$50/MONTH DISCOUNT ON ALL INTERNET: For a limited time only, EVERY internet service provider is now offering government-mandated discounts of up to $50 per month towards broadband service plus one-time discounts of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. Enroll now to get these great benefits.
Midco is an internet, home telephone (no wireless) and cable TV company that serves more than 300,000 customers in 335 communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. It is the first company we have found that is advertising discounted Internet service as part of the new Lifeline Broadband program. The price? Just $9.95 per month for high-speed Internet.
Here’s how the company describes itself on its website:
Stay Connected with Midco Lifeline
We believe staying connected is important – whether it’s staying in touch with family and friends, searching and applying for a job, completing school work, or paying bills.
That’s why low-income households get affordable home phone or internet access through Midco’s Lifeline assistance program. This isn’t a promotion or special offer. The Lifeline program is intended to put home phone and internet service within the reach of qualifying families.
What you get and what you pay
Qualifying customers can get internet speeds of up to 25 Mbps downloads and up to 3 Mbps uploads for just $9.95 per month. The even better news is that there are no installation fees and modems are rent-free.
Do you qualify for Midco Lifeline?
Lifeline Assistance is available to qualifying new and current customers who meet income guidelines. The application details specific eligibility requirements, such as:
- Only one Lifeline credit is allowed per household (in other words, you need to choose between discounted telephone service and discounted Internet service)
- Midco service must be in the eligible participant’s name.
- You may be required to re-certify the eligibility of your household at any time. Failure to recertify may result in termination of the Lifeline benefit. (This is different than most companies’ plans which require annual recertification.)
Lifeline assistance cannot be transferred to another person.
You automatically qualify for Midco’s Lifeline Assistance discount on your home phone, your home Internet and/or bundled services if you participate in one of the following federal or state assistance programs:
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) or Section 8
- National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly known as Food Stamps) Tribally
- Administered Head Start (Income qualifying standard)
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF) Bureau of Indian A airs General Assistance
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
- Medicaid (e.g. Title XIX, Medical State Supplemental Assistance)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) Minnesota Prepaid Medical Assistance Program Plus
- Household income. You qualify for a Midco’s Lifeline Assistance discount if your combined household income adds up to no more than 135% of federal poverty guidelines. That means you qualify if you live in:
- one-person household with the income of $16,038 or less,
- a two-person household with the income of $21,627 or less,
- a three-person household with the income of $27,216 or less,
- a four-person household with the income of $32,805 or less,
- a five-person household with the income of $38,394 or less, or
- a six-person household with the income of $43,983 or less.
How to apply
Visit the Midco’s website at the address shown below. The company offers a convenient application that you can print out, fill in, sign. Then send it to Midco along with a copy or copies of documents that prove your eligibility. All those documents are listed on the application.
Midco
Address:
PO Box 5010
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-9908
Telephone: 800-888-1300
Website: midco.com/lifeline
Where it’s available
Midco serves more than 300,000 customers in 335 communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Here is a complete list of all those communities:
MINNESOTA – Alden, Annandale, Athens Township, Avon, Babbitt, Balaton, Baldwin Township, Becker, Bemidji, Bethel, Big Stone County, Blue Earth County, Bluehill Township, Bradford Township, Braham, Breckenridge, Cambridge, Canby, Cannon Falls Township, Cass Lake, Center City, Chisago City, Chisago Lake Township, Claremont, Clarkfield, Clarks Grove, Clear Lake, Coates, Cold Spring, Collegeville Township, Columbus, Crookston, Dilworth, East Bethel, East Grand Forks, Eckles Township, Elgin, Ellendale, Elmwood Township, Ely, Elysian, Fairmont, Foley, Forest Lake, Foreston, Franconia Township, Freeborn County, Frohn Township, Geneva, Ghent, Glenville, Grant Valley Township, Greenfield Township, Hampton, Haven Township, Harris, Hartland, Holding Township, Holdingford, Hollandale, International Falls, Isanti, Jackson County, Kellogg, Koochiching County, Langola Township, Le Center, Lent Township, Lexington Township, Lindstrom, Linwood Township, Littlefork, Livonia Township, Lynd, Mapleton, Marine on St. Croix, Marshan Township, May Township, Medford, Milaca
Milroy, Minneota, Moorhead, Moorhead State University, Mora, Morgan, Moscow Township, Munson Township, Nessel Township, New Richland, Newry Township, Nininger Township, North Branch, Oak Grove, Oakport Township, Ogilvie, Orrock Township, Ortonville, Oslo, Palmer Township, Pierz, Pike Bay Township, Pine City, Plainview, Pokegema, Porter, Princeton, Randolph, Ranier, Ravenna Township, Renville, Richmond, Rockville, Royalton, Rush City, Russell, Sabin, Saint Augusta, Saint Clair, Saint Francis, Saint Stephen, Saint Wendel Township, Sacred Heart, Scandia, Shafer, Sherburn, St. Joseph, Stacy, Stanchfield Township, Stanford Township, Stanton Township, Taunton, Taylors Falls, Tower, Township of Breitung, Turtle Lake Township, Turtle River Township, Wabasha, Waite Park, Wakefield Township, Wanamingo, Waterville Township, Waterville, Wilton, Winton, Wyoming, Zimmerman
NORTH DAKOTA – Anamoose, Belfield, Beulah, Binford, Bisbee, Bismarck, Bottineau, Bowman, Buxton, Cando, Carrington, Casselton, Center, Cooperstown, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Dodge, Drayton, Dunseith, Emerado, Fairmount, Fargo, Fessenden, Frontier, Gladstone, Glen Ullin, Glenburn, Golden Valley, Grafton, Grand Forks, Grandin, Halliday, Hankinson, Hannaford, Harvey, Harwood, Halton, Hazen, Hebron, Hettinger, Hope, Horace, Kensal, Hillsboro, Killdeer, Langdon, Lansford, Larimore, Leonard, Lidgerwood, Lincoln, Mandan, Mapleton, Manvel, Mayville, Minot, Minto, Mohall, Morton County, New Rockford, New Salem, Oxbow, Page, Portland, Pick City, Reeder, Reiles Acres, Reynolds, Rhame, Richardton, Riverdale, Rolette, Rolla, Rugby, Ruthville, Saint John, Scranton, South Heart, Stanton, Starkweather, Surrey, Thompson, Towner, Turtle Lake, Underwood, Wahpeton, Walhalla, Ward County, Washburn, Williston, Willow City, Wimbledon, Zap
SOUTH DAKOTA – Aberdeen, Baltic, Bath, Belle Fourche, Big Stone City, Black Hawk, Boulder Canyon, Bowdle, Box Elder, Brandon, Bristol, Canton, Central City, Colton, Country Village (Rapid City), Countryside (Rapid City), Crooks, Deadwood, Doland, Ellsworth AFB, Fort Pierre, Frederick, Gayville, Grant County, Hand County, Hart Ranch, Harrisburg, Humboldt, Huron, Ipswich, Java, Lead, Lennox, Madison, Meade County, Meckling, Milbank, Miller, Mina, Mitchell, Mobridge, Pennington County, Piedmont, Pierre, Prairiewood, Rapid City, Redfield, Renner, Roscoe, Roslyn, Saint Lawrence, Selby, Shindler, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Sturgis, Summerset, Tea, Vermillion, Warner, Watertown, Waubay, Webster, Whitewood, Wolsey, Yankton
WISCONSIN – Alma, Ellsworth, Nelson, Pepin, Reads Landing