70% Discount In-State Toll Calls for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing & Late-Deafened Individuals

Last Updated; January 10, 2013

70% Discount for D/deaf/Hard-of-Hearing/Speech-Impaired People

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) provides a 70% rate reduction for long distance calls within the state of Maine (intrastate) for D/deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired persons who rely on TTYs or other specialized equipment for residential phone communications.

To qualify for the discount, the customer needs to fill out a form from the Maine Center on Deafness (MCD) and send it to the Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing & Late Deafened (DDHHLD). The form states that, due to deafness or speech impairment, the customer must rely on a TTY for telephone communications and that the equipment is connected or acoustically coupled to the customer’s telephone.

The discount is also available for community service agencies that serve D/deaf, hard-of-hearing, and/or speech-impaired people and have a dedicated TTY line. Agencies applying for the discount need to contact the Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing & Late Deafened for more information. DDHHLD certifies such agencies for the discount.

70% Discount for Maine Relay Users

The 70% discount applies to all calls made through the Maine Relay Service by TTY or non-TTY customers.

70% Discount for all Hearing People Who Have TTYs

All hearing people who have TTYs qualify for the 70% discount when calling to certified D/deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired TTY users. They must inform their telephone companies of the billed TTY calls during each billing period.

Statutes for 70% Discount available at MRSA 35-A, Chapter 73

70% TTY Discount Application