What Is Lifeline Service?
The Lifeline Assistance Program was created in 1985 to help ensure all Americans are able to connect through phone service. Life Wireless is supported by the Federal Lifeline program and provides free cellular service each month for eligible customers. Life Wireless also offers plans for those who do not qualify for Lifeline assistance.
What Is Lifeline Support?
Lifeline support lowers the cost of telephone and internet service. An eligible customer may receive the Lifeline discount on either a wireline or wireless connection, but the discount is available for only one telephone connection per household.
To learn more about the Lifeline Program, please visit these links:
- Universal Service Administrative Company: Lifeline
- Federal Communications Commission
- FCC Encyclopedia: Lifeline Public Service Announcements
How Do I Qualify For Lifeline Assistance?
Life Wireless offers a Lifeline discount to low-income families and individuals for wireless services. To obtain Life Wireless service, potential subscribers must meet certain eligibility requirements such as receiving governmental assistance or a qualifying based on household income that is 135% or below the federal poverty level for their state. The specifics of what determines a potential subscriber's eligibility are specific to each state. Life Wireless service is limited to one per household and cannot be combined with any other Lifeline offering.
Lifeline is a government assistance program. Only eligible consumers may enroll in the program and documentation may be necessary.
Lifeline benefits are limited to a single line of service per household. You may not receive multiple Lifeline discounts. You may apply your Lifeline discount to either one landline or one wireless number, but you cannot have the discount on both.
Telrite Corporation d/b/a Life Wireless is an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC).
In general, if a subscriber participates in any of the following programs, they are qualified for low-income telephone assistance:
- Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Medicaid (not Medicare)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)*
- Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veteran's Pension or Survivor's Pension Benefit
An individual may also qualify if their income is at or below 135% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (or the guideline specific to your state).
In addition, residents of Federally-recognized Tribal lands may qualify under the following programs:
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribally Administered TANF
- Head Start (meeting income-qualifying standards)
Click here for a full list of qualifying subsidies for your state.
What Does Life Wireless Service Include?
- Unlimited Nationwide Calling
- Unlimited Text Messaging*
- Call Waiting
- Three-way calling
- Voicemail
- Caller ID Service
- No roaming charges
- No charge for domestic long-distance calls
- Free 911 Service
- Affordable Recharge Plans
*Unlimited Text Messaging does not include MMS picture messaging. The amount of picture messaging varies by plan.
CTIA Consumer Code For Wireless Service
The CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) and select wireless carriers have developed the following Consumer Code. Life Wireless has voluntarily adopted the principles, disclosures, and practices for wireless service provided to individual consumers. These principles are:
- Disclose rates and terms of service to consumers
- Make available maps showing where service is generally available
- Provide contract terms to customers and confirm changes in service
- Allow a trial period for new service
- Provide specific disclosures in advertising
- Separately identify carrier charges from taxes on billing statements
- Provide customers the right to terminate service for changes to contract terms
- Provide ready access to customer service
- Promptly respond to consumer inquiries and complaints received from government agencies
- Abide by policies for protection of customer privacy