Landlines remain important to home emergency planning
STAMFORD, Conn., Sep 16, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
The Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates have designated September 13-19, 2010 as “National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week.”
The designation is an effort to raise awareness of landline telephone payment assistance available to qualifying low-income Idaho residents as part of three federal support programs plus the state Idaho Telephone Service Assistance Program (ITSAP). These programs, “Lifeline Assistance,” “Native American Lifeline,” “Link-Up” and “ITSAP” are available through Frontier Communications (NYSE:FTR, news, filings).
- “Lifeline” is a plan that assists qualified low-income customers by providing a monthly credit on their telephone bill.
- “Link-Up” is an assistance plan that helps qualified low-income customers pay for the installation of basic telephone service by reducing connection charges by 50 percent, or $30, whichever is less.
- The federal “Native American Lifeline” program provides additional discounts to qualified customers.
- “ITSAP” is a state plan administered by the Department of Heath and Welfare and supplements the federal benefits.
Another feature of the Lifeline program enables qualified applicants to avoid paying a service deposit if they voluntarily agree to have long-distance calling blocked from their telephone.
“This landline telephone assistance plan is available to qualifying Idaho residents,” said Becky Potts, State Vice President & General Manager. “Frontier wants to let low-income customers know about these programs and encourage eligible customers to apply.”
Idaho residents whose income is at or below 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible for telephone assistance. Additionally, Idaho residents who participate in one or more of the following programs are eligible for telephone assistance:
- Must subscribe to flat rate or measured residential local exchange service. Foreign exchange service is excluded.
- Must be only service at principal place of residence.
- Must certify that applicant/head of household is currently receiving benefits from one of these programs:
- Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Food Stamps
The following conditions are required for the Lifeline and Link-Up programs:
1) Telephone service must be listed in your name;
2) You cannot be listed as a dependent on another person’s tax return; and
3) Telephone service must be in your primary residence (not a business or second home).
These four low-income telephone assistance plans are important for Idaho residents and benefit the public by ensuring affordable access to telephone service for everyone. Eligible area residents are encouraged to submit their application and direct questions to Frontier Communications. To learn more about low-income telephone assistance plans specific to Idaho, contact Frontier by visiting www.frontier.com and clicking on Discount Programs. Frontier can provide you with an application, or direct you to the appropriate state agency to facilitate the process.
According to Potts, “Lifeline, Native American Lifeline, ITSAP and Link-Up are great ways to ensure that all Idaho households can take advantage of the benefits of a landline phone. For example, E911 is a vital service offered via landline that cannot be fully duplicated using cell phones. Corded landline phones that do not require alternating current (AC) power for dial tone also work even when the power is out, a critical component of any home emergency plan.” Potts notes, “Frontier offers a wide array of digital phone and wireless services, but when it comes to safety and security, many customers still rely on their copper line when it comes to power outages, 911 emergency calls, alarm monitoring services and call quality.” Basic landline service also allows many consumers to choose a less expensive package of cell phone minutes, which helps the family budget.
About Frontier Communications
Frontier Communications Corporation (NYSE: FTR) offers voice, High-Speed Internet, satellite video, wireless Internet data access, data security solutions, bundled offerings, specialized bundles for small businesses and home offices, and advanced business communications Access Solutions for medium and large businesses in 27 states and with approximately 14,800 employees. Frontier is included in the S&P 500 Index and is the largest provider of communications services to rural America. More information is available at www.frontier.com and www.frontier.com/ir.
SOURCE: Frontier Communications Corporation
Media Contact Frontier Communications Stephanie Beasly, 916-691-5666 Communications Manager stephanie.beasly@ftr.com
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