Help available to low-income residents for phone, internet

LACEY — The Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission wants to remind Washington residents that help is available for low-income families with their phone and internet bills.

Under the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program, eligible participants can receive a $9.25-per-month discount on broadband, up to $5.25 per month to help pay phone bills, and additional $25 per month for residents on tribal lands, according to a commission press release.

Customers who are eligible for some public assistance programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are also eligible for the Lifeline program, the press release said, though benefits are limited to one recipient per household.

Some low-income residents may also be eligible for the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps families below 200% of the federal poverty level or on public assistance with a $30-per-month subsidy for broadband internet access ($75 for residents of tribal lands).

For more information on federal assistance for phone and internet access, visit the Affordable Connectivity Program’s website at www.affordableconnectivity.gov.