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Community  |  Legal  |  Support

Community

Consumer assistance programs

Support options for qualifying low-income customers

Qualifying customers have access to these support programs:
 

  • Lifeline — Federal assistance for income-qualified customers for phone or internet service.

  • Telephone Assistance Program (TAP) — Assistance offered by some states, in addition to Lifeline. 

Lifeline for FEMA IHP

The Federal Communications Commission recently released an Order temporarily modifying Lifeline eligibility requirements for consumers impacted by the recent disasters.


If you are enrolled in FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP) because of Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton, you may qualify for the Lifeline program.


When approved for the Lifeline program, you may receive up to a $9.25 per month discount for phone, internet, or bundled services, or up to a $34.25 per month if you reside on eligible Tribal Lands.


You may apply for this assistance online at LifelineSupport.org or by mailing your application, which can be found online, to the following address:


Lifeline Support Center
PO Box 1000
Horseheads, NY 14845

Lifeline overview

Jump to application instructions

Lifeline is the FCC's program to help make communication services more affordable for low-income consumers. Lifeline provides subscribers a discount on monthly telephone or broadband service purchased from participating providers. The discounts can be applied to voice services, a voice bundle, broadband services, or bundled broadband packages (either fixed or mobile).
 

The Lifeline discount may be used for voice or qualified broadband service, but not both.
 

  • Lifeline discounts on voice services are available to participants of both state and federally-recognized aid programs.

  • Lifeline discounts on broadband services are available to participants of federally-recognized aid programs and is limited to certain broadband services. Broadband speeds must be 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload or faster to qualify.

  • If you purchase voice and qualifying broadband services, the federal Lifeline discount will apply to your qualifying broadband service.

  • If you purchase voice service and a non-qualifying broadband service, you may qualify to receive both state and federal Lifeline discounts on your voice service. 
     

Standard Lifeline — provides federal monthly support of up to $9.25 for qualifying broadband service and $5.25 for voice services. In some states, additional monthly support is also available.
 

Tribal Lifeline — offers a deeper monthly discount as well as installation assistance through the Link-Up program to qualifying customers who live on federally-recognized Tribal lands.

Learn more about Lifeline on the USAC website

How to apply for Lifeline

1) All customers must apply for Lifeline through the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). You can do this on the USAC website, which guides you through eligibility and the application, or by submitting a downloaded form (see the link below).
 

2) After the USAC qualification has been completed, notify CenturyLink with your confirmation number to get the discount added to your qualifying service.

Apply for Lifeline online

Download Lifeline application in English

Download Lifeline application in Spanish

General eligibility requirements for Lifeline:

  • Lifeline is available to qualified customers in every U.S. state. Qualification requirements vary by state.

  • One Lifeline discount is available per household, even if the household has more than one telephone or broadband account, including landline or wireless service. 

  • Under the Lifeline program, a household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. 

  • The Lifeline discount is not transferable and only eligible customers may enroll in the program. 
     

For details about service standards for the Lifeline program, please see the USAC pages:

Broadband minimum service standards
Voice service standards

Telephone assistance programs at the state level

Please select your state from the options below to see information about any additional assistance programs available to you. Each state has its own application requirements, and not all states provide additional assistance.

  • Select your state:
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming

Arizona telephone assistance programs

In addition to Lifeline, the State of Arizona offers a state telephone assistance discount - the Senior Telephone Discount Program. The telephone assistance program offers up to $3.14 per month discount on home landline telephone service.


To qualify for the Senior Telephone Discount Program:

  • Must have voice service
  • Qualifying participant must be a senior
  • Subscriber has qualified for Lifeline
  • The qualifying member of the household has an income at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
     

Click the link below for the English or Spanish application and follow the instructions to complete the form.

Arizona Senior Telephone Discount Program application - English

Arizona Senior Telephone Discount Program application - Spanish

California Telephone Assistance Program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of California offers a state telephone assistance discount. The California Telephone Assistance Program offers up to $4.38 per month discount on home landline telephone service.

Apply on the California Public Utilities Commission Lifeline website or download the form below and follow the instructions to complete and return it.

California Telephone Assistance Program application

Colorado telephone assistance programs

The State of Colorado does not currently provide any telephone assistance in addition to the federal Lifeline program.

Florida telephone assistance programs

The State of Florida does not currently provide any telephone assistance in addition to the federal Lifeline program.

Idaho Telephone Assistance Program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of Idaho offers a state telephone assistance discount. The Telephone Assistance Program offers up to $2.50 per month discount on home landline telephone service for customers and who have qualified for Lifeline based on income.
 

Click the link below for the Idaho application, only if you qualified for Lifeline via income, and follow the instructions to complete the form.

Idaho Telephone Assistance Program application

Iowa telephone assistance programs

The State of Iowa does not currently provide any telephone assistance in addition to the federal Lifeline program.

Minnesota Telephone Assistance Programs

Minnesota residents have access to a state telephone assistance discount (TAP) in addition to Lifeline. The Telephone Assistance Program (TAP) provides a discount of up to $10.00 monthly for home landline services. Approval for Lifeline through the FCC's National Verifier automatically qualifies you for TAP. However, Lifeline service is not a prerequisite for the TAP discount. For separate application to Minnesota's TAP (without Lifeline), download the form provided below and send it to the indicated address. You will be contacted with any queries regarding your submitted application or documents. Once approved, the TAP discount will start appearing on your monthly bills within one or two months.

Minnesota Telephone Assistance Program application - English

Minnesota Telephone Assistance Program application - Spanish

Montana Telephone Assistance Programs

The Montana Telephone Assistance Program provides a discount on monthly service for qualified subscribers. The telephone assistance program offers up to $3.50 per month discount on home landline telephone service. You do not need to participate in Lifeline in order to participate in the Montana TAP.

Qualifying customers (or a qualifying member of a household) must be certified by the Department of Public Health and Human Services as a recipient of Medicaid benefits. Copies of your official Medicaid documents must be submitted with this application.
 

Please be aware that the Montana Telephone Assistance Program discount is only available on voice service. 
 

Click the link below and follow the instructions to complete the form.

Montana Telephone Assistance Program application

Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program

The Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program (NTAP also known nationally as the Lifeline Program) assists qualifying low-income individuals with keeping telephone services affordable by lowering monthly service rates. Individuals can qualify for NTAP by participating in Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Pension Benefit/Survivors Pension Benefit, Federal Public Housing, or if household income is at or below 135 percent of the poverty level. Please see the section above about applying for Lifeline.
 

Citizen Attestation Form

To participate in the Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program, customers who reside in Nebraska are required to fill out the Citizen Attestation form. The telephone assistance program offers up to $3.50 per month discount on home landline telephone service.
 

The form must be completed and mailed to the address on the Attestation form before submitting a Lifeline application.
 

Click the link below and follow the instructions to complete the form.

Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program citizen attestation form

Nevada telephone assistance program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of Nevada offers a state telephone assistance discount. The telephone assistance program offers up to $3.50 per month discount on home landline telephone service.
 

The Nevada state discount is automatically added when the subscriber qualifies for the federal Lifeline program.

New Mexico Telephone Assistance Program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of New Mexico offers a state telephone assistance discount. The Telephone Assistance Program offers up to $2.50 per month discount on home landline telephone service for customers and who have qualified for Lifeline based on income.
 

Click the link below for the New Mexico application, only if you qualified for Lifeline via income, and follow the instructions to complete the form.

New Mexico Telephone Assistance Program application - English

New Mexico Telephone Assistance Program application - Spanish

North Dakota telephone assistance program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of North Dakota offers a state telephone assistance discount. The telephone assistance program offers up to $3.50 per month discount on home landline telephone service.
 

The North Dakota state discount is automatically added when the subscriber qualifies for the federal Lifeline program.

Oregon Telephone Assistance Program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of Oregon offers a state telephone assistance discount. The Telephone Assistance Program offers up to $10.00 per month discount on internet or home landline telephone service.
 

Apply on the Oregon Public Utility Commission website and follow the instructions to complete the form.

South Dakota telephone assistance programs

The State of South Dakota does not currently provide any telephone assistance in addition to the federal Lifeline program.

Utah Telephone Assistance Program

In addition to Lifeline, the State of Utah offers a state telephone assistance discount. The Telephone Assistance Program offers up to $3.50 per month discount on internet or home landline telephone service.
 

The Utah state discount is automatically added when the subscriber qualifies for the federal Lifeline program. For more information, see the Utah Office of Consumer Services website.

Washington telephone assistance programs

The State of Washington does not currently provide any telephone assistance in addition to the federal Lifeline program.

Wyoming telephone assistance programs

The State of Wyoming does not currently provide any telephone assistance in addition to the federal Lifeline program.

Affordable Connectivity Program

Congress did not approve additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program. The ACP has ended and the discount has been removed from customer accounts.

Learn about the end of the ACP