Low-income consumers in CenturyLink service areas may qualify for telephone and high-speed Internet assistance programs.

CenturyLink, Inc. is spreading the word about low-income assistance programs that help qualifying consumers obtain reduced-price voice and high-speed Internet services.CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program called Lifeline to make residential telephone service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Qualifying consumers are those who meet eligibility standards defined by the Federal Communications Commission and state public service and utilities commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized tribal lands may qualify for additional tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs.

The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone line per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless telephone. For the purpose of the Lifeline program, a household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline telephone service can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program.

To find out more about the Lifeline program, please visit the government website at www.lifeline.gov. Individuals living in a CenturyLink service area should call 843-525-0044.

In addition to reduced-price phone service, CenturyLink offers discounted high-speed Internet service starting at $9.95 per month, plus applicable taxes and fees, to eligible consumers in markets where Internet service is available. The program, known as CenturyLink Internet Basics, uses the same income and program eligibility criteria as the Lifeline and Tribal Link-Up programs and provides access up to 1.5 Mbps downstream capability. Higher bandwidth services, where available, are offered at a comparable discount. A qualifying individual may enroll in this service plan once for a 12-month term, which may be extended on a month-to-month basis.

For more information about the CenturyLink Internet Basics program, please go to www.centurylink.com/internetbasics or call 843-525-0044.