Lifeline programs in Ohio provide affordable telephone service to low-income residential customers through participating wireline, wireless, and broadband providers. In March 2019, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved AT&T Ohio’s request to no longer offer the Lifeline discount to more than 7,000 customers. Affected customers should have received a notice from AT&T Ohio telling them that AT&T Ohio will no longer provide their Lifeline service as of June 11, 2019.
Impacted customers have the option to continue service with AT&T Ohio without the Lifeline discount or find another company that provides Lifeline service. The following telecommunications companies offer Lifeline service in AT&T Ohio’s service area:
- Air Voice: 1-877-247-7799
- American Broadband & Telecommunications: 1-866-765-2628
- Assurance Wireless: 1-888-321-5880
- Boomerang Wireless: 1-866-488-8719
- Global Connection Inc of America/Stand Up Wireless: 1-800-544-4441
- I-Wireless/Access: 1-888-900-5899
- Q Link Wireless: 1-855-754-6543
- Sage Telecom: 1-866-385-7281
- Safelink: 1-800-723-3546
- Telerite/Life Wireless: 1-888-543-3620
- Tempo Telecom: 1-888-565-1011
AT&T Ohio customers who cannot find a company that provides Lifeline service at their residence should contact the PUCO at 1-800-686-7826 before August 10, 2019. The PUCO will attempt to help customers find another Lifeline provider. If the PUCO is unable to find an alternate Lifeline provider at a customer’s residence, AT&T Ohio will continue to provide the Lifeline discount to that customer for up to a year.
How to qualify
In order to qualify for Lifeline service, your household income must be at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines or you must participate in one of the following programs:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
- Medicaid;
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
- Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8;
- Veterans Pension.
Additional information about the Lifeline program can be found on the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel website at http://www.occ.ohio.gov/factsheet/telephone-lifeline-programs-ohio.
| Size of Household* | 135% of Total Gross Annual Household Income |
| 1 | $16,862 |
| 2 | $22,829 |
| 3 | $28,796 |
| 4 | $34,763 |
| 5 | $40,730 |
| 6 | $46,697 |
| 7 | $52,664 |
| 8 | $58,631 |
| * For families/households with more than 8 persons, please contact your local community action agency. | |
List of all companies offering Lifeline in Ohio:
https://data.usac.org/publicreports/CompaniesNearMe/State/StateOption/OH