifeline Newsletter

• Adjusted Lifeline Income Qualifications for 2024
• Reverification Group Two Updates
• Lifeline Program Compliance Reminder: Advertise Lifeline
• April Webinar: Navigating Account Functions in NLAD
• April Maintenance Schedule
• System Maintenance

View full newsletter

March 27, 2024

Connectivity Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems Resolved

USAC is aware that users were experiencing issues performing transactions in the Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Verifier (NV) and National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) since 4:00 a.m. ET today.
The issue was resolved at 9:00 a.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

March 27, 2024

Connectivity Issues in Lifeline and ACP Systems

USAC is aware that users are experiencing intermittent issues performing transactions in Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) systems, including the National Verifier (NV), NV Carrier API, and National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD). The intermittent issues began around 4:00 a.m. ET.

USAC is actively working to resolve the issue and will share an update as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

March 14, 2024

Additional March Monthly Maintenance 

March 15 Additional System Maintenance

USAC will be conducting an additional monthly maintenance starting on Friday, March 15 from 10 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 16. National Verifier (NV) Portal, NV Carrier API, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS) will be unavailable during this time.

March 22 System Maintenance

NV Portal, NV Carrier API, and NLAD will be unavailable due to a regularly scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, March 22 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET on Saturday March 23.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

February 29, 2024

February Lifeline Newsletter

• Reverification Resumes for Group Two
• 2024 Recertification Is Ongoing
• Lifeline Program Compliance Reminder: Keep NLAD Up to Date
• March Webinar: Getting Started with NLAD
• March Maintenance Schedule
• System Maintenance

View full newsletter

February 22, 2024

Recertification Notice

Recertification is an annual requirement for Lifeline subscribers. USAC conducts recertification to ensure that active Lifeline subscribers, including those who also participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), are still eligible for the Lifeline benefit.

Starting Wednesday, February 28, 2024, USAC will initiate automated eligibility database checks to verify the eligibility of subscribers due for recertification in 2024. This process will occur over the course of a few months.

• Subscribers who pass the automated check will complete the 2024 recertification requirement and will not need to take any action for their 2024 recertification. 
• Subscribers who fail the automated check will be required to recertify their continued eligibility through a manual process. USAC will conduct outreach to those subscribers. 

Subscribers who participate in both Lifeline and ACP and pass the USAC-conducted Lifeline recertification process will not need to undergo a separate ACP recertification process. Given that funding for the ACP is projected to run through April 2024 (this date is an estimate and may change), status for the 2024 ACP recertification process is still being determined. USAC will provide more information regarding ACP recertification efforts at a later date.

What This Means for Service Providers
Service providers should regularly monitor the “Recertification Subscriber Status Report” in the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) to identify subscribers undergoing recertification. This report will update daily to reflect the results of the automated checks. 

USAC encourages service providers to educate subscribers about USAC, why we are reaching out to them, and our recertification process. However, service providers should not provide or estimate deadlines, as these deadlines are subject to change.

To learn more about the recertification process, visit the Recertification webpage.

What This Means for Subscribers
Starting in March, USAC will conduct outreach to subscribers who fail the automated eligibility checks. Subscribers will have an approximately 60-day window to recertify through a manual process. 

If a subscriber receives a letter in the mail from USAC, they must take action to recertify their benefit. Subscribers will need to complete the Lifeline Recertification Form (English or Spanish). Some subscribers will also need to provide income or eligibility documentation to prove their continued eligibility for the program. USAC will notify subscribers if they need to provide documentation

February 21, 2024

February Monthly Maintenance Reminder

February 23 Systems Maintenance

National Verifier (NV) Portal, NV Carrier API, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS) will be unavailable due to scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, February 23 from 10 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, February 24.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Note: All scheduled maintenance dates for NLAD and NV are available on the USAC website.

February 8, 2024

Group One Reverification Update

Group One De-Enrollment Window Closing
Reverification for Group One is nearly finalized. USAC is actively conducting outreach to subscribers who require additional documentation to complete reverification. Consumers who fail to successfully complete the reverification process will be de-enrolled and mailed a de-enrollment notice. De-enrollments will occur February 9 through February 17, following the submission window deadline notified for each subscriber. Service providers are encouraged to monitor the Failed Reverification De-Enroll Report in NLAD to see which subscribers failed the reverification process and have been de-enrolled.

Additional Group Updates/Reminders
Group Two
Document submission for group two remains postponed. USAC will notify service providers when the submission window is expected to open.

Group Three
Service providers must collect and submit all final documentation to USAC. All final documentation is due by June 28, 2024.

Group Four
No action is required at this time. USAC will notify service providers later in the year when more details are available.

For more information on the Lifeline reverification process, providers can visit USAC’s Reverification page. Additional information on acceptable documentation is available on the Resolve Application Errors page.

February 5, 2024

USAC One Portal Maintenance – February 9

USAC will perform system updates on One Portal on Friday, February 9 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

During this time all applications within One Portal will be inaccessible, including E-File, the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC), the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Rural Health Care’s My Portal and RHC Connect, the High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal, and several additional smaller-usage applications. The National Verifier WILL NOT be affected during this system update.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

February 1, 2024

Resolved: Lifeline & ACP Support Center Calls and Emails Disrupted

The issue preventing consumers from reaching the Lifeline Support Center and ACP Support Center has been resolved. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

February 1, 2024

Lifeline & ACP Support Center Calls and Emails Disrupted

The Lifeline Support Center and ACP Support Center are experiencing technical difficulties that may prevent consumers from reaching support staff by phone or email. We are actively working to identify the issue and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

January 30, 2024

January Lifeline Newsletter

• Reverification Update
• Form 555 Submission Window Closing
• Hawaii Waiver Enrollment Ending Soon
• Lifeline Program Compliance Reminder: Non-Usage
• February Webinar: How to Apply for Lifeline
• February Maintenance Schedule
• System Maintenance

View full newsletter

January 17, 2024

January Monthly Maintenance Reminder

January 19 Systems Maintenance

National Verifier (NV) Portal, NV Carrier API, National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Lifeline Claims System (LCS), Representative Accountability Database (RAD), and the Affordable Connectivity Claims System (ACCS) will be unavailable due to a scheduled monthly maintenance starting Friday, January 19 from 10 p.m. until Saturday, January 20 at 3 a.m. ET.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Note: All scheduled maintenance dates for NLAD and NV are available on the USAC website.

January 16, 2024

Reverification Update

Group 2 Submission Window Postponed
Document submission for Group Two is postponed for an indefinite period, additional time is needed to begin this collection process with service providers.

Service providers should disregard Group Two reporting referenced on the Reverification Subscriber Status Report in the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) until further notice. USAC will notify service providers when the submission window is expected to open and up-to-date reporting is available.

Additional Group Updates/Reminders
Group 1
The window to receive all final documentation has been updated to February 5 – 10, 2024.

Group 3
Service providers must collect and submit all final documentation to USAC. All final documentation is due by June 28, 2024.

Note: Additional Study Area Codes (SAC)’s have been added to Group 3. SAC’s include: 489014, 499011, 499016, 509014, 499001, 509002, 459024, and 459001.

Group 4
No action is required at this time. USAC will notify service providers later in 2024 when more details are available.

Reverification Reporting
Refer to the Reverification Subscriber Status Report available on the reports page in NLAD to identify the following:

Subscribers – Subscribers with a FAIL status still need to complete reverification.

Group – Service providers may have subscribers in multiple groups. This information can be referenced under the “Reverification Group” field. 

Failures – Further information about documentation required to resolve failure(s) is available on USAC’s Reverification page.

Note: The Reverification Subscriber Status Report Instructions are available on the reports page in NLAD. The document provides a detailed overview of each field on the reverification report. The ‘Failed Attempt Reason’ field is nonfunctioning, please disregard this field.

De-Enrollments

De-enrollments will occur daily during each specified reverification group’s final documentation window. Service providers are encouraged to monitor the Reverification Subscriber Status Report.

Additional Resources
Service providers are encouraged to view the Quick Reference Guide to assist with interpreting reverification report data. For more information on the Lifeline reverification process, providers can visit USAC’s Reverification page.

Acceptable Documentation Requirements
Additional information on acceptable documentation is available on the Resolve Application Errors page.