Low-income consumers may qualify for telephone/Internet assistance programs

CenturyLink, Inc. is spreading the word about low-income assistance programs that help qualifying consumers obtain voice and high-speed Internet services.

Lifeline Affordable

Telephone Service

Low-income consumers in Washington may qualify for assistance that will reduce the cost of basic monthly telephone service.

The assistance program, known as Lifeline Affordable Telephone Service, is available to qualifying consumers in every U.S. state (territory and commonwealth). Lifeline provides discounts each month on telephone bills for qualified subscribers. A household is limited to one Lifeline discount, even if the household has more than one telephone account or is receiving services from more than one telephone company, for example, CenturyLink and a wireless phone company.

Qualifications for participation vary by state. In states that follow the federal guidelines, the subscriber must have a household annual gross income at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of that size; or participate in any one of the following programs: Medicaid; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Supplemental Security Income; Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8); Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program; National School Lunch Program’s free lunch program; or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Some states have established additional eligibility criteria.

Lifeline and Link-Up for Residents of American Indian and Alaskan Native Tribal Lands

Residents of American Indian and Alaskan Native tribal lands may qualify for up to an additional $25 of enhanced Lifeline support monthly. They may also qualify for the Link-Up program, which helps consumers pay the initial installation costs of getting telephone service. Link-Up provides a credit up to $100 of the initial installation charges for tribal customers. An individual living on tribal lands may qualify for Lifeline and Link-Up discounts if he or she participates in one of the programs listed above, the Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance to Needy Families; or Head Start (only for those households meeting its income qualifying standard).

To find out more about the Lifeline and Link-Up programs, log on to the http://www.lifeline.gov site. Individuals living in a CenturyLink service area may call 800-366-8201 or visit http://www.centurylink.com/lifeline to inquire about eligibility.

CenturyLink Internet Basics

To help get more low-income households online, CenturyLink is offering discounted high-speed Internet service starting at $9.95 per month, plus applicable taxes and fees, to eligible consumers in markets where Internet service is available. The service provides access up to 1.5 Mbps downstream capability. A qualifying customer may enroll in this service plan once, and he or she may choose a term of 12 months, which may be extended at the customer’s option on a month-to-month basis for as long as five years. Higher bandwidth services, where available, are offered at a comparable discount.

CenturyLink is also offering program participants an Internet-ready Netbook computer for $150, plus taxes, shipping and handling. The new equipment includes access to CenturyLink@Ease™, a comprehensive suite of backup, security and support services.

In addition, CenturyLink is arranging basic computer education and technology training at no cost. The classes are being offered through community groups and senior centers, as well as schools, libraries, and other state and local institutions, in more than 100 markets throughout the country.

The CenturyLink Internet Basics program uses the same income and program eligibility criteria as the Lifeline and Tribal Link-Up programs.

For more information about CenturyLink Internet Basics, visit http://www.centurylink.com/internetbasics or call 1-800-257-3212.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States. The company provides broadband, voice, wireless and managed services to consumers and businesses across the country. It also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLinkTM PrismTM TV and DIRECTV brands. In addition, the company provides data, voice and managed services to enterprise, government and wholesale customers in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers. CenturyLink is recognized as a leader in the network services market by key technology industry analyst firms, and is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprises through Savvis, a CenturyLink company. CenturyLink’s customers range from Fortune 500 companies in some of the country’s largest cities to families living in rural America. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. For more information, visit http://www.centurylink.com.