Model Press Release on Lifeline and Link-Up
Lifeline Across America
Do you need a phone? Are you having trouble paying your telephone
bills? If so, you may be eligible to take advantage of two special
programs that help reduce the cost of phone service.
Lifeline Assistance and Link-Up can help qualified customers get
phone service and pay their bills. These are public programs
implemented by local telephone companies that help eligible
households pay for basic telephone hook-up costs and monthly
services.
You may be qualified if your household income is no more than 135
percent of the federal poverty income guidelines or if you
participate in any of the following programs:
-
Medicaid
-
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
-
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
-
Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section
8)
-
Food Stamps
-
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
-
National School Lunch Free Lunch Program (NSL)
-
Bureau of Indian Affairs Program (Tribal
TANF, Head Start Subsidy, NSL)
Lifeline Assistance will help qualified
customers who already have telephone service save a significant
amount of money on their monthly phone bills, while Link-Up helps
eligible customers receive a generous discount on the installation
of telephone service in their homes.
Also, consumers can voluntarily forego
presubscribed long distance telephone service by requesting
toll-blocking, a service that prevents toll calls (such as long
distance) from being made and prevents these consumers from paying
hefty service deposits. Customers using this service can still use
pre-paid calling cards or dial-around services to place
long-distance calls from their homes.
For more information, or to find out if you
qualify for the programs, call your local phone company, state
public utility commission, or the Federal Communications Commission
at 1-888-CALL-FCC. You may also visit the "Lifeline Across
America" Web site [www.lifeline.gov].
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Federal Communications Commission
