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UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND - LIFELINE

Program Information

Popular name

UNIVERSAL SERVICE - Lifeline

Program Number

32.003

Sub-agency

N/A

Program objective

Universal service has been defined by Congress as “an evolving level of telecommunications services . . . taking into account advances in telecommunications and information technologies and services.” 47 U.S.C. 254(c). Universal service support generally is distributed only to eligible telecommunications carriers and must be used “only for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and services for which the support is intended.” 47 U.S.C. 254(e). In addition, policies for the advancement and preservation of universal service must be based on certain principles established by Congress. See 47 U.S.C. 254(b). Consistent with these statutory provisions, the FCC has established the Universal Service Fund, which disburses support for the provision of telecommunications services, as well as other services and facilities (including broadband) for high-cost areas, schools and libraries, rural health care providers, and low-income consumers.

Program expenditures, by FY (2023 - 2025)

This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.

For more information on each of these data sources, please see the About the data page.

Additional program information

  1. 2018

    9.6 Million subscribers received support.

  2. 2019

    An estimated 8.1 Million subscribers received support.

  3. 2020

    An estimated 7.3 Million subscribers will receive support

  4. 2021

    An estimated 7.4 Million subscribers will receive support

Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):

For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.

OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.

47 C.F.R. Section 54, as well as various FCC orders and instructions on forms for the program.

  1. Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 2, 254, The FCC established the Universal Service Fund (USF) pursuant to section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, which requires the preservation and advancement of universal service to be based on certain principles, including access to telecommunications and advanced services for all consumers at just, reasonable and affordable rates. The USF currently consists of four programs that focus on increasing such access for consumers living in high-cost areas, low-income consumers, schools and libraries, and rural health care providers.

Program details

Eligible beneficiaries

  • Alcoholic
  • American Indian
  • Anyone/general public
  • Artist/Humanist
  • Asian
  • Black
  • Builder/Contractor/Developer
  • Child (6-15)
  • Consumer
  • Disabled (e.g. Deaf, Blind, Physically Disabled)
  • Drug Addict
  • Education (0-8)
  • Education (13+)
  • Education (9-12)
  • Education Professional
  • Engineer/Architect
  • Farmer/Rancher/Agriculture Producer
  • Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments
  • Graduate Student
  • Homeowner
  • Individual/Family
  • Industrialist/ Business person
  • Infant (0-5)
  • Interstate
  • Intrastate
  • Juvenile Delinquent
  • Land/Property Owner
  • Local
  • Low Income
  • Major Metropolis (over 250,000)
  • Mentally Disabled
  • Migrant
  • Minority group
  • Moderate Income
  • Native American Organizations
  • Other Non-White
  • Other Urban
  • Other private institution/organization
  • Pension Recipient
  • Physically Afflicted (e.g. TB, Arthritis, Heart Disease)
  • Preschool
  • Private nonprofit institution/organization
  • Profit organization
  • Public nonprofit institution/organization
  • Quasi-public nonprofit organization
  • Refugee/Alien
  • Rural
  • School
  • Scientist/Researchers
  • Senior Citizen (60+)
  • Small Business Person
  • Small business
  • Spanish Origin
  • Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans)
  • Sponsored organization
  • State
  • Student/Trainee
  • Suburban
  • U.S. Citizen
  • U.S. Territories
  • Unemployed
  • Veteran/Service person/Reservist (including dependents
  • Welfare Recipient
  • Women
  • Youth (16-21)

Additional resources