RICHMOND — Access to local emergency services and community resources is vital to all Virginians. Being able to make a local phone call can keep vulnerable Virginians from becoming totally isolated and can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.

Discounted telephone service programs are available through local telephone companies to low-income Virginians to enable them to stay connected to community resources. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) encourages eligible Virginia residents who need local phone service but cannot afford it to take advantage of the Virginia Universal Service Plan program. The plan makes basic wireline phone service more affordable to those who need it.

The SCC is partnering with the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates during “National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week” September 12-18. The goal of this nationwide outreach effort is to increase awareness about telephone service assistance available through state and federal programs and to expand the number of qualified participants.

The Virginia Universal Service Plan, in existence since 1988, has two components known as Lifeline and Link-Up. Implemented jointly by the SCC and the Federal Communications Commission, this plan helps eligible consumers purchase more affordable telephone service. Under the Lifeline plan, telephone customers who participate in or are eligible for certain medical or food public assistance programs are entitled to receive basic telephone service discounts, which, in some cases, are valued at more than $14 per month. The other program, known as Link-Up, provides a 50 percent reduction in the telephone service installation charge, up to a maximum of $30. This program is available to qualifying households that do not currently have telephone service.

Most wireline telephone companies in Virginia provide this assistance and will help with enrollment. A number of wireless companies also provide discounted service to qualifying low income consumers in Virginia. If you have more than one local telephone provider in your area, contact each company to verify which ones offer Lifeline and Link-Up support, because not all companies are required to offer these programs.

The SCC’s Division of Communications has regulatory authority over wireline telephone companies operating in Virginia. Additional universal service plan information is available on the SCC website at www.scc.virginia.gov/puc/univ.aspx.

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