The Lifeline program has been going on since 1985 to assist low-income individuals and families by providing a discounted hotspot phone or broadband service. The aid provided aims to ensure that all Americans have telephone and internet access to allow them to connect with opportunities, loved ones, and emergency services. The Lifeline program is readily available for eligible persons in every US state and territory. At minimum, the government will give you 750 minutes of free voice, and 1 gigabyte of data free.
What is the Lifeline Program?
As mentioned, the Lifeline program aims to bridge the gaps in the digital world for a low-income individual by offering discounted communications services. There are several participating service providers that offer discounted rates on monthly telephone fees and broadband fees. The federal government and a small portion of a regular plan’s monthly bill help the Lifeline Program to afford this type of aid. The program was expanded under President Barack Obama and continued under President Trump.
The plans and bundles are required by the US government to come up with hotspot-enabled devices such as smartphones and tablets. Some companies even offer upgrades to a higher-tiered model for a small fee on top of the discounted monthly rate. The minimum service standards as of December 1, 2017, along with incremental annual changes are as follows:
| Date | Mobile Voice | Mobile Broadband | Home Broadband | Monthly Voice Support Amount | Monthly Broadband Support Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2017 | 750 Minutes | 3G Speeds, 1GB Data Allocation | 10/1 Speeds, 150GB Data Allocation | $9.25 | $9.25 |
| December 2018 | 1000 Minutes | 3G Speeds or Determined by Bureau | Speed: Mechanism CAF Standard or Bureau Determined Data allocation | $9.25 | $9.25 |
| December 2019 | 1000 Minutes | 3G Speeds or Determined by Bureau | Speed: Mechanism CAF Standard or Bureau Determined Data allocation | $7.25 | $9.25 |
| December 2020 | 1000 Minutes | 3G Speeds or Determined by Bureau | Speed: Mechanism CAF Standard or Bureau Determined Data allocation | $5.25 | $9.25 |
| December 2021 | 1000 Minutes | 3G Speeds or Determined by Bureau | Speed: Mechanism CAF Standard or Bureau Determined Data allocation | $0 | $9.25 |
You can get a $9.25 discount off your voice, broadband, or bundle plans’ monthly bill. Voice and internet plans typically start at $19.99, but Lifeline program beneficiaries only pay a little over $10 due to the discount. Take note that the offers and the free smartphones, tablets, or landlines that come with them may vary between companies and states.
How Do I Qualify for a Government Phone Via the Lifeline Program?
To get the discount every month on a free smartphone or broadband plan, beneficiaries must qualify as low-income subscribers.
- One Lifeline program per one household.
- Discounts are limited to either a phone, broadband, or bundle offer only.
- To qualify, a subscriber must fall on 135% or below of the Federal Poverty Guidelines:
- A single person who makes less than $16,389 per year.
- A family of four with less than $33,885 per year
If you qualify for other assistance programs such as Medicaid, SNAP (Food stamps), SSI (0Supplementary Security Income), and Federal Public Housing Assistance, you will also qualify for the Lifeline program. Members of the tribal communities, on the other hand, can use their credentials from Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families from Tribal groups, or the Head Start program.
If you are in need of an affordable voice or broadband plan with a free device, you can call this toll-free number: 1-888-641-8722. Ask about the availability of a service provider in your area and how to get in touch with them to start your application. If you have access to the web, start with this link to know more. Enter your zip code, and then select one of the many providers.
Which Smartphone Can I Get Free?
The answer is, it depends. Several companies participate in the program, and they offer a wide variety of phones. For example, the largest Free Government Cell Phone company is qLink. They offer the ZTE N818S as their baseline phone. It is an Android phone with 3G, front and rear cameras, and a microSD card slot.
ADDED BONUS:
All Free Government Programs must be able to work as a hotspot. Call 1-888-641-8722 to start your application. Or visit this link: Click Here to find a free government cell phone provider in your state.
At minimum, the government will give you 750 minutes of free voice, and 1 gigabyte of data free.”
This is incorrect. Lifeline providers only have to provide either 750 minutes voice OR 1 GB data.
Roy
Thanks for your comment.
It varies a bit by state. But in most states, the FCC will support 750 minutes of free voice, AND 1 gigabyte of data free. Use the links on this to check your state. For example, in Maryland, the lifeline service provide give 2GB FREE Data, UNLIMITED FREE texts and 350 FREE Voice Minutes added automatically each month. -CRwatchdog.
Walter hi how
Hi, Walter! Click this link to know more. Good luck!
I went on this site because I have been a qlink lifeline recipient for several years now. This ZTE phone that they provide is absolutely terrible. This is my second one from them, I paid for a replacement because I was having so much trouble with the original one they sent me. This second one is as bad as the first. They come completely loaded with useless apps and there is no space to load any other apps on there and can’t remove any that are on it already. You can’t install Facebook, for example, or anything else. The humorous thing is that I keep getting texts from Qlink telling me about all of these free apps that I can download from them. That’s a laugh. No, you can’t install anything additional to these phones. These phones, and it’s the only model they offer, hang up on people that call you. Half of the time, the screen stays black while it’s ringing, so you can’t even answer it. They give you 3 gigs of free data that you can’t use anyway, so it’s really just a gesture. I appreciate the fact that it is free, however, so is junk at the junkyard. I’ve had to keep my house phone because I’m disabled with health problems and I could never trust even being able to call 911 from this thing. I’ve called Qlink and tried to inform them of these problems but I wasn’t very successful conveying these issues to their non-English speaking customer service personnel. When I first went with Qlink, they used to provide random, refurbished models that were usually great, but now they only offer this one model. Qlink’s service seems to be fine, but if you can’t use it, what good is it.
I also am looking for a new pro
vider for the very same reason.
I’m waiting on a new phone .they said it wont even be mailed out until july
Hey, Kimberly! Please share your future experiences here when you make the switch. It will help your fellow Americans get a better deal or make a decision. Cheers!
I really like the phone plans. But the phones are cheap and don’t have any memory on them at all. Why can’t you people give out the phones that are out dated and that have memory. I have a cheapo vortex phone that gets hot and then shuts off I hate these cell phones
Verizon Wireless DOES NOT provide free cell phones or services. I just got off the phone with them. I have an account with them and they DO NOT offer this.
It depends on your state. https://crwatchdog.com/verizon-wireless-free-government-phone/
How to get. A phone
Hi, Sheri! You can get started by clicking this link. You need to enter your zip code and then the site will list the available providers in your area. You can then contact them directly via phone or their own websites. Good luck!