PSC Expands Lifeline, Link-Up Eligibility

The Commission also added a self-certification option, making the program more accessible to more consumers.

          “Access to basic phone service for all Americans is an important national and state goal,” Commission Chairman Braulio L. Baez said.  “This vote significantly expands the pool of individuals eligible for service, which is an appropriate stimulus for reaching the objective of universal access.”

          The Commission vote:

• Expands the  income-based criteria for Lifeline and Link-Up to 135 percent of federal poverty guidelines from the existing 125 percent.
• Adds the National School Lunch program to the list of programs for which Lifeline and Link-Up eligibility is based.
• Provides a self-certifying option for individuals enrolled in needs-based programs. Individuals who elect the self-certification option would receive a monthly credit of $8.25 that is applied toward basic phone service.

 “The Commission’s action today is a very positive step forward in our efforts to enroll more eligible Floridians in the Lifeline program,” Baez said. “By streamlining the steps necessary to enroll in Lifeline, the self-certification option should dramatically increase the number of people who will qualify.”

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