Special Needs
Lifeline
Montana, North Dakota & Wyoming
"Households" certified by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services to receive benefits listed below are eligible for the telephone assistance program. If you qualify, you will receive a discount each month on your telephone bill. The discount applies to only ONE Landline or Wireless basic service. Please note, only one discount may be applied per eligible "Household".
Eligible programs for Lifeline/Tribal Lifeline Participation include:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
- Head Start (meeting income-qualifying standards)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- National School Lunch (NSL) Free Lunch Program
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
- Temporary Assistance for needy Families (TANF)-State or Tribally Administered
- Household Income is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
Tribal Lands Lifeline
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established the Tribal Lands Lifeline (previously known as Enhance Lifeline) to provide discounts on monthly charges to qualified telephone customers living within the boundaries of an Indian Reservation.
Tribal Lands Lifeline allows for up to an additional $25.00 discount, not to bring the bill below zero, for eligible "household" living within the boundaries of an Indian reservation. The customer is responsible for any taxes, fees or additional services.
To apply, come to one of our offices or call Customer Service at 1-800-636-6680 to have an eligibility form mailed to you. Or you can click the link below to download and eligibility form. Once the eligibility form and required documentation are received the discounts will be applied to your telephone bill. No deposit is required if you voluntarily choose a long distance block. Certain restrictions apply.
Tribal Link-Up Assistance
Subscribers living on a recognized Indian Reservation within the Nemont serving area may also qualify for discounts on their telephone hook-up fee with the Tribal Link-Up program.
Telecommunications Relay Service Fund
This program provides specialized telecommunications equipment and services to the blind, deaf, hearing-and-speech-impaired and hard-of-hearing people. The equipment includes any telecommunications device that enables or assists a handicapped person to communicate with others by means of the conventional telephone network. The devices include, but are not limited to, amplifiers, signaling devices, puff-blow devices, telebraille, TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) or TTY (teletypewriter). It also establishes and funds a third party relay system to connect handicapped people to hearing people, to public telecommunications and emergency service at no charge to the user.
- Montana Relay - Dial 711
- montanarelay.mt.gov
- Wyoming Relay
- www.wyomingworkforce.org/vr/wyrds.aspx
- North Dakota
- www.relaynorthdakota.com
For all other states please visit www.tedpa.org/interiorPage.php?pageID=1.
