Utilities companies often provide discounted services to those who are low-income, elderly, and/or disabled. The most common government program used to qualify that you are 'low-income' is SNAP (Food Stamps). Other programs might be SSI, Social Security Disability, or Medicaid.
If you are not on SNAP (Food Stamps), you should apply first, since it serves as a common gateway to many, many low-income benefit and discount programs. A 'determination letter' stating your benefits from one key qualifying government program is often required for as proof to show that you qualify for discounts.
REFERENCE: Federal Income Poverty Rate
Federal Government Assistance Programs
for Phone, Cell Phone, and Internet Connectivity.
There is one federal government program to help provide communications (and Internet) for those who are low income. The original program is called Lifeline, established in 1984, and covers aid for landlines, cell phones, or internet services.
The ACP Benefit (Affordable Connectivity Program) ENDED in MAY of 2024
Sparklight - $30/mo - BEST DEAL - Home Cable Internet
download speed: 100mb/sec, upload speed: 20mb/sec | see all plans
AT&T Access Internet - DSL Home Internet Service
with Lifeline Discount (more info) | $10/month for 18mb/sec speed, data cap/limit: 1,500gb (1.5TB).
-- for low-income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Rate | Can use both ACP and Lifeline benefits separately at the same time.
PCsForPeople Mobile HotSpot Unlimited 4GLTE Internet Service (~6-8mb/sec)
(see coverage map) - for light to medium users; it's mobile - take it with you; connects multiple wireless devices
$80 for hotspot device, plus $15/mo -- for low-income (see eligibility info)
These are mobile phone providers that give discounts to low-income households.
Most Internet Services provide a (Voice-Over-IP) "Internet-based" Phone Service - which you can reference above. Below are a link to traditional old style 'land-line' phone services. While they are more expensive, they are more reliable. With Internet-based phones, if the power goes out or if the Internet stops working, so will your phone. With traditional land-line phone, they are totally separate from the Internet and electrical power grids and even when the Internet and power goes off, your phone will keep working.
AT&T LifeLine Service (discounted slightly for low-income)
Mississippi Power - All Payment Assistance Programs
BILL DISCOUNT PROGRAM - highly recommended
For those on SSI, sign up once and save on average 20% on your bill every month.
Call their Customer Care Center at 800-532-1502. Ask them to mail you the application form to fill out and return.
Paid for by the Apartment Building Management.
Unfortunately, recycling bins are not available.
USPS.com (US Postal Service Online)
Postal Store (buy mailing supplies, like stamps, and have them mailed directly to you)
Local Post Offices
Downtown Biloxi 135 Main Street | 2.4 miles | map | 1 block off US90 (Beach Blvd) and a Coast Transit Line
West Biloxi 2110 Pass Road | 3 miles | map | Directly on a Coast Transit Line
What is our Mailing Address?
Seashore Oaks 4 Story Building
1440 Beach Blvd, Apt ____, Biloxi, MS 39530
Seashore Oaks 6 Story Building* (1450 A Building)
1450 Beach Blvd, Apt A____, Biloxi, MS 39530
Seashore Oaks 3 Story Building (assisted living)* (1450 B Building)
1450 Beach Blvd, Apt B____, Biloxi, MS 39530
* While Management refers to and recommends using "1450A Beach Blvd" and "1450B Beach Blvd" - there are often conflicts with the Postal Service and online address verification systems because they do not officially designate these two buildings this way. If mail is sent to just "1450 Beach Blvd" with an apartment number, by default it will end up going to A Building (6 story tall). With years of experience and online ordering with automatic verification systems, it is the editor's recommendation to use the address formation mentioned above. When dealing with the building management (like paying rent), would I recommend using their "1450A" or "1450B" designations.
USPS Informed Delivery
Sign up for FREE scans of the front of your incoming mail and packages, sent to your e-mail and/or a USPS App on your SmartPhone. This helps to see if you need to go to the mail room or not for letters and small packages. Big packages are delivered to the door.
Other types of 'direct-to-door' deliveries
USPS, FedEx, and UPS already can deliver directly to your door within each building. For all other types of 'direct-to-door' deliveries, it is highly recommended you include delivery instructions like: 1) Which building (by how many stories tall), and 2) Your Door Security Code so they can get in. You should use this for Pizza and food deliveries. The editor uses this with is Walmart + home delivery.
While not technically a utility, email has become a vital source for communication. Below are links to the top free email services that are worthy of your attention.
Besides organizing your email, most systems can also organize your contacts, calendar, to-do-list, photos, cloud files (online storage) AND integrate them into and automatically sync them with your desktop computer, laptop computer, and smartphone (and some older not so smart phones too).
Outlook.com by Microsoft -- EDITOR'S TOP PICK --
Yourname@Outlook.com or Yourname@hotmail.com
Outlook is Microsoft's system for email. They have a full professional version for home and office use what comes with Office Suite and is found in most corporate environments. They have a free version that comes with every Windows computer. They also have an online browser version that is also free at www.Outlook.com PLUS all of these can work together (if you choose).
FREE BUT... comes with 5GB storage space PLUS 15GB Cloud storage space with (www.OneDrive.com).
BEST FOR: Those who like to organize themselves with a calendar, to-do-list. Also great for Windows Users.
Yahoo Mail by Yahoo.com -- EDITOR'S 2ND CHOICE --
Yourname@Yahoo.com
Yahoo Mail has been around from the early days of the Internet.
FREE BUT... no, actually totally free and the most storage space of all free email service at 1,000GB. For a personal email account, you can't beat it!
BEST FOR: Those who like to do email and don't have to worry about any other details (technical thingies).
GMail.com by Google | Yourname@Gmail.com
GMail is Google's browser-based system for email. They were one of the original free email services.
FREE BUT... no, just free. This is the most popular free email service out there. It comes with 15GB of storage 'Cloud' space which is shared between GMail, Google Photos, and Google Drive.
BEST FOR: Anyone with a little technical skills.
Proton Mail by Proton
SECURITY IS THEIR NAME. While other free email systems are also secure, Proton Mail takes this to the max with security. Routing your emails through Switzerland, not tracking or logging your activities at all, and encrypting your emails.
FREE BUT... comes with only 1GB free storage, which is somewhat limited. If you need more you have to pay.
BEST FOR: Those who are overly security paranoid.
iCloud Mail by Apple Computers
If you have an iPhone, iPad, Mac or other Apple product your probably already have an Apple ID and iCloud email.
FREE BUT... comes with 5GB storage, but this should be fine for most starting out.
BEST FOR: Those who are Apple Users.