Lifeline & Link Up

WHAT IS LIFELINE / LINK UP?

Lifeline is a federal program that lowers the monthly cost of phone and internet. You can receive only one Lifeline discount for you household, whether you receive phone service, internet, or both.

For anyone who qualifies, lifeline pays a discount of $34.25 a month towards either your telephone or broadband service for only one residential line as long as the customer pays the difference. The Lifeline/Link Up Program is funded through carrier contributions to the Federal Universal Service Fund to provide financial help to qualifying low-income telephone customers.

Lifeline is a federal government assistance benefit that provides a monthly discount on voice or broadband service. Only ONE Lifeline discount is allowed per household. A household is not permitted to receive Lifeline service from multiple companies. Lifeline is a non-transferable benefit. Willfully making false statements to obtain the benefit can result in fines, imprisonment, de-enrollment, and/or being barred from the program. Violation of the one-per-household limitation constitutes a violation of the FCC’s rules and will result in de-enrollment and, potentially, prosecution by the U.S. government. Lifeline is a federal government benefit program and only qualified persons may participate.

Fine Print:
Online one lifeline benefit, including voice broadband, and wireless service is allowed per household. Annual eligibility rectification is required. Nonpayment or failure to re-certify will remove the Lifeline discount. You will be billed for Home Voice services after discount is removed.

Tribal Lands Link Up provides qualified subscribers living on Tribal lands with a one-time discount of up to $100 on the initial installation or activation of telephone service at their primary residence. Tribal Lands Link Up also enables subscribers to pay the remaining amount that they owe on a deferred schedule, interest-free. Qualifying subscribers may be eligible for Link Up again only after moving to a new primary residence. Tribal Link Up support is only offered to carriers who are building out infrastructure on Tribal lands, so not all carriers may be discounting their activation fee.

What Service Does Lifeline work with?

Lifeline Voice Service:

Unlimited Local Calling; Toll (Long Distance) charges will be billed monthly
- Cellular rates
  - unlimited local calling.
- Landline rates
  - Contact your long distance carrier (GCI, AT&T, and or Excel Telecommunications)
Touch tone capability
Access to operator services
Directory assistance; Free access to the telephone relay service
Access to Emergency 9-1-1
800 or 800-like toll free services
One free directory listing; One free white page telephone directory
Free toll blocking
Access to our Business Office

Lifeline Broadband Service:

4M Down / 1M Up with 25 Gigabytes/month;
Contract Term is for 1 (one) year of service. If service is terminated before end of term, customer will nevertheless pay for the remaining term on the contract. Customers with monthly billing must live and have a mailing address in BBTC's service area.

Lifeline Mobile Internet Service:

Bristol Bay Cellular Partnership (“BBCP”)presently does not transmit wireless emergency alerts;
Local Only includes local calling and texting to any BBCP service areas only;
The plans range from 4 MB Down / 1 MB up, 6 MB Down / 2 MB up, and 10 MB Down / 2 MB up;
Contract Term is for 1 (one) year of service. If service is terminated before end of term, customer will nevertheless pay for the remaining term on the contract. Customers with monthly billing must live and have a mailing address in BBCP’s service area.

Am I Eligible for Lifeline?

To qualify on the basis of program eligibility, the applicant must provide proof of participation in one of the following authorized public assistance programs:

Medicaid Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as Food Stamps Program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program, Federal Public Housing Assistance Program, Veterans & Survivors Pension Benefits, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance*, Head Start (Only household meeting the income qualifying standard)*, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)*, and or Food Distribution Program of Indian Reservations*.
- * You must reside on Tribal Lands

If you are not enrolled in any of the above programs, but your annual combined household income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you may also qualify for Lifeline and or Link Up. You must provide income documentation. See details on the application form.

Your household is everyone who lives together at your physical address as one economic unit (including children and people who are not related to you). The adults you live with are part of your economic unit if they contribute to and share in the income and expenses of the household. An adult is any person 18 years of age or older, or an emancipated minor. Household expenses include food, health care expenses and the cost of renting or paying a mortgage on your place of residence, and utilities. Income includes salary, public assistance benefits, social security payments, pensions, unemployment compensation, veteran’s benefits, inheritances, alimony, child support payments, worker’s compensation benefits, gifts, and lottery winnings.
Spouses and domestic partners are considered to be part of the same household. Children under the age of 18 living with their parents or guardians are considered to be part of the same household as their parents and guardians. If an adult has no income, or minimal income, and lives with someone who provides financial support to that adult, both people are considered part of the same household.

Proof of Program Participation:
If you qualify through a government program, you must provide a document that, at a minimum, includes:

your name, or the name of the benefit qualifying person (BQP) in your household;
The name of the Lifeline-qualifying program, such as SNAP;
The government or Tribal program administrator or the managed care organization (MCO) that issued the document; and
An issue date within the last 12 months or a future expiration date that aligns with the benefit period.

If you qualify through your income, you must provide one of the following:

The prior year's state, federal, or Tribal tax return
Current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub
A social Security statement of benefits
A Veterans Administration statement benefits
An Unemployment/Workers' Compensation statement of benefit
Federal or Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance
Divorce decree, child support award, or other official document containing income information.

What is Re-certification?

The federal government requires every Lifeline customer to re-certify their eligibility each year to maintain Lifeline service. This is an effort to eliminate and reduce fraud and abuse in the program. You will have 60 days or less to re-certify. If you don't respond by the deadline, your Lifeline will get turned off. This means your monthly bill will increase, or your free minutes will stop.

If you are no longer eligible for Lifeline service, you must report this change in eligibility status within 30 days or less.
Visit: https://www.lifelinesupport.org/ls/help/recertify.aspx