updated 2/1/23
The answer used to be, “Absolutely not. The free government cell phone is yours to keep.” But this answer has fallen victim to the rapidly evolving nature of the Lifeline/ACP program.
Rest assured that it can be used until all your remaining minutes run out or expire (although you may have to use your remaining minutes within a set time frame, so use them up). In fact, you can continue using your LifeLine phone indefinitely as long as you continue buying additional minutes.
But the right to keep your free government cell phone now depends on your service provider’s Terms & Conditions. Some Lifeline Assistance service providers may allow you to keep your free government cell phone even after you leave the program. But others may require you to return the phone or even pay for it if you cancel your account.
So we urge you to read your service provider’s Terms & conditions before you cancel your account. Contact your service provider’s customer service team to discuss your options and to find out if you will suffer any potential negative consequences as a result of of canceling your Lifeline Assistance/Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) account.
Here’s an added fact very few people know: If you are allowed to keep your free government cell phone after you cancel your Lifeline/ACP account, it can still be used to call 9-1-1 even if it is not connected to any free or paid account. Sounds impossible, we know, but it’s true. So let us repeat this surprising fact: Any cell phone with a working battery and in working condition, can call 9-1-1. So think about keeping your former free government cell phone in your purse, or in your glove compartment, or in your pocket. Because you never know when an emergency will pop up.
Jeannie says
Hello ! I was wondering if I could cancel assurance wireless just because I did more research and would like to go with a different company. I haven’t received a phone yet. So would I keep the phone being sent and get a new one with another company ?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Good news, Jeannie. Any Lifeline customer can switch service providers at any time. Here’s an article that tells you how to make the switch from one provider to another:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
Which provider and plan to choose? You can find all the providers and plans available in your state here:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Amelia says
My service was terminated will I be charged If I use the phone afterwards without using the service?
Free Government Cell Phones says
No. The phone is yours to keep. No reason to return it. You can get a SIM card from any source you want, install it, and use the phone.
Terry Lawson says
I sent assurance wireless a letter saying that I wanted to cancel my lifeline cell service that I didnot know that if I signned up for one service that it took away from another service So I did sign back ou for the internet service through Xfinity cable for their internet service and I really don’t want the assurance wireless phone so what do I do with the cell phone?
Terry
Lawson
Free Government Cell Phones says
You can keep the free government cell phone. You are not required to send it back.
Ftworth84 says
Hi. I have a free assurance phone but I honestly didnt like it. I use it for taking pictures and videos and Camara is the quality of a flip phone that I use to have in 2003. I think it’s a very outdated software and the display light is very hard to see. The adaptive brightness functiom is weak. I want to switch providers. Will I be able to qualify for a free device even tough I just got one from assurance wireless?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Yes, the new service provider will consider you a new customer and provide you with a smart phone. HOWEVER, make sure you sign up for a plan that comes with a phone, not just a SIM card.
Maria says
Someone knocked on my door while I was at work, my mom answered and she was told that she had benefits from Medicare, they wouldn’t say what it was but asked for an ID they left two boxes. End u pl being too cell phones that we didn’t request and we dont need. How do we send them back or return them?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Did she sign any paperwork to enroll in the Lifeline free government cell phone program? She/you need to call customer service at the company she enrolled with. Is there any paperwork identifying that company?
Owen says
I tried sending my defective phone back and was hung up on 4 times,keeps saying the new phone will be sent and has not been sent and i know now it never will be
Free Government Cell Phones says
You should consider switching service providers.
Robert says
I called and canceled my assurance wireless order they said it would take 48 hours that was a couple of weeks ago today I got the assurance wireless phone in the mail should i just send it back its never been opened or activated.
Free Government Cell Phones says
We need a little more clarification, Robert. Do you currently have another account with another Lifeline service provider or is Assurance your only account?
Sarah newell says
I signed up for lifeline and was approved so looking for a Provider I accidentally applied for two different services so I called back new phone wireless and canceled my application they just sent me a phone and I already have assurance wireless they sent me a Sim card since I already had a phone what do I do about the other phone I just received from the different carrier
Free Government Cell Phones says
Decide which one you want to keep IMMEDIATELY, then call the other and cancel your service. Hopefully, it is not too late and you have not been caught in the national database.
Lauren says
Some people from assurance wireless knocked on my door and asked if I had medical, I was very confused and asked what it was about, their shirts just said Assurance and I’d never heard of them before. I thought they were affiliated with MediCal…they were holding a box and said I had benefits that were mine that they were there to disperse and just needed to see my medical card. I was sketched out a little and thought it was a scam but they had all these ID badges and I asked what was in the box they said “benefits you already own” I thought it was going to be paperwork and new cards or something. Finally he gave it to me and left, I was shocked to find it was a cell phone inside. I already have a phone and don’t need this, I don’t know how to return it or if this affected my insurance? How do I give it back to them and get it detached from my account?
Free Government Cell Phones says
We are unaware of any legitimate programs that send people door to door to hunt for recipients, Lauren. Did you sign any paperwork for the phone? We’d say just stick the phone on a shelf and forget it. Don’t activate anything.
Linda says
They are legit. Just trying to recruit and market their service in ingenious ways. They do this all the time in the safer neighborhoods also if you are in Sacramento CA region ..you will see them. Just call the company or visit them . I got one too
Free Government Cell Phones says
The problem is that it’s almost impossible to tell who’s legit and who isn’t.
Evelyn Boerma says
I received a free government phone that does not have a phone # in it – it says unknown. I have tried calling their customer service #, but without a phone #, they hang up on me. I have sent them emails – someone answered that I have to call the customer service #. How ? when I don’t have a phone # for cell ? Can’t make calls, as it says No Mobile Service, even tho they said phone was activated ??
Frustrating –
Free Government Cell Phones says
Google “How do I find my cell phone number” and you’ll find a bunch of different possible ways to do it.
June Tucker says
When someone dies that has a state issued cell phone, need to return it? Can I give it away being the POA?
Free Government Cell Phones says
The phone does not need to be returned, but you need to contact the service provider to cancel the service. You can do that by calling 6-1-1 on the free phone.
Jennifer says
Would it be possible to switch back to my previous service provider (Assurance wireless) from the current provider (Safelink) without any fees and get a new phone?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Yes, that is something you can do as long as you’ve been with your current service provider for 60 days or longer. Here’s an article that tells you how simple it is to make the switch:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
Julie says
Untrue. You must return it within 30 days. Look at qlinkwireless.com
Free Government Cell Phones says
We really hate it when people who don’t know what they are talking about throw out completely untrue comments. And this is definitely untrue. Julie said “Look at qlinkwireless.com” so we did exactly that. Here’s what it says in Q Link’s Frequently Asked Questions:
9. Do I have to return the Q Link phone if I de-enroll from Lifeline?
No, the phone is yours to keep! You can use it until your service runs out.
acie scott says
what address do i mail my broken phone to
Free Government Cell Phones says
We don’t know who your service provider is, Acie.
Lynn says
I was just told told by a safelink rep, they will be sending me a box because I cancelled my service with them.I cannot get service with tmobile, so it is no use to me, I have applied to assurance, they have coverage here at my house.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Why are they sending you a box, Lynn?
Sheila Davis1 says
Can I use a qlink phone that has been discontinued with another provider like virgin mobile?
Free Government Cell Phones says
It depends on the service provider, Sheila. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, so it depends on whether your former service provider and your new service provider both operate on a compatible cell network.
Robert Pullen says
How do I get An address To return Warrenty phone to Assurance it’s A UMX phone
Free Government Cell Phones says
Did you read the article above, Robert? The headline is “Will they make me return my free government cell phone if I drop out of the LifeLine program?”
The first paragraph says, “Absolutely not. The free government cell phone is yours to keep.”
stephen says
rthis phone is a piecde of SH@T!!!!! it is locked into the airplane mode as delivered and I have no way of changing it. the phone is useless to me. I have tried for over a week preobably more than 5 hours of trying to work my way through your4 system to get an RMA number with no success. the instructions which I read immediately told me to remove the back and to remove something from the battery so it would make contact and reinstall the battery and back cover./ within 30 se3conds of me picking up the phone to try to remove the back, I cracked the screen. and while handling it without ever getting the back off the phone turned itself on. why do you send along directions that are not viable. if you hadn’t instructed me to take off the cover, the screen would still be in good shape. do you do it to insure an expensive return and big bucks for you to replace the screen????? the phone does not work and as far as I am concerned you can shove your phone service. and I will make a complaint to the FCC. you people don’t have obama to protect your assesw any more.. hopefully thew govt will close your doors
Free Government Cell Phones says
We’re not your service provider, Stephen. This is an independent informational website. Contact your provider’s customer service team to resolve your problems.
Sharon says
Give me Return Address for broken Q Link phone:
tgiodat@yahoo.com
Thomas Krughel says
I got a free government phone from assurance wireless i call them to cancel me out but i had the phone for 7 months and the reason i cancel is the calls kept dropping and the phone had so much static you could not here them talking.I couldn’t even dial 911 that’s why i cancel them because i couldn’t get out in my area when i needed it so now assurance wireless wants there phone back.I couldn’t us the remainder of my minutes because they took them away from me now i am with out a lifeline phone.and i need one because i am disabled.I called the assurance wireless and asked why the phone is dropping calls and so much static they told me because of my area and there is nothing they can do.
Free Government Cell Phones says
If we understand you, Thomas, it sounds like you cancelled your account. So why would you need the minutes if your account has been cancelled? We don’t know why they want the phone back. We’ve never heard of a free government cell phone company wanting its phone back.
Tiffany mcmillin says
I’m a new customer waiting for my new phone it was sent in returned because they didn’t put the apartment number and they just recently sent me another phone and it was supposed to be here May 5th 2017 I still haven’t received it what am I supposed to do I need a phone please email back thank you
Free Government Cell Phones says
This website is not affiliated with your service provider, Tiffany, so we have no information on your phone or its arrival schedule. You’ll need to contact your service provider to get that question answered.
Aubrey says
If i no longer need my safelink phone, how do i return it?
Free Government Cell Phones says
No need to return it, Aubrey. But you should contact your service provider’s customer service team to cancel your account.
patricia mcillwain says
My Government phone keeps saying I have no data, how can I get this fixed, I can’t find any phone numbers to call them
Free Government Cell Phones says
You can find all the free government cell phone companies in your state and their contact info at this link:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Lena says
Can I receive the qlink phone if I have an old assurance wireless phone? Or can I exchange it?
Free Government Cell Phones says
You can switch service providers as long as you’ve had your current service provider for 60 days or more. No, there’s no need to return your phone. Your new service provider will take care of all the details regarding your switch. Here’s an article that tells you all about how simple the process is:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
PATRICIA BARRE says
how do i cancel Safe link unaware i already had a free government phone
FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says
Call them.
PATRICIA BARRE says
thank you
Robert jones says
Hi my name is Robert Jones I have recently got a different touch screen phone that is also a state phone that has minutes on it and I don’t want to get in trouble for having two lines I thought they were going to cut the other one off. Please let me know what I can do please. My email address is sdrayer****** Thank you.
Free Government Cell Phones says
You need to call both service providers immediately and explain the situation. You run a real risk of having both services cut off.
Pamela Byers says
I no longer use of want my cell phone from Safelink. Can You send me a mialing/package return slip and a box to return it to you, actually I need 2, my parents have one of you phones too, and want to return it, too. I have tried calling you lines, but can never speak to an actual person, to get this taken care of!!!! Thanks, Pamela ****
42 ********** Rd
Laurens, SC, 29360
Free Government Cell Phones says
Sorry to tell you this, Pamela, but we are not your service provider. We are an independent website. But we can tell you that there’s no need to return the phone. It was given to you and you are not required to send it back.
sylvia chase says
I would like to return my free government cell phone as there is no book with it to explain how to use it. Where do I send it to return it?
FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says
You return it to the company that gave it to you.
Lula Denwiddie says
I do not want this phone or service nothing works properly,what shall I do?
Free Government Cell Phones says
How long have you had your Lifeline service, Lula? If it’s been more than 60 days and if you truly feel that your current service provider is unable or unwilling to help you, you are free to switch to a different service provider. Here’s an article that tells you how easy it is to do:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
jackie says
my phone got wet and no longer will turn on .. will i be able to get a new phone???
Rolando Martinez says
Is there a number so I could talk to someone
Rolando Martinez says
I haven’t recive my phone what number could I contact for my phone
Katrina Williams says
My assurance phone hasbeen cut off. Can I still use the phone with pre-paid cards or buying minutes?
Eames says
I need to return phones too. Is there an office/outlet/address to return and/or trade in for just a simple phone without all the extras?
Anna Canavan says
I would like to cancel my phone and return it to you. How do I go about this
Thank you
Free Government Cell Phones says
You need to contact your service provider directly, Anna, because we cannot cancel your account via your comment on this website.
Ashley says
I would like to know of can my free phone be deactivated at anytime? for example if I stop receiving benefits
Free Government Cell Phones says
We’ll give you two answers. One, yes, it can be deactivated at any time. Just contact your service provider’s customer service team and tell them you no longer qualify. Two, good luck. We get soooooo many comments from Lifeline customers who tell us it’s almost impossible to get their account cancelled even when the try multiple times. But we applaud you for making the effort to do what’s right, Ashley.
Dennis Jones says
I need the addres to return my mother’s Assurance wireless phone and discontinue her service.
parsottambhai patel says
how do i return my old phone
Free Government Cell Phones says
Read the freakin’ article, Parson.