PWRTC Description of Lifeline Assistance Program

Pulaski White Rural Telephone Cooperative, Incorporated, dba
LightStream™

Description of Lifeline Assistance Program

In order to increase the availability of telecommunications services to all consumers in its serving area, Pulaski White Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., dba LightStream, offers a low income assistance program called Lifeline Assistance. Any subscriber who meets the low-income eligibility criteria established by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) and lives within the LightStream service area is eligible for participation in this program.

In order to meet the low income eligibility criteria established by the IURC, a customer must be a participant in one of the following programs: Medicaid, food stamps, Supplementary Security Income (SSI), federal public housing assistance of Section 8 (a Federal Housing Assistance Program administered by the Department of Urban Development), or Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Participation in the National School Lunch Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), and Threshold of 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG).

A Lifeline Assistance eligible customer receives a $9.25 monthly credit for the Local Line Charge. As a participant in Lifeline Assistance, customers are also eligible to receive Toll Blocking service at no charge. This service will only be provided at the customer’s request. Also, participants in Lifeline Assistance will not be disconnected from local service for nonpayment of toll charges. In addition, the company will not deny re-establishment of local service to customers who are eligible for Lifeline Assistance and who have been previously disconnected for nonpayment of toll charges.

The Pulaski White Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc. service area covers partial areas of Cass, Fulton, Pulaski and White Counties.

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