Telephone Assistance

Minnesota Telephone Equipment Distribution Program (TED)

This program can provide telephone equipment at NO CHARGE to Minnesota residents of all ages. Eligibility requirements do apply. The equipment includes amplified (corded or cordless) phones, speakerphones, captioned telephones, telephone ring signalers, deafblind equipment and other special equipment. To learn more, visit their web site at www.tedprogram.org or contact them at 1-800-657-3663, 1-888-206-6555 TTY

Telephone Assistance

Minnesota local service providers are authorized to provide two federally-funded and one state-funded telephone service discount programs. The Link-Up program provides a discount on new service connection charges when installing new telephone service. The Lifeline and Telephone Assistance Plan programs provide a monthly discount on your local telephone service. To be eligible, the telephone service must be in your name and you must participate in at least one of the qualifying public assistance programs (such as Medical Assistance, Food Support, SSI, etc.) or one of the qualifying programs for persons living on a reservation (such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance) or be below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines to be eligible. To apply go to the website for an application to complete. Mail the application, along with proof you are on one of the qualifying programs or proof of your income, to your local phone company.   www.puc.state.mn.us (Click on Consumers, and go to Telephone Discounts). Consumer Assistance: 651-296-0406 or 1-800-657-3782.

Open Access Connections

Open Access Connections is a program to provide free voice mail for up to 6 months for people who are looking for a job, looking for a place to live, are in an abusive situation, or need a way for their medical contacts to leave messages for them. To learn more call 651-643-0883 or http://openaccessconnections.org