A Consumer Action Training Connect to Lifeline and Save! Discounted Lifeline Telephone Service Helps Low-Income Californians

A Consumer Action Training

Connect to Lifeline

and Save!

Discounted Lifeline Telephone

Service Helps Low-Income

Californians


Participants will learn:

• What benefits are available through California (CA) LifeLine and federal Lifeline

• Who is eligible and how to apply• How to continue participation• Where to find more information


What Is in Your Folder?

• Connect to California LifeLine and Save! brochure

• Sample forms• PowerPoint presentation handout


Types of Lifeline Discounts

• California LifeLine

– Currently applies to traditional wired residential telephone service

– Future expansion to include alternative technologies, such as wireless phones

• Federal Lifeline– Some wireless service providers approved to

offer federal Lifeline in California


California LifeLine vs Federal Lifeline

• Similarities

– Eligibility criteria

– Application and renewal process

• Differences

– Discounts on services

– Federal Lifeline only offered by some wireless service providers


California LifeLine Telephone Service

Lets get started…


California LifeLine Telephone Service

• What are some of the reasons you might need phone service at home?


Features & Benefits

• As a CA LifeLine participant you can save on local phone service.


Features & Benefits

• Service Connection Discount– Approved customers receive a credit for all but

$10 or half of the regular connection charge, whichever results in the higher credit and lower cost to the customer

– Does not cover outlet / jack installation

– CA landlords must provide one working jack in each rental unit


Features & Benefits

• Installment Plans for Service Connection & Deposits– Request an interest-free payment plan to help pay for

service connection charges and/or deposit for basic service

– Contact your service provider for details• Deposit for Basic Service Waived– If a deposit is paid when establishing service and

applying for CA LifeLine, the deposit will be credited back to you after approval


Features & Benefits

• Service Conversion Discount– Existing customers with regular service who convert

to CA LifeLine will be charged a conversion charge– A conversion charge also applies to customers who

change their service to/from flat rate to/from measured rate

– The conversion charge for CA LifeLine customers is $10 or half the regular connection charge or the full-priced regular conversion charge (whichever is lowest)


Features & Benefits

• Monthly Federal Subscriber Line Charge is waived for CA LifeLine customers

• CA LifeLine service not subject to certain fees, taxes and surcharges


Features & Benefits

• Flat-rate Local Service Discount– Unlimited local calls

– Not more than the current $6.84 / month rate for most customers (through December 2012)

– Never lower than $5, and can not exceed 50% of service provider’s regular flat-rate service

– No discount on optional services


Features & Benefits

• Measured Local Service Discount – Up to 60 untimed local calls per month

– Not more than the current $3.66 / month rate for most customers (through December 2012)

– Never lower than $2.50, and can not exceed 50% of service provider’s regular rate for measured service

– Additional local calls (over 60/mo) cost 8¢ each

– No discount on optional services

Features & Benefits

• Rate Changes– Beginning January 1, 2013, service providers

must establish their CA LifeLine rates for the coming year

– The rate can only be changed once per year (each January)

– Adjusted rates cannot exceed 50% of the service provider’s regular rates for flat and measured service


Features & Benefits

• Tribal Lands (Enhanced) Lifeline

– Individuals living on federally recognized tribal lands who qualify for CA LifeLine may be enrolled in Tribal Lands Lifeline

– Monthly flat-rate service for $1

– Applicants must be approved for CA LifeLine before they can apply for Tribal Lands Lifeline



Features & Benefits

• To Get a Second CA LifeLine Connection for Hearing Impaired Household Member:

– Household must be eligible for CA LifeLine

– Disabled person in home uses a TTY

– Medical certificate required if TTY not issued by Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP)


Features & Benefits

• Free Toll Blocking– Prevents outgoing long distance or local toll

calls

– Able to receive incoming long distance calls and make calls to toll-free numbers

– Protects CA LifeLine customer from high bills

– Use a prepaid telephone card for long distance


Federal Lifeline Features & Benefits

• Offered by some wireless providers– Prices and services vary by provider

– Activation fees vary by provider

– Monthly service as low as $2.50, but varies by provider

– Included voice minutes per month vary by provider

– Some providers include additional features like caller ID, call waiting, nationwide calling, and voicemail

– Some providers include text messaging

– Some providers offer free handsets

– Currently, providers offer federal Lifeline as a pre-paid service


Lifeline Eligibility

• Household

– One family OR an extended family living together as a group

– If one or more families share a home, each family is eligible for its own Lifeline service

– Limit of one Lifeline discount per household (except household with TTY user)


Lifeline Eligibility

• Lifeline Eligibility Criteria:

– Public assistance program enrollment OR meet Lifeline household income limits

– Lifeline connection is in primary home and currently does not have Lifeline service (except household with TTY)

– Not a dependent on someone else’s income tax return


Lifeline Enrollment

• If you do not have local service, contact service provider to set up– Application form arrives in the mail in a PINK envelope

– Complete application form by mail or online by the due date

– Pay regular rates, connection charges, and deposits until approved (ask about interest-free payment plan)

– After approval, receive credit for any deposit paid for basic service and all but $10 or half the regular service connection charge, whichever results in the higher credit and lower cost to you

– After approval, the Lifeline discount will be applied retroactively from the date you applied for Lifeline


Lifeline Enrollment

• If you already have local service, contact service provider to apply for Lifeline– Application form arrives in the mail in a PINK envelope– Complete application form by mail or online by the due date– Pay regular rates until approved– Pay small, one-time conversion charge– After approval, the Lifeline discount will be applied

retroactively from the date you applied for Lifeline


Annual Renewal

• Must renew Lifeline eligibility each year– Lifeline Annual Renewal Form is mailed 105 days

before enrollment anniversary date in a PINK envelope

– Complete program-based or income-based section– Complete by mail or online by due date– Forms arriving late will not be processed


Annual Renewal

• If you do not renew cont’d eligibility by due date:– You will be removed from program– Service will be converted to full-priced service– A deposit may be required

• Notify service provider if you no longer qualify– Or you may have to repay the difference

• Eligibility may be audited at any time– Provide proof of income or assistance program enrollment– If ineligible, you will be billed for previous discounts you

should not have received, plus interest

CA LifeLine Call Center

English 866.272.0349

Spanish 866.272.0350

Laotian / Hmong 866.272.0351

Cambodian 866.272.0352

Tagalog 866.272.0353

Korean 866.272.0354

Vietnamese 866.272.0355

Mandarin / Cantonese 866.272.0356

Japanese 888.765.1568

TTY 866.272.0358

Call center hours: Monday-Friday from 8am to 7pm

New service calls:

CA LifeLine Administrator Hotline

English / Spanish 877.858.7463

Mandarin / Cantonese 888.765.1566

Korean 888.765.1567

Japanese 888.765.1568

Vietnamese 888.765.1569

Tagalog 888.765.1577

TTY 888.858.7889

Hotline hours: Monday-Friday from 7am to 7pm

Status of application and renewal forms:

Website: www.californialifeline.comFind information, sample forms, and FAQs

http://www.californialifeline.com/


Questions?

Can we answer any questions about this portion of the training?


Connect to Lifeline and Save!

• Depending on the discount, what could a family do with the money saved by being a Lifeline participant?


Thank you!

• Consumer Action: 415-777-9648

• www.consumer-action.org

Documents

A Consumer Action Training Connect to Lifeline and Save! Discounted Lifeline Telephone Service Helps Low-Income Californians