Bruce Telephone Company Low Income Assistance

Company Contacts

General: Lifeline Assistance is a retail service offering available to qualifying low-income subscribers. Lifeline Assistance enables eligible subscribers to pay reduced charges for the following package of services: voice-grade access to the public switched network; local usage; dual-tone multi-frequency signaling or its functional equivalent; access to emergency services; access to operator services; access to interexchange service; access to directory assistance; and toll blocking.

Regulations:Unless other eligibility requirements are established bye the Public Service Commission, Lifeline Assistance is available to all residential subscribers who participate in one of the following programs;

A) Medicaid

B) Food Stamps

C) Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

D) Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)

E) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

F) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

*****Each subscriber to Lifeline Assistance must certify in writing to the Bruce Telephone Company, under penalty of perjury, that he/she receives benefits under a program outlined in the before mentioned list, and must, on the same document agree to notify the Bruce Telephone Company if he/she ceases to participate in the program.

*****Any documents submitted are subject to verification through the state agency responsible for administration of the program specified by the applicant. The Bruce Telephone Company may also request additional documentation deemed necessary prior to providing these services.

Credits: The following credits will apply for each customer eligible for Lifeline Assistance:

A) Federal Subscriber Line Charge Credit $6.50

B) Initial Federal Credit to Residential Access Line $1.75

Total Credit Amount $8.25

Link-Up

General:Link-Up provides a reduction in the customary charge for commencing telecommunications service for a single telecommunications connection at a subscriber’s principal place of residence. Link-Up is provided to eligible subscribers in addition to Lifeline Assistance. Charges assessed for commencing service include any charges that the Bruce Telephone Company customarily assesses to connect subscribers to the network. These charges do not include any permissible security deposit requirements.

Regulations:The qualifications are the same for both Lifeline and Link-Up Assistance.

Support:The Link-Up reduction is one half of the customary connection charge, or $30.00, whichever is less. Link-Up support also provides a deferred schedule for payment of the charges assessed for commencing service, for which the subscriber does not pay interest. The interest charge not assessed to the subscriber shall be for connection charges of up to $200.00 that are deferred for a period not to exceed one year.