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Bye bye, Blue Jay: We just lost another free government cell phone company

February 5, 2018

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.

Tagged as: Blue Jay Wireless, StandUP Wireless

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Comments

  1. Debb Durbin says

    March 2, 2024 at 4:50 am

    What updates do you have on BLUJAY WIRELESS since this article posted on FEBRUARY 5, 2018, entitled, “Bye bye, Blue Jay: We just lost another free government cell phone company”?
    And Why, SIX YEARS later, a ‘BLUJAY Z’ FREE GOVERNMENT CELL PHONE arrives in the mail this week, when Safelink Wireless was told NOT to send me a FREE GOV’T PHONE?!

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      March 2, 2024 at 7:43 am

      That’s a complete mystery, Debb. The original Blue Jay did, in fact, go out of business shortly before that article was posted. Note that the spelling of the two company names are different — Blue Jay vs Blujay. We are unaware of any company called Blujay. When the original Blue Jay left the Lifeline business, its free government cell phone customers were transferred to another Lifeline participant named StandUp Wireless. Bottom line: We can find no information on any company named Blujay.

      Why was Safelink told not to send you a phone?

  2. Linda Andrews says

    August 30, 2019 at 7:15 am

    I’ve had my Assurance Lifeline phone and service since March, 2011. I originally got it just for emergencies, but since discontinuing my landline phone over two-and-a-half years ago, it’s now the only phone service I have.

  3. Charlotte Nāone says

    November 15, 2018 at 11:10 am

    I’m struggling with locating which provider is now handling my number. This is what I know: we started with BlueJay then was transferred to StandUp who told me yesterday that our number is now with Verizon. I’m on the phone with Verizon.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      November 15, 2018 at 1:55 pm

      Simple, Charlotte. Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone and your service provider’s customer service team will answer.

  4. Danitza says

    October 8, 2018 at 8:46 am

    Good afternoon. I’m calling 855-425-**** to disconnect numbers 787-459-**** and 939-265-***. Please contact. Thank you very much

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      October 9, 2018 at 8:56 am

      We are not your cell phone provider.

  5. Habibulhaq Habib says

    September 25, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    I need cell phone with monthly free service

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      September 26, 2018 at 2:35 pm

      Well, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look around.

  6. rosezella frantz says

    June 26, 2018 at 4:03 pm

    pahrump sheriffs department stole my qlink obaha phone 775 910 ****. illegaly wire tapped it. gave to ofc harris.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      June 26, 2018 at 4:23 pm

      Damn those Pahrump sheriffs. (As a side note, this comment moderator once looked into moving from crowded Southern California to rural Pahrump, Nevada. I don’t want to imply that we didn’t like it, but we never slowed down as drove through town.)

  7. alan jay says

    June 20, 2018 at 10:36 pm

    stand up wireless discontinue service in Hawaii June 14, 2018. they were the worst wireless company in all my 55 years of my useless life. the fail to release my phone number out to porting. so i lost my 20 old cell number. no i have to start over.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      June 21, 2018 at 8:05 am

      That number should be frozen for a few months, Alan. Enroll with another free government cell phone company ASAP and ask if you can request that old phone number back. You might get lucky and get it back.

  8. Anthony W Adams says

    June 16, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    June 15th – Bluejay, after never allowing me to recertify, cut off my phone service without warning or any notice. They invalided my phone’s SIM card and i cannot log on to my account. I am in Hawaii where there are few providers of the Life Line service. I put up with Blujay’s mess for over six months talking with customer service who refused to recertify me but gave me a phone number instead – a phone number that did not work.

    I will be reporting them to the BBB with a very negative review.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      June 17, 2018 at 5:52 am

      You can leave negative reviews all day long and it won’t matter, Anthony. Blue Jay exited the free government cell phone business months ago and as far as we can tell they are no longer in business.

  9. Milton Pacheco Vazquez says

    June 10, 2018 at 9:12 am

    Necesito mi num de cuenta y mi pin

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      June 10, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Contact your service provider’s customer service team, Milton.

  10. Stephen Danda says

    June 7, 2018 at 8:59 pm

    I am NON US and I want to apply for free phone am I elligible?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      June 8, 2018 at 4:24 am

      You do not qualify if you do not live in the United States.

  11. Annie Tang says

    May 23, 2018 at 5:34 am

    I lost my bluejay cell phone & how can i get another pbone with my same number with sim card?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      May 23, 2018 at 8:19 am

      Good question, Annie. Blue Jay is out of business and your account has been transferred to some other company. But if you don’t have your phone and don’t know who your account was transferred to, it’s a bit of a problem. Try visiting the USAC.org website. They can help you find our which company you have been assigned to.

  12. Patricia. Eddy says

    May 20, 2018 at 11:55 pm

    Telephone 808-557-****; blue jay wireless should be my provider. my phone has been deactivated, I was told I would be carried by blue jay until I got another provider. Please contact me at 808-982 **** patrica eddy. Thank you, please reactivate my phone.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      May 21, 2018 at 3:39 am

      We are not Blue Jay, Patricia. This is an independent informational website. You are free to enroll with any other Lifeline service provider in your state. Here’s where you can find a list of those companies and plans:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

  13. delcia T Carter says

    May 16, 2018 at 10:57 am

    In reno nevada for over year it is 3g/4g only but assurance wireless sent androids that weren’t 3g/4g and refuse to give u 3g/4g phone unless you pay shipping

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      May 16, 2018 at 1:19 pm

      You can switch from one service provider to another with ZERO waiting period. In other words, you can switch this afternoon if you want. Here’s an article that tells you how simple it is:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers

  14. 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

  15. 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.

  16. 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

  17. 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.

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