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Is any phone compatible with my free phone network?

Can I use a different cell phone in place of my free government cell phone?

Readers ask us this question (or variations of it) every single day. They don’t like the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone they were given or it’s broken or someone gave them a new phone. Whatever the reason, a lot of people ask if it’s possible to switch.

There are lots of factors that always lead us to our standard answer: Maybe.

In addition to that we also say, “Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell phone networks, so you’ll need to ask your service provider’s customer service team if the phone you want to use is compatible with its network.”

So we thought we’d take a whack a explaining what the second part of that answer means and maybe even make it possible for you to figure out if that other cell phone is compatible with your free government cell phone company’s national cell network. And we’ll try to do it without getting neck deep in technological jibber jabber.

Step One: CDMA vs GSM

The first thing you need to know is that there are two different cell phone technologies — CDMA and GSM. When we say “Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks,” that means that CDMA cell phones won’t work on a GSM network. And vice versa. CDMA cell phones only work on CDMA networks and GSM cell phones only work on GSM networks.

CDMA is an acronym that’s short for Code Division Multiple Access and GSM stands for Global System for Mobiles.

In the United States, the five major cell phone networks break down like this:

CDMA = Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular
GSM = AT&T and T-Mobile

Most of the rest of the world uses GSM, but that is neither here nor there so we won’t bore you with an explanation of how that came about.

Which free government cell phone companies use which networks?

There are major changes afoot in the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone industry — mergers, acquisitions and consolidation — that will reduce the number of companies you can choose from. But at this point in time, here are the leading companies (as taken from our The 2016 List of Leaders: Who’s who in the free government cell phone business?“):

Here are the leading Lifeline Assistance companies and the cell networks on which they work. Find your service provider and you’ll quickly see which technology it uses.

  • Safelink Wireless – AT&T GSM, T-Mobile GSM, Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA, U.S. Cellular CDMA. Depends on geographic location.
  • Assurance Wireless – Sprint CDMA
  • Access Wireless – Sprint CDMA
  • Budget Mobile – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA (NOTE: Hearing aid-compatible phones are both CDMA GMS-compatible) Boomerang, which has taken over the accounts of many Budget customers is currently negotiating a contract with a national GSM provider.
  • Life Wireless – AT&T GSM
  • Assist Wireless – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA
  • Q Link Wireless – Sprint CDMA
  • TruConnect Mobile – Sprint CDMA
  • Total Call Mobile – Sprint CDMA
  • Blue Jay Wireless – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA
  • Terracom Wireless – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA
  • True Wireless – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA
  • Tag Mobile – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA, T-Mobile GSM
  • StandUp Wireless – Sprint CDMA
  • YourTel – Sprint CDMA, Verizon CDMA

What the difference means to you

Uh-oh. We better start explaining what all this means to you, because we can already see your eyes starting to glaze over.

The simple fact is, it’s much easier to switch phones if your free government cell phone company uses a GSM network. Here’s how PCMag.com explains it:

It’s much easier to swap phones on GSM networks, because GSM carriers put customer information on a removable SIM card. Take the card out, put it in a different phone, and the new phone now has your number. What’s more, to be considered GSM, a carrier must accept any GSM-compliant phone. So the GSM carriers don’t have total control of the phone you’re using.

That’s not the case with CDMA. In the U.S., CDMA carriers use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch phones with your carrier’s permission, and a carrier doesn’t have to accept any particular phone onto its network. It could, but typically, U.S. carriers choose not to.

Many Sprint and Verizon phones now have SIM cards, but that isn’t because of CDMA. The SIM cards are generally there for Sprint’s and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks, because the LTE standard also uses SIM cards. The phones may also have SIM slots to support foreign GSM networks as “world phones.” But those carriers still use CDMA to authenticate their phones on their own home networks.

What about LTE?

Now that you know about the the differences between CDMA vs. GSM, you should also know that those differences will eventually disappear. Why? Because all cell phone carriers are moving to a new technology called 4G LTE. It’s a new, globally-accepted wireless standard.

“Does that mean,” we hear you saying, “that every cell phone will be LTE-compatible and that I can use whatever phone I happen to own in place of my free government cell phone?”

In a word, no.

Here we go running the risk of getting too technical again:

Turns out that different cell phone carriers are using different frequency bands, with different 3G backup systems. And there are very few cell phones that will work will all the different LTE bands.

In one extreme example, Sprint’s new Spark network employs an esoteric LTE variant that doesn’t work with any other U.S. carrier’s phones. Genius, huh? But Sprint is not alone. Turns out that very few phones support all of the different LTE bands.

Let’s turn this over to PCMag.com for another of their excellent explanations:

A growing number of phones support all of these standards, but it can be hard to tell which ones. The iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus and the Google Nexus 6 are the most flexible. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon can all be used on all three carriers, but they lack Sprint’s special LTE bands. Sprint iPhones have all the bands, but Sprint has strict unlocking policies. Nexus 6 phones will technically work on all four carriers, but Sprint only allows phones purchased from Google or Sprint on its network.

HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5 phones from Verizon will work somewhat on AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s networks, albeit with limited coverage because while they have CDMA, GSM and LTE, they don’t have all the frequency bands AT&T and T-Mobile use. Variants of those same models sold by AT&T and T-Mobile won’t work on Verizon at all, because they lack the CDMA radio needed for Verizon. It’s a mess.

As clear as mud?

Please allow us to make a bit of sense out of all of this because even after this incredibly detailed explanation, the answer to the question “Can I switch my free government cell phone for another phone I own?” is still the same.

Maybe.

If you have a GSM phone, you may well be able to switch SIM cards from one phone to another. If your free government cell phone is a CDMA model, your “other” phone will must also be CDMA-compatible. And even then it may not work.

And none of this may matter because we’re rapidly moving to an LTE-centric world.

You’re welcome. We’re glad we could help.

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Comments

  1. My brother has one of those free cell phones I’m not sure if it’s qlink or SafeLink but the screen got cracked and he’s having a hard time with it I gave him my free cell phone that I never used but I don’t know what he’s done with it I wonder if he put his free cell phone SIM card in my old Samsung j7 from T-Mobile would he be able to give this Samsung phone to work?

    Reply

    • It’s not our SIM card, so we can’t answer your question, Alvina. Contact your service provider.

      Reply

  3. I revived a q links phone and I cannot get cell internet service here. So I would like to cancel this service if they can’t fix it for me and get a safelinks phone

    Can u please yell me how I do this?
    Thank you Linda Paeltz

    Reply

  4. I received a truconnect SIM card in the mail, but not a phone. Can I use it in the Assurance Wireless phone that I have?

    Reply

  5. I switched from Assurance Wireless (because the phones they provided kept malfunctioning and were not reliable) to Safelink. The phone Safelink provided didn’t support voicemail because the phone’s technology was outdated. Safelink would not send me a replacement phone. At least with Assurance, I had voicemail when the phone worked. I thought all phones came with voicemail. If I switch to another wireless service, will I have this same problem with the phones they provide?

    Reply

    • We can’t even imagine a phone that doesn’t come with voicemail. All phones given to new customers are supposed to be smartphones, and we don’t think there are any smartphones that don’t come with voicemail. Readers? Anyone else have this experience?

      Reply

  7. Can I use my iPhone 6 Plus off my metro pcs to transfer to safe link government phone service as I do recieve medical and snap benefits in the state of Illinois .

    Reply

  8. I have a ZTE Z899VL govt issued cell phone. It works terribly and often leaves me in the rain waiting for a cab from a doctors office because the cab cannot contact me to explain where it is waiting. The phone also calls other people I dont need to speak to while I am on an important call with soneone I do need to speak to. The workers that answer the customer service line are in the Philippeans and do not understand the concept of bringing communication to the old and poor and technology non savy folks. They just keep reciting a script which obliterates any possibility of getting a better working phone. They cannot even call me back to test why I can’t receive certain calls.

    Reply

  9. I have a free government phone, it is a very old Samsung Tracfone Wireless. My son has bought me a new LG Stylo 4 Tracfone that says it is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks… Should I be able to transfer free government minutes and phone number to the new phone?

    Reply

    • That is certainly theoretically possible, Liz. But you should definitely call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone to discuss it with your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  10. I have a galaxy j3 Luna Pro. Can I change from straight talk service wireless to qlink wireless?

    Reply

    • Contact Q Link wireless customer service to find out if the extra make and model of phone you already have is compatible with Q Link’s cell network.

      Reply

  11. I was given a Samsung galaxy s7 active phone can i transfer my free government minutes to it? If so, how can i do it?

    Reply

  12. I have qlinkwireless that I transferred to my boost mobile Samsung galaxy j7 refine. What Mobile network is best LTE/CDMA OR AUTOMATIC? I was also wondering if mobile network had something to do with having problems with sending and receiving MMS.

    Reply

    • There is absolutely no way for us to answer your questions, Monique, because we are not your service provider and do not have access to the info we’d need to answer them.

      Reply

    • Contact the company you enrolled with, Denise. We have no way of knowing which one that was.

      Reply

      • If you were approved, it should be sent to you automatically. Contact your service provider’s customer service team to find out the status of your application.

        Reply

    • Sprint has nothing to do with the free government cell phone program other than providing the cell network on which most of the Lifeline companies operate.

      Reply

  15. Was wondering if a Samsung Galaxy s6 would work with q link wireless. I looked on the compatible phones list but it wasn’t on there. But it is through sprint.

    Reply

  16. My name is Cody. I have a LG Rebel 4 an I’d like to change from straight talk wireless to Q link wireless. Is that possible?

    Reply

    • Straight Talk does not participate in the free government cell phone program, so the answer is yes, you can change from a paid plan to a Lifeline plan.

      Reply

  17. I have SafeLInk and a SamSung Galaxy J7 Sky Pro. A friend gave me his old Apple I phone 7 and it’s unlocke. d. Will this phone work on SafeLink ? Someone said, I won’t be able to get updates and Google, Facebook and alike. They said, I should buy a refurbished Apple I Phone X. But if the UNLOCKED I Phone 7 will work I won’t have to put out all that money for a I Phone X. Thank you.

    Reply

      • Can I use my daughter old HTC phone from metro pcs as my phone and still keep my government number . And would the HTC phone now be my government phone?

        Reply

        • It all depends on if your old HTC phone is compatible with your Lifeline service provider’s network. You’ll need to contact customer service to find out if the phone is compatible.

          Reply

    • Does any one have a phone i can use with qulink the one they send me works but it outdated and i want use the internet to do class asiments but cant update Google cuz thers no room for it to be updated or no off a chip phone i can buy and use

      Reply

      • You can buy a photo almost anywhere phones are sold, Corey. But make sure that phone is compatible with your service provider BEFORE you purchase it.

        Reply

  18. I would like to switch from assurance to safelink or anyone that works with any iphone, how can i do this? i do have assurance at this moment.
    Thank You.

    Reply

    • Call 6-1-1 to speak to customer service and/or check out the phones offered on the TruConnect website.

      Reply

  20. I have a metro pcs blaze ZTE Max its not activated and I dropped my government phone into a toliet and it’s messed up won’t work. Can I switch my government phone number and service to my ZTE???

    Reply

    • We stay as far away from network compatibility questions as possible, Martin. Contact Safelink customer service and ask your question.

      Reply

  22. My sister dropped her Life Wireless phone and shattered the screen, I want to surprise her with a replacement and an upgrade if possible, but not sure how to do that..
    Any help would be much appreciated!!

    Reply

    • We love it when someone asks a question we’ve never had before and that’s exactly what you’ve done, Sharie. Unfortunately, you cannot upgrade your sister’s phone through her free government cell phone company because you are not the customer and cannot get access to her account. We would suggest that you go out and just buy her a phone that she can use with that account.

      HOWEVER, AND THIS IS A BIG HOWEVER, you must make sure that the phone is compatible with her service provider’s cell network. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell phone networks. Keeping that in mind, you may want to just buy her a gift certificate for a phone. She will still need to make sure that whatever phones she buys is compatible BEFORE she buys it.

      Good luck. You sound like a great sister.

      Reply

    • We avoid answering that type of question, Angel. Check with your service provider’s customer service team to get the answer with your question.

      Reply

  24. Hello, I joined Safelink 02/03/2019, I had to purchase a new phone, but the phone they said would work turns out the service is not available in my area.!! I have called them several times , but I never get a answer. These people don”t want to work with us.!! So I had to give up Safelink.! I am so disappointed with them. I have to have CDMA not GSM ! I am out the money that I spent on the phone , plus the monthly plan. !! What a con they are !!

    Reply

  25. Can u used ur phone u have now a d keep same num that’s on the phone u r using from tmoble my phone be shut off my sister got for me within 2 days sevice left on it

    Reply

    • If you switch service providers you can keep your current phone number. When you speak to customer service you must repeatedly tell them, “I want to port over my current phone number.”

      Reply

  26. I have a Lg Phoenix plus at&t prepaid cell phone. I want to get a iphone 5s. Are they compatible. Can I take my sim card out of the Lg and put it in the iPhone?

    Reply

    • Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone and ask your question to customer service.

      Reply

    • We have no idea, Jane. We don’t know what kind of “card” you have nor what model of phone. Your best bet would be to contact the company you want to enroll with. Talk to customer service and they will undoubtedly be able to answer your question.

      Reply

  28. My free phone has issues and sometimes won’t call out, and I can’t hear the other person . Is there any way to get another free phone?

    Reply

    • Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone in order to speak to your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  29. My Qlink phone was stolen a year ago..a girl has been using it ..and won’t return it.the only way I can shut it off is to pay for a new phone..is there an way around this?

    Reply

    • Absolutely. You should have done this back when it first happened. Have you reported this to your service provider’s customer service team? If not, do so immediately. If they will not issue you a new phone and phone number for free, you always have the option of switching to a different service provider. You will be a new customer and qualify for a free smart phone. Here’s an article that tells you how to make the switch:

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

      Reply

    • If you haven’t found the solution to the problem yet, I had suggested this same solution to somebody else – go to the police. The phone is in your name. All they have to really do is trace it or better yet, call her and ask her what she is doing with YOUR phone.

      Reply

  30. So I’m a lucky one with a Sprint sim card that requires an unlock code to use in any other phone other than the dinosaur aged phone that dies numerous times a day. That is when it’s not crashing. And when it crashes it takes forever bc it has to show one app (not responding) at a time!!! How do I find out who to contact about a new phone or unlock code? Any advice??

    Reply

    • Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone (when it’s working) and you will be automatically connected to your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  31. will a LG G3 Verizon phone that is flashed to also be used on PagePlus (verizon network) work on the government phone in Fresno California?

    Reply

  33. I’m still with Qlinks, after canceling 2 months ago.now I’ve purchased a Samsung Galaxy J7. What service could help me out. Sorry I’m so confused
    Thanks in advance. Cynthia Neargardner

    Reply

    • Check out all the companies offering free government cell phones in your state at this link:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      We make a rule never to answer which phones and compatible with each network. All the info you need is in the article on this page, but if you are not secure with it, please contact each company’s customer service team.

      Reply

  34. I have an iPhone SE from Mtero PCS, SafeLink lifeline sent me a ZTE they both have some cards but I’m afraid I’ll screw my service up. I’ve been using iPhones exclusively since the iPhone 3 was introduced and I’m old and navigating the Android is a pain will they interchange

    Reply

    • It depends on who your Lifeline service provider is and whether the iPhone is compatible with its service. Call customer service to get the most accurate answer.

      Reply

  36. I have a sim card with reconnect and i have it in a sprint phone but its not working the meid number is 08916556860328**** can u help

    Reply

    • Sorry, Rachel, but we cannot. We don’t know who “reconnect” is and we are not affiliated with your service provider.

      Reply

  37. what companies have a US based customer service call center? All I know is that Safelink does not and I cannot understand most of what they are saying when I call them. this makes it next to imposible to get my problems resolved.

    Reply

    • It’s been more than 3 days since I posted and I haven’t heard anything from you regaurding my question “what companies have a US based customer service call center?”. If you can’t answer this question or you are researching it please let me know one way or the other. thank you.

      Reply

      • Steven have you found a company? Im so disgusted with safelink. Frankly even if you could understand the customer service reps and their managers, the advice leaves me feeling that Im stuck in reruns of groundhog day. A friend just gave me the contact info for corporate safelink….

        Reply

    • You can’t get a free government cell phone from “us.” We are an independent informational website, NOT a free government cell phone company. Find the companies that offer plans in your state, check out all those plans to find the one that fits your needs best, and enroll with that company using he contact info we provide for each company. Here’s where you can find all the plans available in your state:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Reply

  41. I have qlink zte warp elite with Sprint. Sprint has limited coverage here and I lose bars all the time. I looked up and saw my phone is cdma. 1. Can I switch it to Verizon? 2. It has a space for a SIM card but no card, can I put in a card for storage? 3. I see an LTE icon…should I download this to my qlink cdma phone?

    Reply

    • We are not qualified to answer that kind of tech question, Linda. But either Sprint or Verizon customer service probably can. Give one or both of them a call.

      Reply

  42. Is there a list anywhere I can see, I was approved for a qlink phone and service. When I ordered the phone I accidentally put the wrong letter of the alphabet in my mailing address due to the last apartment I lived in the phone show delivered yet none of my neighbors say they ever received it and Q Link says too bad that post office says delivered there’s nothing I could do. So I have been trying to shop let go and there are so many phones these days. The problem I’m having is I don’t know what phone exactly to look for what model for qlink and when I asked the qlink service staff they say I have to check that I m e d which most people don’t even want to take the time to do and I don’t have the money to waste to buy a phone that’s not going to work if you know of any way to help guide me to place I can know which phones I should be looking for I would be such in your debt thank you Yuma Arizona

    Reply

    • Wouldn’t it be considered a lost or stolen phone? They should have some kind of protocol or procedure to follow for those situations.

      Reply

  43. I have metro pcs powered by t-moble. My one imei number starts with 3596 ……
    I got approved by slink but I already got a phone a year ago and when they cut it off I lost it. And I’m tryied to use my phone but it was not compatible. Is my phone comparable with safelink. If not who can I use. I can not afford a phone right now

    Reply

    • Only Safelink can tell you if that specific make and model is compatible. Call its customer service team.

      Reply

    • We’re going to take what our father used to call “a wild-assed guess” and assume that you mean a free government cell phone when you say “food stamps cellphone.” The answer is a resounding maybe. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell phone networks. So you can probably use your Verizon cell phone and cell phone number IF it is compatible with your chosen service provider’s network. What you need to do is contact your chosen service provider’s customer service team BEFORE you enroll to confirm that your specific make and model is compatible with its network. If it’s not compatible, attempt to enroll with a different company that is compatible.

      Reply

      • We haven’t given you anything, Colleen. This is an independent informational website, NOT a free government cell phone company. Contact your service provider’s customer service team.

        Reply

    • No idea, Colleen. But there’s no way we could possibly know because we are NOT affiliated with your service provider in any way.

      Reply

  48. My LG phone was working fine until the new month came and now all I get is a message saying ” Welcome to Verizon wireless, this call cannot be complete due to restrictions” HELP

    Reply

  50. I’d like to know why my unlocked Moto e4 from metro Pcs/TMobile won’t work right. It’s got data, plans active and in order but I cant call or text and the number won’t show up in settings. Everything says it should be working but it’s not.. Im lost and so was technical support they said tower problems.
    Help is appreciated

    Reply

    • There is no way for us to know what’s wrong with your phone, Andrew. You need to contact your service provider.

      Reply

  51. Well they really worked a number on my phone ! cant even use the phone ts cut
    off by network and the wf1 No matter what you do they phone w1ll not connect,
    ! dont know what to do . t will not worry but dont have a phone For the last tme
    the phone wll not work. bugaboo…..

    Reply

    • This is an independent informational website, Vanessa, so we cannot solve your problem. You must speak to your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  52. Why does your co. use so many networks? I want a GSM phone. What does it mean that I can’t control my phone? Does LTE mean the same of no control.

    Reply

    • We are not a Lifeline provider, Vivian. This is an independent informational website. You need to speak to customer service at a Lifeline company.

      Reply

  53. If I put your sim card in my current phone that has a plan does it erase my plan and it just becomes a SafeLink phone or does it just add to my current plan? I have an Alcatel phone which is AT & T.

    Reply

    • Contact your service provider’s customer service team to get the most accurate information.

      Reply

  54. So my Qlink sim card is sprint, cdma right? But i have a at&t phone, and the phone says the sim card is not compatable, So I have to find a sprint phone for my qlink sprint sim card to work in another phone? (iphone specifically)

    Reply

    • We avoid tech questions like the plague, K. Contact your service provider’s customer service or tech support team to get the most accurate answer to your question.

      Reply

  55. Really great site. Problem
    Had an old ztw from safelink, brokem, bought a total wirelsss moto prepaid, called sl cs, transferred service to new devoce w exist prepaid sim
    It worked for a while. One day sim error issue came up out of nowwhere. I opened restared phone. Worked for a bit longwr. However, my voicemail box was deleted, and aftwr calling to check.message, got a verizon brans set up (?). Somehow my carrier was changed to verizon wirelss, now my sevice does not work w highspeed or the default low speed. Restart phone-get LTE for a sec, then brick-not data.
    any insights? How can i get off of vwrozon and back to gsm? Cam vwrizon block oe blacklist my.device for.some.arbitrary.reason?

    Reply

    • We are experts on the free government cell phone program, but complete morons about tech issues, BeGrudge. Try calling your Lifeline company’s tech support team.

      Reply

  56. Ok I read what you have posted. So if my gov. Free phone is a GSM And the phone I want to change to is also GEM I’ll t can be done?

    Reply

    • Contact q Link customer service to find out if a specific make and model of phone will work with its national network.

      Reply

  58. My friend has a blu government phone and he paid for a metro pcs $50/mth account, to have internet, but can’t get on line. What does he have to do, to be able to use his metro pics account on his government blu phone?

    Reply

    • Impossible for us to say, Dee, because Metro PCS is not part of the free government cell phone program.

      Reply

  59. I have been through dozen phones or more trying to replace my smart phone from QLink and I’m frustrated to find it so difficult to find the exact one. Also I have a nice one pre ordered but need to call back to finish the payment for it to be shipped and I was told that I should be able to do that online when I sign into my account but I can’t find it. Wish a link or instructions could be sent to me to help.
    My QLink # 719-369-****

    Reply

    • First of all, you have one of the coolest names we’ve ever run across. Second, unfortunately, we are unable to answer any questions about the inner workings of Q Link because we have no connection to that company. This is an independent informational website.

      Reply

  60. I bought a zte warp elite. 1. It will not let me text unless I send a pic with message. I thought I was deleting apps I never use…there was one called BOOST that I uninstalled..MISTAKE.. made reception and sending almost impossible. 2. Should I have wap enabled? (I have a one foot space in one room that I can text)

    Reply

    • We just can’t advise you on tech issues, Linda. You need to seek advice from your service provider’s customer service/tech support teams. You can reach them by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

  61. My brother, who is disabled, currently has a TracFone with SafeLink (T-Mobile I believe). We bought him the phone for Christmas, just a year ago, and it’s already having problems. We have a family plan with Verizon that we have had for years. What is the best way to change his free phone plan to be more compatible with ours? Should we put him on our plan? Will he have to change his phone number?

    Reply

    • We’re not quite sure what you’re asking, Cheryl? Are you wanting to get your brother off the free government cell phone program?

      Reply

    • We have no idea who your service provider is, Bonnie, so we have no idea what’s compatible with what.

      Reply

  66. I need a replacement phone. My phone’s microphone is no longer working. I have tried calling (from another phone) and texting your help line but have not receive help. I only get a recording. I need to speak to someone.
    Please call me at 337-660-**** ASAP. I need a usable phone. I have to be out of town the week of March 17-23 and will have no other phone available.
    Can I go to a local distributor for a free replacement? I live in ********, LA.
    Please contact me ASAP.
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • If you enroll today, you may be able to get a free government cell phone that quickly, but it’s doubtful.

      Reply

    • Only Q Link customer service can give you an accurate answer to that question, Susie. Contact them by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

      • I need a phone that is compatible with this SIM card I got from SafeLink Wireless it’s a three-in-one Sim kit and I can’t get it to work on my LG K7 Android so will you please send me a phone that it will work with cuz I need a phone and all I have is a SIM card that will not work in anything I got

        Reply

        • We stay as far away as possible from technical questions like this, Stephen. Contact your service provider’s customer service team for more info.

          Reply

    • We think you’re asking if your LG phone can be used with your Assurance account. Is that correct? The best way to get that question answered is to contact Assurance customer service.

      Reply

      • Lg phone model # LGLS676
        Tribute he phone
        Imei
        #359842087190841

        Will this work for the bring your own phone?
        Thank you

        Reply

        • We don’t know who your service provider is. You’ll need to contact its customer service team to get your question answered.

          Reply

  71. I have a Verizon Galaxy 6Edge Plus phone. I have put my government Safelink SIM card in the phone, but am not able to send or receive photos via messenger. I also do not have access to voicemail. I have called Safelink and was told to purchase a different SIM card at Wal-Mart that would fix the issues.
    HELP!???

    Reply

    • We can’t really analyze the problem remotely, Lori, but we’re going to make a wild guess that the phone you have is not compatible with Safelink’s network. Have you checked the article on this page to see if that sounds correct?

      Reply

      • We 100% avoid answering questions like that, Brad. Instead we urge you to contact the service provider’s customer service team.

        Reply

  72. My Grandmother desperately needs a cell phone and I’ve filled out the application for Safelink to get her one but they responded back saying her address already has a phone and they won’t send her one. She has never had a phone from them nor any other company and neither has my Grandfather. I’ve emailed and called them to be told each time the same thing which is they won’t send her a phone. How can I get her a phone? Can they not tell whoever used her address to get a phone is not actually a 85 year old woman with no cell phone knowledge to me texting or using the Internet and the phone would never be pinging on any tower but the closest to her home except for the occasional appointment or groceries? Is there anything I can be do to help this situation turn around? She should not have to go without just because someone wanted to fraud the phone company. Thanks for any help and guidance you can offer.

    Reply

    • Call in again and ask to speak to a supervisor. Ask them to check your grandmother’s name against the name of the person who supposedly has the account at that address. If that does not work, you can contact USAC.org, the organization that supervises the free government cell phone program. It has a service to help people in your grandmother’s situation.

      Reply

  73. my phone got broke and i have to fight with it to use it everyday i dont like it because it is to small so can i drop yall and go with another carrier where i can go to walmart and pick the phone that i want im going blind and need something bigger

    Reply

    • Most Lifeline companies allow you to bring your own phone to their plan, but you need to make sure that you purchase (or use) is compatible with its national cell network. You can also purchase an upgraded phone from your service provider, but we hear so many complaints about those phones that we think you should go with the BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) plan. If your service provider doesn’t offer one of those plans, feel free to switch to a service provider that does off it.

      Reply

    • They’re doing the same thing to me Amy and I’ve been a safelink user for years and I even still have the phone they sent to me and the same address. I let it lapse because I was locked out of my email address and couldn’t recertify. So, I had no service for only about a week. Soon as I reapplied they told me they can’t start my service again because someone at my address already has lifeline service. How could someone else have lifeline service at my address? they would have to send the phone here and I would have got it in my mailbox. It doesn’t make sense. Its insane.

      Reply

    • Contact your service provider’s customer service team to make sure your make and model are compatible.

      Reply

    • We don’t know because we are not your service provider. This is an independent informational website. Contact your service provider by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

  76. I have a government phone now. I bought my baby a play phone for Christmas, you know the orange one that sings? Is that one compatible with safelink?

    I’m kidding. I had a good laugh reading how blatantly you responded to some of these ridiculous requests/ questions and the reactions of offense you recieved back from a few. Please don’t change. Maybe if you repeat to “contact your service provider” a couple more times one of them might catch on?

    Reply

  77. You said ” Step One: CDMA vs GSM
    The first thing you need to know is that there are two different cell phone technologies — CDMA and GSM. When we say “Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks,” that means that CDMA cell phones won’t work on a GSM network. And vice versa. CDMA cell phones only work on CDMA networks and GSM cell phones only work on GSM networks.” And then you listed “Safelink” as a carrier who’s phones use both GSM and CDMA???? Please explain this.

    Reply

  78. I need help with my smartphone getting to be used as a SafeLink phone everything’s been taken care of through the SafeLink people except I got disconnected from them I cannot make a call from my new phone which is straight talk but I want to use my Safelink service remind SafeLink phone transferred over to my Straight Talk phone which is a j7 cloud please help I have a ticket number contact me back at this email address I got disconnected I have no way to get ahold of customer service through SafeLink I need SafeLink to please contact me through email I don’t know how to get ahold of them it without my service being on thank you

    Reply

    • We are not your service provider, Margaret, so we cannot help you with technical issues. You need to contact that company’s customer service or tech support team.

      Reply

    • Contact your service provider to find out if any specific make or model is compatible with its network.

      Reply

  80. i here i have a free phone and it only free through them direct…only if they send me the phone
    but i see the same phone on e-bay for 200.00 cheaper 100% the same
    so i am woundering if i can get it free if i buy it i have assurance wireless free

    Reply

    • We’re not sure what “I am wondering if I can get if free if I buy it” means. If you mean, “Can I get free service if I buy my own phone,” the answer is yes — as long as the phone is compatible with your service provider’s network. If you mean something else, let us know and we’ll try to give you an answer.

      Reply

  81. I have a government phone it’s a ZTE
    And I have a crack screen I want to know which phones are capable to my phone so I can buy a new one and switch my chip to a new phone
    I’ll be waiting for ur respond thank u.

    Reply

    • Due to the daily volume of comments and questions we receive, we are unable to personally respond to all of them, so we hope you see this response here, Blanca. Your best bet is to speak to your service provider to get an indication of which cell phones are compatible with its network.

      Reply

    • We always hesitate to answer this type of question and always defer to your service provider’s customer service team. Give them a call.

      Reply

  83. I wanna know if my SIM card from safelink phone works in my iPhone 5? If not can I get a other SIM card from safelink that will work in my iPhone5

    Reply

  84. I had assurance wireless and the first phone they sent me was not working, so they sent me a new phone and that one was also not working, they said they will send me another one, which would be #3, I told them no I would find another government program. I found qlink, but I do not have a phone at all since I had to return both phones back to Assurance and Q link will not send me a phone. I asked qlink if I could buy one from them at a reduced rate and have not heard back.

    Reply

    • We can’t be certain what the problem is, but we can take a guess, Deborah. The rules of the Lifeline program say that you cannot change service providers more than once every 60 days. Sounds as if you have not reached that 60 day limit. On the other hand, the rules of the program also say that your account will be terminated if your phone goes unused for 30 days. Have you reached either that 30 or 60 day period yet?

      Reply

  86. Thank you for the lesson on the difference between The two types of lack of a better term phone systems, I am working on a proposal for my job on the the benefits of having a lets say Metro PCS p[hone and an Obama phone. If you have a little spare time, could you jot down your opinions on the two types of phone? I would be forever in your debt if you could make that happen.
    Thanks

    Reply

  87. I’ve had a few zte n817 and no matter where I’m at or the WiFi area.. Everytime I turn data on my phone doesn’t work correctly even on home WiFi.. I’m happy to use a free phone but why do they do that.. Waiting on a Sim for a lg volt.. Hopefully I can use my data without 10 minutes of the phone acting up.. This is my 3rd one now.. Ughhhh

    Reply

    • Wish we could help, Greg. Well, maybe we can. Most free government cell phone companies offer Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) or Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) plans. You go out and buy the phone you want (one that is compatible with your service provider’s network) and use it in place of the phone your provider gave you. That may solve your problem.

      Reply

  88. Can I get another free phone if the one I have is never working right,?I really appreciate your service and everyone has been helpful if I had a problem. I thought if the phone is tore up or stolen you would replace it free.Thanks😊

    Reply

    • It probably depends on how long you’ve had the phone, Sandy. If you made a complaint to your service provider as soon as you received the phone and discovered that it didn’t work, they are much more likely to replace your phone for free. If you’ve had the phone for a while, they will probably require you to pay a relatively small fee ($25 or so) for a replacement phone.

      Reply

    • In the words of Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman, “I will not run if nominated and will not serve if elected.” But thanks for the compliment.

      Reply

  90. This is BS! Where it’s the “Complete, and we mean COMPETE, list of CDMA phones” you promised us in your search blurb?

    Reply

    • Who put the burr under your saddle today, BoOhBe? Looks like you’re going over this website with a fine tooth comb to find things to bitch about.

      In this case, we don’t control the words selected by a search engine in response to your search terms. In fact, we had to review this article to figure out what you were talking about. It looks like you are referring to an answer we gave to a reader question. Our answer was “Q Link’s website provides a complete (and we mean absolutely COMPLETE)” list of cell phone makes and models that work with its Bring Your Own Phone program. In other words, we never promised a complete list of CDMA phones. Don’t blame us for your poor choice of search terms nor for your lack of understanding how search works.

      Take a Valium. Relax. Stop leaving angry comments. We hope you have something better to do with your time.

      Reply

  92. I want to upgrade my cell I am trying to find out if I can use my old phone I have a Verizon Samsung slide is ut compatible with safe link

    Reply

    • Absolutely. If you switch service providers, the new provider will give you a phone that is compatible with its network.

      Reply

  94. My friend has a government phone it won’t call out screen busted he can still use wifi how can we get a replacement ?

    Reply

  95. My screen is broken and part of the the time when I tap on something where the cracks and spider web places are it doesn’t work. So what do I need to do to get a different phone?

    Reply

    • Contact your service provider’s customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

    • I agree. You give non-answers, and are aggressively rude to boot. You’all should take some public speaking classes.

      Reply

      • What you call “non-answers” we call “giving the reader the most accurate information we can possibly give.” Now as to being aggressively rude, go tell it to someone who gives a damn what you think.

        Reply

        • I have understood you completely. I don’t like the answers but it is not your fault. I .. appreciate your support. I am sorry you have people disrespect you like they do .

          Reply

          • We have broad shoulders and we take handle the occasional abusive reader, Kathryn.

  98. I am already signed up for lifeline, however its been at least 3 weeks that may services has been interrupted. please reply at ********@gmail.com to Richard B. Egson

    Reply

    • We’re not your service provider, Richard. You need to speak to its customer service team, not us.

      Reply

  99. Please update this article, these companies are not being strait with the customer, qlink is keeping unsuspecting customers in the dark and not telling them what affordable phones they can use, just check their Facebook page, it’s either buy our zte crap or buy one from the list which has phones priced over $300, it seems like their exploiting the vulnerable who are in bad health and those who’s survivability depend on a phone, I talk to some who have been stuck in limbo for 2 or 3 months, the zte (817) phones they have been giving for free come with the very minimal specs (1.8 gig HD & 0.5 ram 1.0 ghz processor) and they crash 97% of the time, if you don’t know how to clear the cache for every single app update, no updates… Just to make a call or answer a call is pure hell, it’s so sad having to explain to these older folks about the whole thing, many aren’t making doctors visits any more, it’s another government fleece from the get and it’s one that exploits the voiceless as usual… ✌️

    Reply

    • Q Link’s website provides a complete (and we mean absolutely COMPLETE) list of all cell phone makes and models that work with its Bring Your Own Phone program. You do not required to buy a phone from Q Link. You can buy one anywhere you can find a good deal, new or used.

      Reply

    • Qlink works through locked sprint phones or their affiliate services, they have a list of higher priced phones on their website or you can buy a cheap used one and try your luck… 😁

      Reply

  103. All wanted was to replace my stand up wireless phone with another one of theirs broke my screen really bad

    Reply

    • In that case, you need to contact StandUp’s customer service team to see what they can do for you.

      Reply

    • How could we possibly know, Kamesha? We don’t know what phone you have now nor who your service provider is. Ask your customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

      • Can’t use my ZTE qlink phone because it feel in the water don’t work what I have to do get another new one phone

        Reply

      • Camesha answered Both those questions in plain English! I will repeat your own words to you, “Did you read it?” Obviously not!

        Reply

        • Well, this is a criticism we have to accept. She did give the info, but our answer remains the same — contact your service provider’s customer service team.

          Reply

  107. First of all I apologise if you’ve already answered this question. I skimmed through all the questions and comments and only saw safetynet mentioned once or twice but the info was irrelevant to my problem. I have a Safetynet SIM card and a SafeLink phone that says it doesn’t recognize the SIM when inserted. Is that my answer right there that they’re not compatible or am I missing a step?

    Reply

    • Sorry, Sosa, but it’s impossible for us to troubleshoot your phone to figure out what the problem might be. Contact your service provider’s customer service and/or tech support team to get your question answered.

      Reply

  108. if I have a T-Mobile phone can I use safelink wireless use your own phone and get free service from the lifeline assistance program? (is that a locked GSM?)

    If I want to use a simple mobile plan what kind of phone do I use? all I know is that simple mobile uses T-Mobiles towers?
    Is there such a thing as a simple mobile phone like a locked to simple mobile GSM phone?
    and if the phone is locked to simple mobile can I use safelink service?

    the government program safelinkwireless service says I can use my own phone and get free service, would I have to buy a GSM unlocked? and if I had a GSM locked, which carriers can it be locked to to use my safelink wireless free government assistance by lifeline service from safelink wireless…

    If I want to get safelink service what kind of phone should I buy to be compatible with their service since I live in Hawaii, Honolulu (island of Oahu) my service area is 96797 to 96744 (Waipahu to Kaneohe)
    which is like most of the island I kinda have to travel for work and stuff..

    does safelink activate its free service with use your own phone with a sim card?

    what is a sim card and what is the point for its use? is it for prepaid services like safelink wireless? does T-Mobile use sim cards too? does sprint? does the CDMA and GSM locked or unlocked coincide with the use of sim cards or is it the contract no contract or pre paid services like straight talke and simple mobile or trac fone?

    Thank you I’m so confused

    -Charlene ram

    Reply

    • Sorry, Charlene, but you have asked far too many complex questions for us to answer here in the Comments section. We could (and in some cases have) written full articles on some of those issues. You should start by reading the article on this page, which we think will answer a number of your questions. You can probably get others answered by speaking to the service provider’s customer service teams. Hawaii has very few Lifeline free government cell phone programs, so we wish you the best of luck.

      Reply

    • Okay Charlene, it’s very simple when it comes to GSM sims cards from safelink, if you have a locked GSM phone, you will have to get it unlocked or buy an unlocked GSM phone and put in the safelink GSM sims card, if you go out and buy one used, test it first with the safelink card to make sure you aren’t getting a locked phone with a usage obligation or a blacklisted stolen phone… I know safelink is much like t-mobile and simple to get going, my friend uses an unlocked GSM Huawei with a safelink sims… Good luck 🤞…

      Reply

  109. Can an easy wireless government phone be switched over to boost mobile on my account, if the phone`s SIM card is a sprint SIM?

    Reply

  111. Can I have my Son buy me a “Jitterbug” phone and use it in place of this phone? I’ve looked and looked.
    Does anyone know a nice BIG button BIG screen phone that I can use here?? Thanks anyone

    Reply

    • If the Jitterbug phone is compatible with your service provider’s national cell network, you can use it.

      Reply

  112. Can someone please tell me how to use “DATA” I always use up minutes ,but never Data. I’ve left this question on many pages and have wasted year+ of DATA.

    Reply

    • Call your service provider’s customer service and/or tech support team. You can also Google your phone make and model and the words “user manual.” Soon as you find the user manual you can look up the answer to your question.

      Reply

  113. Thanks for the info. I know first hand why people want to use thier own phone. If you have a new Samsung galaxy s5 sm-g900v 6.0.1 you really don’t want to use a phone that is not even close to being as good. I am curious about one thing though. Why is a primitive phone offered when there are more advanced ones sold in the store?

    Reply

      • Wow you admit you give out and sell “CHEAP” phones!!!!!!

        I had to replace 1st one and I was sure they said new one would larger screen or buttons. Neither! Worse. Someone just had the number so I had to change it. Had to change 1st phone number ,also! Someone just had phone number.

        This new one has more glitches than 1st one. Biggest problem it dials 911 while I’m in middle of call.
        !?

        Just because it’s cheap…well yes matter of fact they are cheap!!! cheap cheap!!

        My shaky elder finger dials wrong numbers every, yes everytime I call someone. Screen and buttons too small for elders!

        Reply

        • Sorry, Nana, but “we” do not admit that we give out and sell “CHEAP” phones!!!!!! Because as we have said at least a thousand times, ‘we” are an independent informational website, NOt a free government cell phone company.

          Reply

    • Since we are not your service provider, there is no way for us to know the answer to your question, Laura. Contact your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  115. This is the best explanation that I have received. I appreciate your candor and honesty. It has allowed me to make a decision that I will have to purchase a phone from my provider. Disappointing, but it’s what I have to do if I need a new phone.

    Reply

    • If it is a Spint phone or mvno (Virgin Mobile and others) and you have filled any minimum usage requirements, you should be able to use it as long as you don’t unlock it, their website says most sprint affiliates will work with qlink, but if you unlock it, it will not work properly… Just last week I got my mother’s old LG tribute from Virgin Mobile (sprint) started up through qlink and now she is enjoying life again, and I mean like 100% upgrade and that old tribute isn’t worth more than 20 bucks… Good luck… 😁

      Reply

    • We get this question frequently. All free government cell phone companies are now required to provide new customers with smart phones. You can check each company’s website to see the kinds of phones they offer.

      Reply

  118. Do the free government phones from assurance have an sd card in them? What causes the phone to not turn on sometimes but other days it works fine? If it comes w an sd card, is it REQUIRED to be able to turn the phone on?

    Reply

    • We are not the right people to ask about cell phone technology, Sharon. If you want to know something about the free government cell phone program, fire away. But you’ll need to ask someone else about SD cards.

      Reply

    • I have never heard of a phone needing a SD card to power on however it will always need the sims card which is totally different. My Mom had a phone that would give her problems powering up on occasion and it was her SD card it had somehow got corrupted because when you took it out the phone would power right away

      Reply

  120. Can simple mobile phones be compatible with qlink wireless? Or metro PCS?
    I lost my phone and cat afford to get a replacement phone. If not, how can I deactivate my service and is it possible too reapply?

    Reply

  121. Well, for all of you GSM phone users and are loyal to a certain company. I won’t say the actual name to be discreet. But when you teach your children the alphabet, I was taught, ..”A” is for apple….But I digress.
    Anyway, I have an iPhone 6s+ that a friend gifted me after I became disabled and unable to work. I was so thankful because it worked with my old computer. So, in MY experience, my q-link phone works like a charm despite it saying the service is from Another network—So keep your Spirits up and Sprint to the finish line as you try to activate your phone…..

    Reply

  122. I received my lifeline government smartphone and am very disappointed. I charged it fully asap and then activated it. I left it overnight to do all the updates. Well next morning I connected to my WiFi no problem. I cannot place any calls tho. I walked thru my home trying to find a signal with NO LUCK. Here I am in a bad situation this morning NEEDING TO PLACE A CALL (kind of important) & I can’t even do that. I started looking online trying to find out on my own about QLink service cause whenever I spoke with didn’t tell me what service provider you run off. But anyways SPRINT DOESN’T WORK OUT HERE WHERE I LIVE. WHAT good will this phone be if I can’t get cellular service? I wanna say that when I applied there was something asked about service area. Don’t quote me on that tho I could be wrong. One thing I’m NOT wrong about is SPRINT SERVICE SUCKS OUT HERE IN THIS LITTLE TOWN I LIVE IN. I know for a fact that Verizon never drops calls & reception is amazing. It sure would be handy this morn but .I. Is there ANYWAY you can provide me with another network like Verizon.???? Please don’t tell me I would have to pay anything cause that won’t work for me. Being on a fixed income is the reason I applied for Free Government phone. Hopefully I can get some assistance in this matter. TIA

    Reply

    • We never answer questions like this, Stevy, because we do not want to lead any readers astray. We recommend that you call Q Link customer service to get the most accurate answer.

      Reply

    • We avoid answering questions like this, Kim. Your best bet is to call Life Wireless customer service with the specific make and model of your phone.

      Reply

    • We assume you mean Safelink, not Self Link. But either way, you need to speak to customer service to find out if that particular make and model will work.

      Reply

  126. My roommate is a life wireless user and she’s using an at&t phone and she is without signal more often than with signal what is there that we could do to get full signal working for her?
    Her number is 918774****

    Reply

    • Sorry, Andrea, but you’re asking a question that’s outside our area of expertise. We’d suggest that you contact Life customer service and/or tech support to see what they have to say.

      Reply

  127. Thank you!
    I read your complete article and I can’t believe that if these people that are asking you questions related to your topic read it as well as explaining in A…B…C…details did not get the message!!! SMH.

    Michelle

    Reply

    • We are not your service provider, so we cannot call you. If we did call, we don’t know anything about you or your account, but we could call and talk about the baseball play-offs or politics or some other topic of your choice. But we couldn’t talk about your account or your missing cell phone.

      Reply

  129. I need a better phone than the one I get from Qlink. It is small had to use keyborad and overheats all the time

    Reply

    • You can upgrade through Q Link or you can purchase a phone elsewhere and use it as your Q Link phone. WARNING: Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks. So before you buy a phone elsewhere, speak to Q Link customer service or tech support to make sure that the make and model you want to buy is compatible with the Q Link network.

      Reply

    • It all depends on the make and model, Shirley. To get the most accurate answer to your question, please contact your service provider’s customer service or tech support team.

      Reply

    • It’s impossible for us to tell you which phones are available where and when from any particular service provider, Amber. The phones are handed out at random, so the person just before you may get one make and model, you may get another, and the next person in line may get a third different make and model.

      Reply

  134. I got a life wireless chip and free phone about a year ago, but at some point the phone itself broke. I still happened to have my other smart phone from when I had service with at&t and it was an LG 4 LTE I believe. I had no knowledge about the plans and risk of switching, but I needed a phone and was desperate so I tried it. It worked. I’ve happily had it ever since. However, a day ago the phone got wet and now it’s basically a paper weight. I’m distressed and don’t know what to do. I need a phone. So since I still don’t fully understand how this works, I want to ask you; since I have life wireless and it worked the first time with my old phone, should/can I go to an at&t store and just buy a phone but not the plan? Even if I have to make payments on it? Will it work again or am I barking up the wrong tree here? Please help. I really don’t know where to go from here. I keep hearing about ‘unlocked’ phones but I don’t get it. Hoping to hear from you soon. Thank you in advance.

    Reply

  136. I have just received my free government qlink phone.I have an older phone from cricket wireless that I want to use. When I insert the nano sim card it asks for a network unlock pin. How can I fix this since using my old phone is much more convenient for me.

    Reply

  137. I contacted the top 5 companies on the list that say they accept sprint CDMA phones and they all said no. I’m sorry for sending a second comment today but I figured I could do more research than just one plan. Again I appreciate your time.

    Reply

  138. I currently have an iPhone 6s with Sprint and when I called Safelink a few days ago they informed me Sprint is the company they do not accept. Every website I’ve researched said Safelink accepts Sprint CDMA phones. Has there been an update that hasn’t been published? I do not have WiFi at home and I can’t afford to buy another phone. Safelink seems to be most popular in Florida. Any suggestions? Your time is greatly appreciated.

    Reply

    • We avoid answering questions of this type, Megan. We’d suggest contacting Access customer service to get an accurate answer.

      Reply

  140. I have a stand up wireless (life wireless) sim card that is active, will it work with any gsm phone or just some At&t phones? Customer service was absolutely no help at all. Thanks in advance!

    Reply

  141. My daughter receives f.s, Medicaid & tanf. She has two young school children that uses iPad for school, she applied for home internet, she didn’t qualify how come?

    Reply

    • This is an independent informational website, so there is no way for us to know which plan she applied for nor why she was turned down. She should contact the customer service team at that company to ask why she didn’t qualify.

      Reply

    • The Lifeline Program offers EITHER free cellphones and service OR free or discounted internet service. You can pick one or the other, but not both. So, if she already has a government cellphone, she would not be eligible for the internet program.

      Reply

      • Sorry, Sarah, but you don’t know your proverbial ass from a hole in the ground and we will not allow you to mislead our readers. ALL free government cell phone companies offer plans that include free talk, text and data.

        Reply

        • Read it again Mark. Lifeline offers two choices: either free cell phone service OR a discount on internet/landline service (unlike cell phone service, this isn’t required to be free, which means it never is). You only get to pick one. If you already have one you will be turned down for the other.

          Reply

  142. My SafeLink phone is dying. Is there a list of phones I can pick from preferably from Walmart ( closest retailer). Since I really cannot afford fancy phones. Thank you

    Reply

    • The answer is YES and NO. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, so you need to choose a phone that will be compatible with the Safelink network. You might want to visit the Safleink website to see which phones the offer, and take that list to Walmart as a guide to which ones you can use. But MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT BUY A WALMART CELL PHONE until you find one you want and then speak to Safelink customer service to make sure that make and model is compatible.

      Reply

  143. Does SafetyNet Wireless offer nano sim cards?
    My parent’s SafetyNet phone came with a micro sim card. I have an older unlocked phone I want to give to them but it only accepts nano sim cards.

    Reply

    • You need to speak to SafetyNet’s customer service or tech support team to get your question answered, George.

      Reply

  144. I have a ZTE MOBILE through Boost/Sprint how am I to transfer my Qlink government mobile number I very to my personal Android since my Qlink phone is busted

    Reply

  145. When enrolling with Safelink Wireless and choosing the “bring your own phone” option, it asks you to choose between a T-Mobile compatible SIM card and a GSM SIM card.

    As far as I know these two are the exact same.

    I received a SIM card that was labeled “T-Mobile Compatible GSM” and it does not work in my CDMA compatible phone. I have called Safelink numerous times to try to get a new, correct SIM card but I am told I can only get one by going to a retail location (both retail locations in my state for 2 plus hours away from my home).

    Any advice on what to do or where to go from here?

    Reply

  146. My TMobile revvl plus keeps saying searching I’m not sure if I done the correct apn settings update but I was suppose to have a phone mailed but when checked the mailbox only a Sim was mailed I’m stuck and need immediate assistance.

    Reply

  147. I bought a refurbished standup wireless phone but it says it’s locked when I put my SIM card in its asking for a 4-8 pin number thing how do i unlock the phone to get the pin? Using my previous sim card from my old standup wireless phone that broke? Standup wireless isn’t an option as a carrier for the unlock river site I’m confused

    Reply

    • We are experts in the Lifeline program, Tammy, NOT in the technical workings of cell phones. You’ll need to contact your service provider’s customer service or tech support teams.

      Reply

    • We can’t text you, Lana, due to the volume of comments and questions we receive every day. The answer to your question is that you need to contact Q Link customer service to find out if they will give you one for free or if they will charge you a relatively reasonable fee.

      Reply

  149. I Have a Galaxy J3 Luna Pro that has never been activated through any cell phone service or provider. If my phone happens to be compatible with qlink, can it be done since my phone has never been activated or registered in any way?

    Reply

  150. I have a government cellphone and my service is Qlink. 1st I can’t talk to a real person, ever. 2nd they don’t have a website. If it is it’s in Spanish. 3rd they’re several recordings stating I don’t have any minutes and I received 1000 on 9/1/18. 4th they are changing or transferring to another service. What’s going on. I don’t understand because of my stroke. Can someone call me or email me in simple talk Thank you.

    Reply

    • We just checked the Q Link website, Carl, and it came up in English for us. Give it another try. Unfortunately, we cannot call you due to the volume of comments and questions we receive every day.

      Reply

  152. I have my Dad’s old T-Mobile Galaxy 5on phone. Can I switch it to my goverment Safelink service? If so, do I need to purchase something and how do I do it? THANK YOU!

    Reply

  155. Hello. I have Truconnect but I would like to use this straight talk iPhone my mom gave me but she only had it for 7 months before getting a new phone. Ive tired to look into getting it unlocked to use it but it has to be actived for 12 months. I also read that SafeLink could work with this iPhone but I’m not sure. I don’t want to switch services if I cannot fore sure use this phone. Hopefully this made sense.

    Reply

    • Call Safelink customer service to find out if the phone is compatible with its network.

      Reply

        • It all depends on the make and model of the phone, Destiny. Not all Cell phones are compatible with all national cell networks. So you need to contact your chosen service provider’s customer service or tech support team to find out if your Straight Talk cell phone is compatible.

          Reply

  157. My mom has a Galaxy J3 Luna Pro with Straight Talk Phone Service. She’s had it 2 months and now in a nursing home where they take all of her SSI CHECK but 30 dollars a month. She is on Medicaid and the 30 dollars is spent on hygiene products she needs in the home. Can we switch this phone to free Gov phone! Thanks

    Reply

    • We can’t guarantee you that your particular make and model of phone is compatible with any particular network, but it will surely be compatible with one of them. Contact the free government cell phone service providers in your state to find out which ones will be compatible. Here’s where you can find the companies and their contact info:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Reply

    • For the most accurate answer, speak to Assurance customer service or tech support, Gary.

      Reply

  159. i have a free android government phone and i lost my service do to not my making 1 call in 30 days. i am wondering if icould get another sim card to use in this phone for free through another service other than life wireless. i am in grand forks noth dakota and was told that there were no carriers here. could you please refer me to someone who could tell me a litltle more about this

    Reply

  160. Hi, I tried many many I phones like 6, 6s plus,7 ,7s plus and many other,but still saying not compatible. Now what can I do?

    Reply

  161. This article was Very informative. Thank you.

    People, read the article! If you have a question that wasn’t answered, call 611 and talk to your India representative who will tell you what this article hasn’t.
    SMH.

    Thanks again for the article I it has helped me understand what I was looking for.

    Reply

  162. Which Obama phone has unlimited data talk and text I want to buy a new iPhone but I don’t do the limited data which has one unlimited I don’t care if it’s 4g or not as long as I can always browse the web.

    Reply

  163. Don’t know how to change my.tempo.com to Quicklinks.com & keep my Lifeline & same phone Number

    Reply

    • Only if it is compatible with your service provider’s national cell network, Kimberly.

      Reply

    • Our psychic repair line is down right now, Adrian, so we won’t be able to troubleshoot your phone. In the meantime, perhaps you can contact your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  167. Can anyone tell me what the heck kind of phone I can use with my assist wireless t mobile sim card I’ve tryed so many no luck help

    Reply

    • Here’s a crazy idea, Crystal: Check the Assist website to see what kind of phones they offer. You can also contact customer service.

      Reply

  168. Thank you for providing Lifeline info. I think I understand a little bit more. I am currently with Assurance Wireless who as you know, is connected to Virgin Mobile and using the Sprint network. The free phone they have sent me is the ZTE Quest N817. It says it is a CDMA/Edvo model. I am very unhappy with it’s ability to stay operational in general (I’m on my third replacement) and it’s performance when it is working. There is always at least one feature, but usually more on the blink. I want to switch my service provider to Truconnect in hopes of receiving a better free phone. I would like to keep my number as it has become established with so many entities that contact me. My question is Truconnect offers both GSM and CDMA phones with LTE on most of them. Do I have to choose another CDMA phone in order to keep my number when I switch? I think the free phone that Truconnect uses is LG K3. I read somewhere that Truconnect uses the CDMA Sprint network I will be travelling to Mexico again and would like to know what I need to do in order to have service within Mexico as well as capability to send and receive calls to/from the United States. , Is there a phone I should look into to buy or just wait and buy a cheap system when I’m in Mexico (about 10 days max) Thanks so much for your help!

    Reply

  169. MY old, God-awful free cellfone : ALMOST , almost worse than a string with 2 tin cans. Anyway it’s moot. That crapcell is broken and obviously I’m hoping my $40 LG PHOENIX 3 is compatible with your service, though I’m sure I know it’s not. I’ve tried 4, 5 different cells to no avail. Pathetic. As pathetic as charging me for a replacement crap cell u provide. Are there even T E N compatible cells to ur stellar plan? I would’ve been happier NEVER KNOWING some cells are ….. U get it. Help

    Signed, frustrated

    612-381-****

    Reply

    • It’s not “our” service, Anthony. This is an independent informational website that is NOT affiliated with any of the free government cell phone companies.

      Reply

  170. I have an iPhone 7+ and am trying to find a government SIM card that will allow me to send sms messages such as pictures through text. Which would be the best company to go though?

    Reply

    • You’ve stumped us with this question, Kellie. Any readers want to give Kellie an opinion?

      Reply

      • Kellie maybe it depends if its cdma like boostmobile sprint verizon these dont use sim sim cards there’s a list of compatible phones that might work

        Reply

  171. Perfect explanations. I wish all info could be this simple, even if it is slightly dumbed down. It’s enough info to know.

    Reply

  173. Could you give me a list of compatible phones for qlink wireless? That would be so helpful if you can . Thanks!

    Reply

    • Impossible, Mel. That list is longer than Uncle Sam’s arm on April 15. Do a little Googling for “CDMA cell phones.”

      Reply

    • What’s the problem, Pam. We provide you with the information you need and that’s not enough? Can we get you some lemonade? Some bonbons? Give you a neck rub?

      Reply

  175. I am a bit confused, i am looking at a phone that seems really good, but I’d like to find out if it is compatible with Q-Link wireless before I buy it. However their tech support is less than stellar and I can not get any answer from them without providing an IMEI number, and since it is sold online I can not do that. The network information provided by the seller is: Network type :2G;3G;4G. 2G : GSM1900/1800/850/900, 3G: WCDMA:2100/850/900,
    4G: LTE-FDD:2100/1800/2600/900/800, WLAN: 802.11 a/b/g/n(2.4G+5G), Bluetooth: 4.1. I have no more information than that, could you tell me if this phone would be compatible? Itcard availa is a large, very rugged phone, which is what I need , and it has dual Sim availability.

    Reply

    • We NEVER answer this question, Ralph, because it’s above our pay grade. We’re experts on the free government cell phone PROGRAM, but NOT on cell phone technology. Sorry.

      Reply

  176. My screen is broken it has been messing up know for a while but know it want even power on after charge it

    Reply

  177. why is sprint the only phones exceptable to transfer my qlinkservice too ? the phone they sent me is so incredibly slow i cant even use it

    Reply

    • Q Link operates on the Sprint network, so only phones that are compatible with that network can be used. It’s all explained in the article above, Gina.

      But Q Link also offers a Bring Your Own Phone program that you might want to look into.

      Reply

  178. At my location can only get service with Verizon or US Cellular. Which providers will work for me?

    Reply

    • Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone. That will connect you to customer service and they can tell you what your number is. Or you can call a friend’s cell phone and caller ID will show them your number and they can tell you what it is.

      Reply

  180. Can I put my chi from my free phone that’s verizon into my iPhone 8 that’s also verizon but from the verizon store

    Reply

    • To get the most accurate answer, check with your free government cell phone company’s customer service team.

      Reply

  182. Hello this Emely Gonzalez I have problem with phone because of Network No 4G LTE please help me call me 856 676 ****

    Reply

    • We can’t call you due to the volume of questions we get every day, Emely. But you should speak to your customer service team ASAP.

      Reply

    • Because no one can tell you which phones are compatible with your service provider than your service provider’s customer service or tech support team.

      Reply

  184. I just want to know if i can get a flip phone I have a new vortex free min phone but I want a flip phone I want to know where I can get one .i would like to know where I can go or call to change it .And if I can

    Reply

    • Each company offers different selection of phones, Reyna. And those selections constantly change. So it’s almost impossible for us to answer. We actually doubt if any of the free government cell phone companies are offering flip phones anymore, but many companies offer a BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) option that would allow you to purchase your own phone and use it with the Lifeline program. You will need to call the companies offering the plan in your state to determine which of those phones are compatible with their network before enrolling. Here’s where you can find a list of all those companies in your state:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Reply

  185. Hi. I own an AT&T LG Phoenix smartphone (prepaid). Can I switch it to a SafeLink SIM Card? If yes, will OT work, and can I keep my AT&T number?

    Reply

    • Contact Safelink customer service for the most accurate answer to that question, Michael.

      Reply

    • Only Assurance customer service or tech support can answer that question accurately. But if you go to the company’s website you can view the other phones they provide and that may help you out.

      Reply

  187. Need to upgrade phone..we are eligible for phone upgrade.
    719 671 ****. What IS the next step & what company ate we thru? I know it’s Sprint but have no idea how to do this.

    Reply

    • Seriously, Yolanda? We aren’t mindreaders, so we have no idea who your service provider is. But you can find out by calling 6-1-1 and speaking to customer service.

      Reply

  188. My phone I own is boost lg.can I change my qlink zte over to it. I am really slow at understanding what I read. So please help me out

    Reply

  189. Yes I am trying to switch over to this phone from my Qlink phone.i have put in the ONE I and MEID numbers but it gets to a certain part then just stops. I would greatly appreciate your attention and assistance in helping me resolve this matter.
    Thank you in advance
    Ken Vaughn

    Reply

    • You need to contact the customer service team for the company you are trying to switch to.

      Reply

    • Speak to your service provider’s customer service team to get the most accurate answer, Arian.

      Reply

  193. My zte n817 accutance sprint cdma the one i wanted to transfer to is a LGL62VL premier trackphone but dont no if its cdma or not i just got it only use on wifi for now

    Reply

    • That’s impossible for us to answer, Wendy. It depends on what make and model of flip phone you have, and which service provider you are enrolled with. Read the article above for the info you need.

      Reply

  195. Love the input.. I been having a problem using att unlocked gsm phone with metro pcs service.. Lte and signal data work fine..but when i make a phone call or recieve on.. Data drops off and it has the worst phone reception. And i cant use data while in the phone.. Ive googled endless ways to try and get an answer..

    Reply

  196. Also I see wearing you can get in over my phone if you are low income or no income. I got a statement from Department of Social Security showing I had no income for the whole year will this suffice? I was told when I called customer service that it was

    Reply

    • Why are you asking us to verify if customer service already gave you an answer?

      Reply

    • The best way to confirm the answer to your question is to speak to Q Link customer service, Joe.

      Reply

  198. Yes I have an old phone from Verizon that is called the note 3 which carrier should I get my government phone plan from

    Reply

    • You can narrow it down using the list shown in the article above, but then it’s a matter of contacting each of those companies in your state to determine which technology is used in your area. Here’s where you can find all the companies and plans available in your state:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Reply

  199. My daughter has an what they called OBAMA PHONE but the phone broke so she decided to purchase a phone thru OFFER up an IPHONE 5 she went to one of those Mobile repair phone to switch the SIM card. Turned out it don’t work to his particular phone. Her dilemma is this WHICH PHONE SHE CAN USE.

    Reply

    • Check out the phones offered on your service provider’s website, Pete. That will give you a pretty good idea of which makes and models of phones might be used on your service provider’s network.

      Reply

    • Ms.Pris,
      I thank GOD for people like you asking relative and intelligent questions. I often feel like I’m on another flat earth somewher

      Reply

      • For real. I’m astonished at the amount of people leaving comment so so if this is their phone carrier or personal problem solver/researcher, and most people aren’t even giving the accurate info to even help them if they were talking to their carrier. Endless confusing and indecipherable quandaries being directed at the poor host and proprietor of this valuable website and resource! I cannot begin to imagine answering nearly the same questions thousands of times over, or reading statements from people when those questions are literally covered within the post/page they’re commenting on and the statements– contrary to what’s in the article! It’s a tiresome and thankless job but I wanted to chime in & let you know that your efforts go noticed to some, like me, and I’m incredibly thankful– not to mention, in awe– of all the time and research you constantly put in to make this a consistently-updated, thoroughly researched, and seemingly ‘the’ only resource for those using these services. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication!!

        Reply

        • Awwwww, thanks, Andrea. It’s comments like yours that keep us going. Well, that and a genetic streak of masochism.

          Reply

          • To the webmaster: I honestly adore your masochism; it’s inherent throughout the myriad replies. A side of sadism, anyone?! Keep up the good work! Anywho,I stumbled on your site while trying to find info on how to swap from one network to another… Kudos

  201. I have inherited a Verizon iPhone 8 and am having a hard time finding a provider that will accept it on the CA Lifeline program. The ZTE phone they sent is a toy…any suggestions?

    Reply

  203. I have a verizon LG Vs500pp prepaid phone. The sim card I have doesn’t fit in the LG. What do I have to do or get to make it work?

    Reply

    • The first question you need to ask is, “Is this phone compatible with my service provider’s network?” Contact your service provider’s customer service team to get the answer to the question.

      Reply

  204. can i use a zte n817 from assurance wireless as a replacement for a zte n817 from qlink wireless ?? and keep qlink wireless service ??

    Reply

    • This is one type of question we always shy away from answering. You best best is to contact Q Link customer service or tech support to get your question answered most accurately.

      Reply

    • Contact Q Link customer service or tech support to get your question answered most accurately, Marcella.

      Reply

    • Probably. But you need to contact Safelink customer service to confirm that your specific make and model will be compatible with its network.

      Reply

  208. I have a new never used trac phone lg82vl. Will it work with Safelink? it came with a trac phone sik so im hoping it will. Thank you.

    Reply

    • This is one type of question we never answer, Valerie. You need to contact Safelink customer service to get your question answered.

      Reply

      • I wouldn’t recommend contacting Safelink customer service about anything, ever, under any circumstances.
        You’ll get directed to a call center in India for Tracfone, who don’t even know what Safelink is.
        I can’t even explain to you in any Earthly language how many times I had to call over the course of 5 months, how many hours I spent talking to people who kept redirecting me.
        Safelink CS does not exist… it’s just a labrynth of nightmares.

        Reply

        • Same experience here. Safelink is such a joke and in Florida thats all we have along with assistwireless which uses a screwy version of CDMA. A $10/month account with Red Pocket is less pain than trying to work with the idiots at Safelink/Tracphone. Tracfone is actually owned by a Mexican Telecom company and operates under several different names. They will make you HATE cell phone industry.

          Reply

  209. I still don’t understand why our Cellular phones are not communicating with each other. I call my wife from my phone, and there is no answer, the call is received by an answering machine.

    When she calls me, the same thing happens. I want to know what is the reason this is happening? Can anyone explain?

    Reply

    • Sounds like you should call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone to connect with tech support.

      Reply

      • First thing you need to know, Antonio, is that Metro PCS does not participate in the free government cell phone program.

        Reply

    • You might want to give us a little more detail, Loretta, because enTouch does a great job monitoring the comments on this site. They can’t help you if they don’t know what the problem is.

      Reply

  211. i have a flip phone from q link that i used a while back, samsung can i use it again .i have aerterisis and cannot use a smart phone. please reply

    Reply

    • You can use it IF it is compatible with your service provider’s network. Speak to customer service or tech support to find out if it is.

      Reply

  212. Hi I was wondering if this phone would work with Q-link Wireless I’m pretty sure it will but it never hurts to double check.

    Apple iPhone 6S 16GB GSM/CDMA Unlocked

    Unlocked: Will work with all carriers
    Model: A1688
    Processor: 1.84 GHz Twister
    Storage: 16 GB
    Memory: 2 GB
    Display: 4.7 in
    Resolution: 750 × 1334 pixels
    Camera (rear): 12 MP
    Camera (front-selfie): 5 MP
    Dimensions: 5.44 × 2.64 × 0.28 in
    Weight: 5 oz
    Operating system: iOS 9 (upgradable to iOS 11.2)
    Color variations: Black, White, Gold, Rose Gold
    Includes charging hub and cable

    Reply

    • You need to speak to Q Link customer service or tech support to get a definitive answer to your question, Nick.

      Reply

  214. Ok I have a ultimate Mobile Xperience (UMX- MXG401) Government phone what are compatible cell phones I can switch to?

    Reply

    • Speak to your service provider’s customer service or tech support team by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

    • We’re not quite sure what your question is, James. That being the case, yes, you should probably contact your service provider’s tech support team.

      Reply

  216. What I really need to know is how can I upgrade my cdmc qlink phone so it will be 4G or at least a little faster.

    Reply

    • We’re experts on the free government cell phone program, Kale, but NOT on cell phone technology. We’d suggest that you call 6-1-1 on your Lifeline phone and ask to speak to your service provider’s tech support team.

      Reply

  217. If I’m buying a phone off line and it say sprint only but (CDMA + GSM) can I use the phone on a Verizon network because I typed the imei on Verizon, at&t , and T-Mobile and all of them accepted the imei number except for T-Mobile

    Reply

    • Way over our heads technically, Timia. The best idea is for you to contact customer service at whichever service provider you are enrolled with. They should be able to tell you which makes and models are compatible with its network.

      Reply

  219. Hi my qlink phone is still active but i cant see who is calling because the screen is shattered i have call to see if it can be re-placed without having to pay the $ 25.00 dollars

    Reply

    • It may well depend on how long you’ve been a customer and if you happen to end up with a customer service agent who’s in a good mood when you speak to him/her. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose.

      Reply

  220. Alrite, I’ve got a Samsung Galaxy 8 plus phone. Its from T-Mobile.
    Which company will take this as my free phone? If any at all. Someone please point me in the right direction. I’m loving my phone and would love to continue to use it.

    Reply

    • It’s impossible for us to answer that question, Teresa. It will be up to you to contact your preferred service provider to find out if your particular make and model of phone will be compatible with its cell network.

      Reply

  221. You explained differences in networks and all this additional tech stuff, but you didn’t answer the question, nor did you attempt to do so. QUESTION: Which (types, name some) phones can I use with Qlink Wireless?

    Reply

    • We always decline to answer that question directly because there are so many variables for each individual make and model of phone, BC. Rather than give our readers potentially incorrect information, we urge them (and you) to contact the customer service team at your service provider (or your potential future service provider) for the most accurate answer.

      Reply

    • We urge you to contact Assist and Easy Wireless customer service teams to get the most accurate answer to that question, Alyssa.

      Reply

  223. How do we make our 4G work or turn LTE on because my 4G doesn’t work and sometimes my LTE work for a bit then it’s gone.

    Reply

    • Impossible for us to answer tech questions, Cindy. Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone to be connected to customer service and tech support.

      Reply

    • We never comment on tech issues, Gary. Your best best is to contact your service provider’s customer service or tech support team.

      Reply

    • Only Safelink customer service or tech support can answer that question accurately, Anita.

      Reply

  226. I have qlink wireless as my phone provider and I want to upgrade to a newer phone with more memory can I use about any type of Android phone as long as it is a CDMA will it work.

    Reply

    • This is such a tricky area that we always recommend speaking to your service provider’s customer service team instead of taking our word. You can contact them by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

      • QLink Wireless Support Services are non-existent! They suck! Once I wanted to know if I replaced my phone would my number be replaced. Nobody will ever answer the phone. It’s a circular nightmare! You look through Customer Service Website. If you’re lucky you’ll find an email address for customer service and support services. You send an email, with a simple yes or no question. Will my phone number be replaced, if I replace my phone? Can it possibly get any simpler than that? They will respond to the email with pre-written templates that send you back to the support site, that didn’t answer your question in the first place. Over and over again, no matter how you revise your email, you get the same circular response. I was freaking out. They pose as support. Yes or no? that’s all I wanted to know. QLink never answered the question. Now, I can’t get an aswer regarding which phones are compatble with the “Bring Your Own Phone Program.” Circular nightmare again. Their phones, which I;ve 4 of them now, SUCK! But, they can’t produce a list of phones that will definetly word.

        Reply

  228. I have a qlink cell phone now and tried to switch it to an iPhone 5s. Everything matches but it so says incompatible. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Erica. Contact your service provider’s customer service team to find out if your iPhone will work with its network.

      Reply

    • Yes you might have to log in to qlink on your account and give them your sim number or have qlink to send you there sim card that should get you up and going.

      Reply

  229. I think I used to have a straight talk a long time ago it was stolen and I never reported it how do I go about real rolling for a government Straight Talk phone

    Reply

  230. So it is good to say that my Moto e4 Sprint all in all is compatible with my assurance wireless and my Sim card should work. correct?

    Reply

    • We always answer questions like this by telling readers to contact their preferred service provider’s customer service team to get the best answer to this question.

      Reply

  231. I have a Verizon IPhone 4s ,,can you tell me what Free Gov Phone ,Co. Can I bring it to ?? So confused ,,, I guess CDMA

    Reply

    • We would strongly recommend that find your favorite service providers, then speak to its customer service teams. They should each be able to give you 100% accurate answers.

      Reply

    • That question is way beyond our area of expertise, Alex. We don’t have any idea if an unlocked cell phone can be used in Afghanistan. Maybe some of our readers have experience and can give you an answer. Readers?

      Reply

  233. Hi I am so lost ok my phone is a ZTE chapel, ZTE maven2 which is the same just different companies I assume well my bring your own.phone was unlocked in which its a at&t so I was able to set my SafeLink account on the at&t well I’m able to upgrade and I was wondering if other unlocked phones or at&t or other carriers that are.unlocked if my phone was compatible please explain thank you

    Reply

    • If you read the article on this page, Bama, you should be able to work out the answer to your question. It’s impossible for us to answer it without more specific information.

      Reply

    • Yes, you can keep your current phone number. BUT (and this is an important “but”) you must tell your new service provider that you want to “port over my current phone number.” Say it at the beginning of your conversation, several times during the conversation, and conclude the conversation by confirming that your number is being ported over to your new phone/service provider.

      Reply

    • Maybe, maybe not, Will. It depends on if the specific make and model of phone is compatible with Cricket’s network. We’d strongly recommend that you contact customer service or tech support to get an answer to your specific make/model. you can call them at 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone

      Reply

  236. I have a qlink wireless phone and the phone is crap and is to slow. I bought a lg tribute hd boost mobile prepaid phone from target. Can I use this phone with my qlink wireless government plan? From what I’m understanding they both are CDMA correct?

    Reply

    • You’ll probably be able to use it, but we absolutely hate to answer this question. PLEASE contact customer service by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone. They should be able to answer your question accurately.

      Reply

  237. Hi my dad has a free phone an it pooped the bed just wondering if i can set up a phone from total wireless its a zte zmax champ or zte z917vl pretty cheap phone just wondering other was a kyocera c5215 any help would be great thanks Al pachuta

    Reply

    • Al, you have veered into one of the few areas in which we are unwilling to answer a question. We would feel awful if we lead you astray. So we suggest that you call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone to speak to customer service.

      Reply

    • You need to contact your service provider’s customer service team to confirm that your specific make and model is compatible with the Assurance cell network.

      Reply

  240. I just want to know if I can switch my cricket # to my gov. Cell. Does cricket account have to be activated at that time I want to switch. Lost cricket phone and can recover my cricket cell # until 19th Feb. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Theoretically, the switch can only be made when you open your free government cell phone account, but you should call your service provider’s customer service team to see if it can be done. Good luck, Julia.

      Reply

  241. I need a new phone cause mine finally gave out but I can’t buy another one. No job. Had the same phone for more than 4 years. Can I get anew one sent to me. Or use a Old Metro PC ONE.
    I TURN MY PHONE ON BUT IT STARTS AND SHUTS DOWN CONSTANTLY. SO I BORROWING SOMEONE PHONE TO TEXT YOU THIS. MY PHONE IS A EMERGENCY PHONE DO FAMILY CALLING. My Phone number is 317 200 ****. By the phone I’m useing is 317 869 **** and I put his email down below so you can tell me what to do. THANK YOU

    Reply

    • Hope you read this response, Annetta, because we are unable to personally reply to each of the comments and questions we receive. Just too many of them.

      You may be able to use that old Metro PCS phone, but you’ll need to get that verified by your service provider. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, so the ability to use it is completely dependent on whether it is compatible. Contact your service provider’s customer service team to get the specifics.

      Reply

  244. Is a SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 phone a compatible touch screen phone for my Assurance Wireless lifeline plan? The carrier is Sprint.

    Reply

    • You should get the answer to your question from Assurance customer service, Kimberly. We make a point of avoiding answers to this question because we do not want to lead any readers astray.

      Reply

      • He has an Obama flip phone that he uses but it sometimes work I called qlink wireless they said the only phone they have is a smart phone they have no flip phones an he can’t use a smart phone can I go to Sprint an get him a flip phone an will they put his service on it

        Reply

        • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Mia. So before you buy a phone, contact Q Link customer service to find out if the specific make and model you want to buy is compatible and can be used as part of its Bring Your Own Device program.

          Reply

    • This is an area where we defer to the Lifeline companies’ customer service and tech support teams, because we do not want to lead you astray. Contact your customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your Lifeline phone.

      Reply

    • No, you can’t because we are NOT a free government cell phone company. This is an independent informational website.

      Reply

    • Speak to Q Link’s customer service team and be prepared to give them the specific make and model of phone so they can tell you if your phone is compatible with its network.

      Reply

    • Did you read the article, Robert? It depends on which service provider you’re talking about because not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks.

      Reply

  252. I had my free phone fone sometime now until it just blissed out one day. Now i can’t use it at all so i would like to know what phones are compatible with Q-link $

    Reply

    • The list goes on and on and on forever, Kathryn. We’d suggest that you do an online search for the words “cdma phones.”

      Reply

  253. I’m on Qlink. I appreciate the free phone they sent me but it’s huge. ZTE max plus. I’m been wanting a new one. But don’t want to buy another the one they have. I see they have bring your own phone program now. But you have to enter some stuff on back of phone to see if it works on their system. Which makes it difficult if you wanna order a phone online from Amazon or any store. What I read from your site is Sprint phones might work on Qlink? I guess they have to be unlocked. Just wish Qlink would post a list of phones that would work so I would know what to get.

    Reply

    • I check my old Galaxy because i just updated to a newer one. It was from sprint but it says it is not compatible. I just got sent the new ZTE from qlink because the previous phone was acting up, but the new phone they sent is way worse than the old one!

      Reply

  254. I got a smartphone from assurance wireless and I want to use the SMS in a iPhone but every time I put the SMS into the iPhone it say SMS will get locked someone please help me

    Reply

  255. He also tried Assurance, but they sent him a Smartphone and he can’t use one.
    So I contacted them and asked what flip phone I could get him and they told me
    a Alcatel one touch retro. I purchase one. Than another manager told me I couldn’t use it
    I had to purchase one from them. So I called to purchase a phone. Than they said the government only wants them to use smartphones. My father is 85 years old with know knowledge of a smartphone. HELP, HELP PLEASE

    Reply

    • We think the last customer service rep gave you incorrect information. All the free government cell phone companies are required to give you a free smartphone, but you can use a flip phone if you have one that is compatible with the service provider’s cell network.

      Reply

  256. I have My 2nd Qlink phone and it also sucks. First one stopped working and the one now has crappy service. Too many.drop calls and doing things on it’s own. Need a different provider that works in Yuma Arizona

    Reply

    • Contact your service provider’s customer service team to get the answer to your question, Sandi.

      Reply

  259. I just wanted to compliment all of you for your amazing utilization of patience. I would just like to comment on the task of just trying to get the tech people on the phone. They don’t want to talk to anyone obviously, so why don’t they just put the compatible models on their website(qlink) is my provider.. I refuse to word service. This is a service. Thank you very much for your help and Happy New Year& God bless!

    Reply

    • That’s a very good question you ask, Petra. Listing the compatible makes and models would certainly make things simpler for customers, and the companies could save the cost of sending out phones, so it seems like it would be a good idea. We’ll ask some of our contacts and see what they have to say.

      Reply

      • I’m excited for a reply on this. I’ve been trying to get information from Qlink on compatible “bring your own phone” phones and don’t provide any info other then “ask the sales rep for the MDEI (or something similar), go to our website, put in the # and see if it’s compatible.” I’m not going to waste the time of a store clerk to get a bunch of numbers to find a phone that will work and I’m not wasting money to buy 40 different phones just to find one that will work. Very frustrating.

        Reply

  260. Thank you for the information that you have provided. It gets a little hard to follow sometimes, but it is very detailed and thorough.
    I do have a question but I am not sure if you’ll have the answer. However, I’m confident that you’ll point me in the right direction. If you have “free service” with a provider (i.e. Safelink) and after 3 months would like to switch to a different “free service” provider (i.e.Life Wireless) , is that ok? If not, then why?

    Reply

  261. I have a smartwatch ,It stopped working I called in and she said I could get a Sims card for MI I phone ,I have to order it .where do I order from?

    Reply

  262. Great read. I’m curious to find out which carrier offers the best rate for adding data. Most offer 2GB with plan. I’m currently on access just found out its $25 per gig if you run out

    Reply

  263. GOT Safelink Wireless PLAN I SEEN ABOVE THAT Verizon IS CDMA, IM NOT SURE CDMA IS DOES OR DOES NOT DO AND GSM MY ISSUE IS MY 5-6 YR FLIP STYLE CELL IS NOT DOING VARY WELL NEEDING A NEW PHONE Seen WaterProof Type Is On Amazon FLIP TYPE I LIKE BEST I ONLY USE 10 MIN Month TO CALL OUT I DONT DO Fancy Tricks Likes TEXTS or Dont Plan On It SEEING Some $20-90 AMAZON I DID CALL MY PROVIDER LAST NITE THEY WAS ABLE TELL ME ABOUT LG L442G AS LONG Phone WAS A TRACFONE They Told ME It HAD 2 BE UNLOCKED FOR IT TO WORK MY Old Flip open CelL Don’t Have a SIM Card That Removes Ill Needs ONE Sent To me I’m guessing My OLD Tracfone the Service Is THRU Verizon Here Pennsylvania it is Not Thru AT&T LIKES MOST OF ONES Seen or is ADVERTISED I SEEN 100’s Cell Phones ONLINE TRACFONE What I SEEN HAS AT&T Will Work With Verizon ? I’m Not Sure AS LONG Cell Phone Was UNLOCKED I’m Sure These Likes Ford & Chevy & Not Same Sorry I’m A Lo Tech Red Neck The Only Reason Im Asking B4 I goes Order The Wrong Cell End Up $$ Useless Paper Wt Just Hate Waste My $$ That $ I doesn’t Got Waste Or I not Needs A SafeLink Cell Any Help It Be MOST Appropriate I’m Dumb When Comes To These New Gadgets Never Knew It Was So Hard Get A Phone Read About Others Buy Ones Wont Work 4 there Plans Issue Now Days They Come With Out Buttons Why I has Buy Me A Old Man Me Its A Simple To Use This Flip Type Online Seeing Few Not Sure What Best 4 $

    Reply

  264. I talked to someone from safelink they said to get a phone with a new sim card I told them I had a unlocked phone in my friend had a new sim card but it was from att the guy told me he could put my account from safelink over on the sim card from att to call back when my friend gets home with the new sim card so I did I talked to a lady this time she saying it want work I don’t have the money to go out in buy a new sim card what can I do

    Reply

    • Call in again. When you get customer service on the line, ask to speak to tech support. They should be able to give you an accurate answer.

      Reply

  265. I want to know how if I can transfer my qlink wireless account to a coolpad phone and keep my qlink account just wanna stay with qlink is there anyway?

    Reply

    • We always ask readers to contact their service provider’s customer service team to get the correct answer to this question, Jason. Not all devices are compatible with all cell networks and they are the best ones to answer your question.

      Reply

  267. I’m curious, did one single person read all the info that is posted above? What a bunch of straight up idots!! I know that your patience has to run thin answering the SAME exact question, over and over and over and over!! Thank you for the information that you posted above, it has been very helpful.

    Reply

    • We’re not Q Link, Jasmine, so we cannot answer that question. Contact Q Link customer service by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

      • After the comment left RIGHT before this Ladies, and she STILL asked the same question. Wow, you are all saints. I wouldn’t have a job very long answering these questions.
        Thank you though.
        I was actually reading all the stupid questions AFTER I found my answer in about the first 3 you already answered.
        THEY ARE FREE TO BOOT, WHAT MORE DO THEY WANT? use what they GAVE you and stop bothering people with completely stupid questions people.
        That’s where we’re at these day’s though.
        ENTITLMENT

        Reply

  269. I live in the desert of Arizona and until id found the LTE app my signal was iffy now it surches for signal for my Qlink phone and it’s great it’s even coming out with a map of were it can recieve from, just thought I’d share that .

    Reply

  270. I have been getting emails from qlink about gov cell phones I put my zip code in they say I quilify then after filling out all my info they say they dont offer service in my area I just spent over an hour trying to find what network they use according to you guys they use sprint cdma so I checked sprint network coverage and according to there map we have excellent sprint coverage so whats the deal I have been trying to get the gov phone with qlink for over a year. Someone really needs to tell them that they dont know how to do there job or where there coverage areas are I dont even work for them or any phone company and I did there job in lil over an hour and its taken them over a year and they still cant get it right….

    Reply

  271. I have life wireless device now. I like to know what kinda phone can I get in the store. That will work with the SIM card that comes with the phone. It has one SIM card. The SIM card is standard size and has a mirco SIM in it. So the question I have is which phone can I get that will work with it. I’m being told that I can use any unlocked AT&T or T-Mobile devices. Then I’m told different from someone else that it has to be T-Mobile phone. So I am so confused.

    Reply

    • Have you spoken to your service provider’s customer service team? If not, that’s what you should do next. They should be able to give you the info you need.

      Reply

    • I can get any unlock t-mobile or AT&T phones that take the micro Sim card only. So does any one know where or what kind of phones that will work with that Sim card?

      Reply

      • You should be able to get that kind of info from your service provider’s customer service or tech support teams, Michele. Give them a call.

        Reply

  272. Ok I’m going to ask probably the a dumb question to most however I am trying to get my child ready for a trip and I want her to have a phone to call in case something happens and she needs to get a hold of me. Qlink states that you can check uing the imei esn numbers to check compatability and I tried a few phones that we had here. My question well 2 questions are. 1. does anyone know when you bring your own device how long it takes them to activate it. and 2. can I find the numbers needed on the box in the store before buying the phone………………….So I lied it was 3 Has anyone had to do this and how did it work out for you?

    Reply

  273. Why is Assurance so evasive on what phones will work with their network? Why don’t they just publish a list of compatible phones instead of saying ‘use the crap phone we gave you’? Other Lifeline providers are more forthcoming with phone information, but not Assurance.

    Reply

  274. Can I view my actual deleted text messages when I need to? I love that I can view the call log bc my daughter uses the phone and she’s 13, as a parent though I would like to be able to view the comtent of her texts. Can I go to a sprint store? I have a q link acct through the lifeline program. I have tried several times to ask their tech help etc but cannot get a response. Please help. Thx.

    Reply

    • We would suggest that you do a google search for the make and model of your cell phone plus the words “user manual.” Soon as you find the manual you should be able to look up the answer to your questions.

      Reply

    • as with most phone companie we have delt with in the past you can get a copy of texts from the phone company however 9 times out of 10 they want you to have a police report about someone harrassing you. otherwise they do not exist. My brother has a teenager that has gotten into trouble and the best thing to do is find a parental app that keeps anything from being deleted without a password off the app store.

      Reply

    • We always hesitate to answer that type of question, Carlos, because not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks. We wouldn’t want to lead you astray, so we recommend that you contact Access customer service or tech support for an authoritative answer.

      Reply

  277. Since i got my phone it wont turn on or charge,i have been trying to call tech support from a different cell phone but never got a hold of anybody,so what do i need to do?

    Reply

  278. I cannot afford a new phone, however my phone has become slow and the screen is damaged. Can I get an upgraded phone sent to me? If so, what do I need to do to start this process. Thank you.
    Robbyn Hensley

    Reply

    • You may get lucky and find a customer service rep who will send you an upgraded phone for free, but it’s unlikely. You will probably be required to pay a relatively small upgrade fee.

      Another option is to switch to a new Lifeline company. All new customers must be given smartphones, and you will be a new customer and qualify for one.

      Reply

  279. I am trying to connect my lg k7 to my assurance wireless account, but they are evasive on the phone. Is it just a matter of changing over my sim car, or do i have to buy this tracphone unlocking kit that they say is available for around $25 (and why tracphone).

    If not is there other lifeline network that anyone knows works with an lg K7?

    Reply

    • We’ve never heard of an unlocking kit. Tracfone has been evasive about this issue and has even had trouble with the FCC. Do not pay the fee.

      Reply

    • That all depends, Amanda. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks. Contact your service provider’s customer service team to find out about your specific phone.

      Reply

  281. I have been trying for 3 months to get my new cell phone to connect to SafeLink.Their tech support staff is useless. They hang up on you or cold transfer you back into the queue when they can’t figure out the problem. I filed complaints with the FCC and USAC. Now they are telling me that the SIM card that I bought at their BYOP web page is for T-Mobile and they have limited coverage where I live. They say I need an AT&T SIM card. One guy wanted me to pay $80 for a new SIM kit!!! This is the third time they’ve told me they are sending me out a new SIM. I don’t know if this is the solution. Every person you get transferred to tells you something different. I thought both AT&T and T-Mobile were GSM so the SIM cards are the same.
    Any suggestions on what to try next if the new AT&T SIM card doesn’t work (that’s IF it gets here at all)?

    Reply

    • The best answer we can give you is maybe. That’s because not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Melissa. So you need to check with your service provider’s customer service or tech support team to find out if your specific phone is compatible with its network.

      Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Theresa. So we would suggest that you contact Q Link customer service or tech support to find out if the particular make and model of your Boost phone will work with its network.

      Reply

    • We did not issue the phone, Annette, because we are an independent informational website, NOT your Lifeline free government cell phone service provider.

      Reply

    • You don’t say who your service provider is and that’s really the key, Daniel. Not all cell phones are compatibl with all cell networks. So if you own a phone already or know which one you want to purchase, PLEASE contact your service provider’s customer service team before you purchase to make sure your preferred make and model is compatible with its network.

      Reply

    • You need to speak to customer service or tech support to find the answer to that question, Michael.

      Reply

  288. I got safelink service and i want to see if i can still have that service switched to an unlocked sprint galaxy note 4 model # SM-N910P

    Reply

  290. Just got mother in law a free sim card only. Thought she was getting a phone, but when all was said and done, he handed her a Sim card. ??????? Luckily I had an old Budget Mobil phone I hadn’t used in two years. It uses T-MOBILE. I put her sim card in that junk phone for her. It works. I was working on getting two FreedomPop phones released to see if I could let her use one of them? The list above says that Budget Uses Sprint, but that old phone uses T-MOBILE. The FreedomPop phones are Sprint. The phones have been released by FreedomPop. FreedomPop is the worst service possible. Should the sim card work on anything? It has two removable pieces of plastic so it can fit any sim card slot. HTC Desire and Samsung Galaxy S5. Will one of those work? My son tried earlier and he said 4G couldn’t turn on or something like that?

    Reply

    • We have no way of knowing if a specific make and model will work without more info, Mark. The only way to make sure if a specific make and model of phone will work is to contact your new service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

    • We strongly urge our readers NOT to enroll at street events because they have been the scene of so much fraud and abuse, Jami. It’s much safer if you enroll by phone or online.

      Reply

  292. If you are unsatisfied with the company I am with,and would like to go from a CDMA phone to a GSM phone,what do I need to do?

    Reply

  293. I just tried to set up my Safelink Sim on a Att Samsung Galaxy Express 3 purchased at Walmart that I previously used on Straightalk. When I booted up the phone it requested a “network unlock code”. I’ve done some Google searches but I’m at a loss. The safelink Sim is tmobile fwiw.

    Reply

  294. When I got my phone the screen was broken I can’t afford 25 to send it back an get new one however I’ve got more phones here can I switch it over to one of them an how if so

    Reply

    • Read the article, Pamela. And then speak to your service provider to find out if any of your phones are compatible with your service provider’s network.

      Reply

  296. My smartphone is 3G N817 from Assurance Wireless which works off of Virgin Mobile/Sprint network. The thing that I have tried to tell Virgin Mobile is that when I pick up calls in my apartment, the person on the line doesn’t hear me or I don’t hear them. My phone or area where I live is so sensitive with making calls or receiving calls that it is useless to be in my apartment for doing any communications on my smart Android cell phone. My calls are dropped in my area or maybe because of my phone being a 3G. I can only text in my apartment. My google searches even drop and go offline. Why even have data plan when my phone or area doesn’t get good reception. I do not like going outside to make calls because of the noise from cars and no privacy. I put my speaker button on and still it is difficult to call when cars go by. I live by a large shopping center. Question to you: Is there a cell phone data plan that is 4G or 4G LTE that is offered from the California government free phone providers for a stronger and faster data reception and calls made and received better? My phone is CDMA. I need to keep my same cell phone number.

    Reply

    • There’s no way for us to know what each company’s signal strength is in your particular location, Susan. Ask your friends and neighbors which networks they are on and which ones have the best signals.

      Reply

    • We try to avoid answering this kind of tech question because we don’t want to lead you astray, Amy. Contact customer service for an answer to your question.

      Reply

    • Now there’s a question we’ve never been asked before. We would assume that you cannot, but you should contact Q Link customer service to confirm our guess.

      Reply

  302. i have a samsuge glaxi 7 from verizon . i put a straight talk prepaid . i just want to change my straight talk phone number and put it on my assurance phone . if i can how do i do it

    Reply

    • We always advise our readers to contact their service provider’s customer service team on compatibility issues. We’d hate to lead you astray.

      Reply

  304. I currently have an Assurance Wireless account with a ZTE phone. I have learned they are compatible with iPhones. But, I would like to use my older model Sprint iPhone 4s. Would that be compatible? Meaning: 1. Is the iPhone 4s too out of date to use? If not; 2. Assurance Wireless uses the Sprint network (both CDMA), so since my iPhone 4s was used with Sprint, is it compatible/can it be easily activated with Assurance Wireless?

    Reply

    • Only Assurance can answer that question for you, She She. Call them at 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

      • I have my free service provider cell phone ZTE n817 and I don’t know how to unlock it to used with another like total wireless straight talk Verizon and at?t let me know Wich phone Is comparable

        Reply

    • We make a point of avoiding questions like yours, Tiffanie, because we don’t want to mislead any of our readers. You should contact Safelink customer service or tech support to make sure you get an accurate answer.

      Reply

  306. I have a Alcatel one touch with a SIM card slot and my safelink phone is also a Alcatel one touch with a SIM card slot and has a SIM in it can I switched from one to the other only difference is that it’s a up grade and I think it is a straight talk carrier but don’t Verizon wireless network what they bounce off right

    Reply

    • We make a point of not commenting on specialized tech questions like this, Dewayne. We’d suggest that you should call Safelink customer service or tech support to get your question answered.

      Reply

    • Metro PCS does not participate in the free government cell phone program, Craig, so we have no idea how to answer your questions.

      Reply

  309. Appreciate the inormation —-

    You kind folks ate trying to educate the Public , in a simple way to very complicated system, ——

    Thank you ——–

    Reply

  311. How can I get in my phone I forgot my password.It is a ZTE legacyN817 Please does someone know need help.Sheila F

    Reply

  312. I have an HTC One M8 T-Mobile phone. Got the T-Mobile sim card from Safelink. Put everything in for the APN and not getting anything. Tried different APN variables rate I’ve seen online and to no resolve my HTC is just a paper weight right now. I’ve had this for on straight talk before and it worked great till they started cutting my service off.

    Reply

    • It needs to be unlocked, Keoni. But that’s a simple process (It must be simple because this comment moderator just did it and I am technologically ignorant).

      Reply

    • Depends on the make and model of the phone, Kenya, because not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks. Contact your service provider to find out if your specific phone is compatible.

      Reply

  315. I have an alcatel phone thru at & t.it does have a sim card where my qlink goverment phone doesnt. Can i put my qlink service on it?

    Reply

  316. Considering the question can not be answered definitively, I am impressed with information given. I am not sure I have any better idea if I can make the change I would like to, but I am sure I have the information I need to research it further. Thank you.

    Reply

  319. Every time i call customer service there is no option for talk to representative i have a galaxy 3 and was once used for boost mobile it has no service and i would like to use it for my Q link service please help

    Reply

    • Have you attempted to contact customer service by email or online chat through the company’s website?

      Reply

  320. Maybe this can be explained to me. I live in an area in Texas that is mainly serviced by AT&T. From the list of providers, I find that two companies provide a free government phone based on the AT&T calling area. Yet, when I apply to those specific companies (and now, at this time, all of the companies), they all state that they are not currently servicing the area I live in and will get back to me.

    I could see if I was in a backwoods area, but I am within 9 miles of a larger city, and (as mentioned before), AT&T is a widely used service provider.

    Any explanation would help.

    Reply

  322. So does that mean that I can have my Sprint phone activated to my Q link wireless # since they are the same network?

    Reply

    • That should be correct, Jennifer, but you should still confirm by contacting Q Link customer service.

      Reply

  323. Me gustaria saber donde comprar un celular compatible con el q tengo ya q me esta dando problemas el celular es un Vortrex y me lo dio la compañia Standup wireless.

    Reply

    • “I would like to know where to buy a cell compatible with the q I have already q is giving me problems the cell phone is a Vortrex and gave me the company Standup wireless.”

      You can purchase a replacement phone from your service provider. Call 6-1-1 (customer service) to find out what kind of phones are compatible with the service provider’s network.

      Reply

  324. can i use the sims card from safetynet government phone to a sprint galaxy 4 i put it in but phone still not working how can i get the sims card to work in the galaxy4

    Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Sandy. We don’t know if that particular phone will work with a SafetyNet phone. You need to call customer service or tech support to find out for sure.

      Reply

  325. Hi I’m with qlink wireless is thia the same as safelink, I have a HTC 510 phone I use on that network that no longer works. I don’t want the smaller phone they are offering as a replacement so what are my options.can I keep my same number as well. Thanks

    Reply

    • You’ve hit on one area where we do not answer questions, Whitney. There are so many variables and we don’t want to steer you wrong. Your best bet is to call customer service.

      Reply

  327. Yes my assurance phone has stopped working I have called and haven’t had the problem fixed how can I replace my phone when I can not get it fixed

    Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Angie. You don’t mention who your service provider is, but you should call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone. That will connect you to customer service/tech support. They will be able to tell you if that specific make and model is compatible with their network.

      Reply

  329. I have a Assurance Wireless free government phone, it is a Sprint 3G and I would like a phone case (leather) if possible.. I have been able to find one it’s like the phone itself doesn’t exist.. Please help me to figure this out or let me know which phone compares so that I can purchase a case for my phone.This is very frustrating, please email me with an answer..
    Thanks

    Reply

    • You can find phone cases with great prices on eBay or Amazon, Donella. Probably better and cheaper than you can find them anywhere else.

      Reply

  330. Do assurance wireless life line offer other upgrade phones? I was told you only have 2 choices, the phone they send you or a $25 phone that they offer. Is this true or not? Thank you.

    Reply

    • The phones available vary from day to day, Robbie. So there’s no way for us to know what’s being offered.

      Reply

  331. My Sprint phone is not working very well and I would like to upgrade it. I know I get free service and I appreciate that. I just need to be able to hear clearly on my phone. Thank you for your help.

    Reply

    • Are you saying that you have an account with Sprint? Sprint does not participate in the free government cell phone business (except to allow free government cell phone conpanies to use its national network).

      Reply

    • We make a practice of never straying into answering those questions, Taren. Your best best would be to contact your service provider’s customer service or tech support teams.

      Reply

  333. My qlink has no sim card how can I switch phones as my qlink phone now doesn’t work at allow it will not even turn on and its fully charged

    Reply

  334. Hi ! I have an Qlink free phone but it does not have a sim card, I was wondering if there is any phone i can buy and do the switch ? or am I stuck with this phone?

    Reply

    • What do you mean when you say it doesn’t have a SIM card? Was it delivered to you missing a SIM card?

      Reply

  336. Hi, I received my phone yesterday with the new phone number, but I was wondering if I could have my number ported from Cricket wireless because I will have to make so many updates with the new number? Thanks

    Reply

    • It may be possible, but it’s probably too late. If we were you we’d contact your service provider’s customer service team ASAP to ask your question.

      Reply

  337. My friend has one of your Qlink phones. Someone stole it and when he got it back, the screen is broke to where you can not read it. Is there anyway you could send him another phone or can he use the aim card in his tracfone lg?

    Reply

    • We can’t send him another phone because this isn’t Q Link, Karen. Your friend needs to contact Q Link customer service.

      Reply

  338. So I contacted Blujay wireless and they told me any phone will work as long as it is an open network phone…. So how do I know that?

    Reply

    • Here’s how the situation is described by SmartBiz.com:

      So What Does All This Mean?

      Chances are, today you buy…a cell phone by going into a store, choosing from the available phones and signing on for a contract in order to get the price on the ticket.

      All of this “locks” you into the carrier in a number of ways. You have to use the phones they certify, the applications they put on the device, the services they offer through their network and under the terms of the contract you sign (and which you can’t void without paying a hefty fee). You typically can’t use the phone on other networks (though there are SIM card exceptions) and until recently even your phone number was tied to your wireless carrier.

      In this new more open world, all of that (theoretically) changes. Imagine purchasing a phone at Best Buy or Amazon.com — the perfect phone for your needs. You then take that phone to any carrier you want and sign-up for service. If you like, you can take the phone to a second network, for instance, when you are out of town or more likely out of country. When you get the phone home, download all of the applications you want via the Web, mixing and matching just the software you need.

      Sounds great, right?

      Well, there’s a few caveats. The phone purchase is likely to be quite a bit higher, due to the lack of carrier subsidies supporting your “unlocked”, more open handset. And the services you end up buying from your carrier may be a la carte and pay-by-the-bit, which means you’ll need to be smart about what you sign up for and careful about how you use your phone.

      Reply

        • You should be able to, Shawna. There are a few quirks here and there, but in general you can take your number with you. It’s called “porting over your current phone number.” Make sure you tell the customer service rep that’s what you want to do and confirm that it has been done before you end the call.

          Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, so we advise you to contact your service provider’s customer service team to find out if your specific make and model of phone is compatible with its network.

      Reply

    • We don’t know what information you are referring to, Alice, but it doesn’t really matter because we cannot respond to individual emails or comments. The volume that we receive is just too great. All the information you need can be found right here on this website.

      Reply

  343. Hello this is way to confusing. Is there an easier way too find out if the phone I want to use is compatible?

    Reply

    • Sure, Steven. Call your favorite Lifeline company’s customer service team and ask them if your make and model is compatible.

      Reply

  344. I have a ZTE q link foodstamp assistance phone and was just given a new unlocked iPhone 5 for my birthday can I transfer my service to it

    Reply

    • You didn’t mention which free government cell phone company you are enrolled with, Alex. To assure that you get an accurate answer to your question, it’s best if you contact your service provider’s customer service team. You can do that by calling 6-1-1 on your Lifeline phone.

      Reply

  345. My mom is eligible for a free government cell phone but she would like the capability to have photos developed.
    Is there a QLink phone or other phone with an SD card feature/slot?

    Reply

    • We don’t get into any tech details of the phones, Tammy. Contact Q Link customer service to get your question answered.

      Reply

  346. Have an old third party Kyocera Dura xt locked cell phone that was on Sprint cdma Network. Can this phone be used on Assurance program. If not can you recommend a big button phone for a Senior that has problems using his fingers?

    Thanks,

    Ray

    Reply

    • Contact customer service or tech support to find out if your Kyocera can be used on the Assurance network.

      We don’t know of any big button phones, but maybe some of our readers have some recommendations. Readers?

      Reply

  347. We just got the Ojji Life phone yesterday but it’s all its onboard memory is dedicated to the factory apps. Our SIM card can be “installed” but the Ojji Life doesn’t use SIM card memory for app usage. It’s frustrating.

    Reply

    • We know what you mean. We just had the cable company internet guy here at the office four for and a half hours yesterday and when he left, nothing was resolved. Sometimes dealing with these people is incredibly frustrating, isn’t it.

      Reply

  348. I have a coolpad 3300A version P1 i broke my LCD screen I was wondering if my boost mobile ZTE model# N9518 can replace my coolpad

    Reply

    • That’s one area in which we will not give a definitive answer, Marquee. The best thing for you to do is call your service provider’s customer service team to get an accurate answer.

      Reply

  349. I need a land line for my life line service. AT&T had dropped all of us life line customers and I cannot find a landline service. I have a iPhone 4s? 4 c cell phone. Because of hearing problems and a small speaker in my phone I can barely hear it even when set on highest volume.
    So I I really need ur help ion finding me a carrier.

    Reply

    • We don’t really cover landlines here, because they are only discounted Lifeline plans, not the free plans that we specialize in. What state are you in, Joan?

      Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, Belinda, and we don’t want to lead you astray, so we’d recommend calling Assurance customer service to get an accurate answer.

      Reply

  351. Hi my comment is i need help i have tag moblie and i receny got a prepaid walmart t moblie phone from my brother which doesnt use it anymore i reset it to factry to but my sim never is read. I been called tag and went to t moblie just now am frustred at how t moblie just tryed to make me buy service yet im a single dad i dont have that type of income at the moment. But can anyone help me try to set my sim card up or help me get more information to see if ivan even use this galaxy opminr prime phone please and thank you i hope someone trys to help i cant run around all day just trying to figure it out nor have a phone.

    Reply

    • go to this link n follow the instructions…i just did it with safelink on a seller refurb ZTE Tracphone i got for $25 on ebay from a store that in huge alerts on EVERY phone they sell THIS IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SAFELINK,,,, but i went to the safelink version of this one n checked n it said it was…took the risk…VERY VERY HAPPY i got it in 3 days n i went to the site n followed how to activate link…i was up n runnin in a total of 8 mins…i DEFININATELY let em know it is compat now…form letter email repeated NOT compat….oh well, lost who knows how many sales….follow link…GOOD LUCK!!!

      https://www.tagmobile.com/blog/steps-to-bring-your-own-device-to-tag-mobile/

      Reply

  352. the only phone tower i can get a signal from is a verizon tower and sometimes not often thats iffy which company would be best to use without being hassled with being mandated with gsm phone that wont work and sprint and att do not work have tried them
    thx
    robin

    Reply

    • It’s impossible for us to know which company would offer you the strongest signal where you live, Robin. But the list on this page tells you which free government cell phone companies use the Verizon network.

      Reply

  353. I broke my qlink phone, but it has a sim card… can I switch the sim card to a factory unlocked iphone 5?

    Reply

    • We always defer to the Lifeline companies’ customer service and tech support teams on this type of question, Blake. Contact them to get the most accurate answer possible.

      Reply

  354. I would like to receive a new phone, as my phone was stolen & I now have no communication! which phone could I get & how long before I can receive one? I am looking for a new apt to rent right now, and I really have to wait to make phone calls & for anyone to get back to me? Please help me to find a new phone & which phones can I pick out?

    Reply

    • It all depends, Gary. Not all phones are compatible with all cell networks, so your best bet is contacting your service provider to find out if that phone will work with its network.

      Reply

  356. I talked yesterday with a Safelink rep and we finally came to the conclusion that my free phone is caput(will not charge-we tried every -thing). I told Patricia that I actually have 4 cell phones and she said I might be able to use one of them if is compatible with Safelink ;.one of two I have in mind is a Motorola and the other is a Samsung.I understand that you would need the IMEI # and other info. Can you help?.

    Reply

    • We cannot help you, Susan. The Safelink rep has far more information that we do (we actually have ZERO information about the technical aspects of your specific phone).

      Reply

  357. Would an iPhone 4s or iPhone 5 or 5s work with Assurance wireless? How to remove the SIM card from the free phone?

    Reply

  358. Regarding Safelink Wireless –
    The website says “byop” program takes gsm but I know they operate on the Tracfone cdma network as well. Can I use a TF compatible cdma phone with Safelink? Do they use TF sim cards?

    Just an FYI – Access Wireless (Sprint) allows compatible, unlocked byop devices not purchased from Google/Sprint. I upgraded to a little smartphone that way.

    Reply

  359. I’m interested in going with Tag’s Lifeline phone. Am I to understand that you’ll get a phone that uses ONE of the Networks listed above? It says they use Sprint-CDMA, Verizon CDMA, and T-mobile-GSM. So basically, I won’t know which network they connect me to until I get a phone sent to me?

    Reply

    • As you may know if you’re a regular reader, we often defer on tech questions. We asked our tech guru and he said, “It’s a bit of a mystery.” He referred us over to a site called WhistleOut.com, which said this:

      “Newer model phones have been tested to work and be compatible with both software technologies – CDMA & GSM.

      T-Mobile and AT&T run their networks on GSM technology whereas Sprint & Verizon run on CDMA. Most phones are set up to work on ONE technology rather than both.”

      However – the iPhone 6, 6+, 6s, 6s+ and Google Nexus 5 models and Nexus 6 models are compatible with all carriers 4G LTE speeds. Newer model phones have been wired to be compatible with both technologies.

      Some other devices such as the Galaxy s4 is compatible with all carriers on 2G network speeds. It can’t handle 4G LTE speeds on another carrier other than its own.

      For example, a Verizon iPhone 6 will work on T-Mobile and Cricket and Sprint.”

      In other words, it depends on which phone you have and probably which free government cell phone company you are enrolled with.

      Reply

  360. So, with all of that (very informative and helpful) information taken into consideration, my final conclusion would be that if i have a 4g LTE freedom phone thru american assistance, I am unable to use its SIM card in a t-mobile phone, because of its LTE capabilities? Am i understanding (basically) the info given?

    Reply

    • We “think” T-Mobile has LTE capabilities, but this is really out of our area of expertise. We’d hate to steer you wrong, Kay. So your best bet would be to contact American Assistance customer service or tech support to get an official answer. Please come back and tell us what you learn.

      Reply

    • Comparing network sims & LTE capability is like comparing apples & oranges.
      Sim cards determine the company network on which the phone will work ie T-mobile, Vzw, etc.
      LTE refers to the wireless capability of the device ie 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE. This explains it all nicely – https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/4g-vs-lte/
      Two other issues impact the transferability of a phone. First most phones are “locked” to the network they were originally used with. You can buy them unlocked but they cost more. If out of contract the company will usually unlock if you call them. Read this – https://www.lifewire.com/before-you-buy-unlocked-phones-577494
      Secondly, the companies operate on different network types and bands. Tmobile, AT&T, and international networks use GSM devices. Verizon and Sprint use CDMA devices but on different bands so the devices generally aren’t compatible. Search “gsm vs cdma” for more info.
      It seems Am Assistance uses Sprint and Verizon networks (cdma) so your phone is not compatible. To be sure just search for specs on the phone with the model number.
      Hope this helps!

      Reply

  361. I called my carrier Blue Jay Wireless to find out how I could get an upgrade phone locally (I live in Hawaii) but I was informed they no longer had reps servicing my statr. I was told to purchase a tmobile phone because they were compatible with their network. And so I did. But when I tried to insert the sim card into the new phone, it didn’t work. So, now what do I do to get my service back.

    Reply

    • Speak to Blue Jay customer service, Belinda. Does your original phone work with the original SIM card? If so, you can simply call 6-1-1 to be connected to customer service.

      Reply

  362. I just received the free tag phone. It says free emergency only and that it had no cellular network plus I don’t know what the phone number is. How do I set it up to use it.

    Reply

    • Congratulations, Sandra. We’ve never heard that one before. If we were you, we’d contact customer service.

      Reply

    • What company, Katherine? Have you gone to the website to see if they offer an online chat function?

      Reply

  364. THANK YOU. BEING IGNORANT OF TECHNICAL WORDING AND THIER MEANING; I HAVE BEEN EDUCATED. I THINK! ASK ME TOMORROW WHAT IT MEANS. 🙂

    Reply

  365. I have an Assurance wireless phone, one of the small brew. No ,had it for year’s, screen is soooo messed up ,how can I get an upgrade ?

    Reply

  366. My phone broke I dont want to by a phone as I have another phone Qlink gives out and want to switch it can i do that as ive tried calling press 5 over and over and it wount send me to tech support?

    Reply

    • Visit the Q Link website, click on “Help Center,” then click on “Contact Us.” You’ll get an email form that goes directly to customer service. Keep in mind that the website warns that you may not hear back for 72 hours.

      Reply

  367. i have a “trueconnect” phone with a sim card, it says the service is from T-Mobile. I am wondering if the sim card will work in a Verizon phone or Sprint tablet, both take a sim card but smaller in size.I have trimmed down a simcard to fit before and it worked but i would like to know which is more likely to work before i do this again.

    Reply

    • Not all cell phones are compatible with all national cell networks, Mee. Only your chosen service provider can tell you if a specific phone will work on its network. So don’t purchase any phones until you know the make and model you want. Contact your chosen service provider customer service to ask if that make and model will work with their network.

      Reply

    • Hi @ Mee
      Quoting the above article-
      ” In the United States, the five major cell phone networks break down like this:

      CDMA = Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular
      GSM = AT&T and T-Mobile ”

      These are import as to the radio’s that are installed in the GSM and CDMA phones – so it’s not of a fact that’s true of both network types now use a SIM card for their 4G LTE network technologies – it’s that in all of the 5 US carriers are using different bands within the radio Frequencies allowed in the US. 4G LTE is high speed DATA over the networks and phone calls will use a lesser based transmission technology like 2G, 3/3.5G – AWS UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA, HSPA+, CdmaOne, CDMA2000, EVDO, WiMAX,

      A CDMA only based radio phone will not work on a GSM network nor vice versa. Cell Phones work as in both voice and data on a given cellular network using the phones radio which will offer within it the different transmissions technology and frequencies bands it will works on.

      See my post- Steve says – December 17, 2016 at 7:19 pm / “Wireless Frequencies / Bands”, to where I’ve given some detail to breaking down the related of the 5 major cell phone carriers used frequencies and in operational bands they use.

      Very few cell phone manufactures cater to giving a buyer the opportunity of both radio types in the GSM/CDMA networks being on board (installed) in their phones / and then not all models of phones they’re selling offer the radio’s for both GSM/CDMA capability in a single manufactures phone line. But there are a few manufactures that do offer this – so think of a phone with only one radio type being able to spin in just one direction – and – then one offering both that of GSM/CDMA radio’s installed in it can spin in both direction then. This is my choice and requirement in a phone. These are usually upper middle to higher end phones classed units.

      Then you’ll be getting into another realm where a phone manufacture sells an unlocked phone from their factory as opposed to one they have made that’s been branded to one of the 5 major cell phone networks. These are usually SIM locked to a carrier and you’ll see a carriers splash screen logo at the phones startup showing the carriers name. And not seen when it’s been factory unlocked to accept any network SIM – again per radio’s installed and bands allowed to work on any network.

      This one type of carrier locked phone can be unlocked to accept another network carriers SIM card per the capabilities/conditions of the branded phone and carriers rules. Again dealing with radio’s on board of the specific phones bands the radio’s will accept, and then of the carriers terms/financial obligations being met too.

      Least of all to say-
      Any phone issued by an Lifeline provider won’t be in a class to these phones as I’ve tried to described above. As to what you’ll get (maybe even by upgrading to a better phone through the Lifeline providers) cause it’s an extremely budget phone being able to run on the service they offer. The phones I’ve mention above are the upper middle tier to higher level class model phones.

      So there really is more to swapping out a SIM card to the whole picture here. Lifeline is an economy class ticket on a free ride if you qualify for it. It is what it is as being free for those in need.
      BYOP people need to consider this as well with Lifeline use.
      Steve

      PS: Would be interesting to see the FCC implement the requirement for the Lifeline program to include Wi-Fi calling as the now offered broadband could benefit that Lifeline users base and since 4 of the major network carriers offer it to their customers.
      Of course that would mean Lifeline providers having to supply better Smartphones than now being offered. If you can even call the Lifeline providers phones a true Smartphone.

      Least to a work around like if your handset doesn’t support Wi-Fi calling, Apps like FaceTime, Google Voice, Line, Skype and WeChat allowing you to make voice and video calls over Wi-Fi as well as to sending text messages.

      Reply

      • Thanks, Steve. Oddly enough, we hadn’t seen your name show up in the comments recently and we were just wondering where you’d gone.

        Reply