Lifeline Assistance Program
The Lifeline program is a government program established by the FCC and the Texas Public Utility Commission to make monthly telephone service more affordable for eligible low-income individuals. The Lifeline Program for telephone assistance is only eligible to residential customers in our regulated areas of Muenster and Myra.
Hearing-impaired customers may access the Relay Texas for TTY service by calling a toll-free number at 1-800-676-3777. There is no extra charge for this service.
TERMS & CONDITIONS OF LIFELINE PLANS
Residential customers of Muenster Telephone Corporation of Texas d/b/a Nortex Communications (“the Company”) who qualify for the Texas Lifeline Program receive a discount of up to $3.50 on local voice telephony service.
Customers subscribing to qualifying broadband service, or voice service bundled with qualifying broadband service, may receive a federal Lifeline discount of up to $9.25. In certain instances, federal Lifeline support is available for voice-only service.
ELIGIBILITY OF LIFELINE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Based on household income or qualifying assistance programs, a customer may be eligible for the federal Lifeline discount, the state Lifeline discount, or both. A customer’s household is eligible for the Lifeline Program discount if that customer’s annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines for the federal discount, or 150% of the federal poverty guidelines for the state discount, or if the customer, a dependent, or the customer’s household participates in one or more of the following:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly Food Stamps)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- National School Lunch Program’s free lunch program
- Health benefits coverage under the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit
Lifeline service is limited to one discount per household. A household is everyone who lives in the home (including children and people who are not related to the customer) and shares income and household expenses (bills, food, etc.). A customer with Lifeline service may not transfer the Lifeline benefit to any other person. Lifeline is a nontransferable benefit.
To make sure that our customers continuously receive quality service, any service problems can be reported to Nortex Communications twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Basic services are offered at the rates, terms and conditions specified in the Company’s tariff on file with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. If you have questions or seek additional information regarding the Company’s services or rates, please call Nortex business office at 940-759-2251 or contact the Low-Income Discount Administrator (LIDA) at 1-866-454-8387 (1-866-4-LITE-UP).