Low-income consumers in North Carolina may qualify for assistance programs that will reduce the cost of initial telephone installation and basic monthly service, according to CenturyLink.

The assistance programs, known as Link-Up and Lifeline, are available to qualifying consumers in every U.S. state (territory and commonwealth). Link-Up helps consumers pay the initial installation costs of getting telephone service.

The amount of the discounts varies by state and reduces up to one-half of the initial hook-up fee, up to $30, for qualified households. Lifeline provides certain discounts each month on phone bills for qualified subscribers.

In states that rely solely on the federal program, the subscriber must participate in any one of the following programs: Medicaid, food stamps, supplemental security income (SSI), federal public housing assistance or the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Head Start, the national school free lunch program, temporary assistance to needy families (TANF) or if the household annual gross income is at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty level.

To find out more about the Lifeline and Link-Up programs, log on to the www.lifeline.gov site. Individuals living in a CenturyLink service area should call (800) 366-8201.