February 2020
You may be eligible for assistance in paying your telephone bill if you receive benefits from certain low-income assistance programs. For more information or an application, please contact:
RS Fiber Cooperative (800) 628-1754
Gaylord Office: 310 Main Avenue | Gaylord, MN 55334
Winthrop Office: 103 East Second Street | Wintrhop, MN 55396
Minnesota’s Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) offers a monthly credit of $7.00 on your landline Telephone service. You may receive the TAP credit on one landline per household.
The federal Lifeline Program offers a monthly discount of $9.25 on some landline Telephone service plans. Lifeline also offers discounts on some wireless Telephone service plans and some broadband internet service plans. You may receive the Lifeline discount on one Telephone service per household.
The federal Lifeline Program incorporates the broadband discount (not applicable to TAP).
If you live on Tribal lands, you may qualify for additional discounts. Tribal lands Link Up offers a one-time credit of up to $100 on installation or activation charges. Tribal lands Lifeline offers a monthly credit of up to $34.25 on your landline or wireless Telephone service plan.
The Telephone or broadband service must be in your name. You must show proof that you or a member of your household participates in at least one of the following programs or is income eligible:
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Medicaid/Medical Assistance (MA)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension Benefit Programs
Additional qualifying programs for persons living on a reservation:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance living on Tribal lands
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) living on Tribal lands
- Tribally-administered Head Start (for those meeting income-qualifying standards) living on Tribal lands
- Tribally-administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF) living on Tribal lands
If you do not participate in any of the programs listed above, you may qualify if your income is at or below 135% of the 2019 Federal Poverty Income Guidelines: (The federal poverty guidelines are typically updated at the end of January.)
2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines – 135%
| Household Size | Income |
| 1 | $17,226 |
| 2 | $23,274 |
| 3 | $29,322 |
| 4 | $35,370 |
| 5 | $41,418 |
| 6 | $47,466 |
| 7 | $53,514 |
| 8 | $59,562 |
| For each additional person, add | $6,048 |
For more information or to receive an application, visit mn.gov/puc/telecommunications/telephone-discounts or call RS Fiber at (800) 628-1754.
Having trouble paying your Telephone bill?
If you are a low-income household or are enrolled in government programs like SNAP or Medical Assistance, you qualify! Contact us about the Telephone Assistance Plan discount.
