Lifeline is a government assistance program, it is non-transferable, only eligible consumers may enroll in the program, and it is limited to one discount per household. The Lifeline program provides assistance to lower your monthly cost of internet, phone, or a bundled package of both. A qualifying customer can get up to $9.25 a month applied to their bill. Standalone voice-only Lifeline can be offered as well and would give the customer a subsidy of $5.25 toward their bill. Standalone voice-only Lifeline can be offered as well and would give the customer a subsidy of $5.25 toward their bill.  

TriColink powered by Tri-County Electrical Cooperative is currently participating in the Lifeline program. For qualifying households with a demonstrated financial need and for a limited time, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) will lower the cost of internet by providing a monthly credit.

How it works
For eligible, low-income households, Lifeline will provide one household credit of $9.25 per month toward TriCoLink’s fiber optic internet service, phone, or a bundled package of both. The FCC sends the credit funds to TriCoLink. Then, TriCoLink applies the credit directly to an eligible customer’s account.

IMPORTANT:

  • Lifeline is non-transferrable and limited to one monthly internet credit per qualifying household.
  • The customer is responsible for all charges over the credited amount.
  • Households may not receive Lifeline benefits from multiple providers.
  • If the FCC ends the program or when a household is no longer eligible, the customer will be subject to TriCoLink’s regular rates, terms and conditions.

Am I eligible for Lifeline?
To qualify for Lifeline, you must have a household income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Level or you or someone in your household receive benefits under one of the following federal programs: See https://www.lifelinesupport.org/do-i-qualify/ for current Federal Poverty Guideline information.

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • Medicaid

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)

  • Veteran’s Pension or Survivor’s Pension Benefit

  • Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance

  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation

More details can be found at https://www.lifelinesupport.org/. You can start an application by visiting the Lifeline National Verifier website at https://www.usac.org/lifeline/national-verifier/.