California LifeLine Telephone Program also known as Universal LifeLine Telephone Service (ULTS)

IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO CALIFORNIA LIFELINE OR ULTS CURRENT AND NEW CUSTOMERS:

Your telephone company will enroll you into California LifeLine to get the discounts and provide you with your telephone service.  Another entity serving as California LifeLine's certification agent, currently, Solix, Inc. will certify and verify your eligibility.  The California LifeLine certification agent will send a PINK envelope when you initially apply and re-apply for the program.  You must complete and sign the form, and then return it along with any required documentation to the California LifeLine certification agent.

What is California LifeLine?

California LifeLine was established by the Commission in compliance with Public Utilities Code § 871 providing discounted basic residential (landline) telephone services to low-income households.  Download our brochure about California LifeLine - also en Español.

Types of Discounts Available

Discounted residential telephone services available to California LifeLine customers include the following:

Is California LifeLine Right For You?  

1) Program-Based: 

You can qualify for California LifeLine if you or another person in your household is enrolled in any one of the following public-assistance programs:

•  Medicaid/Medi-Cal
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8
• Food Stamps
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Healthy Families Category A
• National School Lunch's FREE Lunch Program (NSL)
• Tribal TANF
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Women, Infant and Children Program (WIC)
• Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)

2) Income-Based

You can qualify for California LifeLine if your total household income is at or less than these income maximums: 

In order to qualify for California LifeLine based on household income, you will need to provide documents proving that your total household income is at or below the income maximum for your household size.  Income documents include:

• Prior year's state, federal, or tribal tax return
• Income statements or paycheck stubs for three consecutive months within the calendar year
• Statement of benefits from Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement/pension, unemployment compensation, and/or workmen's compensation
• Divorce decree
• Child support document
• Other official documents

Two Steps to Enroll

1) If you think you meet the above qualifications, contact your telephone company and tell them you want to enroll in California LifeLine.  If the telephone company can verbally qualify you, they will enroll you immediately.

2) Within two to three weeks California LifeLine will mail an enrollment form in a PINK envelope to you .  In order to maintain your telephone discounts, you must complete the enrollment form, sign it, and return it to the California LifeLine certification agent along with any required income documentation by the due date.  If you do not return the completed and signed form to the California LifeLine certification agent by the due date, you will be disqualified and removed from the program.  In addition, your telephone company will bill you for any discounts you may have received.

Yearly Verification Process

The California LifeLine program requires all existing California LifeLine customers to verify their eligibility on an annual basis.  Each year, on your LifeLine anniversary date, the California LifeLine program will mail to you, in a PINK envelope, a LifeLine verification form.  In order to continue receiving your LifeLine discount, you must complete and sign the form and return it to California LifeLine by the due date.   

Funding Source & Administration:

California LifeLine is funded by an all-end-user surcharge billed and collected by telecommunications carriers which, in turn, remit the surcharge monies to a financial institution as directed by the Commission or its representatives.  Procedures for the administration of ULTS are outlined in General Order (GO) 153. 

• Telecommunications Public Programs

Other links:

• Solix Website Demonstration Slides - April 16, 2008
• ULTS program related forms and notices for current and potential carriers

Forms, Apply Online,  and Frequently Asked Questions

Samples of qualification forms, instructions for qualification forms, frequently asked questions, and online applications are available at: www.CaliforniaLifeline.com.