TracFone
is Florida's first prepaid wireless provider to be designated by the
Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) as an eligible
telecommunications carrier (ETC) for the purpose of offering Lifeline.
The designation was unanimously approved at today's PSC Agenda
Conference.
The Lifeline program helps
low-income Floridians maintain essential telephone service through a
monthly credit on their telephone bills. Under the Lifeline program,
residents who participate in certain public assistance programs are
eligible to receive a monthly discount of at least $13.50 - or more
than $160 per year.
TracFone's Lifeline
offering provides a free E911-compliant handset to eligible consumers
and 68 minutes of airtime per month. If a customer exceeds the first
68 minutes, TracFone provides an option to purchase additional minutes.
TracFone will begin offering $2, $5, and $10 cards that are strictly
for use by certified Lifeline customers. These prepaid cards will not
expire, and customers will receive a $0.20 a minute rate. Any unused
minutes will carry over to the next month.
Customers
can apply for Lifeline through the Florida Department of Children and
Families, the PSC, or by contacting a service provider directly.
"The
Lifeline program keeps phone service affordable for low-income
Floridians. To benefit, residents need to apply!" said PSC Chairman
Matthew M. Carter II. "As the first prepaid wireless carrier to offer
Lifeline, TracFone provides the convenience of a mobile phone and
limited quantities of airtime at no cost to qualifying residents."
The
PSC is committed to making sure that Florida's consumers receive their
electric, natural gas, telephone, water, and wastewater services in a
safe, affordable, and reliable manner. The PSC exercises regulatory
authority over utilities in the areas of rate base/economic regulation;
competitive market oversight; and monitoring of safety, reliability,
and service.