Telephone company issues notice concerning Lifeline service

Franklin Telephone Co., Inc.
DID YOU KNOW?
On December 16, 1997, the Mississippi Public Service Commission designated Franklin Telephone Company, Inc. an “Eligible Telecommunications Carrier” for its service area for Universal Service Fund purposes and programs. The goal of universal service is to provide all Mississippi citizens access to essential telecommunications services.
Franklin Telephone Company, Inc. provides supported services–voice telephony service and broadband Internet access service–throughout its designated service area. These supported services include:
• Voice grade access to the public switched network;
• Minutes of use for local service provided at no additional charge;
• Emergency services;
• Broadband Internet access service which includes the capability to send data to and receive data from the Internet, but excludes dial-up service.
Voice telephone service is provided at rates which start at $20.00 per month for residential customers and $25.00 per month for business line customers. Broadband Internet access service is provided at rates which start at $28.39 per month for residential customers and $44.99 per month for business customers. Franklin Telephone Company, Inc. would be pleased to provide you with specific rates for voice and broadband for your area upon request. Use of these services may result in added charge including taxes, surcharges and fees. In addition, Franklin Telephone Company, Inc. provides on copy of its annual local directory free without charge. Touchtone service is available at no additional charge.
Franklin Telephone Company, Inc. also offers qualified customers Lifeline service. Lifeline is a nontransferable, federal benefit that makes monthly voicemail and broadband service more affordable. The program is limited to one discount per household. Eligible households my apply the month Lifeline discount to either broadband service (home or wireless) or voice service (home or wireless) but not both. Lifeline customers also have the option to apply the discount to a service bundle, such as home phone and home internet. The Lifeline voice service also includes toll blocking to qualify customers without charge. The current discount provided under the Company’s Lifeline service is $9.25 per month for each month that the customer qualifies.
A household is eligible for the Lifeline discount if the customer’s annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. You may also qualify for the Lifeline program if a customer, a dependent, or the customer’s household participates in one or more of the following programs: Medicaid; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income; Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), or Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit.
Other terms and conditions apply. For example, customers must apply for Lifeline and provide proof of eligibility before receiving the Lifeline Assistance Credit. Customers must also recertify their continued eligibility every year. Additionally, as long as a qualified individual agrees to toll blocking, that individual is not required to pay a deposit prior to our service being offered. A complete set of terms for these programs is available at Franklin Telephone Company Commercial offices.
Please call Franklin Telephone Company, Inc. at 1-877-422-1212 or write us at P.O. Box 278, Meadville, MS 39653 or visit our web-site at http://www.ftcweb.net for additional information or with questions.
We encourage you to contact Franklin Telephone Company if you believe you qualify for Lifeline.
46-(537)-March 8-1tc.