California Lifeline Telephone Program – Discounted Home or Cell Phone Services
As the cost of home internet continues to rise, many Americans are looking for ways to save on their monthly bills by bundling services or spending time at local coffee shops that offer free Wi-Fi.
According to Reviews.org’s 2026 Consumer Trust Survey, nearly twice as many Americans say their internet bill has increased over the last 12 months compared to last year, jumping from 43% in 2025 to 73% in 2026. Right now, Americans are paying an average of $63 to $78 a month for home internet services.
Experts say that before jumping into a new deal, it is best to shop around and ask companies about any deals they are offering. Consumers should also be careful about hidden fees connected to bundling. Oftentimes, these deals do not include equipment rentals or broadcast fees. It is also important to be aware of promotional prices that end after a certain time.
To avoid high costs, many people are packing coffee shops for the free Wi-Fi. Coffee shops offering free Wi-Fi keeps many people at their shop for hours – hopefully buying coffee.
Aside from finding a place that offers free internet, there are also state programs like California LifeLine that lower the cost of internet for households that qualify. Applicants need to meet an income requirement, and the discount is applied directly to a customer’s bill through participating internet providers. The price reduction ranges from $20 to $30 a month.
What is California LifeLine?
You can choose to save on:
- Your cell phone or home phone service
- Your broadband internet OR
- Find a provider that offers a bundle plan that covers both phone and broadband internet
ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
You can qualify for the California LifeLine discounts by either Program-Based OR Income-Based. Qualifying by Program-Based means that you or another person in your household is enrolled in a public assistance program such as Medicaid/Medi-Cal, CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income, or other programs. Qualifying by Income-Based means that your household’s total annual income is at or less than 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Qualifying Public Assistance Programs
You can qualify for California LifeLine if you or another person in your household is enrolled in any one of these qualifying public assistance programs:
- Medicaid/Medi-Cal
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8
- CalFresh, Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
- National School Lunch Program (NSL)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
- Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)
- Welfare-to-Work (WTW)
- Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN)
- Tribal TANF
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Federal Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit Program
Income-Based Qualification
You may qualify for California LifeLine if your income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
Starting Your California LifeLine Application
ONLY ONE CALIFORNIA LIFELINE DISCOUNT 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. Only one California LifeLine discount per household is allowed, except for TTY users, in which case a second phone line may be discounted.
California Lifeline Cell Phone Providers
To find out what cell phone, or Internet Service Providers, participate in the program simply call your provider. Or, visit this page on the website to search:
https://www.californialifeline.com/en/provider_search
