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Millions could lose cheap phone service under FCC's overhaul of Lifeline
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, appointed to the post by President Donald Trump, wants to remove a majority of wireless providers that participate in the Lifeline program in an attempt to eliminate "waste, fraud, and abuse." If such a move were made, the "chaos would be magnificent," said David Dorwart, the chairman of the National Lifeline Association (NaLA), a trade organization that represents Lifeline businesses.
Roughly 10.7 million Americans receive text, voice, and data under the program, and 70 percent would have to look for a new service provider under the proposal, according to NaLA, if an affordable option is even available. The program cost about $1.3 billion dollars in 2017, and the funding comes from the Universal Service Fund, which is collected from phone subscribers by service providers.
[...] The proposal, introduced by the commission in November of 2017, would limit the Lifeline program to providers that own their networks. This would effectively eliminate "resellers," or providers who instead lease space on a network. Such providers service more than 70 percent of Lifeline participants. The program has been criticized in the past for fraud. It has been the subject of several reports from the Government Accountability Office, which highlighted "significant risks" for abuse.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday September 04 2018, @08:04PM (26 children)
I won't wish you a severe bout of bordering-suicide-depression, but maybe just maybe you can imagine what are the chances you'd pay for the service in conditions like that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @08:14PM (4 children)
(Score: 5, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday September 04 2018, @08:26PM (2 children)
In the context of saved human lives, if it needs to come to cutting, I'd think that "build first a better support, cut the older later" would be self-evident.
As it stays now, chances are "We'll cut the knot, then it's not our problem anymore".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 1, Troll) by arslan on Tuesday September 04 2018, @10:50PM (1 child)
If the govies can't run the program well the first time round what makes you think it will the second time round? Bureaucracy and rort in govie agencies doesn't just fix itself because you reset a program.
Is it a surprise that the chairman of the organization that is getting the benefit of the program is forecasting doom upon the program's demise?
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:01PM
Never overestimate your luck. But miracles can still happen. (grin)
However: the idea of "come with something better, dismantle the old after" is not sensible to which entity is managing/running the program, is it?
No.
But... can you exclude the situation in which the doom will actually happen?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 5, Interesting) by number11 on Tuesday September 04 2018, @09:59PM
Right now, it's costing the government not quite $10/month for the phones and service. (Service seems to vary between states and resellers, 500-1000 minutes, some-to-unlimited texts, no-to-some data. I know a number of people who have these phones, AFAIK only one of them got any data.)
So... require that the telcos offer such service including phone without a contract for $10/month? After all, the telcos are using the public's radio bands. Or let the telcos gouge as they wish?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @09:35PM (6 children)
You're assuming there's some societal benefit to letting the poor and sick survive, that justifies subsidizing them?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday September 04 2018, @09:58PM (3 children)
I hope you never get in a condition in which the question you raise has you as a subject. You will be surprised how fast you'll find an answer that doesn't even take economy or social aspects into account.
Mind you, in a dog-eat-dog society, it's almost inevitable you will get to the stage of "sick" sooner or later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:11PM (2 children)
How often does the average American find himself in an emergency situation - AND NO ONE AROUND HAS A PHONE THAT CAN BE USED TO SUMMON HELP?!?!?!
Even in the pre-cell-phone days, there was generally someone around who could run or drive to a nearby house to call the cops, or fire department, or whatever.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:40PM
Yeap, right. Let this cost be supported by good passers-by Samaritans. Surely there will always be one around.
Based on the reaction, I have a feeling you'd be tempted to call Reagan a commie [wikipedia.org]
Oh, wow! $10/mo tax burden to help some maybe send her/his application to a job via Internet.
Cut it quick, we must offer no chances, even to those that may take them. Let them struggle, it's their fault they are in this situation. </sarcasm>
Ah, yes, here's another idea. While at it, cut off the Rural health care [wikipedia.org] too; from his farmlet, Runaway1956 will never need telemedicine that he cannot pay. Since he doesn't need it, it necessary follows nobody needs it too. (grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:40PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @09:59PM
Yep. It's called, "not being a dick when you've got it, because someday you might be on the other end of the soup bowl." Believing it can't happen to you is the most delicious fantasy.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @10:37PM
Whenever I hear someone say something like this, I immediately think of this from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol:
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:44PM (13 children)
I know 8 people that have these phones.
Every last one has a 'real' phone too. They get them because they can. Not because the need them. They think I am 'crazy' for not getting one too. One dude I know had 4 lines. All but one paid for by you.
This program is so sadly abused :(
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:56PM (5 children)
Technically, you are wrong: I'm paying for the welfare of Aussies, not Yankees.
Replace it, by all means. But I reckon is only fair to put up the replacement before dismantling the older one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday September 05 2018, @01:50AM (3 children)
I believe they prefer the term "Septics".
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday September 05 2018, @02:33AM (2 children)
Meh, I'm not quite familiar with Pom's slang.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday September 05 2018, @02:54AM (1 child)
Oh. I've only ever heard it in Melbourne.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday September 05 2018, @03:17AM
That's news for me.
I had to google the term and found it's originated in rhyming slang [urbandictionary.com].
But... yeah, whaddya know... the proper Oz term is seppo [urbandictionary.com]. Kinda sounds like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 05 2018, @02:35AM
Ah then you have no f-ng clue how this program is used and abused and what it is for. I think you will find you are *WILDLY* wrong on pretty much all aspects of the program then. There is the propaganda which you have spread all over this discussion. You have not seen first hand then how it is abused. Nice. Care to give me anymore propaganda?
(Score: 0, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 04 2018, @11:59PM
Is that you, Ivanka?
(Score: 4, Informative) by c0lo on Wednesday September 05 2018, @12:09AM (4 children)
Really [snopes.com]? If true, it's likely an outright fraud, 'cause I can't imagine $10/mo subsidy is enough to pay for 3 numbers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 05 2018, @02:31AM (3 children)
Yes it is fraud. Yes he does this sort of shit all the time. His family and friends do too. Every last one also has t-mobile or boost smartphone in addition to the 'free one'. You are being systematically ripped off. They sold this as a nice gesture to help people. I thought the same at one point. Now that I have seen the abuse first hand these programs do little more than make some people feel good without doing anything. That VZW is saying 'no no it is fine' does not surprise me one bit. They are *well* aware of the double sell going on here. You think he would get in trouble if I turned him in? HA! At best they would turn him off for a month and he would just have the thing on again somewhere else. No fines, no jail, no cops. Just a slight inconvenience for him (remember he still has the smart phone too that he bought). Plus the smart phone he bought for his girlfriend. Who also magically has 70 dollars a month to play for a smartphone plan too. Because and I quote "dat bama phone be nasty".
Another dude I know spent 3 months badgering me for my old VZ smartphone to use on AT&T (yeah I know, and I told him). He was convinced he could convert it to GSM from 3g CDMA. He was also going to convert his 'obamaphone' account into a smartphone. So I finally gave it to him to find out first hand. Could not convert it. But magically he kept the old flip phone with 700 minutes a month PLUS magically he had 80 bucks a month to get AT&T and a galaxy 7. Tell me is this someone who needs a free phone?
Those are but 3 of many many many examples out there. This program is rife with abuse. No one wants to actually do anything about it because of 'reasons'.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 05 2018, @03:39AM (1 child)
And you're downvoted by more fools who can't handle cognitive dissonance. But according to them, everyone else is ignorant and backwards.
Or they're just liars.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 05 2018, @07:55AM
Yes fraud happens, but usually it isnt on the level you think. These anecdotes are not worthy, come back with real data.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Wednesday September 05 2018, @05:02PM
If he has two phones, is he going to make twice as many phone calls as with just one phone? Is he really going to cost more to the cellphone company?
(Score: 1) by i286NiNJA on Wednesday September 05 2018, @05:51PM
I had one too. When I was a college student.
How exactly are you able to read the technical stories posted here but unable to obtain a job that pays 125% of the federal poverty guidelines?
If any of this is true your "friend" is an idiot. This program is extremely unpopular with republicans and they'd love to use it as a way to ban a bunch of people from welfare.