Landlines remain important to home emergency planning
STAMFORD, Conn., Sep 14, 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 Indiana residents as part of two federal support programs. These programs, “Lifeline Assistance” and “Link-Up,” 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.
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 telephone assistance plan is available to qualifying Indiana residents,” said William Zielke, Vice President & General Manager. “Frontier wants to let low-income customers know about these programs, and encourage those eligible customers to apply.”
Indiana residents whose income is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible for telephone assistance. Additionally, Indiana residents who participate in one or more of the following programs are eligible for telephone assistance:
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program (TANF)
- National School Lunch Program (NSL)
To apply for either or both of these low-income telephone assistance plans, applicants should submit an application to Frontier Communications. Application forms can be obtained from Frontier by calling (877) 462-8188 or emailing Lifeline@FTR.com.
These two low-income telephone assistance plans are important for Indiana 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.
According to Ron Belin, Area General Manager, “Lifeline and Link-Up are great ways to ensure that all Indiana 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.” Belin 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 landlines 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 14,600 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
Media:
Frontier Communications
Matt Kelley, 260-461-2325
Media Relations
Matt.kelley@FTR.com
or
Michelle Schlie, 952-435-1378
Govt. & Ext. Affairs
Michelle.schlie@FTR.com
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