FCC-USAC Joint Training Event In-Depth Data Validations June 19, 2012 Washington, DC
In-Depth Data Validations FCC Guidance Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 2
FCC Guidance Duplicative Program Payments Order FCC 11-97 On June 21, 2011, the FCC released the Duplicative Program Payments Orderto take immediate action to address potential waste in the Lifeline Program. This order made clear that qualifying low-income consumers may receive no more than a single Lifeline benefit concurrently. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 3
FCC Guidance In-depth Data Validation Process Letter DA 11-1082 In conjunction with the June 2011, Duplicative Program Payments Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau provided a Guidance Letter (June 21, 2011) to USAC. Guidance Letter outlines the in-depth data validation (IDV) process that USAC should follow to identify and resolve instances of consumers who receive simultaneous Lifeline benefits from multiple ETCs. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 4
FCC Guidance December Guidance Letter DA 11-1986 Advises USAC to continue with additional phases of the Duplicate Support Resolution IDV process. Advises USAC to submit an Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure a third-party vendor to manage the associated customer care functionalities. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 5
FCC Guidance Lifeline and Link Up Modernization Order FCC 12-11 Directs USAC to continue the duplicate identification and resolution process per the 2011 Duplicative Program Payments Order. USAC shall identify multiple subscribers at the same address and will notify these subscribers of the new oneper-household requirement. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 6
In-Depth Data Validations Duplicate Support Resolution Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 7
IDV Process Outline Data Collection IDVs are conducted at the state level and involve multiple service providers receiving Lifeline disbursements. USAC obtains and analyzes an up-to-date list of Lifeline subscribers per service provider to identify consumers recorded on more than one service provider s subscriber list for the Data Month indicated by USAC. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 8
IDV Process Outline Data Collection Effective June 1, 2012, the following subscriber data collection requirements became effective that will impact the quality of the data collected during the Duplicate Support Resolution IDV moving forward. See 54.410 (d)(2) Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 9
Section 54.410 (d)(2) requires each prospective subscriber to provide: The subscriber s full name; The subscriber s full residential address; Whether the subscriber s residential address is permanent or temporary; The subscriber s billing address, if different from the subscriber s residential address; The subscriber s date of birth; The last four digits of the subscriber s Social Security Number, or the subscriber s Tribal Identification Number, if the subscriber is a member of a Tribal nation and does not have a Social Security Number; Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 10
IDV Process Outline Data Analysis (LIDDS) USAC built the Low Income Duplicate Detection System (LIDDS) in order to accomplish two key tasks: 1. Standardize addresses through the United States Postal Service Address Matching System (AMS). 2. Name comparison using lexical and phonetic approaches to determine name variances. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 11
IDV Process Outline Data Analysis - LIDDS Based on its analysis, USAC produces three reports to identify different types of duplicates: Track 1 Same name at the same address receives two or more Lifeline supported services. Track 2A Different names at the same address receive a Lifeline support service from the same service provider. Track 2B Different names at the same address receive a Lifeline supported service from two or more service providers. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 12
IDV Process Outline Data Analysis Service providers are each provided a list of its potential Track 1 duplicates and any bad data identified by USAC. USAC analyzes the revised subscriber listings to determine a final Track 1 report for use in allocating a default provider and initiate the consumer selection period. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 13
IDV Process Outline Consumer Selection Period USAC submits allocation of default and alternate providers to a third-party call center to track subscriber selection of a single Lifeline provider. Call center provides: IVR: automated self-service tool for single Lifeline provider selection, and Live Agent: to assist consumer in the selection process and answer consumer questions. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 14
IDV Process Outline Consumer Selection Period USAC prepares notification letters for all subscribers identified as having duplicate Lifeline supported services: Advise the subscriber that they have 35 days from the date of the letter to choose a single Lifeline provider. Provides a toll free number subscribers may call to make their single Lifeline provider selection. Advises that subscribers who do not respond will retain Lifeline supported services only from the default service provider. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 15
IDV Process Outline Consumer Selection Period USAC will follow up to ensure subscribers are reminded within reasonable timeframes to make their single Lifeline provider selection: 10 days following letter date, USAC provides a post card reminder containing the toll free number, and 30 days following letter date, automated calls to subscribers that have not made a selection. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 16
IDV Process Outline De-Enrollment Following the expiration of the 35-day consumer selection period, the third-party vendor will provide USAC with an updated allocation report reflecting the subscriber-generated provider selections. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 17
IDV Process Outline De-Enrollment USAC shall supply each service provider with a list of its subscribers to de-enroll as a result of the consumer selection period. Within five business days of notification, ETCs must deenroll all subscribers identified by USAC from the ETCs Lifeline supported service. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 18
IDV Process States Examined In Progress in 2012 Washington New York Missouri Mississippi Alabama Louisiana Pennsylvania Completed in 2011 Florida Tennessee Maryland Missouri North Carolina Wisconsin West Virginia Arkansas Alaska Louisiana Ohio Oklahoma Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 19
In-Depth Data Validations Future State Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 20
Future State National Lifeline Accountability Database The Lifeline and Link Up Modernization Order directs USAC to establish a database to both eliminate existing duplicative support and prevent duplicative support in the future (paragraph 179). Progress is underway for National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) to be operational in 2013. Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 21
Contacts Questions? Please contact us! Catherine Palcic Manager of the Lifeline Program Phone: 202-776-0200 Email: cpalcic@usac.org Website: www.usac.org/li Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 22
Thank you! Lifeline Program Training, presented by the FCC and USAC 23