American Broadband and Telecommunications Company, LLC
These Terms and Conditions (“Agreement”) governs the provision of the Services by American Broadband & Telecommunications Company, LLC (“AMBT,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) to you (“your,” “applicant,” “customer,” “subscriber,” “participant,” or “user”) and your use of the Services and Devices. This Agreement is applicable to AMBT service marketed under the American Assistance brand and any other brand “powered by American Broadband and Telecommunications Company, LLC.”
As used in this Agreement, the term: (A) “Services” means voice telephony (“talk”), text messaging (“text”), broadband Internet access services (“data”), SIM card, embedded SIM (“eSIM”) (SIM card and eSIM, to the extent either technology may be available to you depending on your Device, your Service, and/or any other factor(s) in our sole discretion, are referred to interchangeably as “SIM,” “SIM Card,” and/or “SIM Kit”), and any other services provided to you by AMBT, including federal and state Lifeline service, prepaid wireless service, and landline voice service; (B) “Device” means any phone, smartphone, tablet, accessory, or other device provided or sold to you by AMBT or that you activate or use with our Services (note that certain functions are only available when using a voice enabled Device; tablets provided or sold to you by AMBT are not voice enabled); and (C) “Underlying Carrier” means the wireless provider whose facilities we use to provide you wireless Services.
The complete Agreement between you and AMBT consists of:
Other state-specific terms and conditions at the end of this document may apply to you depending on your state of eligibility.
PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY as they contain important information about your rights and obligations related to the Services and Devices we provide to you. These Terms and Conditions: (1) require the use of arbitration on an individual basis to resolve disputes, rather than jury trials or class actions; (2) limit our liability and the remedies available to you in the event of a dispute; (3) permit us to terminate, suspend, modify, or limit your Services at any time, without prior notice, and for any reason, including your violation of these Terms and Conditions; and (4) reserve our right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time, in our sole discretion, and with limited notice requirements, with most modifications becoming binding on you once posted on the AMBT website, which you should check regularly for updates.
THIS AGREEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE AND LEGALLY BINDING ON YOU WHEN YOU: (a) initiate, enroll in, or subscribe to the Services; (b) use or attempt to use the Services; (c) pay for the Services; (d) upgrade or modify the Services, (e) start any application, program, or software that states you are accepting this Agreement, or (f) accept the Services or Agreement through any written, oral, or electronic statement or signature. This Agreement continues until we or you terminate your Services. You must be 18 years or older to enter into this Agreement. When you accept these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and that you meet the eligibility standards for AMBT’s Services. If you disagree with any of the terms or conditions stated herein or you are not 18 years of age, do not initiate Services with AMBT or contact AMBT Customer Service immediately to terminate your Services by dialing 611 from your AMBT Device or calling toll-free at 1.877.266.7212. We may deny requests to subscribe to our Services for any lawful reason.
Lifeline is a government assistance program that is supported by the federal Universal Service Fund and is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”). The federal Lifeline program provides discounts on monthly communications services for eligible consumers, including voice calls, text messages, and broadband Internet access services. Discounts are applied to the retail rates of AMBT Lifeline Service Plans for eligible AMBT subscribers. In some states, Lifeline service is also supported by discounts available from state universal service funds and may be administered by state administrators.
To request enrollment in AMBT’s Lifeline-supported services, you must complete a Lifeline service application. The application requires that you certify, under penalty of perjury, that you understand and agree to the laws, regulations, and other requirements for receiving Lifeline services. By completing an application, you consent to AMBT or its representatives assisting you with applying for Lifeline services or doing so on your behalf and to the release of any information (e.g., name, telephone number, address, and eligibility information) necessary to process your application or for administration of Lifeline services to federal and state government entities, USAC, or other administrators of the Lifeline program. Failure to consent will result in denial of Lifeline services. This consent is ongoing while you are an AMBT Lifeline subscriber and survives any termination of this Agreement.
To be eligible for AMBT Lifeline Services, you must meet the applicable eligibility standards. For the federal Lifeline program, eligibility standards are determined by federal regulation. For state-specific Lifeline programs, eligibility standards are determined by the appropriate state body and vary by state. These state and federal eligibility requirements include program-based eligibility or income-based eligibility. You must also be at least 18 years old (unless you are an emancipated minor) and must not be listed as a dependent on another person’s tax return (unless over the age of 60). Eligibility is determined when applicants enroll in federal and state eligibility databases, which may request documentation as evidence of an applicant’s eligibility.
Program-Based Eligibility: AMBT subscribers may qualify if they participate in one or more of the following: SNAP, Section 8 (FPHA), Medicaid, SSI, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit. Tribal residents have additional qualifying programs: FDPIR, BIA, TANF, Tribal Head Start.
Income-Based Eligibility: You may qualify if your total gross income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Under federal law, only one Lifeline benefit is permitted per household, which may be applied to wireless or landline service. A household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Separate households that live at the same address are eligible, including, for example, residents of homeless shelters and nursing homes. A household is not permitted to receive Lifeline benefits from multiple providers, but the Lifeline benefit associated with your household may be transferred from another provider to AMBT.
AMBT’s Lifeline service is only available to applicants who reside in the areas in which AMBT has been designated as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (“ETC”). To receive Lifeline service through AMBT, an applicant’s principal and permanent residential address must be within AMBT’s ETC service area. Applicants cannot apply for Lifeline service using a second home or business address. If you move to a new address, you must provide that new address to AMBT within 30 days of moving.
Lifeline subscribers are required to recertify, on an annual basis from the date of their service initiation, that they continue to meet eligibility requirements. Recertification is conducted or facilitated by USAC or state third-party administrators. If a subscriber fails to complete the annual recertification by the deadline, AMBT will notify the subscriber that they will be de-enrolled from the Lifeline program unless they complete the recertification within 30 days.
You must notify AMBT within 30 days if for any reason you no longer satisfy the criteria for receiving Lifeline services. AMBT may conduct checks to verify your continued eligibility at any time. If we determine that you no longer satisfy the criteria, we will de-enroll you and deactivate your Services.
Eligibility for AMBT is personal to you. Under federal law, you may not transfer to any third party any of your rights or benefits received under the AMBT Service. Similarly, you may not assign your rights or delegate any of your duties without the prior written consent of AMBT.
Subscribers must personally activate their AMBT Lifeline service by making a call or as otherwise described by AMBT at the time you enroll in the service.
To maintain AMBT Lifeline service, FCC regulations require that, unless a subscriber has a regular billing and payment relationship with us, the subscriber must use the service every 30 days. Subscribers can “use” the Services by: (1) completing an outbound call, sending a text message, or using data; (2) purchasing minutes or data from AMBT to add to the subscriber’s service plan; (3) answering an incoming call from a party other than AMBT; or (4) responding to direct contact from AMBT and confirming that the subscriber wants to continue receiving the Lifeline service. At or before 30 days of non-use, AMBT will provide subscribers with notice that failure to use the Lifeline services within a 15-day notice period will result in de-enrollment.
Lifeline is a federal benefit and any violation of federal or state Lifeline laws and regulations can result in fines, imprisonment, de-enrollment, or permanently being barred from the program. AMBT may suspend or de-enroll you from receiving Lifeline-supported service, without notice, if we suspect or determine that you have engaged in fraud or violated any Lifeline laws or regulations.
You may request to be de-enrolled from Lifeline service for any reason and at any time by contacting AMBT Customer Service. De-enrollment requests can be made by phone (611), physical mail (AMBT, 1480 Ford Street, Maumee, OH 43537), or electronically. Upon receiving a request, you will be de-enrolled within five (5) business days.
You may transfer your Lifeline benefit from another Lifeline provider to AMBT or from AMBT to another Lifeline provider. AMBT complies with the FCC’s rules regarding transferring Lifeline benefits.
Except as otherwise described in this Agreement, you must be enrolled in a Service Plan to utilize our Services. Wireless Service Plan descriptions, including rates and associated talk, text, and data allotments (“Allotments”), are available on the AMBT website. Service Plan availability, rates, and Allotments are subject to change at any time. Lifeline discounts are automatically applied to the retail rate. Service Plans are non-refundable, cannot be transferred, and may not be exchanged or resold.
AMBT wireless subscribers can purchase “Top Up” Plans to receive allotments talk, text, and data by calling AMBT Customer Services at 1.877.266.7212 or 611. “Top Up” Plans are available on the AMBT website. These plans are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Allotments have no cash value and are non-refundable. If you terminate your service, you will forfeit any unused Allotments. If you use your full talk, text, or data allotment before the start of a new monthly cycle, the Service associated that allotment will be suspended, except for 911 and calls to AMBT Customer Services. You may check your balances by dialing 611. Unused Allotments expire on the last day of your monthly cycle and will not carry over unless specifically provided for by the Service Plan. Top-Up Allotments generally expire 30 days from activation.
All incoming and outgoing voice calls on your Device, regardless of whether the call is on the network or roaming, use talk minute allotments, including calls to toll-free numbers but excluding 911 and AMBT Customer Service (611/1.877.266.7212). Wireless calls are limited to two hours. Call time is measured in one-minute increments, with a minimum of one minute rounded up. Incoming calls begin when the signal connection is established.
Each SMS or MMS message that is sent or received is deducted from text message allotments, whether read or unread, viewed or unviewed, or solicited or unsolicited. Most text messages are limited to 160 characters. Multimedia messages (MMS) have size limits and some devices may not support them. AMBT is not responsible for lost or misdirected messages.
All data usage (except when connected to Wi-Fi) is deducted from your data allotment. Usage is calculated in full-kilobyte increments and rounded up. Data usage includes all active and passive usage, network overhead, and background applications that send/receive data without your knowledge. Advertisements and location-based services also consume data. To prevent unintended usage, connect to Wi-Fi when available.
Upon enrolling in Lifeline service, you may be eligible to receive a free wireless Device. If not eligible, AMBT will provide a free SIM for use with a compatible device. Devices provided by AMBT are selected at our sole discretion and are locked to our network. If you provide your own Device, you are responsible for ensuring it is unlocked, compatible, and complies with all laws. Not all services are available with all devices.
Devices purchased directly from AMBT may be returned for a full refund within 30 days with the original receipt. Devices must be in like-new condition in original packaging. Refunds will not be issued for damaged or missing components. SIM cards are not eligible for returns. After 30 days, you must contact the manufacturer for warranty options.
Upon accepting a Device, all risk of loss, theft, damage, or destruction is borne by you. AMBT will not issue refunds for lost/stolen phones. You may purchase a replacement. If you do not activate a replacement or find the lost device within 30 days, we may cancel your subscription and reassign the number.
AMBT may remotely update or change your Device’s software, applications, or programming without notice to address security or network issues. These updates may affect or erase data stored on your device. During a software update, you may be unable to use your device, including for 911 calls.
Software and applications provided by AMBT are licensed (not sold) for personal, lawful, non-commercial use only. You may not copy, reverse engineer, or modify the software. AMBT and its licensors reserve the right to modify or terminate access to software at any time without notice.
You are not permitted to unlock, re-flash, tamper with, or otherwise alter the hardware or software on your AMBT Device for any purpose. Doing so is a violation of this Agreement.
AMBT adheres to the CTIA Consumer Code for unlocking devices. Prepaid and Lifeline Devices will be unlocked upon request no later than one year after activation, provided the subscriber is in full compliance with terms. Deployed military personnel with deployment papers can request unlocking regardless of the one-year rule. “Unlocking” does not guarantee hardware compatibility with other networks.
You are responsible for paying all one-time and recurring charges, including Service Plan charges, Top-Up Plan charges, device costs, and taxes. We do not assess early termination fees. All charges, once paid, are non-refundable. With the exception of legally required taxes, no additional surcharges are assessed on Lifeline-supported services.
Bills are delivered electronically monthly. paper bills may be requested. You must pay prepaid charges immediately and postpaid charges by the due date. Failure to pay may result in conversion to a free Service Plan (if eligible) or suspension. You authorize automatic payment if you provide a card.
If payment is withheld or disputed (a “Chargeback”), AMBT may suspend service for 30 days. If unresolved, the account will be deactivated and a termination charge applied. You agree to reimburse us for collection agency fees (up to 33% of debt) and legal expenses incurred.
AMBT does not condition service on credit history. No deposits or preset spending limits are required.
Promotions and Rewards (credits, loyalty rewards) are offered at AMBT’s sole discretion. They have no cash value, cannot be sold or transferred, and are forfeited upon service termination. AMBT may change or cancel promotions at any time without notice.
Devices may be used for “Third-Party Purchases” (in-app content, goods). You are responsible for all such charges. AMBT will not be liable for these charges. Fraudulent use must be reported immediately with documentation (affidavits/police reports).
Accessing Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) requires a password. If a password is not provided, we can only disclose CPNI by mailing it to the address of record. Authorized users on your account can make binding changes to your service.
To protect against Port-Out Fraud and SIM Swap Fraud, we have implemented notification and lock measures.
Talk and text allotments are for domestic use only, except that some customers can use talk allotments to call certain areas of Mexico and Canada. Other international usage is not included.
Coverage is only available in the domestic U.S. and is subject to the Underlying Carrier’s network. Coverage maps are approximations and do not guarantee service indoors or in all geographic locations. 911 calls may not complete in areas without coverage.
Roaming occurs when using another provider’s network. While typically included at no extra charge, certain features (data, caller ID) may not function. Only domestic roaming is available.
Service may be limited by weather, topography, network congestion, or maintenance. Drop-offs and outages are possible. AMBT is not liable for “Service Limitations.” If service is out for 24+ hours due to a cause within our control, a credit may be issued upon request.
AMBT may block certain services, limit speeds, or filter transmissions (like spam or malware) to protect the network. These actions may interrupt legitimate communications but are necessary for network integrity.
Location information (GPS/network) is used for 911 services and third-party apps. AMBT is not responsible for failures to connect to 911 or for inaccurate location data provided to emergency dispatchers.
Always state your location to 911 dispatchers. Wireless location data is not always exact. In areas without coverage, 911 calls will not go through; use a landline if possible.
Wi-Fi Calling requires a Registered Location to be accurate for 911. Failure to update your location may result in emergency services being sent to the wrong address. AMBT is not liable for Wi-Fi Calling failures.
AMBT is not responsible for third-party content. Use of such content is subject to the third party’s terms and privacy policies. Monitor minors’ use of devices to prevent access to unsuitable content.
AMBT assigns phone numbers and reserves the right to change them. You have no proprietary ownership of the number except for the legal right to “port” it. To port out, you must contact Customer Service. Unused allotments are not refunded upon porting.
Services are for lawful, personal dialogue and standard web/data usage only. Prohibited uses include:
UNLIMITED DOES NOT MEAN UNREASONABLE USE. AMBT may terminate, suspend, or modify services for any violation of this policy. Report violations to enroll@americanassistance.com.
Either party may terminate service on advance notice. AMBT must terminate Lifeline service if you no longer qualify, fail to recertify, or fail to use the device for 30 consecutive days. We may also terminate service for violations of the Agreement, non-payment, threatening behavior toward employees, or governmental orders. Upon termination, unused allotments are forfeited and phone numbers may be reassigned.
AMBT makes no representations or warranties, express or implied. We do not guarantee error-free service or privacy of communications. We are not responsible for device defects as we are not the manufacturer.
AMBT and its affiliates are not liable for acts of third parties, dropped calls, 911 failures, or lost data. Our liability for monetary damages is limited to the total charges paid by you for the applicable products or services.
You agree to defend and hold harmless AMBT from all claims, losses, and expenses arising out of your use of the Services or Device, or your violation of this Agreement.
Disputes will be resolved through final and binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS. You waive your right to a judge or jury trial and to participate in a class action. Arbitration takes place on an individual basis. AMBT will reimburse filing fees for non-frivolous claims under $25,000 if notice procedures are followed.
This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Ohio. For court proceedings not subject to arbitration, the exclusive jurisdiction is the state or federal courts in Ohio.
10.1 Tariffs: Tariffs filed with regulatory bodies take precedence over this Agreement.
10.2 Communication: You consent to receive automated or prerecorded calls/texts from AMBT.
10.3 Modifications: AMBT may modify the Agreement; material changes require 30-day notice.
10.7 Force Majeure: Neither party is liable for delays due to acts of God, war, or pandemics.
10.10 Severability: If any part is deemed unlawful, the remainder of the Agreement remains in effect.
Email: enroll@americanassistance.com
Phone: 1.877.266.7212 or 611 from your AMBT Device
Hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-11PM EST, Sat 10AM-6PM EST (Closed Sunday).
Mail: AMBT, Attn: Customer Service, 1480 Ford Street, Maumee, OH 43537
Trade name is “AMBT.” Qualified applicants receive a free phone and 350 monthly minutes/texts. Complaints: Georgia PSC Consumer Affairs Unit at 1-800-282-5813.
Qualified applicants receive a free cell phone and at least 325 free monthly minutes or text messages.
Qualified applicants receive a free cell phone and at least 325 free monthly minutes or text messages.
The entity providing Lifeline service is “AMBT,” not “American Broadband & Telecommunications.”
Qualified participants receive a free phone and at least 250 FREE monthly minutes and 250 FREE monthly texts. Complaints: PA Public Utility Commission at (800) 692-7380.