"This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement"
The Federal Communications Commission, in partnership with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA), is kicking off the annual Digital Connectivity & Lifeline Awareness Week (formerly named Lifeline Awareness Week) the full first week after Labor Day, September 11-17, 2023.
Join us in this week of action to help raise awareness of the Lifeline Program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) so that no one is unable to connect to crucial services simply because they cannot afford it. The purpose of Digital Connectivity & Lifeline Awareness Week is to encourage enrollment as well as to ensure that eligible low-income households are aware of each program’s eligibility criteria, non-duplication rules, and annual recertification requirements. A connection to voice and broadband services provides people with the means to stay in contact with vital emergency services and community resources. Both Lifeline and ACP are, in a very real sense, lifelines.
The FCC offers the following resources to people interested in providing outreach and helping households enroll. The FCC’s ACP Outreach Toolkit can be found here; NARUC’s Toolkit can be found here. Consumer information on the Lifeline Program can be found here. A Digital Connectivity & Lifeline Awareness Week fact sheet includes links to several resources for outreach partners, including a sample press release, a proclamation, public service announcements, sample social media posts, and a guide for outreach events and promotion. These materials may be used by stakeholders from industry, education, nonprofits, and other sectors to support Digital Connectivity & Lifeline Awareness week.
For questions about Digital Connectivity & Lifeline Awareness Week, please contact Darryl Cooper, Attorney-Advisor, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs, at Darryl.Cooper@fcc.gov or 202-417-7131. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at 844-432-2275 (videophone).