What is Lifeline?
Lifeline is a program to help make communication services more affordable for low-income households. Lifeline provides subscribers a discount on monthly telephone service purchased from participating providers. Subscribers can also purchase discounted broadband from participating providers. The discounts will help ensure that low-income households can afford 21st-century broadband and the access it provides to jobs, education and other opportunities.
Lifeline Discount
The Lifeline program is administered in a partnership arrangement between the Federal Communications Commission and the Missouri PSC. The program is funded by the federal universal service fund and the Missouri universal service fund. The Lifeline discount may be as much as $15.75 per month depending on the service to which the discount is applied.
Lifeline Eligibility Requirements
Streamlined eligibility requirements for the Lifeline Program include an applicant’s participation in at lease one of the following programs.
· Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP)
· MO HealthNet (Medicaid)
· Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
· Federal Public Housing Assistance
· Veteran’s Pension or Survivor’s Pension benefit
· Or income-based eligibility (At or below 135% of Federal Poverty Guidelines)
Participants in the Lifeline Program may receive one discount and that discount may be applied to only one service. A service may include mobile voice (cell phone), mobile data (cell phone data or cellular hotspot), fixed voice (home telephone), or fixed broadband (home Internet – fiber, DSL, cable). Participation is subject to annual re-certification.
More Details
More details are available by visiting https://www.lifelinesupport.org.
To start an application, visit the Lifeline National Verifier website at https://www.checklifeline.org/lifeline.
Have questions? Call us at (877) 430-5418.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
High-speed broadband internet is now an integral, indispensable part of our daily lives. Fiber internet from GoSEMO Fiber provides the dependable broadband service you and your family need to stay productive, healthy, safe, and fully interconnected to the global economy. While GoSEMO Fiber strives to price our service affordably, we understand that paying for internet can sometimes be a challenge. That’s why we want to ensure all our members/subscribers are aware of a new program to assist people in getting connected to broadband.
The Affordable Connectivity Program*
The GetInternet.gov (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service.
The benefit provides:
ACP benefit is non-transferable and limited to one monthly service discount up to $30 per eligible household.
Who is eligible?
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Participates in certain government assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or has enrolled in Lifeline,
- Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines,
- Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the previous school year and/or current school year.
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
How to apply:
Option 1 – Apply Online. Go to www.GetInternet.gov to submit an electronic application and upload any required documentation. If approved, you must contact GoSEMO at 573-321-9203, option 3. GoSEMO requires an additional form to enroll you in ACP.
Option 2 – Apply by Mail. Fill out and sign the ACP Application Form available on the website; print it out and mail the application and supporting documentation to the ACP Support Center; if approved, you must contact GoSEMO at 574-321-9203, option 3. We may assist you with the paper application and mail it on your behalf.
Option 3 – Apply with GoSEMO. Only with the consent of the subscriber can GoSEMO submit an online application. This is an in-person interaction, where we ask you questions in an interview style approach. You must sign and certify the online application.
Learn More:
Call ACP Support Center at 877-384-2575, or visit GetInternet.gov
Have Questions? Call GoSEMO Fiber at (877) 430-5418 or visit gosemofiber.com
If you are having issues with your provider involving the Affordable Connectivity Program, you may want to file an informal consumer complaint with the FCC at
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us or call 888-225-5322.
*The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a government benefit program operated by the FCC that reduces the broadband internet access service bill for qualifying households. If the Program ends or when a household is no longer eligible to receive the ACP benefit, and continues to receive service, households will be subject to GoSEMO Fiber’s undiscounted rates and general terms and conditions. Households may obtain broadband service supported by the ACP from any participating provider of their choosing and may transfer their ACP benefit to another provider at any time.
*The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a government initiative that reduces the broadband internet access service bill for qualifying households. If the household no longer receives the ACP benefit, and continues to receive service, households will be subject to GoSEMO Fiber’s undiscounted rates and general terms and conditions. Households may obtain broadband service supported by the ACP from any participating provider of their choosing and may transfer their ACP benefit to another provider at any time.