Low-income seniors may qualify for a free phone, plus free or discounted plans
STATE ASSISTANCE
The California LifeLine Program is a state program that provides discounted home phone and cell phone services to eligible households. California LifeLine discounts help consumers lower the cost of their phone bills. People can get a discount on either a home phone or cell phone; not both.
There are two ways to qualify for the program: income-based and program-based.
To qualify by income, a person’s total household income must be at or less than $23,400 for a one-person household, $31,700 for a two-person household, $40,000 for a three-person household. Documentation is required.
Applicants can qualify by program if someone in their household is enrolled in one of the following public assistance programs:
• Medicaid/Medi-Cal
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• CalFresh, food stamps or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Federal Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit Program
• Several other programs geared toward women, families and tribal members, which are detailed on the California LifeLine website, www.californialifeline. com/en.
The application process is as follows: 1. Contact an eligible phone company provider (detailed later) to begin the application process for California LifeLine discounts or Enhanced Lifeline discounts.
2. The phone company will review eligiblity rules with the customer.
3. The customer will receive the application form in a pink envelope in the mail within three weeks.
4. Applicant must either use the online process or paper process. The online process is available at www. californialifeline. com; the paper process includes completing, signing and submitting the application form by mail, plus documentation proving that the applicant does not exceed the program’s income limits, if required.
5. The applicant will receive either an approval letter for their enrollment or a denial letter.
Interested applicants can search for local providers online at https:// www. californialifeline. com/en/provider_search?type=home. Many, but not all, LifeLine programs are free. Others offer more additional services, such as unlimited data, for discounted prices.
The following are program providers serving Leisure World’s zip code, 90740.
Home phone providers:
• ECNTel: 1-800-598-8223,
www.ecntel.com
• Frontier CA Inc.: 1-800794-4741, TTY: 1-800-3508398, www.frontier.com
• Time Warner Cable: 1-888892-2253, www.twc.com
• ConnectTo: 1-800-4596753, www.connectto.com Cell phone providers that offer free phone plans and free phones:
• TruConnect: 1-800-4300443, www.truconnect.com
• SafeLink Wireless: 1-800723-3546, www.safelinkwireless. com
• Assurance Wireless: 1-888321-5880, www.assurancewireless. com
• Access Wireless: 1-866594-3644, www.accesswireless. com
• AirTalk Wireless: 855-9247825,
airtalkwireless.com Cell phone providers in the 90740 zip code that offer free phone plans only:
• StandUp Wireless: 1-866862-3253, www.standupwireless. com
• enTouch Wireless: 1-866488-8719, www.entouchwireless. com
• Excess Telecom: 1-678823-2491, www.excesstelecom. com
• Tag Mobile: 1-866-9594918,
www.tagmobile.com
• SafetyNet Wireless: 888224-3213, www.SafetyNetWireless. com
• Life Wireless: 1-888-5433620,
www.lifewireless.com
• American Assistance: 1-877-266-7212, www.americanassistance. com
• Infiniti Mobile: 1-214-3238000,
www.infinitimobile.com For more information about the California LifeLine program, or the specific plan offerings from each provider, visit https:// www. californialifeline. com/en.
The California LifeLine program offers free and discounted phone programs to low-income residents. Some program providers also offer free cell phones to those who sign up.
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