Free Government Cell Phones

Lifeline phone service provides free cell phones to America's financially disadvantaged

Menu
  • Home
  • Do You Qualify?
  • How to get one?
  • States
  • Providers
  • Minutes
  • FAQ
  • News
  • Cheap Plans
  • Earn Money

What is the Universal Service Fund?

< Back to all FAQ's

You’ve probably noticed the term “Universal Service Fund” and wondered what it meant. We’ll do our best to explain this as simply as possible. The Federal Communication Commission created the Universal Service Fund back in 1997 to help achieve goals set by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. According to the 1996 Act all providers of telecommunications services (otherwise known as phone companies) must contribute to federal universal service in some equitable and nondiscriminatory manner.

The “universal” part of the name means that the phone companies must offer advanced telecommunications service to everyone who cannot afford to pay for it -– including all schools, classrooms, health care providers, libraries and, of course, the needy. Every paying telephone customer has a small fee (usually less than a dollar) to their phone bills every month. Those fees are collected in a Universal Service Fund that is used to provide discounted and free service to everyone who needs it.

The Universal Service Fund is where the money comes from to pay for the Lifeline cell phones from Safelink Wireless, Assurance Wireless, ReachOut Wireless and other providers of cell phones to the needy.

For an overview about how to get your own government phone, go to the Free Cell Phones page for instructions.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Before you post your comment...

  1. If you are going to ask "how do I get a cell phone?" go here instead.
  2. If you are going to ask "how do I get a replacement phone," go here instead
  3. We are not your cell phone company. All technical questions should be asked of your vendor.
  4. Your comments are moderated, and we will manually approve those worth publishing within 24 hours.

Comments

  1. Hal jurin says

    February 26, 2019 at 2:51 pm

    America assurance Lifeline company that’s not honor the agreements that they write their representatives are rude very disrespectful one of the representatives would not transfer me to a supervisor refused I was trying to explain to her the song was defective so as a package it up to get it mailed in my mailbox is beside my door and as you would know it a package Thief so I called the company and he tells me that I have to buy upgrade phone if I don’t replace funds then I had a girlfriend’s mother’s phone get stolen with her purse they replace her phone at no charge because you are allowed one replacement phone within the year being that it was stolen or it was some kind of Damage Done by fire the guy tells me they don’t have no more free things all they have is upgrade phones then wanted me to pay for a thing I can’t be held reliable for people stealing the reason that I even apply for the phone I am a disabled woman and I only draw enough to pay my bills and for them to talk to me an act the way they did well talk the way they did to me was very disrespectful they are not a green and a Vine by their terms and agreements I feel discriminated very disrespected so I asked for the police ID number and he gives me a name see see how many more people have been treated this way Treatise talk to us anyway because we are low income people we are disabled people we do you do not hold the Dream It’s the policies that you put in place and your representative stated no more free phones to give out what about the next 10 people game so you know that’s on you on and you all act like anybody else has had any problems with them you’re more welcome to join us this has to stop you know that those we signed agreements where the one supplied they have to honor that agreement but they don’t stand for nobody else to be talked to the way I was talk to because it’s a universal service fund is the one who pays for the phones they are going through the company

    Reply
  2. joanna Espinoza says

    January 25, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    I got a free cell phone from budget mobile but i can’t get a number how can i doit

    Reply
  3. Richard says

    September 22, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    They say this is a free phone. Well I don’t see what is so free about it. I ordered a phone through the Safe-Link plan. My telephone server AT&T then left a message on my answering machine, telling me that my order had been delivered. Since I didn’t order anything I called AT&T, since I was going for the free cell phone it disqualified me for their Life Line program that saved me $16.00 a month in taxes.

    So my telephone bill is going to go up $16.00 add that to the $113.00 that I pay for unlimited long distance and Internet service my bill will be $129.00.

    Now I would like to know if there is another plan I can qualify for that will not disqualify me from the government backed phone? Do all phone companies disqualify you from their Life Line services or is it just AT&T?

    Otherwise there is no free phone here.

    Hot in Kansas

    Reply
    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      September 23, 2014 at 5:56 am

      We’ve never heard of AT&T and Safelink working together, especially in this manner. So we don’t know what’s going on.

      Reply
  4. Galeane Theriot says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:38 pm

    thank you!!

    Reply
  5. boo hiss says

    November 12, 2011 at 11:55 am

    dollar huh, thats ok too in my book

    But if it gives $5 or more to the bill..*xO*

    Reply

Just tell me how to get a Phone!

Confused? Getting a phone is actually very simple. Click here to begin, read every word, and then simply follow the instructions.

Sign up for our Free Newsletter

  
Click to learn more...

Search our site:

More Information

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Readers' Questions
  • Help
  • Contact
  • About Us

Recent Articles

Millionaires can get free government cell phones. Why can’t you?

Dropping like flies: AT&T ends Lifeline landline discounts, T-Mobile may be next

True Wireless says fraud allegations are untrue

Shame! Cold-hearted Verizon ends program that gave free government cell phones to survivors of domestic abuse

Halloween horror story: Thousands of dead people sign up for free government cell phones

USAC eliminates port freeze: Now you can switch free government cell phone companies any time you want

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

Get a low-income Internet plan and ditch your phone

California city to ban free government cell phone street tents

Dueling testimony: One “expert” says Lifeline criticism is racist, another says it’s not strict enough

Latest Reader Comments


  • Assurance Wireless Free Cell Phones (1975)
    • Try enrolling with a different company, Patricia. It sounds like you probably qualify. – [click to read]
    • I got a phone too with defective battery. Could not take off charger, or it would die. All that happened was they kept wanting me to BuY a new phone (which seems scammish -purposely send ... – [click to read]

  • California Lifeline Free Cell Phones, with Unlimited Talk & Text...and plus Data (925)
    • Jeez. We’re not your service provider, Angelica. Contact its customer service team. – [click to read]
    • So I got a free phone and know it says i have no service so i want a new one please thanks – [click to read]

  • Now you can use your Apple iPhone with FreedomPop's free cell phone plan (81)
    • It takes a little more work than simply saying you want one, Anthony. You actually have to enroll in one of the plans available in your state. – [click to read]
    • I will like an government iPhone – [click to read]

  • How do I do the annual recertification of my phone? (500)
    • THank you. I just tried it again just in case and the page came up saying that It couldn't be done either because I just did it and it was approved or I hadn't had ... – [click to read]

  • FCC rule change allows more than one free government cell phone per household (173)
    • It means it has been received and is being processed. But, quite honestly, that may well vary from service provider to service provider. – [click to read]
    • What does it mean when you fill out an application online for insurance phone and it says your application request has been received does that mean they have to mail you an application sorry I ... – [click to read]

  • Can I use my Safelink Wireless SIM card in another phone? (898)
    • Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone to speak to customer service or tech support. – [click to read]
    • I had a safelink wireless phone but bought a LG and put my information in. I'm getting a samsung galaxy. Where do I go to get them to program it and put all information in? – [click to read]
    • I'll trust your answer. I have seen other people suggest this as well. – [click to read]

  • Tag Mobile Free Cell Phones in 19 States (327)
    • No, sorry, but we cannot match or do even better because WE ARE NOT A LIFELINE SERVICE PROVIDER. THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE. You must contact the company’s customer service team directly. – [click to read]
    • I'm about to lose my service with assurance wireless on the 27 and right now I have a 4G smart phone with 5 GB.... Now can you match this or even do better because I ... – [click to read]

  • Frequently Asked Questions for the Lifeline Program and Cell Phones (686)
    • The representatives are correct. Your eligibility is good until you re-certificatio n date. But we commend you on your honesty and eagerness to do what’s right. – [click to read]
  • Older »
Copyright 2019 FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net. | Privacy Policy | Contact