ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Many individuals or low-income families qualify for assistance with telephone charges but don’t realize that this help is available to them. If you’re experiencing financial difficulties, or have a friend or a family member in this situation, we encourage you to look into these programs.

The Lifeline Program is designed to reduce the monthly telephone or broadband charges for low income-eligible customers. Lifeline Program is only for households with a phone line or Internet service with qualifying speeds (must be greater than 25x3 Mb). Lifeline can save you up to $9.25 per month depending on where you live.

Eligibility guidelines vary throughout the country. You may be eligible for Lifeline if you, or someone in your household, participate in one of the following federal assistance programs:

• Medicaid/Medical Assistance
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP aka Food Stamps)
• Supplemental Security Income
• Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8
• Veterans Pension Benefit Program
• Income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines

Note: They are no longer allowing credits for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or the National School Free Lunch Program, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (MN Family Investment Program, or MFIP)

Individuals who do not qualify under any of the above but live on or near a federally recognized reservation may qualify for Lifeline Assistance if the applicant receives benefits from at least one of the following programs:

• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• Head Start (only for those meeting its income qualifying standard)
• National School Lunch Program’s free lunch program

 To learn more about Lifeline, visit LifelineSupport.org, or stop by your local Bevcomm office for more details.

Minnesota Residents accepting Lifeline: You will automatically be enrolled in the TAP Program as required by the Minnesota Law and the applicable Commission Orders.

Lifeline credits may be used to reduce the price of broadband Internet service in addition to reducing the price of landline service, but TAP credits may only be used to reduce the price of landline service.

Consumers can access the online application for the Lifeline Program at LifelineSupport.org using the Apply Now button.

You and your family may qualify for a $30 discount each month on broadband internet service. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helps low-income households pay for broadband service. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to help low-income households pay for internet service. The ACP will provide a discount of up to $30 per month towards broadband service for eligible households.

Eligibility

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Medicaid
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly Food Stamps
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
• VA Veterans Pension (Supplemental Income for Wartime Veterans)
• VA Survivors Pension
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
• Head Start (Income-Based)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Federal Pell Grant
• Women, Infants and Children Program

You may also qualify if your annual income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting GetInternet.gov, in Spanish at AccedeaInternet.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.

Apply Now

Go to GetInternet.gov  to submit an application or print out a mail-in application. Contact your local Bevcomm office to select a plan and have the discount applied to your bill, if you qualify.

Minnesota’s Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) and the federal Lifeline Program help make telephone service affordable to low-income consumers.

TAP offers a $10.00 per month discount on home landline telephone service.

The Lifeline Program is designed to reduce the monthly telephone or broadband charges for low income-eligible customers. Lifeline Program is only for households with a phone line or Internet service with qualifying speeds (must be greater than 25x3 Mb). Lifeline can save you up to $9.25 per month depending on where you live.

How do I find out if I am eligible?

Contact your service provider to ask if you qualify. Consumers enrolled in the following programs may already be eligible.

• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Medical Assistance
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
• Supplemental Security Income
• Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension Benefit
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• Head Start
• Food Distribution Program
• Veterans Pension Program
• Income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines

We can assist you with the application(s) or contact the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for assistance, consumer.puc@state.mn.us or 651-296-0406 or 800-657-3782.

LEARN MORE

By accepting assistance from the Federal Lifeline Program or the Affordable Connectivity Program broadband subscribers automatically qualify for up an additional $10 per month from Bevcomm. Your monthly billing must remain current to qualify for this discount.