Lifeline

What is Lifeline?

Lifeline is a federal program that lowers the monthly cost of phone and Internet for qualifying customers.

You can get one Lifeline discount (phone or Internet, but not both) per household, not per person, and a household can get a Lifeline discount from only one provider.

Do I qualify?

You may qualify for a Lifeline discount based on:
1. Your income - You may be eligible for a Lifeline discount if your income is 135% or less than the federal poverty guidelines.

- OR -
2. Participation by you or someone else in your household in one of the following federal assistance programs:
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
• Tribal Programs (and live on federally-recognized Tribal lands)

Qualifying customers will need to recertify every year to maintain their Lifeline discount. You’ll need to do this within 60 days of notification, or you’ll lose your Lifeline discount.

How do I apply?

Please apply online via the National Verifier https://www.lifelinesupport.org/national-verifier/. You can also download and print a copy of the application. Once you have applied and been approved by the National Verifier, eligible customers will receive a discount applied to their bill.

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

Barry County Telephone Company (BCTC) and MEI Telecom (MEI) are a participating service provider in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. The benefit will assist eligible households by lowering the cost of broadband service for those struggling to afford internet.

The $14 billion Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to a $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
  • Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines

  • Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline; https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers

  • Participates in one of several Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal Head Start (only households meeting the relevant income qualifying standard) Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;

  • Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;

  • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or

  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.

Customers may apply for the ACP discount on-line at www.affordableconnectivity.gov or by contacting Barry County Telephone/MEI Services at 269-623-2311. Only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain the ACP discount can be fined, imprisoned or barred from the program. Additional information about the Affordable Connectivity Program is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575 between 9 AM and 9 PM ET any day of the week.

* A household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses.