Low Income
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Lifeline Program Participation Data
Each year, USAC staff completes a study of participation rates in the Lifeline program in each state. The study uses United States Census data to determine the number of households in the United States. The study compares the eligibility criteria used by each state against government and other publicly available data to determine the number of households eligible under each program. In addition, because many states, including those that use the federal default criteria, include income as a criterion, the study uses the Poverty Guidelines to determine the number of households eligible based on income in these states. The study relies on data published for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Food Stamps to calculate an average number (58%) of households that are receiving assistance through more than one program. This amount was subtracted from the total number of eligible households in states that included multiple programs in their eligibility criteria. The study then compares the number of eligible households in each state against USAC's data on Lifeline participation to calculate an estimated participation rate for each state.
2010 Lifeline Participation Rate Data
- 2010 Participation Rates by State
This map shows the Lifeline participation rates by state for 2010. Eligibility criteria differ by state and sometimes by individual telephone company.
- 2010 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State
This map shows the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) that serves the most Lifeline subscribers in each state. ETCs with multiple study area codes have been combined within each state.
2009 Lifeline Participation Rate Data
- 2009 Participation Rates by State [pdf, 110kb]
This map shows the Lifeline participation rates by state for 2009. Eligibility criteria differ by state and sometimes by individual telephone company. - 2009 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State [pdf, 103kb]
This map shows the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) that serves the most Lifeline subscribers in each state. ETCs with multiply study area codes have been combined within each state.
2008 Lifeline Participation Rate Data
- 2008 Participation Rates by State [pdf, 29kb]
This map shows the Lifeline participation rates by state for 2008. Eligibility criteria differ by state and sometimes by individual telephone company. - 2008 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State [pdf, 30kb]
This map shows the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) that serves the most Lifeline subscribers in each state. ETCs with multiply study area codes have been combined within each state.
2007 Lifeline Participation Rate Data
- 2007 Participation Rates by State [pdf, 29kb]
This map shows the Lifeline participation rates by state for 2007. Eligibility criteria differ by state and sometimes by individual telephone company. - 2007 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State [pdf, 27kb]
This map shows the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) that serves the most Lifeline subscribers in each state. ETCs with multiply study area codes have been combined within each state.
2006 Lifeline Participation Rate Data
- 2006 Participation Rates by State [pdf, 29kb]
This map shows the Lifeline participation rates by state for 2006. Eligibility criteria differ by state and sometimes by individual telephone company. - 2006 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State [pdf, 27kb]
This map shows the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) that serves the most Lifeline subscribers in each state. ETCs with multiply study area codes have been combined within each state.
2005 Lifeline Participation Rate Data
- 2005 Participation Rates by State
- 2005 ETC with the Most Lifeline Subscribers by State