Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association

Lifeline and Telephone Assistance Plan

The telephone company is authorized to provide one federal-funded and one state-funded telephone service discount programs that were designed to promote universal service by providing low-income individuals with monthly telephone service discounts. The Lifeline and Telephone Assistance Plan (Tap) programs provide a monthly discount on your local service telephone bill. Lifeline is a government benefit program.

Who is eligible? Telephone service must be in the applicant's name and the applicant must participate in at least one of the following public assistance programs or have income at or below 135% of poverty guidelines to be eligible: Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), National School Lunch Program's free lunch program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). 

If you do not participate in any of the above programs, you may still qualify if you prove your income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty income guidelines.

What do the programs provide? Lifeline provides eligible subscribers with a $9.25 monthly credit on the basic local service bill. The credit applies on the main home telephone number listed in the name of the eligible telephone company subscriber. Lifeline subscribers also may receive free blocking of long distance calling on the telephone line. Additional benefits are available to persons living on Tribal Lands/Reservations.

Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) program provides an additional monthly credit for Lifeline subscribers. 

How do I apply? Click here to download and print the application or call the Gardonville business office if you'd like an application sent to you. Once you've completed the application, return it to the Gardonville business office.

Could you become ineligible? When you no longer participate in any qualifying programs listed above, you are no longer eligible for Lifeline or Tap. You are obligated by law to notify the telephone company that you are no longer eligible for Lifeline or TAP. Subscribers willfully making false statements in order to obtain the benefit can be punished by fine or imprisonment or can be barred from the program. 

Click here for the 2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines