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Lifeline Assistance is an FCC-mandated (Federal Communications Commission), government-sponsored program that helps the financially disadvantaged receive a cell phone at no cost to them. An estimated 12-15 million Americans have a Lifeline cell phone and about 10 million more are qualified to enroll in the program and receive a free cell phone. Those who wish to see if they qualify or want to enroll in the Lifeline Assistance program can go to the Free Government Cell Phones website. Some companies that participate in Lifeline offer new smartphones such as Android, but it is likely that recipients will receive used, refurbished models or a basic feature phone. Lifeline users will typically get 250 minutes per month or up to unlimited voice minutes and sometimes unlimited texting as well.
Forty-nine states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico currently offer Lifeline cell phone service providers. Eligibility requirements vary by state; however, there are some federal programs that one can qualify with in every state: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), Veteran’s Pension and Survivor’s Benefit, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA), Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF), Tribal Head Start (only households meeting its income qualifying standard), and Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
State | Lifeline Discount Companies | Free Phone Providers |
---|---|---|
Nebraska | Viaero Wireless | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Illinois | U.S. Cellular | Access Wireless, American Assistance, Life Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Terracom Wireless |
Maine | U.S. Cellular | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Michigan | U.S. Cellular | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
Missouri | U.S. Cellular | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, SafetyNet Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
Arizona | Total Call Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom |
Maryland | T-Mobile Eligibility: | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Connecticut | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Life Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Delaware | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
District of Columbia | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Florida | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless. |
Indiana | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, American Assistance, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Terracom Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Massachusetts | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Minnesota | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
Nevada | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
New Hampshire | T-Mobile | Assurance Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless |
New Jersey | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless |
New Mexico | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect. |
New York | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
North Carolina | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, SafetyNet Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
Ohio | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Oregon | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, TruConnect |
Pennsylvania | T-Mobile | any of the benefit programs listed above; total household income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. |
Rhode Island | T-Mobile | Assurance Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
South Carolina | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Vermont | T-Mobile | Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Virginia | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Washington | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, TruConnect |
Wisconsin | T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Georgia | SouthernLINC Wireless, T-Mobile. | Access Wireless, Amerimex Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, SafetyNet Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tempo Communication, TruConnect |
California | None | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Feel Safe Wireless, Life Wireless, Safelink Wireless, SafetyNet Wireless, Tag Mobile, and TruConnect |
Colorado | None | Access Wireless, American Assistance, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
Hawaii | None | American Assistance, EnTouch Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Tempo Communications. |
Montana | Nemont, Triangle Communications | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
North Dakota | Nemont, SRT Communications | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Iowa | iWireless (Iowa Wireless Services), U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Kansas | Epic Touch/EpicPCS, U.S. Cellular, Viaero Wireless | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Arkansas | AT&T Mobility, U.S. Connect, Viaero Wireless | Absolute Mobile, Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Assist Wireless, Cintex Wireless, Conexion Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q-Link Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect, True Wireless, US Connect |
Oklahoma | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
Idaho | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Q Link Wireless |
Kentucky | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, American Assistance, Assurance Wireless, Easy Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Feelsafe Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, SafetyNet Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Louisiana | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, Conexion Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, NewPhone Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom, TruConnect |
Mississippi | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, TruConnect |
South Dakota | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Tennessee | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Texas | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, American Assistance, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect |
Utah | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, TruConnect |
West Virginia | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Stand Up Wireless, Tag Mobile, Tempo Communications, TruConnect. |
Wyoming | AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile | Assurance Wireless, EnTouch Wireless, Life Wireless, Q Link Wireless, Safelink Wireless |
Alabama | AT&T Mobility, SouthernLINC Wireless, T-Mobile | Access Wireless, Assurance Wireless, North American Local, Safelink Wireless |
Alaska | AT&T Mobility, Cordova Wireless communications | Alaska DigiTel, arctic Scope Telephone Association Cooperative, Copper Valley Wireless |