How To Get A Free Phone From The Us Government
The US government offers a program called Lifeline Assistance that can give you a free cell phone and access to an inexpensive cell phone plan if you qualify. To qualify for Lifeline Assistance, you either have to have an income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or be currently enrolled in any of the following government programs:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Supplemental Security Income
- Tribal-specific programs: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribally-Administered Temporary
- Assistance for Needy Families , Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations , Head Start
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit Programs
If any of the above relates to you, then you deserve a free cell phone and a cheap cell phone plan to go with it.
Do Verizon Wireless Offer Free Government Phone Or Mobile Phone
No, the Verizon Wireless Company does not provide any free government phone to the people. Even the company gives a discount of $9.25 on the cell phone bill per month and along with it, they provide other discounts for the users who are eligible to become a Lifeline member.
So, if you want to use the Lifeline Assistance programs services then you have to follow all the instructions which are given in this article. You have to look for the wireless service provider, check your eligibility, collect the documents, apply for the Lifeline Free government cell phone, submit the documents, look for the application process, and more. Even you can see all the benefits that you will get from the Lifeline support program. So, if you want to get the Lifeline services and a free cell phone to connect with people then you can apply for this. Even if you are not qualified to apply for this then you can apply for it in another way as well.
How To Apply For Lifeline Assistance
Applying for Lifeline Assistance must be done in the manner outlined below.
- I have given you a list of mobile service providers in your area that suit your needs. You should start your search from the list I am giving you Below.
- You should visit the official web platform of the company you find and learn in depth about its services and costs in your state. Pay attention to the options that are available to you.
- In order to begin the application process. You must submit your application by phone or online, as you must provide the documentation and data specified on the website. You will have an easier time being eligible for other government assistance programs if you clarify your eligibility from the beginning, so that you do not need to verify your information over and over again.
- Last but not least! There is only one thing left to do: to wait to find out if you qualify, if you have all the requirements in order, and for what type of aid you will be eligible.
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How To Replace A Lost Lifeline Company
You can lose or damage your free government cell phone shortly after getting it. The best thing is that you can replace it or even get an upgrade. If you lost your device, the provider would replace it at a fee. Its vital always to keep an emergency copy of your providers name, your phone number, and the serial number of the device. You are going to need it if you want to replace a lost or damaged handset.
Here are the steps you can use to replace your free government cell phone:
- Contact the mobile carrier immediately you realize you lost the device so they can turn off the service to protect your phone balance.
- The provider may ask you for the events that led to you losing the cell phone.
- Pick a new cell phone.
- Pay the replacement fee.
Installments Early Upgrades And Leasing
Most of us purchase our smartphones via installment plans and leasing, and often carriers advertise phones as $0 down. This is how this works. Your payments for the cell phone are shown as the full FRP of the phone, divided by equal payments over an agreed period . The payments are interest-free, and customers with a good credit history will pay $0 down when signing on to these plans.
As an example, if a phone is $480 FRP, the carrier will divide the payments into 24 months: this means that you will pay $20/month, for 24 months, to pay off the cell phone.
Summary
- Installments mean that you are paying off the phone as part of an ownership plan.
- You will need decent credit to qualify for a lease or installments.
- Leasing can be $0 upfront, but that’s not an ownership pathyou’ll need to hand back your phone at the end of the lease period, unless you want to pay extra.
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Twigby Mobile Cheap Plans For Low Income
Twigby is a Nashville-based prepaid virtual mobile operator that works with the Sprint and Verizon networks . The plan highlighted below costs a few dollars more than Gen Mobile, but you get an extra 200 minutes of talk per month. Twigby sells a lot of cheap phones, the least expensive of which is the $ 15 Alcatel Cinch. If you want a device that looks more like todays smartphones, the Unimax Express costs $ 34.
What Should I Do If I No Longer Qualify For Assurance Wireless Lifeline Service
Inform us immediately upon learning that you no longer qualify for Lifeline service from Assurance Wireless and we will discontinue your Assurance Wireless Lifeline service. You may continue to use your Assurance Wireless phone and account at the low non-Lifeline rate of 10¢ per minute and 10¢ per text message, as long as you add at least $10 every 45 days or at least $20 every 90 days.
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When Will I Receive My $10 Amazoncom Gift Card*
Once your friend has reached 90 consecutive days as an active Assurance Wireless customer and it is confirmed that you are still active with Assurance Wireless, we will email you your Amazon.com Gift Card to the email address you used to sign up for the program. Please check back at the to view your referral and credit status. If you still have questions you can email Refer a Friend program care by and selecting Contact Us.
*Restrictions apply, See
Best Free Government Cell Phones To Get In 2021
Getting a free government cell phone has become essential in the digital age where it connects almost everything and everyone. A so-called food stamp cellphone is the fastest and cheapest way to stay in contact with your family and friends, or it could be a lifesaver in times of emergencies or distress. Free government cell phones will also be your ticket to starting a career so employers can contact you once they want an interview or are ready to hire you.
The Lifeline Assistance program provides free government phones to people on food stamps and other reasons. It was initiated by the US government to help millions of Americans who dont have access. This FCC-mandated program mandates several service companies to provide devices with mobile plans which include minutes and text every month. For example, Verizon usually includes 250 minutes or more of calls, text allowances, and some even offer data allocation. AT& T only offers a discounted rate on voice minutes.
Over 12 to 15 million Americans are already enjoying this benefit, allowing them to contact loved ones and stay in the loop for the next career opportunities. You only have to contact one of the best free government providers below to get started.
ASTAC offers unlimited calls and texts locally, so you have to pay a quarter for each minute of 411 calls. The company might also ask for a $200 deposit if you call long distance numbers regularly.
Are There Other Options To Get Free Government Cell Phones?
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Free Cell Phone Plans
Even though free phones are rarely ever free, there are still ways to nab free calls, texts and data on your cell plan. Several US providers are now offering free phone plans to eligible customers. These plans including a set number of voice minutes, text messages and megabytes each month, all free of charge.
There are two important things that you need to know when going down this path
- Free phone plan providers do want you spend some money with them so you need to understand that you will never get a 100% perfect and 100% full quality product with a free plan – there will always be a ‘gotcha’
- The free plan packages either require to bring an eligible phone or purchase a phone with them.
FreedomPop’s ‘freemium’ service is contract-free and includes a $0 basic plan with:
- 200 free voice minutes
- 500 free texts
- 500MB of free data
You can also download the company’s Free Talk and Text app to make cost-free voice calls to any U.S. number, and to any other FreedomPop app user worldwide.
You’ll also get free worldwide texting and 100 minutes of free international calls. However, it is likely that you will need to buy a cheap phone from FreedomPop as part of the process in getting a free service plan. Additionally, the voice quality on FreedomPop’s Free Plan is non-premium, where voice calls are transmitted via VOIP on the data network so call quality is not as good as a standard cell phone call.
Why Free Cell Phone Is Necessary For Seniors And The Disabled Citizen
For free cellphones, the government considers only the disabled with limited income and the abandoned seniors above 65 years. They provide the phones along with free services. Below are the reasons why the government saw it necessary to provide a free phone to eligible seniors and the disabled.
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Nationwide Lifeline & Ebb Service Provider
TruConnect is a nationwide wireless service provider that is committed to making your communication needs more flexible and affordable. We believe that affordable services should be available for everyone, so we offer Lifeline and Pay-As-You-Go, plans built for your life. Click here to choose the plan thats right for you. Lifeline is a state and federal government program that provides affordable wireless service to low-income consumers. The Lifeline program is only available to consumers who can provide documentation for eligibility based on either income or participation in public assistance programs such as SNAP and Medicaid. Only one Lifeline service is allowed per household. TruConnect currently offers Lifeline service to residents in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, with more coming soon.
FREE Wireless Internet Service + Free Device!
How Do I Manually Back Up My Phone
1. Open your phone’s Settings app.
2. Tap System > Backup. If these steps don’t match your phone’s settings, try searching your settings app for backup, or get help from your device manufacturer.
3. Tap Back Up Now > Continue.
4. Open your phone’s Settings app.
5. Tap System > Backup. If these steps don’t match your phone’s settings, try searching your settings app for backup, or get help from your device manufacturer.
6. Tap Back up now Continue.
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Requirements To Apply For Lifeline Assistance
For Lifeline Assistance, simple requirements provide the federal government with a guide for determining if a family lives near the poverty line, and therefore qualifies for the programs services and benefits. . .
Following that, we will discuss the relevant parameters so you will know if you qualify for the Lifeline Assistance program.
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The 52 Best Providers Of Free Government Phones By State
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.
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Do Seniors Want A Basic Phone Or A Smartphone
The answer to this question will depend on the level of technology and advanced features that elderly are comfortable with. Let me talk about the principles e first. If the elderly can learn well, they can buy smart phones. Because smartphone has all the latest features like mobile apps, video chatting, internet access, GPS tracking, and a touchscreen.
Users can use their smart phones to watch videos, watch news, and make video calls with their grandchildren. The elderly are more likely to feel lonely, and having a smart phone can improve the quality of life of the elderly to some extent. And, although the elderly slower to learn new things as they get older, they will use it once they have learned it. Nowadays, smart phones are not expensive. You can buy smart phones suitable for the elderly within 200 dollars. The performance is sufficient for the elderly. Therefore, if the elderly are not too old to learn, try to buy a smart phone.
If youre worried that a smart phone will be too confusing or have lots of complicated bells and whistles, a basic phone will be your best bet. Basic options like senior flip phones allow you to send texts, make calls, and take pictures, and you can add a few extra features if you like. According to my experience, grandparents over 70 years old generally buy feature phones.
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Free Wireless Phones For Low Income And How It Works
Basically, LifeLine provides about 10 dollars per months of subsidy targeted to low-income Americans phone lines as it is explained by Fuentes. To make 10 dollars, it only takes about 250 minutes for TracFone and Virgin Mobile. Fuentes added that the phones are not paid by the government but from the companies.
So, it is a wrong assumption that the one who pay these cell phones are the federal government. Fuentes stated that they take the monthly discount and it will be directed to a low income family so they can receive the free cell phone. The government has the task to track the states that have biggest Lifeline participation. If they can collect the data, it means that they can check the amount of low-income residents to take the service. The states with big enthusiasts are Alaska, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama and Georgia. The LifeLine users are also could be found in Indiana and Hawaii.
Three Main Free Cell Phone Providers
There are three main free cell phone providers such as Tracfones Safelink, Nexus Communications ReachOut Wireless and Sprints Assurance Wireless. Other companies provide discounted service of the program but they dont offer free phones, for example AT& T.
What kind of free cell phone they will provide? It is about a very basic phone. Fuentes said that it is not a cameraphone or smartphone. It just has ringtones, caller ID and call waiting.
Who is Eligible to Get Free Cell Phone?
Reference:
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How Does The Program Work
FeelSafe Wireless offers free name brand Smartphones and free monthly service, which currently consists of 1,000 free minutes, 500 texts, and 4.5 gigabytes of data every month.
The Emergency Benefit Broadband Program is temporary and was designed to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, FeelSafe Wireless will be offering:
- Unlimited talk and text
- 15 gigabytes of additional data monthly
Lifeline benefits are available to consumers who use government assistance programs such as Medicaid or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program .
Medicaid members interested in learning more or who are interested in enrolling can sign up at FeelSafe’s website.
