The State - News from Feb. 6, 1986

The state Public Utilities Commission adopted a sliding scale of income eligibility for its Lifeline telephone service plan--and increased the number of untimed calls available to users of the plan. The order, effective immediately, makes customers eligible for low-cost Lifeline service if family income does not exceed 150% of the federal poverty-level guideline--instead of setting a flat $11,500-per-year ceiling as in the past. Also, the number of untimed calls available was raised from 30 per month to 60. The PUC said the measure was adopted in an effort to expand the program and to eliminate guidelines which might unfairly favor smaller households.