Financial Assistance

Congress, the States, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have expressed the importance of promoting universal service, i.e., ensuring that all households that want access to the telecommunications network are able to afford it. The Lifeline and Link Up programs, which directly benefit eligible low-income consumers, provide financial assistance to low-income telephone subscribers and ensure that low-income Americans can afford telephone service.

Link-Up America helps qualified low income consumers to connect, or hook up, to the telephone network. This federal program offsets one-half of the initial hook-up fee, up to $30.00, for qualified households. The program also includes a plan to encourage local telephone companies to offer low income telephone subscribers a deferred payment schedule for these charges. In addition, low income consumers on tribal lands are eligible for additional support of 100% of the charges over $60.00 up to $130.00 (a maximum of $70 in additional support).

The Lifeline Assistance Program provides qualified telephone subscribers outside tribal lands with discounts of $7.85 on monthly charges depending on state law. In addition, low income consumers on tribal lands will be able to receive up to $25.00 per month in additional discounts (up to $32.85 in total monthly support), to bring basic monthly rates on tribal lands down to $1 per month in most cases.

These two programs are available to qualifying consumers. You should contact your local telephone company or your state regulatory agency for information about these programs and whether you qualify for them. You can obtain the telephone number and address for your state regulatory agency from your local or state consumer offices or the government section of your telephone directory. The telephone number for your state regulatory agency can be found at Contacting Your State's Telecommunications Regulator.

Additional information about these programs can be found at Universal Service Programs for Low-Income Consumers.