Wait Are These Obamaphones
Yes, they are often called that but this program didnt start with Obama.
This program actually has its roots back in the 1930s, when the government established the need for universal phone service. It began providing free phone service under Reagan and was later expanded by Bush and Obama but the free phones provided by this program is nevertheless referred to as Obamaphone program.
It is more properly referred to as the Lifeline program.
Free Government Phone Stands Near You
Surely there are some wireless providers that go with Lifeline program to ensure free phone services and other phone deals. This aims to ensure that low income people can also get connected as part of communication and getting connected. These providers ensure Lifeline Plans and it is common to see these free government phone stands near you. This can be small stands initiated by the wireless providers or their representative and there may be some local stores as stands as well.
The low income people can apply to free government phone to get free phone which may be either online or in person. Online may be available when the wireless provider has such this option but it is much comfortable to get started in the means of in-person. The representative of the wireless providers can guide to get started with application process and provide such assistance. Surely there are eligibility criteria to get free government phone and you need to comply and go with required eligibility documents. Then there are a few process to let you reach free government phones so easily.
Visit Selected Carrier Nearest Store
As you have got information on the nearest store, it is now time to visit the selected carrier nearest store. It is so important to visit these stores where you can get all information such as application process and support from the staff there. More importantly, you may ask your query if you need any type of information.
You May Like: Government Funding Programs For Low Income Families
Assurance Vs Safelink Best Free Government Smartphone Plans Comparison Verdict
So, which best free government smartphone plan should you try for first? We recommend putting an application in for Assurance. If you get approved, you get a free Virgin Mobile smartphone with up to 500 minutes of talk time and unlimited texting. Not only that, but youll get great coverage because Virgin Mobile piggy backs off of AT& Ts network. Theres supreme value here compared to what Safelink offers, and its all for free. If you cant get approved for Assurance best free government smartphone because of your location, unfortunately, one of your only options is going to be Safelink, although its still better than nothing.
Posts you might like
How To Get Free Government Phones
Getting a free government phone is easy if you meet the income guidelines. Because of the economic downturn in the country as a whole, many Americans have been hit hard financially. The nation has been suffering as a result of the recession, leading to higher rates of poverty in every state. As a result of the economic crisis, many people feel that cell phones are luxury items that are not affordable.
Thankfully, the Lifeline Assistance program exists to assist qualified Americans in obtaining a free government phone. These phones have become known as Obama Phones and have swept the nation in an attempt to offer free service to people who earn lower than average levels of income.
Don’t Miss: Government Benefits For Seniors Over 60
Free Cell Phone Plans From The Us Government
You won’t find any major cell phone providers or new iPhone devices eligible for the Lifeline Assistance program, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a decent phone on a reliable network. Some of these cell phone providers also offer free phones or free SIM kits as well.
These are the carriers that currently are eligible with the Lifeline Assistance program:
You can find out what carriers specifically cater to your area by entering your zip code here.
Best Free Government Phones By State 2022 Complete Guide
Are you struggling to pay your monthly cell phone plan to a point where you feel you can no longer afford a phone? Being jobless, sickly or disabled comes with many economic challenges that make it impossible for some people to own and maintain a phone. Thankfully, the government runs a Lifeline cell phone service in 49 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico to ensure that every American has access to at least one phone. The Lifeline free government phones by state program offer free cell phone for seniors and free service plan to people enrolled on government assistance. The program further extends to Americans below certain income thresholds.
The qualification criteria vary among states. Some states have several providers including the leading phone carriers while others have one or two carriers. What you get with the program also varies among states. The program offers unlimited calling and text in some states, while some states provide lesser plans with some data allowance and touch screen government phones. Understanding the options and the free government cell phone companies available in your state will help you find the best free phone and free service for you and your family.
Don’t Miss: How To Pay Government Student Loans
How To Find A Compatible Phone
To find out how to find a compatible phone. Go to the company site and look for Upgrades. If there is no upgrade section, then call or email the company. You can purchase the phone from the provider or at a providers store. Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and just about anywhere they sell telecommunications products. Make sure it works well with your service.
Today Lifeline phone providers are making smartphones accessible when upgrading your service. However, Assurance Wireless gives all new customers a free Android phone with wireless access. These subsidized phones will make it easier for those struggling to make ends meet and help low-income adults who work or get back to work to manage information more effectively.
What Is The Lifeline Program
Before we talk about the best options for getting a free phone plan from the government, lets talk about Lifeline. Lifeline is a federal program that helps subsidize the cost of phone and internet services. Established in 1985 during the Reagan administration, the Lifeline government benefit allows low-income Americans to get phone service for free or at discounted rates.
In 2016, the Lifeline program received an update that added data services to the list of offerings. This enables low-income citizens to use data to access the internet in addition to receiving voice and texting services. Lifeline is available in all fifty states, all United States territories, and on tribal lands.
Read Also: What Is The Form Of Government Of The United States
The 10 Best Free Government Cell Phones For Low Income 2020
Mobile phones have combined people around the world to the same thread with the help of Mobile Virtual Network Operators . The USA government also sincerely helps the low-income people and provides free government phones for them. So that they also communicated to their friends, family members, and other people worldwide. The FCC established the Lifeline program in 1984 and offers a discount of phone service for qualified people.
The FCC further modified and streamlined its services in 2005 so that cell phone service providers could provide free phones following lifeline rules. At present, a lot of cell phone service providers work under the Lifeline program and offer free government cell phones for low Income who live below the poverty line.
When anyone wants to participate in the Lifeline program, the subscriber income score must be below 135% according to the federal poverty guideline, either he has to participate in some specific Lifeline assistance program.
In every state, the Lifeline services are available for eligible people. If you are looking for the best free government phone provider in your state, maybe I will help you. We choose the best free government smartphone providers for you. Let’s take a look the list is below:
Getting The Phone Through The Mail
Following the online application, you can begin watching the mail for your free phone to arrive. From there, you can turn the phone on and use it to receive 250 free minutes of airtime every month. Depending on the provider that you have chosen, you may also have opted for getting reduced costs for texting and extra minutes.
As many as 35 percent of people in the country qualify for free cell phones under the Lifeline Assistance program, so it is best to check your income level against the Poverty Level guidelines to determine if you are eligible. Estimates have shown that as many as 20 million people in the country have already taken advantage of the program.
You May Like: Government Jobs In Manhattan Ks
Qualifications For Free Government Phone Service
Low-income single people and families who fall at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines may qualify. This includes a single person making less than $17,388 per year.
If you qualify for other federal aid programs, you will probably qualify for the Lifeline Program. Other qualifying aid programs include veteran pension and survivor benefit programs, Social Security Income , Federal Public Housing Assistance , Medicaid, SNAP, and more.
Which Tablet Will I Get Under Acp
When you apply for ACP free tablet, and you are confirmed to get one, you will get one but the brand or the maker isn’t known. Neither your service provider knows which tablet you will get nor will you get the details of it. You will come to know once you receive the device.
This new tablet will include all the latest features like Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, and SIM cards in a few models. But you can assume you will get one of the following made tablets –
- Lenovo tablet
- Apple iPad
Read Also: Free Government Grants For Starting A New Business
S To Getting A Free Government Phone
In order to get a free cell phone through the government program, you must first check to see if you qualify based on your income. Eligibility rules differ by state, but are similar. A good rule of thumb is that if you qualify for a state assistance program like SNAP, Supplemental Security Income , Free School Lunch program, Medicaid, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program , Tribal programs, or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families , then you may already qualify to receive telephone assistance. In addition to those state-funded programs, you can qualify for the free phone program if your income is below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. This percentage is as high as 150 percent of the poverty level in some states.
Some Providers Load Their Free Phones With Malware
In early 2020, it was revealed that many free phones that are provided from these government programs come preloaded with malware. The affected phones discussed in this article were provided by Assurance Wireless. The preinstalled malware aggressively displays ads and cant be removed without uninstalling the Settings app which can basically destroy the phone.
Thus, it is very important to carefully evaluate which plan and phone you will use. If you arent careful, you could end up with a nearly unusable device.
Don’t Miss: Government Jobs No Experience Necessary
Are The Free Phones And Free Cell Phone Service Plans Good
Not at all, the free phones and the free cell phone service plans are the best services which are provided to the customers. In the market, one can find that other carriers are also available and they provide the best and advanced cell phones and cell phone service plans to the customers and for this, they will charge a high amount as well. In comparison to them, Lifeline provides better free cell phones and reliable cell phone services which are good to remarkably.
Along with it, most of the Lifeline providers provide decent smartphones as well as plans with a good amount of calls, text messages, and data. So, all the needs will be fulfilled with their provided plan. But it is your choice whether you want to use the Lifeline services or not.
How To Add Minutes
Adding Minutes to your Assurance Wireless phone is something you will need to do sooner, or later. If you have an Assurance Wireless phone, you will receive 1000 voice minutes, unlimited talk and text, 50 MB and 2 GB Broadband monthly, each month. When your minutes run out, you will need to purchase additional airtime to get you through the month.
Adding time to Assurance Wireless phones is simple. You can purchase a Virgin Mobile Top-Up card in most supermarkets, drug stores, department, and phone shops. You can purchase an additional 250 minutes for $5. If you want to increase monthly airtime, you may upgrade to the 5.00 or 20.00 Talk and Text plan.
You can buy 1,000 talk minutes and 1,000 texts for $20. Adding money to your account can be done with a top-up care, credit, or debit card. If you want to increase monthly airtime, you may upgrade to the 5.00 or 20.00 Talk and Text plan. You can buy 1,000 talk minutes and 1,000 texts for $20. Adding money to your account can be done with a top-up care, credit, or debit card.
Read Also: How To Scam The Government For Money
Process To Apply For Free Touch Screen Phones From The Government
To apply for a free touch screen phone from the government, you need to first prove youre needy. This means providing the documentation to support your qualification. After that, you need to choose the provider supported by the Lifeline program.
The provider should also be available in your locality. Several providers supporting this initiative have wide network coverage. If your application goes through, the provider will ship your smartphone to you. Thats why your current mail is very important. Below are some of the best smartphone providers you can go for.
Choosing Your Lifeline: Which Free Government Phone Service Is Best
In todays unprecedented times, wireless service provides a vital link necessary for maintaining contact with your job, your childs school, paying bills, obtaining emergency services, and even for distance learning. Unfortunately, many families are unable to afford the high monthly cost.
If you are unable to afford the cost of wireless service, you may be able to obtain free service from the government along with an affordable phone. The Lifeline Assistance Program can help if you are on food stamps or meet other qualifications. Read on to learn which free government phone service is the best.
Don’t Miss: Holiday Inn 301 Government Street Mobile Alabama
Acp Free Tablet From Government
ACP stands for Affordable Connectivity Program . It was previously known as Emergency Broadband Benefits and was introduced to provide free internet to qualifying households, something popularly known as Free Internet or Obama phone later. But when this program was extended to provide free cell phones and tablets during the Covid-19 pandemic, US Federal renamed it to Affordable Connectivity Program or the ACP program, and more mobile providers were added to cover more people under this scheme. In this guide, check out how to get ACP Free tablet from the government.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many peoples have lost their jobs and it has tremendously affected lifestyles. Many people have fallen into poverty lines and are struggling to make a livelihood. This is where the US Government decided to offer free phones, tablets, and laptops based on eligibility and to poor people.
Best Free Government Cell Phone Service Providers
The mobile phone is the easiest way to communicate with others. Nowadays without a mobile phone, we can not think of a single moment. According to GSMA real-time intelligence data, there are 5.15 billion people who use mobile phones that means 66.77% of the world population.
Most of all wanted to use a mobile phone, some of the people can buy a new phone and some can not buy mobile for their low income. There is a great option to get a free government phone. The FCC started the Lifeline program For low-income families, t in 1985.
The lifeline program intends to make communication affordable and provide free government phones for low-income families. The lifeline follows some rules to provide free government phones. The key rule is subscriber income scores must be below 135% according to federal poverty guidelines or participate in certain assistance programs.
There are a lot of best cell phone carriers that offer their network service in the USA. Some of them offer the best cell phone plans and some others offer free government cell phones for low-income families. In 2005 FCC made more changes so that cell phone service providers also provide free government phones.
With the change of era, a lot of cell phone service providers also provide free government touch screen phones. Today we discuss who you can get a free government phone and the 10 best free government cell phone providers.
Also Check: Is There Government Funding For Solar Panels
#: Qualify For The Free Cell Phone Assistance
In the first step of the application process for free government cell phones for low income, you have to qualify for it. As you see that for qualifying Lifeline supported program, you can use your households low-income and also the document of participating in any government assistance program. And you have needed to provide the different documents to prove your eligibility for qualifying for the program.
Assurance Vs Safelink Best Free Government Wireless Phone Plans
It can be frustrating not being able to afford a decent smartphone after all, phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone X sure do look attractive. You might not even be able to afford what many consider budget phones, which is really unfortunate since smartphones are how the world communicates now. But theres good news: you dont have to be without a phone. There are programs in place for even those that cant afford a phone to get a free phone alongside free services. Most of these are government sponsored programs, although some private companies offer programs like these thanks to government grants. So, if you need a phone, you have two primary options for a free device with service: Assurance Vs Safelink. Follow along, and well show you the pros and cons of both.
You May Like: Stanford Data Governance Maturity Model
