How Much For A Ca Lifeline Service For A Landline

Connect to California LifeLine and Save! (2022)

Discounted telephone service tin assist your family stay in touch on

California LifeLine provides discounts on basic residential wireline (home phone) or wireless telephone or broadband net service to eligible low-income households. Consumers who qualify for California LifeLine pay a fraction of the regular toll for telephone connectedness or activation and monthly service. This brochure explains the features and benefits of Lifeline phone service, how to apply for the program and what yous must do to continue participation.

Introduction

California LifeLine provides discounts on basic residential wireline (home phone) or wireless telephone or broadband internet service to eligible low-income households. Consumers who qualify for California LifeLine pay a fraction of the regular cost for telephone connection or activation and monthly service.

What benefits does California LifeLine offer?

California LifeLine offers significant discounts on telephone service. The final monthly toll to you will depend on whether you cull wireline (abode telephone) or wireless (mobile phone) service and which service plan you select.

Wireline telephone service

All California service providers providing traditional residential landline service offer the California LifeLine program.

Customers can qualify in one of ii means:

• By participating in an canonical public assist programme
• By meeting the California LifeLine programme'south household income limits

Discounts for landline service under the California LifeLine program include:

• Service connection discount: Yous volition be credited upwards to $39 toward the cost of establishing new service once yous are approved for California LifeLine.
• Service conversion disbelieve: You volition exist credited upwards to $39 toward the cost of converting your existing telephone service to California LifeLine once you lot are approved for the program.
• Monthly service disbelieve: California LifeLine provides a monthly service discount of up to $14.85 on flat-rate local telephone service, which allows for unlimited local calling. (Rates vary by service provider, so compare plans if yous accept more than one option.)
• An extra California LifeLine connectedness: Qualify for a second California LifeLine line at the same discount if yous or someone in your household needs a teletypewriter (TTY or TDD device) when using the telephone.
• Every bit a California LifeLine client, you are not assessed the following surcharges on your telephone service: Federal Universal Service Fee, California LifeLine Telephone Service, California Loftier Cost Fund-A, California Loftier Cost Fund-B, California Advanced Services Fund, California Teleconnect Fund, California Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund, 911 Emergency Organisation, Country Regulatory Fee, and various state/local taxes. California LifeLine customers do not have to pay the monthly Federal Subscriber Line Charge, either.

When you enroll in California LifeLine, you lot volition pay the regular rates for bones phone service and connectedness until your California LifeLine application is canonical. (Ask for an interest-free payment plan to help pay whatsoever service connection charges and/or deposit for bones service.) One time approved, you lot will receive a bill credit with the California LifeLine discount retroactive to the date your service began or the date you applied for California LifeLine, whichever is after. Additionally, any deposit you paid for basic service will be refunded with a credit on your beak. If your bill has a internet credit balance of $x or more, y'all may request a refund check from your California LifeLine service provider.

Wireless telephone service

Wireless service is also eligible for discounts nether the California LifeLine program.

Discounts for wireless service under the California LifeLine program include:

• Service activation discount: Customers establishing California LifeLine service for the get-go fourth dimension or switching from another Lifeline service provider will be credited up to $39 toward the cost of activating wireless service.
• Monthly service discount: California LifeLine provides a monthly service discount of up to $14.85. (Many plans include unlimited talk and text, along with some gigabytes of data, but rates, data speeds and plan features vary by service provider, and so compare available plans before choosing.)

Eligible households can receive a discount on, or reimbursement of, connection/activation charges for wireless service no more than than twice per year. For any additional wireless connexion/activation charges, which typically are incurred when switching carriers, the wireless provider either can waive the charge or they can charge you the full price for connection/activation.

California LifeLine does non offer a discount on wireless devices, just some carriers include a gratis handset with activation or contract renewal. (Participating carriers cannot require a contract that lasts longer than ii years.) You lot cannot be charged a restocking fee if you return your Lifeline program device within three business days of activation.

You are entitled to free, unlimited access to customer service in the same language in which the California LifeLine service was originally sold or marketed.

Broadband cyberspace service

Since 2020, Lifeline has allowed participants to use their discount to access broadband internet service instead of telephone service. However, for many, if not well-nigh, consumers, information technology makes more sense to employ the Lifeline discount for telephone service and employ for one of the discounted home broadband programs offered to eligible households by a handful of service providers. Learn more in Consumer Activity's "Getting Up to Speed: Broadband internet for low-income households" brochure and the accompanying "Depression-income Broadband Plans" publication, which offers details about each plan to assistance yous choose and apply.

Note: Almost Lifeline participants, as well every bit other depression- and moderate-income households, are eligible to receive an internet service discount of up to $xxx per month (up to $75 for residents of Tribal lands) under the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP replaced the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) programme, which was a temporary service subsidy established to help consumers get and stay connected during the pandemic, on Dec. 31, 2021. While the ACP benefit of $thirty is lower than the $l the EBB provided, the ACP is a longer-term program. It also is available to more households.

Eligible households can also receive a old discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than than $x just less than $50 toward the purchase toll. A household is eligible if at least one member meets at to the lowest degree i of these criteria: qualifies for the Lifeline plan; receives benefits through one of a number of government assistance programs; or has a total household income at or beneath 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Learn more than at the ACP website.

You tin receive both Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program benefits at the same time. If yous have Lifeline, y'all automatically authorize for the ACP, merely enrollment isn't automatic—you need to contact a participating provider to sign up. Yous can utilize your ACP benefit and your Lifeline benefit to the same or dissever services. If y'all don't already have a service provider, or if your provider doesn't participate in the programme, notice a provider using the online search tool.

Eligible for gratis toll blocking service

Toll blocking prevents you or anyone else from making long altitude or local cost calls from your landline phone. Y'all can still receive long distance calls and y'all can telephone call toll-free numbers. Yous can place long altitude calls using a prepaid telephone card.

Deposits for basic service waived

As a California LifeLine customer, y'all exercise non have to pay a deposit for bones service. If you are initially charged a deposit when establishing service and applying for California LifeLine, the deposit will be credited back to you lot once you are approved for the program.

What does California LifeLine offer for people with hearing disabilities?

If your household is eligible for the California LifeLine plan and includes someone who is deaf or hard of hearing and needs a text telephone device (TTY/TDD) to employ the phone, you lot may qualify for two telephone lines at California LifeLine rates. With two lines, a hearing-impaired person tin can communicate through a special relay service.

In order to qualify for two discounted phone lines, you lot must meet the following requirements:

• Your household is eligible for the first California LifeLine line.
• The disabled person in your household has and uses a text telephone device in the habitation.

If your TTY/TDD is non issued by the Deafened and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP), and then you must submit a medical certificate showing that you or another household member needs a TTY/TDD to apply the telephone. (Make copies to send with the awarding. Do non transport your originals.)

It is also possible to use a wireless phone-compatible TTY with some wireless devices. In addition to beingness digital, the device also must have a two.5mm sound or hands-free jack and a TTY mode/choice in its carte. Not all digital cell phones are TTY-compatible. Inquire the phone vendor or service provider about capabilities, or look for the TTY symbol on the phone's packaging or in the user manual.

How exercise I first California LifeLine service?

If y'all practice not already have telephone service merely believe you qualify for California LifeLine, contact either a service provider that provides local residential service for your area if you lot desire a landline or a wireless service provider that participates in California LifeLine if you want a cell telephone.

The CPUC offers a tool on its website that enables consumers to search by ZIP lawmaking for California LifeLine service providers (wireline and wireless) that serve their area. For wireless service, it lists each provider'due south program(s), minutes, text messages, data offered and the plan cost, and offers the ability to compare plans side by side. Clicking the icon next to the provider's name displays a popular-upward window with the visitor's phone number and website, in case you lot have questions or are ready to sign up.

Wireline phone service

New landline customers establishing service and applying for California LifeLine will pay regular rates until approved. You will be required to pay the regular price for the service connection and whatever eolith for bones service, simply involvement-costless payment plans are available to help pay these upfront costs. One time approved, you volition receive a bill credit with the California LifeLine discount retroactive to the date service began or the appointment you applied for California LifeLine, whichever is later. You lot volition also be credited upwards to $39 toward the service provider's regular connexion charge. And you will receive a credit for whatsoever deposit paid for basic service.

If you lot already have regular landline telephone service, call your current provider at the number printed on your monthly telephone bill and ask to apply for California LifeLine. One time you are approved, there is a pocket-size one-fourth dimension accuse to convert your account from regular service to California LifeLine. A credit for program discounts will be practical to your account retroactive to the date you practical for California LifeLine.

Wireless telephone service

New wireless customers establishing service and applying for California LifeLine may have the option of getting approved for LifeLine before establishing service. Check with the participating wireless providers to find out if you have to first establish regular service, or if y'all have to get approved for the program before establishing service, as processes vary by service provider.

If you accept to institute regular service and pay regular rates first, once yous are approved, your account will exist credited retroactively to the date service began or the date y'all applied for California LifeLine, whichever is later. If you get approved for California LifeLine offset, then your discounts get-go immediately upon establishing service.

If you already have regular wireless service from a participating California LifeLine wireless provider, contact your service provider to run across what service plans are eligible for California LifeLine. Y'all must be on an eligible plan to receive the California LifeLine discount. In one case approved for California LifeLine, discounts will be provided upon your approving date.

There is an enrollment asking freeze of xxx days for wireless service applicants. Consumers who request to enroll in California LifeLine with a wireless service carrier cannot asking to enroll with a different carrier for 30 days, giving the program administrator fourth dimension to process the awarding and provide a final eligibility conclusion. The service provider must notify consumers of the policies regarding the enrollment request freeze.

Only 1 Lifeline business relationship per household

A household must choose to get the Lifeline discount either on a home telephone or on a jail cell telephone, merely not on both. Just households that are eligible for California LifeLine and include someone who needs a text telephone device (TTY/TDD) to employ the phone may qualify for ii lines at Lifeline rates. The discounts can simply be for the primary residence. Households cannot get the discount from multiple phone companies. Discounts are not-transferable from one person to another.

Households that practice not follow the California LifeLine "one discounted service per household" rule will lose their discounts and may face prosecution. Individuals can also be punished for giving fake data to become the discounts.

Application process for California LifeLine

The California LifeLine service provider will notify the California LifeLine Administrator for the CPUC. The Administrator will corroborate or deny your application based on your stated eligibility. The Administrator will send you lot a California LifeLine application form, which is mailed in a pinkish envelope. You must either complete the class online using the personal identification number (Pin) that came with the awarding or mail your completed form to the address provided so that it is received by the due date printed on the form (approximately 44 days). Do not send the application course to your service provider.

Yous may elect to qualify for California LifeLine based on assistance programme enrollment ("program-based") or on your household income ("income-based"). You lot need to apply just i of these 2 methods to determine your eligibility—not both. (See guidelines in the next department.)

You will receive a letter from the California LifeLine Administrator notifying you whether yous have been canonical or denied for California LifeLine. If your application is denied, you will remain on full-priced regular service (if you lot established service prior to applying for the programme).

Am I eligible for California LifeLine service?

Customers must qualify for California LifeLine under either program-based or income-based eligibility requirements:

Option 1: Program-based certification

Complete the section of the awarding course titled "Program-based" if y'all authorize for California LifeLine based on receipt of benefits under whatever of the listed public help programs. Just fill in the circle next to the appropriate public assistance program for your household. Yous volition need to provide proof of participation in the program along with your application class. Acceptable forms of proof include a copy of the current or prior year's statement of benefits, a notice or letter of the alphabet of participation, a program ID card, or some other official plan document that shows you or your family member's enrollment.

Selection two: Income-based certification

If you lot are not enrolled in any of the qualifying public aid programs, you must use for California LifeLine based on your household income. Complete the section of the application course titled "Income-based." You must provide proof that your total household income is at or beneath the California LifeLine maximum. Acceptable forms of proof include a re-create of the forepart page of your prior year'due south taxation render, income statements or pay stubs for three consecutive months within the last year, the statement of benefits from programs such every bit Social Security, VA, unemployment, workers' compensation, etc., or other documents that show your household's almanac income.

Send copies of all forms of proof; practice not send originals.

You lot likewise must provide your housing status (temporary or permanent), your date of birth and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number or Tribal ID number. The household in which you are applying for California LifeLine must be your primary residence and you cannot currently receive Lifeline discounts. You lot cannot be a dependent on someone else's income tax return.

Qualified participants with a household member using a TTY device may be eligible for two phone lines with the California LifeLine discount.

Program-based guidelines

Yous qualify for California LifeLine if y'all or another person in your household is enrolled in whatsoever of the following public-assistance programs:

• Medicaid/Medi-Cal
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• CalFresh, Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assist Plan (SNAP)
• Tribal TANF
• Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
• Low Income Domicile Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Federal Public Housing Assist or Section 8
• National School Dejeuner Program (NSLP) (free, not reduced, lunch program)
• Agency of Indian Diplomacy Full general Assistance
• Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal But)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Federal Veterans and Survivors Alimony Benefit Plan
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF):
  • California Piece of work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
  • Stanislaus Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)
  • Welfare-to-Work (WTW)
  • Greater Avenues for Independence (Gain)

Income-based guidelines

You qualify for California LifeLine if your full before-tax household income does not exceed these limits:

Household size	Yearly income*
1-2 members	$28,500
3 members	$33,100
4 members	$40,300
Each boosted member (over iv)	Add $7,200 per person to $40,300

* Valid half dozen/1/21 through 5/31/22. Income limits are adjusted annually.

Income-eligible Lifeline applicants must provide supporting documentation such equally tax returns and/or paycheck stubs in society to qualify. Send copies of all forms of proof; do not transport originals.

Household income includes all taxable and non-taxable income received past anybody in your household. This includes, just is not express to:

• Wages and salaries
• Interest and dividends
• Spousal support (alimony) and kid support
• Grants, gifts, allowances and stipends
• Social Security and pensions
• Public-assistance payments
• Rental income
• All cash and non-cash employment income (including self-employment)

A "household" is whatever individual or group of individuals who are living together at the aforementioned address as 1 economical unit. A household may include related and unrelated persons. An "economic unit" consists of all adult individuals (eighteen and older) contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household. If an developed has no or minimal income, and lives with someone who provides fiscal support to him/her, both people shall exist considered as part of the same household. Children under the historic period of 18 living with their parents or guardians are considered to be part of the aforementioned household as their parents or guardians.

Proof of income

Acceptable proof of income includes one or more than of the post-obit:

• The first page of concluding year'due south state, federal or tribal revenue enhancement return
• Current income statement from an employer or paycheck stubs for three consecutive months within the last 12 months
• Child support documents
• Statement of benefits from Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement/alimony, unemployment compensation or workers' compensation
• A divorce decree
• Other official documents that prove your income

Residents of Tribal lands

If yous are living on federally recognized Tribal lands, deeper discounts utilize on service plans, and they may exist available for equally low as $0 per month. Contact your wireline or participating wireless provider for specific rate information.

Inquire your California LifeLine service provider about Enhanced Lifeline or Tribal Lands Lifeline when you apply for California LifeLine service. Your service provider may require additional data from you lot, such as the proper name of the Tribal lands you live on. The process of enrolling in Enhanced Lifeline or Tribal Lands Lifeline varies by service provider. Some providers permit for a one-step process in which you use for Enhanced Lifeline through the California LifeLine Administrator. Others require a 2-step process in which you must get approved for California LifeLine outset. Once you lot are approved, your California LifeLine service provider will ask you to complete and render a Tribal Lands request form in order to receive the deeper discount.

How do I go along to qualify for California LifeLine?

All California LifeLine participants must verify each year that they still are eligible for the program. However, y'all don't need to ship proof of income or public assistance programme participation when you are verifying your eligibility.

The California LifeLine Administrator will mail service you lot an annual renewal form 105 days before your enrollment anniversary date. The renewal form volition be mailed in a pink envelope. To remain in the programme, you lot complete either the "Program-based" or "Income-based" section of the renewal grade every 12 months. You lot can consummate the course online or mail service it in, merely information technology must exist received by the California LifeLine Administrator by the due appointment printed on the form.

If yous are currently enrolled in any of the qualifying public assistance programs, you should complete the program-based department of the renewal form.

If yous don't receive benefits from whatsoever of the covered assistance programs, y'all must complete the income-based section of the renewal form.

If yous or someone else in the household has a hearing disability and you have ii California LifeLine lines, you must also complete the appropriate section of the form to keep both discounted lines.

It is very important that the California LifeLine Administrator receive your completed form by the due date on the form. (Complete it online or mail service it in advance of the due date so that information technology arrives by the deadline.) Forms that get in late will not be processed.

If yous neglect to verify your continued eligibility past the due appointment, your service provider volition:

• remove you from the California LifeLine program;
• change your service to total-priced service; and
• may require a deposit from you.

Notify your California LifeLine service provider if you lot no longer qualify for California LifeLine discounts or a second California LifeLine connectedness, or y'all might accept to repay the difference between discounts you received and the total price for regular service.

Deafened or hearing-impaired

If you are requesting a 2d California LifeLine connection for a deaf or hearing-impaired household member, you must complete the appropriate department of either form and determine, according to the instructions, whether you will need to adhere a medical document that verifies the person'southward need for a teletypewriter, or TTY.

The documents you lot send will not be returned, and then send copies, non original documents.

Which service program should I choose?

When choosing landline service, consider long distance and local cost call rates if you program on making these types of calls. Also compare the cost of optional features, such every bit caller ID, phone call waiting and voicemail, if yous would like to have those services.

When choosing wireless service, use the CPUC'due south online comparing tool to do a side-by-side comparison of the wireless plans available to you. The tool compares numerous program features, including minutes, text letters, amount and speed of data, the toll of additional data, and price. Admission the tool by entering your Goose egg code in the box nether "Prison cell Phone Service" and and then click the "Compare" button at the right side of the page for each of the plans you want to compare (up to three at a time).

Annual California LifeLine eligibility renewal

Each year, you will be sent a course that you must fill up out to renew your California LifeLine eligibility. You must "cocky-certify" your standing eligibility past completing the brief class (print or online) and submitting it so information technology's received by the due appointment. The CPUC does not crave that you submit proof of income or public assistance program participation when you renew.

What services are non included with the California LifeLine program?

Wireline telephone service

For residential landline service, long distance calls are not included in the California LifeLine plan. Long distance charges are higher than local calls and tin can add together upwards fast. As a California LifeLine customer, you can brand long distance calls but you won't receive a discount on them.

If you qualify for California LifeLine, you are eligible for free "toll blocking," which prevents you or anyone else from making long altitude or local cost calls from your wireline domicile telephone. You can still receive long distance calls and you tin can call toll-free numbers. You lot can place long distance calls using a prepaid telephone carte.

Convenience features are not included in the California LifeLine program. As a California LifeLine customer, you can society optional services such as telephone call waiting or caller ID, but you can't become a discount on these services. Before ordering whatever optional services, consider whether you will use them enough to brand the cost worthwhile.

Installation of new telephone jacks (outlets) is not included in the California LifeLine programme. California LifeLine gives you a discount on connectedness charges to first your telephone service. However, if you practise not accept a telephone jack in your home already, you will accept to pay a separate installation accuse to the visitor that puts in your outlet.

Notation: Under California police, landlords must provide 1 working jack for each rental unit.

Wireless phone service

Wireless service offerings typically include nationwide calling, domestic text messaging, caller ID and voicemail. Check with participating wireless providers to observe out exactly what each carrier's plans include, or employ the CPUC'due south online comparison tool (available afterwards y'all enter your ZIP code; choose which plans to compare from search results). Discounts on handsets are not included in California LifeLine.

For more information

The California Public Utilities Commission, the state's utility regulator, oversees the Lifeline plan. If you accept a complaint that you lot cannot resolve with your telephone company or the California LifeLine Administrator, contact the CPUC'south Consumer Diplomacy Co-operative, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102. Phone: 800-649-7570 or 415-703-1170. Fax: 415-703-1158. E-mail: [email protected].

The California LifeLine Administrator'southward website provides full general California LifeLine program information, sample forms and instructions, answers to frequently asked questions, telephone carrier listings and links to CPUC online information. For new service, call the California LifeLine Telephone call Center at 866-272-0349 (English), 866-272-0350 (Castilian) or 866-272-0356 (Chinese). To bank check the condition of an existing application, call the California LifeLine Administrator at 877-858-7463 (English/Spanish), 888-765-1566 (Chinese) or 888-858-7889 (TTY). For renewals, submit your grade via the administrator's website or phone call 866-272-0357 Monday-Friday, 7 a.grand. to 7 p.m.

The California Telephone Access Plan distributes telecommunications equipment and services to individuals with hearing, vision, mobility or speech limitations. English: 800-806-1191 (voice) and 800-806-4474 (TTY). Spanish: 800-949-5650 (voice) and 844-867-1135 (TTY).

Consumer Action provides consumer advice, guides consumers to complaint-treatment agencies and distributes free consumer education publications. Chinese, English language and Spanish are spoken. Submit complaints via telephone (415-777-9635) or webmail.

Telephone call your local service provider for more information or to employ for California LifeLine discounts on your wireline (dwelling house) phone service. If you already have service, the number should exist on your phone bill. For new service, use the CPUC'southward online Provider Search tool to observe carriers that serve your area; enter your Nix lawmaking in the field under "Home Phone Service" or "Prison cell Telephone Service." (Visit https://www.californialifeline.com/es/provider_search for Spanish and https://www.californialifeline.com/ch/provider_search for Chinese.) If you do not accept internet access, contact the California LifeLine Telephone call Center at: 866-272-0349 (English), 866-272-0350 (Spanish) or 866-272-0356 (Chinese).

Source: https://www.consumer-action.org/modules/articles/connect_to_california_lifeline_and_save

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