| The Georgia Public Service Commission recently approved expanding the criteria
to participate in the Lifeline Assistance and Link-Up Georgia programs by
including participants in the Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) program
and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Also, the
Commission standardized the eligibility criteria for Lifeline and Link-Up
statewide.
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| Lifeline Assistance provides up to a $13.50 credit on qualified residential
customers' bills in AT&T-Georgia's service area (a federal credit of $10 and an
additional credit of $3.50 from AT&T-Georgia) . Customers in other telephone
companies' service areas receive the $10 federal credit.
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| Link-Up Georgia reduces the cost of having a telephone installed. You are
eligible to receive one-half of the connection charge or $30, whichever is
lesser, off the cost of having a telephone installed. However, AT&T-Georgia
credits 100% of the connection charges for its eligible Link-Up customers. |
| In order to receive the Lifeline Assistance and/or Link-Up Georgia credit, you
must provide proof and certify under penalty of perjury that you are currently
participating in one of the following programs. |
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Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
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Food Stamps
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Medicaid
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Senior citizen low-income discount plan offered by the local gas or power
company
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Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
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Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
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| Additionally, local telephone companies that receive disbursements from the
universal service fund (eligible telecommunications companies) will survey a
random sampling of its subscribers receiving the Lifeline credit to ascertain
subscribers' continued eligibility to receive the discount.
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| For more information, contact your current or prospective local telephone
company. Be advised that not all competitive local exchange carriers offer
Lifeline/Link-Up assistance. Therefore, you must ask the carrier
whether these credits are available prior to making a commitment.
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