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It's Lifeline Awareness Week
Sept. 13, 2010 — CUB is using “Lifeline Awareness Week” to alert Illinois consumers about how they can cut their phone bills and stay connected.
Cut your phone costs, stay connected Basic telephone service is a necessity, giving Illinois consumers vital access to local emergency services and community resources. That's why Gov. Pat Quinn, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), and CUB are encouraging those who need phone service but can’t afford it to contact their local phone company to see if they can sign up for the Lifeline or Link-Up phone service assistance programs. But it doesn’t stop there. CUB is using Lifeline Awareness Week, Sept. 12-18, to remind Illinois consumers that there are many ways to make their phone service more affordable. “Most people are overpaying on phone service, but many Illinois consumers can take simple steps to cut their landline and wireless costs by potentially hundreds of dollars a year,” CUB Senior Policy Analyst Bryan McDaniel said. “You can put your phone bill on a diet without sacrificing the service you want.” McDaniel encouraged all Illinois consumers to pick up their bills and visit CUB’s free online Phone Savings Center. Under the federal Lifeline program, telephone customers who participate and are eligible for certain public-assistance programs are entitled to receive a basic phone-service discount of $10 a month. The federal Link-Up America program will pay one-half (up to $30) of the initial installation fee for traditional landline telephone service, or the activation fee for wireless service for a primary residence. It also allows participants to pay the remaining amount on an interest-free, deferred schedule. Illinois' Link-Up program provides an additional benefit of up to $12 on installation charges for telephone service to eligible program participants in Illinois. For additional information on the Lifeline and Link-Up programs, check out the ICC’s special webpage on the program. |