Ind. Commissioners Free AT&T of Lifeline Requirements

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission granted an AT&T petition to relinquish its eligible telecom carrier (ETC) designations statewide. AT&T may stop enrolling new Lifeline customers there within five days of Wednesday’s order (docket 41052 ETC 39 S2), which was supported by all five Indiana commissioners. "There are at least three ETCs serving in the areas that AT&T requests to relinquish, AT&T will provide advance notice to affected customers, and the Lifeline customers served by AT&T will have the option to continue to be served by a different ETC offering the Lifeline discount, or by AT&T without the Lifeline discount,” the Indiana URC said. “If an affected Lifeline customer cannot find an alternative Lifeline provider due to poor wireless coverage in the customer’s area, AT&T will provide the customer a courtesy Lifeline credit.”