Saving on Phone Bills: Link-Up and Lifeline Assistance
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-03-24 10:10:18.455037-05:00
Do you need a phone? Having a hard time paying your telephone bills?
If you have low income, you may be eligible for Link-Up America and Lifeline Assistance – telephone savings programs that reduce the cost of phone service.
Link-Up America and Lifeline Assistance are programs that helped lower the cost of phone service to over 7 million low-income households.
- Link-Up America reduces the cost to install new telephone service (hook-up).
- Lifeline helps pay the monthly bill for basic telephone service.
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) started the programs to help low-income people afford basic telephone service. Local telephone companies in your state are required to provide Link-Up and Lifeline services.
Are you eligible?
To get these telephone savings programs, you must meet the income rules set by your state, or you must get one of these benefits:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Energy assistance programs, such as LIHEAP, that help with home heating costs Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
- Food Stamps
How much does Link-Up pay?
Link-Up offers a 50 percent discount (up to $30) to install a phone. You can also delay payment on the rest of the hook-up fee for up to one year with no interest charges. Link-Up does not pay for more than one phone line in the home.
How much does Lifeline pay?
All states and territories offer Lifeline, a monthly discount for local phone charges. And, if your state provides matching funds, you may be able to get as much as $12 off a month. (Larger discounts are offered in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts). Lifeline does not cover the cost of extra features such as call waiting and caller ID.
Native American Indian and Alaskan tribal communities may qualify for Enhanced Link-Up and Lifeline. To qualify, residents must meet the income rules set by their state or tribal community or receive benefits from one of the following programs:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) General Assistance
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Head Start (income eligible only)
- National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program
How to Apply
Apply for Link-Up and Lifeline through your local telephone company. Tell the sales operator for home service that you want to apply for the telephone savings programs Link-Up or Lifeline. If the phone company sales representative doesn’t know those names, say that you want to apply for the savings programs for low-income customers. If the sales representative is still not able to help you, ask to talk to a supervisor.
You must prove that your income meets the guidelines or that you get a qualifying benefit.
For Help
Some neighborhood community service agencies assist in applying for Link-Up and Lifeline. Call your local Department of Human or Social Services. The phone numbers are in the government section (blue pages) of the phone book.
If You Have Problems Applying
If you have problems applying for these programs, contact the Consumer Bureau of your state Public Service or Public Utilities Commission. These phone numbers are in the blue pages of the phone book. You can also call your state Consumer Advocate Office. This phone number can also be found in the blue pages.
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Additional Resources
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
URL: http://www.lifeline.gov/
Information from the FCC about Link-Up and Lifeline.
Universal Service Administrative Company
URL: www.lifelinesupport.org
Information on local telephone companies and the guidelines for applying for Link-Up and Lifeline. Not all telephone companies are listed.
Benefits QuickLINK
URL: www.aarp.org/quicklink
Answer a few confidential questions and this online tool tells you which federal, state, and local programs you might be eligible for and how to apply. This site is powered by Benefits CheckUp, a service of the National Council on Aging.
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