Good news for Kansas’ needy: Another free cell phone company comes to the Sunflower State

If you live in Kansas and can’t afford a costly cell phone and even costlier minutes, we have good news for you:

Assurance Wireless has officially opened its door for business in Kansas and now stands ready to help the state’s needy through the FCC’s Lifeline Assistance program.

This program offers low-income Kansan residents free cell phone service and 250 free voice minutes per month. And that’s just the beginning. It also offers additional features such as voice mail, call waiting, caller ID and 911 service for emergency calls.

Assurance’s entry into Kansas should be a huge boost for the state’s unemployed and underemployed when they need to communicate with potential employers, when they need to stay in touch with their children, when they need to reach their medical professionals, and when other emergencies come up.

The sad fact is that more than 100,000 residents of the Sunflower State are now unemployed. What’s more, over 13% now find themselves living below the federal poverty threshold.

We’re happy to welcome Assurance Wireless to Kansas and even happier that they are now offering free government cell phones along with two other established competitors. Fact is, we believe competition is always good because it keeps all the competitors on their toes. The two companies already been doing business in Kansas are ReachOut Wireless and YourTel Wireless.

(It’s important to note that ReachOut and Assurance are two of the big three Lifeline suppliers. Safelink, the largest Lifeline supplier in the nation, has not yet begun doing business in the state, but we wouldn’t be surprised if they enter the market in the near future.)

Assurance Wireless’ Lifeline program is incredibly flexible. In addition to giving you 250 free minutes each and every month, Assurance offers additional options that allow its customers to pay for extra minutes, texting, international calling at very affordable rates.

In case you’re wondering how all these free cell phones are paid for, it’s really pretty simple. Assurance Wireless is part of the Lifeline Assistance program, which is supported by the Universal Service Fund. What’s the Universal Service Fund? A small fee is added to every phone bill each month. It adds up to billions of dollars and the federal government has decreed that the fund be spent to bring this outstanding service to needy Americans.

How do you quality for a free government cell phone? Two ways. First, you’re eligible if you participate in Medicaid, Food Stamps/SNAP, General Assistance, Head Start, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, United Tribes Food Distribution Program, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or The National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program (NSL). You can also qualify without being on government assistance if your total household income is low enough.

The government is cracking down on fraud in the program in other states and you should be aware that you may be asked supply documents that prove you’re eligible.

Welcome to Kansas, Assurance. We’re happy to have you here and we’re positive that the state’s needy are even happier.

Click for complete information on the free cell phone program