Bye bye, Blue Jay Wireless: another government cell phone company gone

We get hundreds of questions every day from our readers. But every once in a while one stands out. Like this one from Eloise asking about her service with Blue Jay Wireless: “How can I recertify if all lines and website have been down since December 2017.”

Really, Eloise? This is the first we heard of it. So we immediately jumped into research mode and what we discovered was very disappointing.

The bottom line: Blue Jay Wireless no longer participates in the Lifeline free government cell phone program. It’s not easy to find this information, and there is absolutely nothing on the Blue Jay website to inform its former customers.

It took a few phone calls, a little Googling, and a lot of research before we discovered that Blue Jay’s former customers are now being serviced by StandUp Wireless. Here’s the online notice we ferreted out:

NOTIFICATION
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING A CHANGE TO YOUR WIRELESS SERVICE
Change in Service Provider Notification
Around July 6th, your Lifeline phone service, currently provided by Blue Jay Wireless, will be provided by Global Connection Inc. of America d/b/a StandUp Wireless, another major provider of Lifeline services. We will make the change as seamless as possible. Your service will continue to be provided utilizing the same nationwide network.
What’s important to know is that you do NOT need to take any action, and you will continue to be enrolled to receive LifeLine wireless telephone service. NO fees will be applied in connection with the change of service provider.
With StandUp Wireless, you will continue to use your SAME phone with the SAME telephone number. And, you will receive 500 Minutes, UNLIMITED TEXT, and 500 MB DATA. You will still receive this service at no charge.
StandUp Wireless will notify you once you are transferred, and will provide notice of any future changes to rates or terms and conditions of service, as required by law. As with Blue Jay Wireless, you will not have a contract with StandUp Wireless, and have the right to change Lifeline providers.
There’s no need to call. More information will be provided to you soon so watch your phone for more messages. In the meantime, you can also visit StandUp Wireless online at http://www.standupwireless.com/notification1.
StandUp Wireless looks forward to serving you.
Questions or concerns? Call StandUp Wireless at any point at 1-800-544-4441 or, prior to the transfer, call Blue Jay Wireless by dialing 611 on your handset or 1-855-425-8529.

Unfortunately, it appears that some Blue Jay customers, such as Eloise and several other FreeGovernmentCellPhone.net readers, did NOT receive any notification and have been left in the lurch.

Our crack research team used archive.org to check previous states of the Blue Jay website. The most recent snapshot was January 10, 2018 and the site was apparently up-and-running at that time, but is currently inactive.

When we called Blue Jay, we were connected to an outsourced Indian call center. The Indian customer service rep verified that Blue Jay and Stand Up have merged. However, a search of the web for both company names resulted in the July 2017 notice shown above. There is no news anywhere on the web about a merger. None.

The rep also told us the Blue Jay website is down only because it is being revamped and will soon be operational again. Our tech guru said, “I’m not sure I buy the idea that the site is coming back up, as revamps of sites just don’t work that way and don’t stay down so long.”

Then the proverbial light bulb went on over our crack research guru’s head. If there has been a merger, he reasoned, StandUp should now offer service in all the states they previously serviced PLUS additional states that had been served by Blue Jay.

As far as we can determine Blue Jay states in which Stand Up does not offer service are Hawaii, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Rhode Island. It appears that StandUp has added service plans in California and Rhode Island, former Blue Jay states, but not in Hawaii, Nevada, North Dakota and Oklahoma, other states formerly served by Blue Jay.

Blue Jay’s Facebook page no longer mentions the Lifeline free government cell phone program. It now says, “Blue Jay Wireless is the socially conscious wireless wearable company. Blue Jay is a wireless wearables brand dedicated to improving lives in our communities by making and delivering leading wireless wearable products and technologies which help society.”

So what, you might ask, is a wireless wearable? Well, the only product shown on Blue Jay’s Facebook page is Trackum. “Trackums is a revolutionary pet tracking device and is the World’s First Smartphone for Pets! Learn more at www.bluejaywireless.com #pettracker #DogGPS #CatGPS.”

No, this is not a parody. The socially conscious company no longer offers free government cell phones for needy people, but offers the world’s first smartphone for pets.

Lord help us all.

Sadly, Blue Jay now becomes the latest fatality in the Lifeline free government cell phone company. ReachOut Wireless went out of business. Budget Wireless has gone out of business. Total Call Mobile has gone out of business. Terracom and YourTel have merged. And a merger between Assurance Wireless and Access Wireless was unexpectedly called off.

Consider it a case of economic Darwinism. Only the strong survive.

Comments

betty-d-story says
April 2, 2018 at 10:50 am
would like to change my free cell phone from assurance to safelike trac-phone
- Free Government Cell Phones says
  April 2, 2018 at 2:29 pm
  Here’s an article that tells you how to make the switch:
  https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
JoAnne Martinez says
March 24, 2018 at 5:13 pm
I paid$50 for smart phone to Blue Jay for my son Manuel J Martinez w/my visa card, still no phone in the mail. Pd on 2-28-18. At same time needs recert. Number to call impossible, always busy. 469-789-3495. Manuel keeps getting message to call 611from his phone but it’s non functional. Thus why I was buying him a new phone. He is on medicaid and food stamps. Can you help us?
- Free Government Cell Phones says
  March 25, 2018 at 3:19 pm
  As a result of Blue Jay exiting the free government cell phone business, you are now free to re-enroll with any other Lifeline company offering plans in your state. Here’s where you can find them all:
  https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
- xellysiax says
  March 30, 2018 at 11:15 pm
  If you paid by bankcard or credit card which most likely you did, and you did it on 2-28-2018, you should call your bank and or credit card company you are under 60 days and should be able to contest the charge and get your money back.
Christie says
February 7, 2018 at 2:14 am
Since Stand Up Wireless became the current provider for former Blue Jay Wireless customers (I’m one of those customers) and Stand Up DOES NOT provide any services here in Hawaii, where does that leave me? Currently my services are still active and uninterrupted but what do you recommend I do? Any advice/recommendations will be much appreciated.
- Free Government Cell Phones says
  February 7, 2018 at 2:39 pm
  These situations in which one company goes out of business and another takes over their customers are always interesting. You’re kind of stuck at the moment, Christie. If we were you, we would be proactive and switch your service to one of the other Hawaiian free government cell phone service providers NOW so you don’t get stuck with no service in the future. Here’s an article about how to switch:
  https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
  And here’s where you can find all the companies and plans in your state:
  https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
TDSteve says
February 6, 2018 at 10:45 pm
A few months back I started getting more voice minute as I was only on the voice plan with my Lifeline service provider.
So Blue Jay has gone to the dogs. As a bird Blue Jay’s are kinda pretty but mischievous as heck.
Was Blue Jay ever caught in misdeeds by the former FCC in waste, fraud and abuse?
Seems USCA and Lifeline then the FCC would have safeguards in place that a service provider of the Lifeline program had to act in a fair and open nature to it’s subscribers.
Here’s one for you to research, HOW MANY LIFELINE companies are 100% ran in the USA? To where the profits stays here in the US they get/make?
Mergers, Sales, & Deactivations
http://www.usac.org/cont/tools/merger.aspx
USCA NEWS
——————
Benefit Port Freeze Rule Eliminated
http://www.usac.org/li/about/outreach/newsletters/2018/January.aspx
Universal Service Funds Moving to the U.S. Treasury
http://www.usac.org/li/about/outreach/newsletters/2018/January.aspx
In the second quarter of 2018, USAC will move its banking services for the Universal Service Fund from its current banking institution to the U.S. Treasury. After the transfer, USAC will no longer accept payments to, or distribute funds from, its current bank account.
TDSteve
- KAROL GLAZER says
  February 7, 2018 at 12:16 pm
  Do this new celp.is smart and is operet not dificult for oler person like me 91 years old .
  i have celph. zte but is very dificult to call for help to your family ,so please show as this new celphone .
  Thank You Karol.
  - Free Government Cell Phones says
    February 7, 2018 at 2:40 pm
    Sorry, Karol, but we’re not sure what you are trying to say.

Which free government cell phone companies offer smartphones? (561)
- You are welcome, Christophe. – [click to read]
- Thank you. – [click to read]
- All of them, Christophe. Every free government cell phone company is required to provide new customers with smart phones. – [click to read]

Question of the day: Is there a website with all the dates and times of places where you can get a free government cell phone? (649)
- We don’t set up tents anywhere because this website is not operated by a free government cell phone company. We’re all thumbs and would undoubtedly screw the tent up beyond repair. HOWEVER, we urge our ... – [click to read]
- Do you a tent set up this week in Anderson SC and if so where – [click to read]

Bye bye, Blue Jay: We just lost another free government cell phone company (10)
- Here’s an article that tells you how to make the switch: https://www.fre egovernmentcell phones.net/faq/ how-do-i-switch -lifeline-provi ders – [click to read]
- would like to change my free cell phone from assurance to safelike trac-phone – [click to read]

Safelink Wireless Customer Support (397)
- Hope you’re feeling better, Angela. But this is an independent informational website, NOT your free government cell phone service provider. You need to call its customer service team. – [click to read]
- I didn't receive my monthly minutes for 318-507-****. My phone was off due to being hospitalized – [click to read]

What About Free Cell Phones for Seniors? (245)
- I JUST FINISH TELLING THE HORROR HISTORY OF SAFELINK-TRACKF ONE / THEY ARE A BUNCH OF IGNORANTS, GREEDY, DEMANDING OF THE ELDERLY PUSHING TO MAKE CALLS AND TO TEXT (((( DAMN, MOST ELDERLY HAVE ARTRITIS )))) ... – [click to read]

American Assistance Free Government Cell Phones (272)
- I would love to call my service provider, but apparently technical difficulties don’t happen on Sundays!!!! No tech support or customer service! Ridiculous – [click to read]
- Yes, you can always port your number over. It should be as simple as telling the customer service agent that “I want to port over my current phone number to my new phone.” But we ... – [click to read]
- does anyone know if im able to port my number from another gov't free phone company (safelink) into american assistance wireless? and also what towers do they use – [click to read]

How do I do the annual recertification of my phone? (439)
- You should be able to re-enroll with another company simply by telling them that you have been with Blue Jay. Call again and ask to speak to a supervisor. It’s crazy that customer service agents ... – [click to read]
- Blue jay has been notifying me for months to recertify. The number and web site they text are bogus. My phone expires in 10 days. The company ttaking over doesn't service Hawaii. They are not ... – [click to read]
Older »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Comments