Lifeline is a FCC (Federal Communications Commission) program that was established in the year 1985 to offer phone service discounts to qualified individuals. This program is a part of the universal service fund and has been in the market for 20+ years. Administered by the USAC (Universal Service Administrative Company), this program has consistently helped low income households to afford communication services in all tribal lands, territories, states, and commonwealth. That basically means that you should be earning less or not wearing at all to qualify for this program.
If you qualify for the program, you are given monthly telephone service discounts or discounted broadband services from eligible service providers. However, you should apply and get approval before receiving these benefits. Through lifeline, you will thus be able to access the security and opportunities that phone service presents, including connecting to family, access to jobs and emergency services. To access these benefits and more, several users have wanted to know how to qualify lifeline program. In this page, we will discuss more about lifeline program to answer all your questions.
The Benefits of Lifeline Program
When you qualify for lifeline, you get monthly wireline or wireless services of up to $9.25. However, if you are a low income consumer on tribal land, you get monthly service discounts of up to $34.25. Besides these discounts, you might be lucky to receive additional lifeline benefits from your selected service provider. Here, you can get benefits life free calls, free data, free texts, free or discounted phones.
Steps To Enroll Lifeline Program
There are two must-follow steps to get lifeline. The first step is to qualify. Lifeline program is not meant for everybody. Instead, it is meant to help families and individuals with straining income to afford telecommunication services. Therefore, you must qualify and prove your qualification through providing documentation proof.
Once you confirm eligibility, the next step to get lifeline is to sign up for the program. You can sign for lifeline through the help of your service provider. If you don’t have an existing provider, you can choose one through opening this link data.usac.org/publicreports/CompaniesNearMe/Download/Report. Alternatively, you can sign in directly through the national verifier mail or consumer portal
How To Qualify for Lifeline
You can qualify for lifeline through the following ways:
1. Qualify based on your income
To get lifeline discounts, we’ve aforementioned that you must be a low income consumer. To be precise, you must have a total income that is below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. This is either as an individual or a household. It is however important to note that your income eligibility varies per your state and household size. Therefore, visit lifelinesupport.org/do-i-qualify and get to know your state and household size federal poverty guidelines.
2. Based on program participation
You can also qualify for lifeline if you or any other member of your household participates in any of the following programs:
- Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) that was formerly known as food stamps
- Supplemental security income or SSI
- Medicaid
- Federal public housing assistance or FPHA
- Veterans pension and survivors benefit
- Bureau of Indian affairs general assistance for tribal land
- Tribal temporary assistance for needy families
- Food distribution program on Indian reservations
- Head start
3. Qualify through a child or any other dependent
This is where you may qualify for lifeline if any of your children or dependent benefit from any of the government assistance programs above.
Documents That Are Required For Applying Lifeline Program
To curb rampant fraud and program abuse, the federal communications Commission directed that every applicant must show eligibility documentation. This is to confirm your identity, address and lifeline eligibility for lifeline support. Here are all the required documents:
Program documents
- A benefit award letter, approval letter, benefit verification letter or statement of benefits from Medicaid, SSI, SNAP, FPHA or any other program that you participate. Note that all of these documents must have your legal name, the name of your respective program, the name the agency that handed over your document, date of issue that must be within the last one year.
Income documents
- Prior year’s state, tribal or federal tax return
- Paycheck stub
- Unemployment statement of benefits
- Veterans administration statement of benefit
- Child support award.
Note that your document must have your official name and annual income
Identity documents
- Birth certificate
- Driver’s license
- Government, state, military or tribal ID
- Green card
- Certificate of US citizenship
- Social security card
Address documents
- Utility bill
- Lease or mortgage statement
Steps To Apply For Lifeline Program
There are three effective ways on how to apply for lifeline program. However, it’s important to note that all of these ways will require your full name, tribal identification number, date of birth, social security number and your home address. Below are ways on how to apply for lifeline program.
Apply online
To apply for lifeline program online, visit nv.fcc.gov/lifeline, select your state or territory and tap on ‘get started. Fill the form by providing your correct personal information, agree details, attach eligibility documentation and submit the form.
Apply via mail
Here is where you print a lifeline application form from their website and complete your application. You can print the form either in English or Spanish. After, attach proof documentation and mail it to this lifeline address:
Lifeline support center,
P.O BOX 7081,
London, KY 40742.
Apply through your service provider
This is where you apply for lifeline program through your selected internet company. You can either call your company through their respective numbers for assistance, visit their physical stores or use the company’s website.
Restrictions For Lifeline
There are a number of rules and restrictions that you must adhere to get lifeline benefits. These are:
- You must be qualified through income or program participation to receive lifeline
- Only one lifeline discount is permitted per household
- you must recertify every year to continue receiving lifeline benefits
- You must update your service provider of every change that happens around you. For instance, change of address or if you no longer qualify.
- You must be honest with your lifeline application
- You must use lifeline for at least once in 30 days to continue with lifeline services.
Top 20 lifeline providers
- Safelink Wireless
- Q-link wireless
- TruConnect
- Assist Wireless
- enTouch Wireless
- TAG Mobile
- Access Wireless
- Assurance Wireless
- StandUp Wireless
- American assistance
- Assist Wireless
- Feelsafe Wireless
- Life Wireless
- Easy Wireless
- Infiniti Mobile
- NewPhone Wireless
- Cintex wireless
- SafetyNet Wireless
- True Wireless
- Terracom Wireless
How To Recertify Lifeline
Before the end of every year, USAC or California, Texas and Oregon states will check to determine whether you still qualify for lifeline. To recertify, you are normally sent a letter in your mail or prerecorded messages through your phone. Next, print your letter, complete your recertification form and send it back by mail to lifeline support center, P.O BOX 7081, London, KY 40742.
Alternatively, you can recertify online through visiting the link nv.fcc.gov/lifeline and select “recertify to keep lifeline’’.
You can also call (855) 359-4299, provide your application ID number that was provided in the letter and follow the prompts. You can also call (800) 234-9437 to recertify through your tribal ID number.
You should note that you have to recertify for lifeline within 2 months after receiving your recertification notice.
Transfer Your Lifeline Benefits To Other Provider
Note that you cannot transfer lifeline benefits from one household to another. However, you can transfer to another service provider. To transfer, you need to contact your latter company and ask for assistance to transfer lifeline benefits to their services. Your latter company will thereafter communicate with your former company to initiate your transfer. To transfer, you should provide your phone number, home address, last four digits of your social security number, and verbal written consent to acknowledge that you will lose your former company’s benefits when the transfer is complete.
As A Lifeline Customer, What Is My Right?
All lifeline customers are entitled to the following:
- You have the right to change or transfer to any lifeline service provider of choice
- You have the right to contact and seek help from your lifeline company. If the company is not willing to offer you help, you can complain to FCC
- You have the right to get a device with hotspot features in data plans from your company.
- You have the right to select whether to apply your lifeline discounts to internet or voice services.
Why More Families Choose Lifeline
With each passing day, more and more families are choosing lifeline because the program helps every one to get connected regardless of their social status. Also, some lifeline companies give free or discounted phones and wireless services to low-income families enabling them to aces the internet and other virtual opportunities. This helps to breach the digital divide which creates fairness.
