St. Paul, Minnesota — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) reminds customers that the increase in the monthly Telephone Assistance Plan credit from $3.50 to $7.00 per month takes effect today, July 1.

The Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) provides a credit to low income landline customers in order to support access to reliable, necessary telephone service. The increased credit will be funded through an increase to the monthly TAP surcharge to $.10 (ten cents) per line, which also takes effect today.

The Commission issued its Order approving these changes in January of this year in the Docket (#18-112). The filings in the Docket can be found on the Commission’s website.

In addition, at the Commission’s direction, a Lifeline-TAP Advisory Group has been meeting since last year in order to address declining enrollment in the state’s TAP program. Commission staff, staff of the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the Office of the Attorney General, and stakeholders representing service providers to low income Minnesotans have been meeting and discussing ways to enhance enrollment in this critical program.

Information about how to enroll in the Telephone Assistance Plan can be found on the Commission’s website at www.mn.gov/puc or by contacting the agency’s Consumer Affairs Office at consumer.puc@state.mn.us or 800-657-3782 | 651-296-0406.

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