“Programs like ACP and Lifeline are vital to connecting all Americans to broadband. Without our agents, we wouldn’t be able to get these programs in the hands of the people who need them the most,” says David B. Dorwart, Chairman of the NaLA Board.
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (PRWEB) January 19, 2023
Today, the National Lifeline Association (NaLA) announces the establishment of the National Agent Coalition (NAC), the national trade association for distributors and representatives who conduct in-person enrollment into the Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs (ACP).
NAC will serve as a voice for agents, who are on the front lines of bridging the digital divide through these programs. They will support the industry by providing resources for agents, increasing agent impact and ensuring eligible consumers are enrolled. The group will ensure enrollment efforts are conducted with the highest level of business standards and will meet on an ongoing basis to develop and maintain a rigorous Agent Code of Conduct, among other agent and distributor resources.
The initial NAC includes seven members:
- Kristi Brown –– Community Outreach Partners
- Calen Schultz –– Community Outreach Partners
- Jon Sarver –– Sarver Corporation
- Stephen Alexander –– PayGO Distributors
- Carlos Camarena –– Moreable
- Michael Fries –– Goodnight Marketing
- Casey Lillie –– 1 Source Communications
“Programs like ACP and Lifeline are vital to connecting all Americans to broadband. Without our agents, we wouldn’t be able to get these programs in the hands of the people who need them the most,” says David B. Dorwart, Chairman of the NaLA Board. “Our agents are essential ambassadors for these programs and NAC will work to ensure that we continue to meet the high standards of customer service and excellence that both our members and we require.”
“Agents are an integral part of the equation and deserve a clear path to long-term success,” says Kristi Brown, NAC Committee Member and Managing Director for Community Outreach Partners. “We need to focus on what happens on the ground, just as much as we are on what happens at the policy and provider level. Implementation is key. We’ve developed NAC to uphold high standards of accountability and integrity with our enrollment representatives and to avoid any confusion around enrollment practices for consumers.”
“Collaborating across the industry is the only way we can make sure that we equip our agents with the tools they need to bring ACP and Lifeline to communities in need. Forming NAC will give us a chance to standardize our processes and do our due diligence to ensure success,” emphasized Calen Schultz, NAC Committee Chair and Managing Director for Community Outreach Partners.
NaLA works toward the preservation and advancement of Lifeline and the ACP through stakeholder engagement, education, collaboration and advocacy. The Lifeline program and the ACP are federally-run programs that provide subsidized data, text and voice services to qualifying low-income Americans. The United Service Administrative Company administers both programs under the direction of the FCC.
To read more about NAC and NaLA, visit: http://www.nalalifeline.org
About the National Lifeline Association (NaLA):
The National Lifeline Association (NaLA) is the only industry trade group specifically focused on the Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) segment of the communications marketplace. NaLA works toward the preservation and advancement of Lifeline and the ACP through stakeholder engagement, education, collaboration and advocacy. We support all stakeholders in pursuit of a common goal: voice, text and broadband connectivity for all Americans. Through our ecosystem-wide membership that includes service providers, distributors, network access aggregators, compliance and software solutions vendors, device manufacturers, program supporters and beneficiaries, NaLA provides a platform to enable and realize of the goal of getting and keeping every low-income American connected to essential communications services. For more information on NaLA, visit https://www.nalalifeline.org.