You may be eligible for assistance in paying your telephone or internet bill if you receive benefits from certain low-income assistance programs or you are having trouble paying your telephone bill. Review the information and application forms below. For more information contact Park Region Telephone, Otter Tail Telcom, Rothsay Telephone, Valley Telephone, or the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

 

Financial Assistance Programs

Minnesota’s Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) offers a monthly credit on your landline telephone service plan. You may receive the TAP credit on one landline per household.

The Federal Lifeline Program offers a monthly discount on some landline telephone service plans. Lifeline also offers discounts on some wireless telephone service plans and some broadband internet service plans. You may receive the Lifeline discount on one service per household. The definition of a “household” is anyone living at an address including children, relatives, people not related to you, etc. who share income(s) and household expenses.

 

Qualifications

The telephone or broadband service must be in your name. You must show proof that you or a member of your household participates in at least one of the following programs or is income eligible:

  • Federal Public Housing Assistance
  • Food Support/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Medicaid/Medical Assistance
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension Benefit
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance and living on Tribal lands
  • Tribal Programs (and live on federally-recognized Tribal lands)
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and living on Tribal lands
  • Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF) and living on Tribal lands

One of the qualifiers for Lifeline Program Eligibility is income at or below 135% of the national poverty level. For the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) it is income at or below 200% of the national poverty level. The 2023 poverty limits per individuals in a household are listed below.

Household Size | Household Income (at or below 135%) | Household Income (at or below 200%)
One | $19,683 | $29,160
Two | $26,622 | $39,440
Three | $33,561 | $49,720
Four | $40,500 | $60,000
Five | $47,439 | $70,280
Six | $54,378 | $80,560
Seven | $61,317 | $90,840
Eight | $68,256 | $101,120
For each additional person, add $6,939 or $10,280.

Another version of the Lifeline/Link-Up Program is the Tribal Program. It provides basic telephone service for just $1 per month to people of all races living on tribal lands and expands the eligibility requirements to also include those participating in Tribal Head Start (those meeting the incoming qualifying standard), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) general assistance programs, Tribally administered Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TTANF) and the Tribal National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program.

Park Region, Valley and Rothsay Telephone customers eligible for the Federal Lifeline Telephone and Internet service assistance program, can complete an application online. The application is available at www.checklifeline.org/lifeline. Consumers can also apply by calling 1-800-234-9473 or by submitting a paper application by mail to: 

Lifeline
PO Box 7081
London, KY 40742

Important Information on How to Apply

Contact Park Region Telephone, Valley Telephone, Rothsay Telephone or Otter Tail Telcom or download an application at the Department of Commerce. One application may be used to apply for both TAP and Lifeline. Return the application and proof of eligibility to us. It can take up to two months for discounts to appear on your bill. You must pay the phone bill until that time. Discounts cannot be applied to past due bills.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) regulates the TAP/Lifeline programs. If you have questions regarding these programs, contact the MPUC at 651-296-0406 or 1-800-657-3782.