AT&T Exits Ohio With Lifeline

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has granted AT&T's request that it be allowed to stop providing Lifeline service on a landline basis in Ohio. While AT&T did not have a significant number of customers in Ohio, this is another indication that the major facilities-based carriers don't really want to devote resources to continuing to provide Lifeline service.

This is just one action by one company in one state -- but there have been many others that are similar. In my view, it is a reason for the FCC to back away from its pending proposal to eliminate participation by resellers in the Lifeline program which is intended to be a "safety net" for the poor. As long as participation by resellers (currently at 70%) far outweighs participation by facilities-based carriers like AT&T, it would risk too much disruption of the Lifeline program for the FCC to move ahead with its "reseller elimination" proposal.

The comments I filed with the FCC in its Lifeline proceeding are here.