The Illinois Commerce Commission adopted a resolution on Sept. 3 commemorating Lifeline Awareness Week, Sept. 8-14 and urged those who do not have telephone service to look into enrolling in the Lifeline telecommunications assistance program.

Illinois joins with states throughout the country this week to get the message out to low-income families and individuals that they can maintain access to vital telecommunications service by enrolling in the Lifeline telecommunications assistance program. The federal Lifeline program provides a discount of up to $9.25 on monthly telecommunications service. Additionally, qualified customers may be eligible for one-time discounts of up to $35 to reduce telephone service connection charges through the Illinois’ Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program (UTSAP).

Consumers may be eligible for telecommunications assistance if they currently participate in assistance programs including Medicaid, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), federal public housing assistance, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or the National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch program or if their household income is at or below 135% of federal Poverty Guidelines