The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) has issued a Public Notice announcing that the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) will soft launch in California, Oregon, and Texas, effective December 20, 2019. Since these three states have opted out of the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), they will operate their own comprehensive systems rather than relying on the National Verifier to validate telecommunications carriers’ eligibility. These three states will still have to make their eligibility determinations in accordance with the Commission’s rules. For Lifeline applications that these states are unable to review, the National Verifier will accept those applications during this soft launch period.
