CALIFORNIA LIFELINE PROGRAM CONNECTS LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS

For more information, contact:
AT&T
Lane Kasselman
Office: 415-778-1202
E-mail: lk8993@att.com
 
Consumer Action
Monica Steinisch
Office: 415-642-9998
E-mail: monica.steinisch@consumer-action.org
 
  
CALIFORNIA LIFELINE PROGRAM CONNECTS LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS
 
AT&T and Consumer Action Team Up To Promote Program to Chinese Community September 10-16 Is National Lifeline Awareness Week
 
SAN FRANCISCO, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 —Staying connected to local resources and emergency services is vital to the state’s low-income and elderly residents and can even help save lives. AT&T* California has joined with Consumer Action, a non-profit advocacy and education organization, to promote the state’s landmark California LifeLine Program during “National Lifeline Awareness Week,” September 10-16.
 
The purpose of National Lifeline Awareness Week is to ensure that eligible low-income consumers are aware of the Lifeline program in their state and able to obtain affordable telephone service through the assistance of this program. The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates are working to get the word out on this important program.
 
This year, AT&T and Consumer Action are bringing information about California LifeLine directly to San Francisco’s Chinese community, including new immigrants, participants in job training programs, young families and the disabled. Two Chinese-language presentations will be held in October.
 
“More than 1.6 million consumers already take advantage of California LifeLine, but many more may not even know they could qualify for discounted telephone service,” said Consumer Action Executive Director Ken McEldowney. “This year we are leveraging our multilingual outreach programs to reach California’s Chinese community, which can be less aware of benefit programs due to language barriers.”
 
“We’re proud to participate in the California LifeLine program and to work with Consumer Action to raise awareness and make sure as many qualified households and individuals as possible take advantage of a benefit that will help them stay connected,” said Ken McNeely, President, AT&T California.
 
Under the California LifeLine Program, qualifying consumers receive discounted local telephone service. All California telephone companies that provide traditional wired residential service offer discounts under the California LifeLine Program. In addition to traditional wired service, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is working to include other alternative technologies such as wireless telephones in the California LifeLine Program.  As more consumers struggle to pay their bills in today’s tough economy, it’s more important than ever for everyone to be aware of this program so they can stay connected.
 
Rules established by the CPUC allow customers to qualify for California LifeLine in one of two ways:
 
• By participating in an approved public assistance program such as: Medicaid/Medi-Cal, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or CalFresh, formerly known as Food Stamps.
• By meeting certain household income limits.
 
The California LifeLine Program, administered by service providers and sponsored by the CPUC, provides low-income Californians with discounted home phone service they can rely on.
 
Consumers can contact their service provider directly and ask about the program. AT&T California customers can call 800-446-5651 (English) or 800-882-0521 (Spanish) or go online to www.att.com/lifeline.
 
General information on the California LifeLine Program can be found on www.californialifeline.com. 
 
For more information on Chinese-language presentations about the California LifeLine program, contact Audrey Perrott or Jamie Woo of Consumer Action at 415-777-9648.
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