IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA LIFELINE PROGRAM FROM CAL-ORE TELEPHONE COMPANY
The California LifeLine Program (California LifeLine) provides discounts on phone services to qualified households. This consumer program of the California Public Utilities Commission helps consumers to lower their phone bills. Consumers applying for the California LifeLine Program must be approved before receiving the California LifeLine discounts. For more information, go to www.californialifeline.com.
ONLY ONE CALIFORNIA LIFELINE DISCOUNTED SERVICE PER HOUSEHOLD IS ALLOWED
Each household must choose to get the discount either on a home phone or on a cell phone, but not on both. Households cannot get the discount from multiple phone companies. Households that do not follow the California LifeLine one discounted service per household rule will lose their discounts and may be prosecuted by the U.S. government. Individuals can also be punished for giving false information to get the discounts. Penalties can include imprisonment, losing the discounts, monetary fines, and being banned from the California LifeLine Program. The discounts can only be for the primary residence. Discounts are non-transferable from one person to another.
California LifeLine participants may transfer their discounts from one phone company to another, but you may NOT have more than one phone line active with the California LifeLine discounts. If you choose to transfer your California LifeLine discounts from Cal-Ore Telephone Co. to another California LifeLine provider, then Cal-Ore Telephone Co. will charge retail rates for you to continue using your phone service.
If you apply to be in California LifeLine, you will pay the regular rates for your phone service until your application is approved. To help you pay the up-front costs of establishing your phone service like the service installation/connection fee, service conversion fee, and deposits, you can request to be on an interest-free payment plan. After being approved by the California LifeLine Administrator you will be refunded the difference between the regular rates and the California LifeLine discounted rates for any applicable monthly service charges, service installation/connection fee, service conversion fee, and deposits for your phone service. The refund and the California LifeLine discounts will be retroactive to the date your service began or the date you requested to be enrolled, whichever is later. If your bill has a net credit balance of $10.00 or more, you may request a refund check from Cal-Ore Telephone Co. Otherwise, the refund will just be a credit on your account.
DISCOUNTED SERVICES
You may also qualify for the California LifeLine discounts on a second telephone line if you or another person in your household is disabled and needs a teletypewriter (TTY) when using the phone. To get the 2nd California LifeLine discount you must assert the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program issued the TTY or provide a medical certificate indicating the need for TTY.
ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
Only one California LifeLine discount per household is allowed (except for TTY users). Households cannot get the discount from multiple phone companies. A household includes adults and children who are living together at the same address as one economic unit. An economic unit consists of all adults (persons at least 18 years old) contributing to and sharing in the household’s income and expenses. There are two ways to qualify for the program. Check out Is California LifeLine Right for You? to learn if you and your household qualify. Service includes unlimited local calling and toll calls require a long distance calling plan which can be found here: http://tele.cot.net/explore/phone/long-distance
FEDERAL LIFELINE SUPPORT
The Lifeline Program provides discounts on phone services to qualified households. This consumer program helps consumers to receive a discount on either their cost of phone or internet (minimum standards apply) but not both. Consumers applying for the Lifeline Program must be approved before receiving the discounts. Limit to one discount per household and subject to annual recertification on eligibility. For more information, go to https://www.lifelinesupport.org/