Lifeline: A Discount on Your Phone or Internet Bill, in Plain Words

Lifeline can take money off your phone or internet bill each month. This page explains how it works, in plain words.

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What Lifeline is

Lifeline is a program of the Federal Communications Commission, also called the FCC. It lowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service for households with low income.

A group called USAC runs the program day to day for the FCC.

Lifeline is a discount on a bill. It is not a free phone. The FCC does not give out phones.

How much it takes off your bill

The discount depends on the kind of service you have. These are the most it can take off:

$9.25 a month Off internet service, or off a bundle — phone and internet together in one plan.
$5.25 a month Off phone-only service — a phone with no internet in the plan.
$34.25 a month For eligible households living on Tribal lands.

Your bill may be higher than the discount. Lifeline takes this amount off. You pay the rest.

One discount per household

Only one Lifeline discount is allowed for each household.

You choose one service to use it on: a home phone, a cell phone, internet, or a bundle. You cannot use it on two services at the same time.

Two ways to qualify

There are two ways to qualify. You only need one of them.

Way one: your income

Your household income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Way two: you are in another help program

You, or someone in your household, takes part in one of these programs:

  • SNAP — food assistance
  • Medicaid
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit
  • Certain Tribal programs

This page only explains the rules. It cannot tell you if you qualify. The National Verifier checks that when you apply.

How to apply

There are three official ways to apply: online at LifelineSupport.org, by mail, or through a phone or internet company that offers Lifeline.

You apply through the National Verifier. There are three ways:

  1. Online — go to LifelineSupport.org.
  2. By mail — fill out a paper application form and mail it in.
  3. With help — a phone or internet company that takes part in Lifeline can help you apply.

Applying is free — but like any other free thing, someone slapped a pricetag on it. Never pay anyone who offers to sign you up.

Questions? Want a form mailed to you? Call the Lifeline Support Center:

1-800-234-9473

After you are approved, pick a phone or internet company that offers Lifeline. Ask them to put the discount on your bill.

You renew every year

You must renew every year to keep the discount.

USAC will contact you. They will ask you to show that you still qualify. This is called recertifying.

If you do not answer, the discount stops. So watch for their letter, call, or message each year, and answer it.

One more thing, so there is no mix-up

There was a different program with a similar name: the Affordable Connectivity Program. It ended in 2024.

Lifeline is the program that is still running. If someone talks about the other program, it is over.

This page explains the program's own rules. The National Verifier decides who qualifies.

Sources: Federal Communications Commission (FCC), “Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications”, and LifelineSupport.org. Checked against the FCC and USAC on November 3, 2026.