Assistance Programs
Low Income Assistance Available to Telephone & Broadband Subscribers
Midstate Communications is authorized to offer Lifeline assistance to our customers. The Lifeline Universal Service Program is a government supported program available to qualified, low-income consumers and offers a discount for eligible telephone and bundled Internet service meeting the minimum standards. If you are an existing telephone service subscriber receiving the monthly Lifeline discount, you can continue to apply that discount to your home phone voice service. Effective December of 2019, Lifeline discount amount available for voice only services will begin to decrease. If, however, the Lifeline support provided is applied to a bundled service package which includes not only telephone voice service, but also Internet Service, you can avoid these discount decreases and continue receiving the maximum discount, currently $9.25.
Moving your monthly Lifeline discount so that it also applies to your current bundled service which includes both voice telephone service and Internet service, will generally require that you agree to not transfer your Lifeline benefit to another provider for twelve months. There are certain exceptions to this requirement.
Tribal Lifeline-linkup Assistance
Lifeline-linkup provides reduced monthly charges to telephone subscribers who qualify.
Items covered by the Lifeline portion of the program include basic one-party telephone service equipped with touch-tone and toll restriction (if requested). Not covered are second lines, leased equipment, long distance calls, 911 surcharge, the CIF or hearing impaired fund, taxes and optional calling features like Call Waiting and Caller ID.
Linkup
Provides reduced connection charges to telephone subscribers who qualify. The credit applies on the main home telephone line listed in the name of the eligible telephone subscriber.
The reduction is up to 100% of the cost associated up to $100.
Link-Up also provides for deferred payment of connection charges without interest. It does not cover the cost of wiring inside your home and is limited to one time per home address per subscriber.
Those qualifying for Enhanced Lifeline Program will also qualify for the Link-Up Program which provides reduced connection charges to telephone subscribers who qualify.
Eligibility
Applicants must live on tribal lands and participate in at least one of the following public assistance programs to qualify:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- BIA General Assistance Programs
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- Head Start (Meeting Income Test)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Income-Based Criterion (income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines)
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension
** Participating members and members of the qualified member's household MUST:
- Be in good standing as a member of the Midstate Communications Cooperative.
- Be current in all payments to Midstate Communications. Customers will be approved on an individual basis upon receipt of properly filed forms.
"Tribal Land" for purposes of the Enhanced Lifeline and Link-Up Assistance Programs includes the BIA definitions of "reservation." The term "reservation" means any federally recognized Indian Tribe's reservation, Pueblo, or Colony, and Indian Allotments.
