According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approximately 14.2% of Georgia residents (~1.5 million) lived below the federal poverty threshold in 20211.
Fortunately, more than 1,000 state and federal assistance programs can help provide essential goods and services as well as FREE phone service every month.
Government benefit programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or Food Stamps), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Veterans Pension help provide households with basic living income, food, and access to healthcare. Are you in need of assistance, and more specifically, FREE cell phone service? If so, keep reading.
There are two more federal programs that can help you qualify for FREE UNLIMITED cell phone service: Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
Imagine having one less bill to pay and enjoying reliable nationwide coverage on one of America’s largest 4G LTE/5G networks with UNLIMITED Data, Talk & Text every month for $0.
Well, imagine no more!
What is the Lifeline Program?
Back in 1984, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created a program called Lifeline. The main goal of this government benefit program is to make sure that people with low income can afford important communication services.
If you qualify for the program, you can get a monthly phone or internet service bill discount. For most people, it’s a discount of $9.25, but if you live on Tribal lands2, you can get an even bigger discount of $34.25 per month!
As its name implies, this benefit program provides a lifeline for low-income individuals who need help paying for phone, internet, or bundled wireless broadband services.
The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) manages the Lifeline program and is responsible for helping consumers understand their eligibility requirements, apply for the program, and recertify participants every year according to FCC guidelines.
How Do You Qualify for Lifeline in Georgia?
There are two ways to qualify for the Lifeline program in Georgia:
- If your household income is under a specific threshold.
- If you or someone in your household participates in other government programs.
Georgia Residents Can Qualify for Lifeline Based on Household Income
If you live in Georgia and your household is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines3, then you qualify for the Lifeline program. The table below shows the threshold amounts per size of households.
2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines
| Household Size | 48 Contiguous States, D.C., and Territories |
| 1 | $19,683 |
| 2 | $26,622 |
| 3 | $33,561 |
| 4 | $40,500 |
| 5 | $47,439 |
| 6 | $54,378 |
| 7 | $61,317 |
| 8 | $68,256 |
| For each additional person, add: | $6,939 |
What is a Lifeline-eligible Household in Georgia?
The USAC defines a “household” as a group of people who live together and share their money and expenses regardless of their relationship. If you live together and don’t share money or expenses, then you are considered to be 2+ households.
Household expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Food
- Healthcare
- Utilities
- Rent or mortgage payments
Household income includes, but is not limited to:
- Salary
- Public assistance benefits
- Social Security payments
- Pensions
- Unemployment compensation
- Veteran’s benefits
- Inheritances
- Alimony
- Child support payments
- Worker’s compensation benefits
- Gifts
- Lottery winnings
It is important to keep in mind that the Lifeline discount is limited to one per household, as it is not given on an individual basis and cannot be transferred between persons even if the receiving party meets the program’s requirements.
Having multiple individuals in your household with Lifeline would be considered a violation of the FCC’s rules and can lead to the potential cancelation of your Lifeline benefit(s).
Georgia Residents Can Qualify for Lifeline Based on Gov. Program Participation
Low-income Americans in Georgia can also qualify for Lifeline by participating in other government assistance programs, such as:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or Food Stamps)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit Programs
- Tribal Specific Programs
- Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) General Assistance
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Tribal Head Start (only households that meet the income qualifying standard)
Lifeline Tribal Benefit4 recipients may also receive additional assistance through the Enhanced Tribal Benefit and Link-Up programs.
How to Apply for Lifeline in Georgia
Floridians can apply for Lifeline benefits online, over the phone, or by contacting a participating phone service provider like Q Link Wireless, one of America’s leading Lifeline and ACP providers.
The Q Link Wireless Customer Support Team is also available 7 days a week to answer your questions. You can visit https://qlinkwireless.com/members/support.aspx, or call 1-855-754-6543.
Low-income Georgia Residents Get More Benefits Through the ACP
Another government assistance program that is administered by the USAC is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
This federal assistance program was previously known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program, which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to help low-income Americans afford internet services and stay connected to the world.
Today, the ACP provides qualifying households with the following benefits:
- A monthly discount of up to $30 toward internet service
- A monthly discount of up to $75 toward internet service for households on qualifying Tribal lands5
- A one-time discount of up to $100 on an eligible internet device such as a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from a participating provider (requires a minimum $10.01 consumer copayment)
Who Qualifies for ACP Benefits in Georgia?
Low-income American households in the state of Georgia that are below a certain income threshold, or whose members actively participate in government assistance programs can qualify for monthly ACP discounts on their internet service.
Additionally, you may be eligible for ACP if you or someone in your household is a current Lifeline participant. Both Lifeline and ACP discounts can be applied to the same or different services offered by a single provider.
To make the most out of your benefits, we recommend applying with Q Link Wireless and combining your ACP and Lifeline benefits to get FREE UNLIMITED cell phone service with Data, Talk & Text on one of America’s largest 4G LTE/5G networks.
Determining ACP Eligibility Based on Household Income
You may qualify for monthly ACP discounts in Georgia if your household income is at or less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines6. The table below shows the income thresholds per size of household.
2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines
| Household Size | 48 Connecting States, D.C., and Territories |
| 1 | $29,160 |
| 2 | $39,440 |
| 3 | $49,720 |
| 4 | $60,000 |
| 5 | $70,280 |
| 6 | $80,560 |
| 7 | $90,840 |
| 8 | $101,120 |
| If more than 8, add this amount for each extra person: | $10,280 |
Determining ACP Eligibility Based on Gov. Program Participation
Do you or someone in your household already receive benefits from one of the government assistance programs below? If so, your household can qualify for the ACP!
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or Food Stamps)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Lifeline Program
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Vouchers)
- Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/Section 202/Section 811
- Public Housing
- Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit Programs
- Federal Pell Grant for the current award year
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch or Breakfast Program, or enrollment in a Community Eligibility Provision School
- Tribal Specific Programs
- Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) General Assistance
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Tribal Head Start (must meet the income qualifying standard)
How to Apply for ACP Benefits in Georgia
Low-income Georgia residents who meet the ACP eligibility criteria can apply online with Q Link Wireless and get FREE cell phone service with UNLIMITED Data, Talk & Text plus reliable nationwide coverage on one of America’s largest 4G LTE/5G networks.
What If You Don’t Qualify for ACP or Lifeline Benefits?
Even if you may not qualify for the ACP or Lifeline Program, you may know someone who does.
Spreading awareness of the benefits available to low-income Americans can greatly help someone in need and will also help keep these programs alive.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the official poverty rate in the U.S. for 2021 was 11.6%, with approximately 37.9 million people living in poverty7.
In the state of Georgia alone, there were nearly 1.5 million (14.2%) Georgia residents living in poverty in 20211.
Today, there are over 1.6 million ACP-eligible households in Georgia, but only a small number (roughly 36.9%) of these households are fully enrolled in the ACP8.
To put it into perspective, that’s over 60% of ACP-eligible households that are missing out on monthly internet service discounts and potentially FREE UNLIMITED cell phone service!
How to Get FREE UNLIMITED Cell Phone Service with Lifeline and the ACP
Let’s say you do meet all the requirements we’ve explained for the ACP and Lifeline, what next?
You can start putting your discounts to work by signing up with a leading Lifeline and ACP service provider like Q Link Wireless.
Q Link Wireless offers FREE cell phone service with UNLIMITED Data, Talk & Text to low-income American households across the country.
Enjoy reliable nationwide coverage on one of America’s largest 4G LTE/5G networks.
Learn more about Q Link Wireless’s nationwide cell coverage!
Millions of Americans rely on Q Link Wireless’s FREE cell phone service to stay connected to friends and family and essential emergency services.
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The ACP and Lifeline programs exist to help low-income households afford essential communication services, so take advantage, and spread the word!
Don’t forget to sign up for your FREE UNLIMITED cell phone service with Q Link Wireless, one of America’s leading ACP and Lifeline service providers.
References:
1. U.S. Department of Agriculture Statistics: https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17826
2. Lifeline Qualifying Tribal Lands: https://www.lifelinesupport.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/get-lifeline/fcc_tribal_lands_map.pdf
3. Federal Poverty Guidelines for Lifeline Income-based Eligibility: https://www.usac.org/lifeline/consumer-eligibility/
4. Lifeline Tribal Benefit: https://www.lifelinesupport.org/tribal-benefit/
5. ACP Qualifying Tribal Lands: https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/enhanced-tribal-benefit/#qualifying-lands
6. Federal Poverty Guidelines for ACP Income-based Eligibility: https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/enhanced-tribal-benefit/#qualifying-lands
7. U.S. Census Bureau Statistics: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/poverty-awareness-month.html#:~:text=The%20official%20poverty%20rate%20in,and%20Table%20A%2D1)
8. Education Superhighway ACP Statistics: https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/no-home-left-offline/acp-data/
