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

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Assurance Wireless Free Cell Phones

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NOTICE: Thanks to the new Emergency Broadband Benefits program, plans now include Unlimited Data! Enroll now while it lasts!

Free Android smartphone, unlimited free talk and texts, and 3GB data.
IN CALIFORNIA: Unlimited talk and texts plus 5GB data.

Assurance Wireless, a Sprint/Nextel company, is currently available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. And, as with their competitors, they’ll be coming soon to other states across the country.

If you qualify for an Assurance Wireless government phone, and requirements vary from state to state, you will get a free Android smartphone, unlimited talk and unlimited text messages plus 3GB of data (5GB if you live in California) at absolutely no cost.

California Lifeline

  • Free unlimited talk
  • Free unlimited texts
  • Free 5GB high-speed data

Lifeline in other states

  • Free unlimited talk
  • Free unlimited texts
  • Free 3GB high-speed data

Unlimited International Talk & Text Offers


Assurance makes it feast to make unlimited international calls with its $5 or $10 Mexico/Canada + International Text. You get unlimited international texts to over 200 international destinations.

$5 Mexico/Canada + International Text:

  • Unlimited Calls to Mexico landlines/mobile phones
  • Unlimited Calls to Canada landlines/mobile phones*
  • Unlimited International Text (over 200 international destinations)

$10 Mexico/Canada + International Text:

  • Unlimited Calls to Mexico landlines/mobile phones
  • Unlimited Calls to Canada landlines/mobile phones*
  • Unlimited International Text (over 200 international destinations)
  • Unlimited Calls to landlines in over 70 countries
  • A total of 200 minutes to call select mobiles in over 50 countries (including the Dominican Republic) or to call landlines in the Dominican Republic

* excludes Northern Territories, area code 867

Assurance Wireless is one of the biggest and fastest growing companies offering free cell phones through the federal Lifeline Assistance program, and it continues to grow rapidly because it is a subsidiary of Virgin Mobile, which itself is a subsidiary of Sprint/Nextel. They are the second largest company, behind Safelink Wireless. Although with their aggressive plans they’ve recently released, Safelink needs to be looking over their shoulder.

Are You Eligible?

Eligibility requirements for an Assurance phone and minutes often vary slightly from state to state, but you probably qualify for a phone from the company if you participate in any of the following government aid programs:

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
  • Medicaid
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
  • Veterans Pension and Survivor's Benefit.
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
  • Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
  • Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

If you are not on a government assistance program that is Lifeline-approved for your state, you can still qualify if your household income meets certain government guidelines in your area — namely, if it is at our below 135-150% (may vary upon state) of the federal poverty level. Submit your Assurance Wireless application online or via mail, or call the Assurance Wireless phone number to see if you qualify.

Be Sure to Compare Assurance Wireless with Other Options in Your State

Assurance Wireless is just one of the many Lifeline Cell Phone providers in your state. Some states have over a dozen cell phone providers to choose from. Plans and phone choices often vary substantially between providers and you owe it to yourself to look at them all. To begin your comparison shopping, please see our phone providers by state page and click on your state.

Contact Assurance Wireless

www.AssuranceWireless.com
Assurance Wireless
P.O. Box 686
Parsippany, NJ 07054

Assurance Wireless Customer Service
1-888-898-4888
https://www.facebook.com/AssuranceWireless
Email: ourteam@assurancewireless.com or awsocialcare@sprint.com

Further Reading on Assurance Wireless

Latest News on Assurance Wireless

Which companies offer the best free texting plans? And which ones offer the worst? - Now that the FCC's new Lifeline rules have gone into effect, we though it might be interesting to see which companies are offering the best texting plans. And which ones are offering the worst plans.
Don’t enroll at a street tent: Check around before you choose a free government cell phone company - We know it's tempting to enroll with a street vendor when he says, "It's free!" But the truth is that other companies probably offer other plans that are far better than the one that guy sitting in a booth is offering you.
California Lifeline explosion: More companies, more unlimited plans, more great paid plans - The competition in free government cell phones is getting stiffer in California and that's great for consumers because more companies are now offering free unlimited minutes and text plans.
National disgrace: Why don’t military veterans qualify for free government cell phones? - Thirteen of the fourteen leading Lifeline free government cell phone companies offer absolutely nothing for veterans. It's nothing less than a national disgrace.
Which free government cell phones offer special devices for the hearing, vision and speech-impaired? - Over the years readers have asked if any Lifeline Assistance companies offer special devices for customers who are hearing, vision or speech-impaired. We decided to find out.
We’re number three! We’re number three! Life Wireless tops one million free government cell phone customers - The Georgia-based company says it has topped the 1,000,000 customer barrier and climbed into the number three position in the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone business, trailing only long-time industry leaders Safelink Wireless and Assurance Wireless.
The 2016 List of Leaders: Who’s who in the free government cell phone business - conducts a comprehensive analysis of the latest USAC numbers to come up with the an accurate look at the who’s who and what’s what in the Lifeline Assistance industry.
Which free government cell phone companies offer smartphones? - So many readers ask us which companies offer smartphones that we decided it was time to survey all the top-ranking Lifeline Assistance companies.
Which free government cell phone companies allow you to make international calls? - So we put on our researcher hats and set out to find the international call policy of each Lifeline Assistance company.
What to do if your free government cell phone is lost, stolen or damaged - We get so many questions and comments about lost or stolen free government cell phones that we thought our readers would appreciate a complete rundown of replacement policies for each of the leading service providers.

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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. Susanna Brooke says

    1- Super sorry no one ever really reads anything and doesn’t realize you are not a cell provider. I don’t know how you’ve retained your sanity.

    2- I used your helpful information to switch from Safelink to Assurance February 2020 so I have a few comments that may help others:

    I live in a near-deadzone in the Eastern Panhandle of WV. A half mile either direction and there’s service for Sprint, Verizon, At&T etc but where I live between two mountains there’s only US Cellular.
    Assurance’s coverage map claimed full coverage here. Even though it was a long shot, I made the switch because it was useless to have a Safelink phone as an emergency “lifeline” without a signal even outside.
    Switching was easy because I wasn’t able to use the phone once a month due to both signal AND the extremely poor battery in all 3 phones I’d gotten in my 9 years with Safelink (as in the battery was so bad from the first use that it had to be plugged in to use or it would die before your eyes at a rate of >5% a minute AND it would even die while completely shut off which I didn’t even know could happen).
    So once I was canceled from Safelink I signed up on Assurance website, was approved immediately and had a phone within a week.

    My first phone from Assurance was an “ANS L51” which I’d not heard of but at first appearance it WAS nicer than the Alcatels sent from Safelink (but for free, they’re all fine if the battery allows use of the device).
    The best part was I actually somehow had service if I put the phone in a window or walked outside. Unfortunately, the battery started to die pretty quickly. It wasn’t as extreme as with Safelink, but I had to use it and turn it off or it’d be dead in an hour.
    One day I had the phone charging on my coffee table & came out to find it on the floor, face up, still charging but with a huge crack across the screen. My cat must have pulled on the charger wire and the 1 FOOT DROP ONTO CARPET somehow cracked it. I tried to make the best of it for a year but with the battery drain, I thought “May as well ask for a replacement that’s not cracked with a better battery”.
    Customer service was easy to reach. English was not his first language but he was super nice and I was able to understand him enough to ask for, and receive, authorization for a replacement phone.

    In 10 days I received a Wiko Ride or Life 2. Also unknown to me, but more robust than the L51. Again, the battery sucks but I’ve come to accept all Lifeline phones must be refurbished with questionable battery life.

    The weird thing though is this phone has NO signal just like the Safelink phones. No matter how far I walk from my house it’s searching for a signal and no texts or calls will go out.
    Now I’m wishing I’d have kept the broken phone because at least that one would work in case of emergencies.

    I’m starting to feel like there’s just some rural areas that won’t get service under any Lifeline plan unless they upgrade cell towers, infrastructure etc.

    I do like how Assurance’s lifeline portal shows you everything about your service and usage and I was even able to activate the new phone myself from their website when usually you’d have to call and have a representative walk you through all the ESN and other #s.
    I also like their phones better than Safelink and their communication and customer service is better, as well.

    If you live in a place that has T-Mobile/Sprint coverage, I do definitely recommend Assurance. I wish it was easier to take any of these Lifeline providers’ phones for a test drive without committing because cancelling *can* be difficult.

    Reply

    • Henry says

      Your physical location and the wireless components inside the phone determine how good your reception will be, if at all. Assurance and Safelink offer “no name” clone phone models for free. Entry level models with basic components and limited capacities. You will never get a Samsung, Apple, Google, Motorola, LG, OnePlus, Nokia, etc., phone model for free (not even the discontinued models). If you look at their online phone store websites, they offer the brand name models for sale, but expect to pay several hundred dollars for them and up to over $1000.

      Reply

  2. Gary says

    The AccessWireless site is not processing my applicaion for a lifeline phone and contact numbers do not exist. Will not deal with this company.

    Reply

    • Henry says

      You have not been looking into the website with enough effort. I found contact numbers on their site.

      For New Service Questions/To Apply: 1-888-900-5899

      For Current Customers: 1-866-594-3644

      This Kroger affiliated company does not appear to offer online chat customer service.

      Reply

  5. Robert C Madison says

    I applied for a lifeline/assurance wireless phone and was approved. Now they say they need more info. The site says it’s in the mail. WTF?? I still haven’t gotten a phone but several emails wondering why I haven’t activated it yet. I can’t get anyone on the website and I don’t have access to a phone… Help!!

    Reply

  8. Linda Weakley says

    What kind of phone do I have z? I have a cool pad but that’s all I can make out. I want to get a case & screen protector
    Thank you,
    Linda Weakley

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are unable to answer your question because we are NOT Assurance Wireless, Linda. This is an independent informational website.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Check the Assurance website to find out how to purchase extra minutes, Rebecca.

      Reply

  10. Marion says

    I have been trying to get my son the new phone he will need for the T-Mobile network as per letter from Assurance Wireless on March 16, 2021 but can not find any way to get it using the 1-888-321-**** phone number listed in the letter. Can you help with this? His phone number is 574-601-****.
    Thank you.

    Reply

  11. Thomas peterson says

    I was approved for the free service on 4,/7/2021 have heard nothing since then and its almost the 17th

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Best comment of the day. “It’s almost the 17th” on the 14th of the month. Some companies say it takes two or three weeks, but it often takes far longer. Check with your service provider’s customer service team to see if they can update you.

      Reply

  12. Lowman Wheeler says

    I applied for my free cell phone a week ago and haven’t heard from Assurance. Can you tell me what’s going on?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not your service provider, so we cannot tell you what’s going on. But have you tried asking Assurance customer service the same question?

      Reply

    • Jon says

      Aweful. These things have had many problems. Most if not all are infected with some kind of malware. These are likely the most insecure phones on planet earth. All your general data, all your searches, passwords etc are all government viewable. They can at any time see ALL your shit. I will NEVER use these.

      Reply

  14. Christopher says

    Ok FREE GOVERNMENT CELL, I HAVE A FEW QUESTION S / COMMENTS/CONCERNS I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE WHOPE PURPOSE BEHIND THESE FREE GOVERNMENT PHONES IS SO THE POOR OR NEEDY CAN HAVE A PHONE AND NOT HAVE TO PAY,CORRECT?? AND THE PURPOSE BEHIND DOING THAT IS FOR MULTIPLE REASONS ,ONE OF THE MAIN AND CRUCIAL ONE OF THOSE REASONS IS FOR EMERGENCIES, CORRECT???? WELL THEN I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THE ASSURANCE WIRELESS CARRIER YOU GUYS USE/PROVIDE IS TOTALLY USELESS AND A WASTE OF TAX PAYER MONEY(PHONE FEE FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD ONE) WHICH EVER ONE YOU DECIDE TO CHOOSE, ITS A WASTE OF THE POOR AND NEEDY S TIME

    Reply

    • Christopher says

      I also find it funny that you cannot write your comment and what you actually want to say because you only allow like 500 character s, which is a joke and is which is why I am continuing in the freaking reply to my own self box, lmfao this gets more and more ridiculous, I THINK IM NO LONGER GOING TO WASTE MY TIME, AND JUST CONTACT WHO I NEED TO CONTACT IN THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS TALK TO A NEWS CREW ABOUT THIS ridiculousness ,CANT MAKE A EMERGENCY PHONE CALL CAUSE THE PHONE,COMPANY, OR SERVICE IS SO F ED UP you are constantly on the phone with the phone company, in your phone or something that has to do along those lines to get your phone working like it should be in the first place especially in an emergency and then after all that make your emergency phone call which will probably mess up again just to restart the process again this is just one problem and it’s a major problem due to an emergency situation I am speaking on this and about this I am going to do what I have to do to get this fixed and made right due to the fact there was an emergency where a person lost their life due to the fact these government phones that were given to the needy in cases like this didn’t work because of the constant problems

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        Two things: (1) We do not limit our readers’ comments to 500 characters. Some people have written near novel length comments. (2) You do realize, don’t you, that we are not Assurance? This is an independent informational website.

        Reply

  15. suzanne fortress says

    I am unable to activate my replacement phone. They sent me to a tech site that I have to pay for service to help me activate it. This is a free govt phone for those that are low income or disabled. I am both. It took me 3 mos to get a replacement phone, now that it is here, I still can’t use it

    Please help

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      There’s not much we can do to help, Suzanne. Who sent you to the outside tech site? Customer service?

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Montana is the state that is least served by the Lifeline program. There are a few plans here and there but they are aimed specifically at Native American populations. A couple of them offer discounted, not free cell phones. So you are basically out of luck in Montana unless you are a Native American living in very small areas of the state.

      Reply

  17. Geoffrey Jacobs says

    I just received my device in the mail. It came with a charging cord and a charging cable; also, the box has labels that consist of the devices battery was already installed and charged to about 60% but I still immediately placed it on a charging cycle for several hours). After meticulously and painstakingly followed the instructions, verbatim, nothing was accomplished but a PUK locked device and, of course being the weekend and/or my availability to troubleshoot and talk to a human happen to be slightly after bankers hours and a call center that must operate within the hours of wherever in the world their servers VPN indicates. I sure hope this issue can be solved without any more complications or or resistance from anyone. The instructions that are sent need to be analyzed and adjusted to to facilitate any possible unique quirks the equipment or software may have. In my case it appears to be that the customer education and technical support aspects of the operation need get a closer look at why call centers stay so busy while they are open. I can only imagine such a scenario because I’ll be one of the confused and frustrated subscribers who will be reaching out to an agent tomorrow unless someone gives me that magic number in the comments below. Thank you.

    Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        Impossible to answer that question, Angel. Signal all depends on a thousand different factors. Your neighbor could get perfect reception on the same plan while you’re getting terrible reception.

        Reply

  18. Dawn says

    Please post a link for a printable application for a free cell phone. I have been searching for 10 minutes, and still haven’t found a link to actually apply for Assurance Wireless Cell phone.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to visit the Assurance website to find an application, Dawn. We are not authorized to publish any Assurance documents.

      Reply

  19. Jason says

    How do I check the status of my new replacement assurance phone they said they would email me and my phone was covered on the warranty it just stopped not coming on no Charging just red light I’ve called twice and said it would be on way and would email me but haven’t got phone or email plz help with this matter thank you Jason Davenport

    Reply

  21. ASHLEY MICHELLE STALLARD says

    my assurance wireless phone cuts on and off by itself.battery gives dead real quick.and want charge how do i get another one

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      If you can get it to work long enough, contact Assurance customer service by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone

      Reply

  24. abel borrego says

    I have not received my conformation letter with a pin number. I received a phone but cannot unlock it
    since I do not have a pin number or letter.

    Reply

    • Bobbi Beasley says

      Which free government fone service gives the best fones that last longer than a month? I AM grateful, but I have to buy any other fone after the first one (NOT CHEAP EITHER “$30.00” some more expensive than that… n I can’t afford that… WHOLE POINT N GETTING FREE GOVT. FONE…

      Reply

  25. Virginia Moore says

    I need to send back a defective phone. I was sent the envelope but can I send it back through the Post Office?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Under most circumstances you are not required to return a defective phone. But we strong recommend that you speak to your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  26. Nethanya says

    I finally made Assurance Wireless agree to replace my Unimax phone that has a virus, but they want me to pay for shipping of replacement phone now, even though I want to replace it due to THEIR fault. Can you please comment on this? Thank you

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’d like to think that replacement phones should be absolutely free, but Assurance is actually doing more for you than we would have expected. They’re doing more than most of their competitors would do.

      Reply

      • Nethanya says

        Thanks for sharing your opinion. Assurance is sending to US seniors Chinese phones with preinstalled irremovable Trojan virus on it. And now they want to charge money for shipping. They should and I hope will be sued for this.

        Reply

      • Jononymous says

        Assurance is giving needy people devices with Chinese adware pre-installed on them, and then they have the audacity to ask those people to pay for replacements? (which will no doubt have the same malware)

        Yes, I’d say that they’re doing much more than their competitors in that regard…
        Pardon my sarcasm, but I’ve been working against their malware for several weeks now, and have found no recourse. I’m at the end of my rope with this problem.

        Speaking of recourse, where would people like Nethanya and I go to report Assurance for doing this?

        Reply

          • Jononymous says

            Malwarebytes and others have done reporting on this.

            The gist of the problem is that the devices ship with their core apps, such as Settings and the Launcher, already compromised and with a backdoor open for adware to be installed. As far as I’m aware, they’re not trying to steal sensitive data like banking information, just hijacking the phones to show people ads. And probably lots of data harvesting to sell to advertisers.
            It’s my understanding that Assurance allows this to happen through negligence, but the more cynical part of me suspects that an under-the-table deal might have happened. This sort of smarmy behavior is typical for government contracting or really anything subsidized, unfortunately.

            I’m likely going to send in and sacrifice my device to Malwarebytes for analysis, because despite doing factory resets, it keeps getting re-infected and becomes totally unusable after a month or so. This is with normal use, not installing anything weird and only through the Google Play Store. I do not use the browser on this device, so that infection vector is out too.
            I’ll just bite the bullet as far as getting a phone plan, because this “service” is totally unacceptable to me.

            The adware has Chrome automatically opening dozens of spam tabs, apps installing themselves in secret, Google Play Store automatically opening on shady-looking app pages, and so on. And of course, the devices they send out are very under-powered, so having all that stuff going on at once makes it nigh-impossible to actually get anything done with them, especially for things like running virus scans or trying to navigate settings menus.
            The issue seems to be fairly well-known among its userbase, but sadly as the issue only affects poor people, no one will fight for us.

            Seeing as how the FCC oversees this program, I don’t think there’s actually anything to be done about it, even if I had “smoking gun” proof of Assurance’s involvement. They are likely just as complicit. I only ask if there’s a way to report this because I’m a fool and am holding out hope for justice.

            Thank you.

  27. norma crisco says

    i”m tring too get my friend that is in a nursing home a cell phone. and i filled out an app foe an assurance wireless phone. but they didnt give me an answer if she quafiied or not. and i was wounding if you could find out for me. her name is norma crisco and the last 4 of her social is 0148 qnd her address is (ADDRESS DELETED). this is my e-mail so you can send anything to me until we get her a phone get her a e-mail that you very much. *********@yahoo.com

    Reply

  29. STEPHEN says

    MY ASSURANCE PHONE TURNS ITSEL ON AND IS DEAD WHEN I GO TO USE IT. CALLED ASSUANCE FOR REPLACEMENT. Its a free gov. phone , butt they told me to get a new phone i must PAY $25.00 FOR ANOTHER CRAPPY PHONE, SUPERVISOR WAS TO CALL ME BACK THEY NEVER CALLED MEEE BACK. THIS Company is a RIPOFF… CANT GET ANY RESPONSE FROM THEM. SO JUST VENTING TO YOU OTHERS WHO GET SCREWED BY THESE TYPE OF COMPNYS.

    Reply

  30. Robert Wm. Astyk says

    For friendly, quality customer service you need not go to Assurance Wireless. You’d do better going into the bathroom, closing the door and shouting your frustrations into the toilet than trying to get some help from Assurance Wireless. I hate cell phones but have come to accept that they can be useful, sort of like a burglar when you want to get into your home and have lost your keys. I hate texting (wasn’t that what e-mail was for?) and watch movies on screens larger than an index card. However, I am homeless, old and have a variety of medical problems (As Bette Davis said, “Growing old ain’t for sissies!) so I have to dance with the devil cell phone. Several years ago (10/2015) when I got my first Assurance phone I went through weeks of frustrating and hellish back and forth until I got one that worked. The Assurance people weren’t especially helpful but I finally did get a working phone. Over a month ago I heard that I might be eligible to receive a smart phone, my old one being about as dumb and Luddite as I am, so I asked Assurance if I might up-grade to a jazzier phone. It took them several weeks but they finally said I could have a newer phone. Oh, joy! My new phone arrived on Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Since it came with no instruction manual I found the manual on-line and began the process of inserting the battery and charging the phone. Now the phone’s light says it’s charged. I take it off the charger and it’s a lump of dead metal, glass and plastic. Perusing the manual further I find that I need a “micro SD card” but I don’t have one. The manual says one is included but it’s nowhere unless “micro” means “invisible to the naked eye”. I call Assurance’s Customer Service figuring that this is easy. They will just replace the missing “micro SD card” sometime before Labor Day and I’ll have a new, smart working phone. Shows you how foolish I am! The very nice lady in nearby Bangalore, India (just 2 oceans away) assesses my problem and asks me to hold while she “researches my problem” and then cuts me off. Now, because I have had the unmitigated gall to question the authority of the all-powerful Assurance Wireless, my phone service on my old phone – which according to Assurance’s own literature is supposed to remain working until I activate my new phone – is cut off. I can no longer receive calls nor can I make calls without paying by credit card or making the call collect. Tell me, do you think that Assurance Wireless is accepting collect customer service calls? Nah-uh! So I head to my computer and begin sending rather testy messages to the Mae D. who got me my phone. She replies that their system tells her that the “micro SD card” is NOT included with the phone. I e-mail (that’s “old school texting”, right?) Mae D. again, rather more perturbed than I was the first time and tell her that the manual tells me one thing and she tells me the opposite. She answers, “We know how important maintaining your phone service is to you but, nope, Hell will freeze over before we send you an “accessory”. Like the thing that makes the phone work is an “accessory”? Now I’m really angry and not too worried about who knows it. I ask to speak with Mae D.’s supervisor so I get a message from Maria B. who tells me that Hell will freeze…etc. By now it’s Friday morning, June 5th. I have also heard from Myette C. (who know what horrors await me if I ever hear from Milli A. or Mitzi E!) I’m scheduled to go out for a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon. Since I don’t know when the doctor will actually see me or be done with me, I have set up my paratransit ride so that I have to call when I’m done. Did I mention that thanks to the good people at Assurance Wireless I do NOT have a working cell phone? It’s not too big a deal because the clinic staff will call for me, still it takes away one more bit of my independence. I start by demanding that they restore service on my old, dumb phone until I (not they) activate my new phone. But it’s what day? Friday! The last business day of the week. Do you think I’m going to get my phone service restored or even some mindless boilerplate reply? Oh, you must have gone through this before, smarty! You knew! Yes, it’s the Hell will freeze over first that I got. No response and my old phone and new are simply paperweights. So that is, to date, my experience with Assurance Wireless. Their customer service is the absolute best in the business as long as you never have to use it. I suggest that only bald people try their customer service to prevent much tearing out of hair.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’re not your service provider, so we don’t have any idea, Laura. Contact your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  33. lauren Grove says

    I have a free cell phone from assurance and it is showing some jap. .chin., characters and can not get english there ..How do you get in contact with assurance?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone and you’ll be connected to your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We urge our readers NOT to enroll at street events because they have been the scenes of so much fraud and abuse.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Only your service provider can help you with that. This is an independent informational website, NOT a service provider.

      Reply

  36. Maxine Evans says

    I was told by someone in your company that a free cell phone wasn’t available in my zip code area, which is 99037. Is this still true or not? Please let me know since I don’t have a cell phone and can’t afford to pay for the service or the phone at this time.

    Thank you,
    Maxine Evans

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      No one in “our company” told you that, Maxine, because we are not a service provider. This is an independent informational website. If you want to find out what services are available in your zip code, visit EveryoneOn.org.

      Reply

  37. Sharon Straw says

    I NEED A FREE PHONE N PLAN WHERE I DONT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. I HAD ONE 2 YRS AGO N IT WOULDNT CHARGE NO MORE N I DIDNT HAVE 5 DOLLARS TO GET ANOTHER ONE..I THNK O HAD IT WITH ASSURANCE WIRELESS. NAME SHARON STRAW. dob 3/9/66. pleez get back 2 me..610 713 ****

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We don’t think we’ve ever had an article that talked about phones for sale. Any readers want to correct us?

      Reply

  40. Paul says

    After many years as an Assurance customer, one day I no longer had service. An automated voice informed me I no longer qualify for service even though my circumstances haven’t changed. I tried writing their customer service but got no reply. May I apply somewhere else immediately? Do I have to do anything to officially be an ex-customer? There’s no way to contact them right now.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We cannot because we are not your service provider. Call 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone to be connected to your customer service team.

      Reply

  42. Apryl Voner says

    How can I get email sent to my phone? It was (Phone Number)@vmobl.com, but that is not working. What should be used now?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We readily admit that we are not experts on the technical aspects of cell phones, Apryl. Do a Google search for the make and model of your phone plus the words “user manual.” When you find the user Manuel, you should be able to took up the problem and solution. If not, contact your service provider’s customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone.

      Reply

  44. Nethanya says

    BEWARE! They ship you Chinese knock off phones preloaded with a VIRUS in a SYSTEM APP that CAN NOT BE removed by anti-virus! This is a total SCAM that must be investigated by US authorities! I am going to report them, and you should TOO!

    Reply

      • Nethanya says

        They’ve sent me two phones with the same virus. I’ve tried to troubleshoot with their technical support several times (full reset, etc.), and myself, to no avail. I have lots of screenshots, and I am still in possession of the second phone they sent me to prove it. I am pretty sure it is wide spread, they’re just taking advantage of the fact that older folks are not technically savvy. Please let me know if you’re interested in helping out to resolve this issue. Thanks

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          Unfortunately, we receive so many reader problems every day that we just cannot help any individuals. We can give you information and a bit of advice, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day to help everyone solve their problems.

          Reply

          • Nethanya says

            I’ll appreciate any information and advice.
            I am sure this is not only my problem. This a security SCAM that is being run right under the nose of the US government, subsidized by the US taxpayer money. As I see it, this is a very serious security issue, not just a random technical problem.
            Thank you

          • Nethanya says

            If you call paranoia a pre-installed Trojan virus in a System app on two Chinese knock off phones that can not be removed, then thanks for nothing.
            I’ll keep working on it, and I’ll have your replies on file. BTW, here is more on the topic:
            “Jen Bradley
            2 months ago (edited)
            ***********
            I have had 4 phones UMX U683CL’s since October. They are all pre installed with unremovable malware, now being investigated after I complained to enough places who could do something about it. Articles written today, have typo with wrong model as they put 686, should be 683. Assurance Wireless where I got it. Install Malwarebytes and you will find the malware. Bad news. I give it zero stars.”
            From:
            ***********

          • Free Government Cell Phones says

            We can’t allow you to post links, Nethanya. But we’ll post the rest of it.

        • Crystal says

          Nethanya; I am getting ready to rip someones head off at Assurance. I had that same problem as well as my phone not even functioning as a phone. It won’t ring for calls coming in, or the caller can’t even get connected at all, most of the time I can’t call out, or the phone will say it’s calling out but I hear no ring and then it disconnects, most of the time I can’t text, it says “service unavailable, and it won’t call me from the apartment call box down stairs, it goes straight to voicemail for the caller… wth? I just received the second phone after trying everything “TECH” said to do, and then yesterday they called to remind me to send the first phone back and it didn’t even ring! LOL! It went to voicemail! I want to take a hammer to it so they don’t send it to someome else again after “refurbishing” it. Xo(

          Reply

          • lyn says

            Comment: China purposely gave us a NASTY virus..

            Answer: You’re just paranoid, dear.

            I can’t stop laughing.

  45. Barbara Ross says

    I keep getting letters from assurancewireless. It tells me that I will lose my service in 45 days if I. do’nt get my replacement phone. connected. After that the letter states that I need to get new2 account #’s and a lot. more!!! Listen, I can’t even turn on my replacement phone. Soooo I will send the phone. back to YOU. I have had it! I will solve this some other way. Your use to be customer

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We hate getting testy this early in the morning, but we are not your service provider. We didn’t send you a phone and wherever you send it, it won’t be to us. Contact your service provider. To repeat, CONTACT YOUR SERVICE PROVIDER.

      Reply

  47. Bridget mandal says

    Capital my assurance wireless phone fell and cracked. It is no longer usable. I just went and got another assurance wireless phone just like it. I want to keep my phone number that was on my previous phone. They told me to go online to do it because things were slow down at this time. What website or how do I go about the procedure to keep my old number.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      If you got an identical make and model phone, we “think” you should be able to simply take the SIM card out of your original phone and install it in your new phone. But don’t take our word for it. We would strongly recommend that you contact your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Visit your service provider’s website. It will offer some sort of “Recertify” or “How to Recertify” function.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to speak to Assurance customer service, Israel. This is an independent informational website, NOT affiliated with any Lifeline company, so we cannot provide the help you need.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Impossible to predict, Joshua. They are distributed randomly from the service provider’s stock of phones. The applicant before you may get one make and model, you may get a different make and model and the applicant after you may get still another make and model.

      Reply

  52. Crystal says

    OMYGOSH! I feel for you FGCP.net!!!! Soooo many people don’t know what the hell they are doing! Nor do they know how to read! Kudos to you for having the patience you do and not allowing your heads to explode!

    ***Buyer Beware*** with Assurance Free phone plan! I don’t know it all phones they hand out suck, OR if it is the Carrier Reception. I live smack downtown it the “Best” Coverage area according to the map on their website. :o(
    I have the U683CL model. I have had it for close to a year. Since the beginning it has had issues:
    1. Seldom lets me call out.
    2. Seldom lets me receive calls.
    3. Won’t ring to let me know a call is coming in, and goes to voicemail! Then I get a chime notice to say there is a voicemail.
    4. Won’t let calls come in from the Call Box down stairs at the building I live in. So I can’t push a button and allow visitors in. The call also goes straight to voicemail. Same scenario, I have to listen to the message, then go downstairs myself to allow someone in.
    5. Often does not send texts out right away. Says “service unavailable”.
    6. Often does not let texts come in. Sometimes they don’t come in for hours and a few times, days!

    Customer Service…lolololol….. what a joke. I started emailing on 2/24/20. It took 5 days for a reply. Today is 3/10/20, and SEVERAL emails back and forth later, still nothing was resolved. They gave me a few different things to try doing on my phone. None fixed it. I finally called yesterday, luckily her English was good enough to have a conversation, but 30 minutes later is was a complete waste of time. They want you to have a second phone so you can talk to Tech. I don’t have a second phone, nor do I have access to a second phone. I asked her to just send me another phone as I AM still eligible for a replacement. She said Tech would have to issue it after I talk to them.
    So, absolutely nothing was accomplished after 15 days. I have to say I agree that they need to be called out if they are not providing the service they are being paid for by the government. There are plenty of other places that money can be used.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Just read an article today — which we’ll be reposting in the next day or two — about a guy who submitted his paperwork 19 times before he problem was finally taken care of. (And thanks for the kind words.)

      Reply

      • Crystal says

        FGCP.NET, Wowzers! That poor guy! My update: I called and demanded a new phone as I was still under warranty. They sent the same exact phone. It still won’t allow calls in!!!! In fact, they called the other day to remind me to return the first phone and it didn’t ring! It chimed and told me I had a voicemail. smh.

        Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We just checked with the USAC, the organization that governs the Lifeline free government cell phone program and it assures us that Assurance Wireless is still available in Kentucky. We’ll notify our readers if word comes through that this has changed.

      Reply

  54. JohnBoy says

    Straight morons at ASW🥴, everybody’s got there own opinions but Im telling you it’s been something since I signed up. I’ve only used the service for around 2-3wks until a system update completely fried the phone or something since then I’ve sat on the phone with ASW for 30 minutes with a person who put me a fake return order in and after I got the real phone return setup finally, they’ve sent back once again why I have no idea I never even fuckin got to see it it just says FedEx return to shipper… straight f***ed up!

    Reply

  56. Susanna Brooke says

    I received my Assurance cell on 2/11/20 & had Safelink for a few years prior, so wanted to give some info on my experience (as this is the INFORMATIONAL site I found Assurance through- thank you for all you do! I don’t know how you haven’t had a mental breakdown from all the comments asking you where their phones are, etc…not reading a thing and then assuming you are the cell company. You have the patience of a saint.)

    In 2012 I received my first Safelink phone which was not a smart or feature phone, but worked fine for texts & calls. They were good about adding minutes at the start of each month. I lost that phone in 2017, they sent me an Alcatel One Touch smart phone which was more than good enough as a literal free phone. However, the battery began degrading almost immediately. By 2018, the phone could NOT be used unless it was plugged into a charger, in the car included obviously. It would drain before your eyes at nearly 1% per second & even seemed to drain when the phone was turned OFF.
    The biggest problem I had with Safelink was the signal. My home is in a valley in the Eastern WV panhandle near the VA line & only US Cellular (and to a lesser extent- Verizon) receives service for the 2 miles surrounding my home. As I understood it, Safelink/Tracphone are on the Sprint/T-Mobile network. So the phone was useful for emergencies when driving but not a possibility as a standalone home phone. Because I had to drive a couple miles to get a signal was coupled with the battery issue, I had problems always making the monthly call or text but I DID ALWAYS get it done to continue service. When I started getting texts & emails that my service would be cancelled on 12/15/19 for “non-use” I drove up the road and called them on 12/12. I told them I had just used the phone a few days prior & didn’t understand why my phone use wasn’t registering. I was talking to Safelink ON their Safelink phone they kept saying I needed to use to avoid cancellation. I also inquired about the battery issue for the 3rd time. I was told the email threatening cancellation was automated, that I would not be canceled and I didn’t need to worry. I could also purchase a phone from them or go online for a new battery (which I’d decided to do, as I was unaware of any Lifeline company that would have coverage at my home).
    Sure enough, on December 15th, my service was canceled for not using it once every 30 days (I’d also sent & received more than a dozen texts in every month leading up to cancellation). I called Safelink to ask what happened, and in the end they apologized for inconvenience and told me I’d need to reapply. I know you need to be completely canceled from one Lifeline provider before applying for another, so I took this opportunity to see what else was out there.
    This is when I found your website. Apparently quite a few cell companies have taken on the Lifeline program in WV since I first enrolled 8 years ago. Your site made it super easy to choose my state and click through all the different cell companies offering a Lifeline cell phone and compare packages (how many free minutes, texts, how much data) as well as which types of phones each company sends out (in the majority of cases).
    As expected, most companies didn’t have reliable coverage at my home. However, Assurance’s map was promising showing 4G talk, text & data right over my house & surrounding. They’re on the Virgin Mobile network, and in my experience the signal is gone once you turn down my road. Still, I didn’t have service at my house with Safelink and their phone had become unusable so I had nothing to lose. I filled out the application and hit a wall when it said I needed to apply to some National Database for Lifeline (which is understandable, but I would’ve thought I’d be on it after 8 years of Safelink). Assurance said that if I qualified on this national Database (link to that application provided) I would automatically be approved for Assurance and they’d send a phone out. I qualified for the national DB within minutes but was skeptical it would be that easy. Sure enough, 5 days later I received a letter from Assurance saying my new phone would be arriving in 5-10 days. One week later my “ANS UL51″ smart phone arrived. I’ve never heard of this kind of phone, but the screen is 5”, it has 8GB internal storage & SD card slot, runs smooth without noticeable lag and the battery (removable) actually seems to work as intended! It’s much nicer than the Alcatel phone I was sent by Safelink (though that was 2017, maybe their phones have improved). For a free phone, I’m impressed.
    Here’s the really amazing part: I have service INSIDE MY HOME! Now, admittedly, it is NOT 4G in fact it’s really low at only 1 or 2 “x”, but that is more than enough for placing & receiving both calls & texts, if I sit the phone in the window the signal strengthens further. It attaches to WiFi for internet purposes. I really can’t believe I have a free Lifeline phone, a nice one, and it works in my home. Cellular service here has been a struggle since I moved here in 2009.
    I logged in easily to my account to view my used minutes & data and was further impressed that their info is accurate and easy to navigate.

    I didn’t intend this to be so long. When researching companies I noticed many had asked what types of phones etc and thought my experience might help others. Mostly I wanted to thank YOU for all your work and effort on this amazing website. Without it, I would likely have reapplied to Safelink, bought a battery from eBay, and still struggled while only being able to actually use the phone when I’m away from home. I did not know “Assurance” or the majority of Lifeline companies even existed.

    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Thanks, Mom. But you really need to stop writing these long comments pretending to be someone named Susanna.

      Reply

      • Susanna Brooke says

        LOL. I appreciate you. Know that your work and exceptionally restrained sarcasm( regarding visitors that don’t read a thing before commenting) does not go unnoticed by everyone that utilizes your website:)

        Reply

  57. Gloria Blount says

    I would like to know how i will get a free cell phone? I want to let u know that i am deaf person and disability too. I am on disable too. Pls will let me know real soon. I will be look forward to hear from u..

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      All the information you need is right here on this website, Gloria. All you need to do is click around. If we were you, we’d start with all the subjects shown in the navigation bar up toward the top of the page.

      Reply

  58. Miguel Negron says

    I felt an application for a free phone,about two weeks ago,but I receive answer at all. Will you answer me if eligible or not. Please? I got a phone but their to expensive for me. I on Social Security, medicare,and Mass health,programs. Thanks you. Miguel A. Negron.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t do anything to help you because we are NOT your service provider. You need to contact them directly.

      Reply

  60. Marla J. Roach says

    I have heard that the free cell phones are being used by authorities and officials to keep track of all the low income, homeless, and anyone else if interested ,of their whereabouts and Incase they need to control people on low income, etc. It sounds like a paranoid, “put on a tin-foil hat” kinda thinking!! Is there any truth to this statement? What is the sudden reason for the government giving free phones and service to do many people? Just asking, no worries. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Impossible for us to do that, Terri, because we are not your service provider. Contact your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  62. Robert Knuckles says

    I have lost my phone and some else is using my phone can you turn it off because I want to get another assurace wireless cell phone.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t turn it off because we are not your service provider. We are not anyone’s service provider. This is an independent informational website. Contact your service provider’s customer service team.

      Reply

  63. TOM WYLEY says

    Customer Service is in the Philippines or Mexico…..NO NUMBER FOR A US REP……They show addresses as PO BOXES ONLY…..NO U.S. or AMERICAN CONTACTS……..BUT SOMEONE IN U.S. IS GETTING RICH !!!!

    Reply

  64. Mr G. says

    FREE IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST !!!!
    TO ALL CONCERNED …… ASSURANCE WIRELESS has been the WORST Cell Phone Provider
    I have ever experienced in the last 30 years…..BAR NONE !!!!

    Their telephones are GARBAGE….. CURRENT Phone UMXU683CL

    I have had 4 of these phones in the last 5 months…… ALL of them were POOR Quality
    telephones……speakers poor, microphones poor……BATTERIES very poor……
    I would charge phone at bedtime and it would be fully charged in morning…….
    even if I did not use it at all that day , it would be dead before I went to bed…..

    Phone 1 ) battery would get so hot when charging it would be too hot to touch….
    Phone 2 ) phone key pad died and was un-usable
    Phone 3) phone would not allow me to type from the keyboard……when trying to type in
    contacts name when trying to text someone…..It kept wanted me to use the
    Google voice recognition function …..BUT it would not acknowledge any voice….
    Phone 4) speaker is poor to where I have to shout into the phone for people to hear my
    conversation

    IF YOU HAVE THE FREE PHONE PLAN……They will only send you ONE MODEL PHONE…..

    I REQUESTED A DIFFERENT MODEL OR MANUFACTURER of phone……BUT THEY SAY
    THEY ONLY HAVE THE ONE MODEL TO SEND YOU AS A FREEBIE….
    (THOUGH THEY SHOW MANY DIFFERENT MODELS ON THEIR WEBSITE)…….
    THEY TELL YOU YOU CAN PURCHASE A BETTER PHONE FROM THEM AT YOUR COST !!!

    PHONE TRANSMISSION SERVICE is VERY POOR…….
    I have called Customer service at least a dozen times and I keep getting told
    that they are working on a tower or something and it should better the next day or so….

    Calls keep getting dropped due to loosing signal…..

    ALL CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLS are handled in the Philippines or Mexico if you speak spanish…..
    I have used them both unfortunately…..

    THE PHILIPPINES CALL CENTER IS THE WORST SERVICE of ALL !!!! MOST of them are not truly
    understandable when the are speaking english…..and they are reading from a scripted
    text and cannot think or perform OUTSIDE THE BOX…..
    ISN’T ENGLISH ONE OF THEIR LANGUAGES ???

    ALL INFO REGARDING ASSURANCE WIRELESS ONLY SHOW U.S. post office boxes

    at several locations in the U.S. , >>>>> BUT NO PHYSICAL ADDRESS WHERE YOU
    CAN OBTAIN A PHONE NUMBER FOR ……I EVEN CALLED AND TALKED TO THE POST-MASTER
    at one of the cities that that show a P.O. BOX for ……HE TOLD ME THERE IS
    NO PHYSICAL ADDRESS foo them for the cities that they show online , and that
    some contracted company only picks up the mail ……and at his location he said
    that they stopped using and paying for the three P.O Boxes that they were using …..
    and GET THIS…..
    ASSURANCE IS STILL USING AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE P.O. BOXES CURRENT FOR THEIR
    CUSTOMER APPLICATIONS …….
    I EVEN CALLED LIFELINE AND VOICED MY PROBLEMS and was told to seek the
    state office that handle

    IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEM…NOTIFY YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICES ,
    STATE CONSUMER ADVOCATE OFFICES OR ANY STATE BODY THAT OVERSEES THE FUNDING TO ASSURANCE
    WIRELESS FOR THEIR SERVICE ……COMPLAIN TO THOSE IN YOUR STATES WHO PAY OUT OUT TAX DOLLARS
    TO THIS COMPANY AND THEIR POOR SERVICES AND THEIR OUTSOURCING…..

    FLORIDA ASSURANCE CUSTOMER…..

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Yeah, we get it, Mr G. You’re unhappy. But is there any reason to leave the same long, convoluted comment three separate times? We’re only running it once.

      Reply

    • Memie says

      Wow Mr G., You are the type to walk into an emergency food pantry and complain about the kind of soup they give you while pushing all of the Filipino and Mexican babies to the ground in front of you! And 30 years of service?!?! I have a feeling there was nothing wrong with any of those phones and it was just you….all you. WOW, just WOW, smh…

      Reply

  65. Bob hunt says

    Don’t know about all their phones, but the UMX phone i have came pre installed with maleware. Could not get rid of since they are system files. Malwarebytes reports Android/PUP.Riskware.Autoins.Fota is a pre-installed system app. Android/PUP.Riskware.Autoins.Fota can potentially auto install malware like Android/Trojan.Guerrilla, and Android/Trojan.HiddenAds.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Most Lifeline companies say it will take two weeks or so, but readers have said it often takes three or four weeks or even longer.

      Reply

      • janette says

        i don’t understand, why the free phones, have to take s long. its too much,. for me I have been waiting already for a phone, for almost two weeks now. they keep on sending these pink envolopes , already send out the first one. their screwing up my infor.

        Reply

  70. Kameda Bryant says

    Was in the hospital with my mother. Receive sectio 8 no car are phone service. How do I reactivate my account, can my phone be reactivate. Got a replacement phone from you company, made a mistake and wash my other phone please help. I want to sign up with your company again.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Let us repeat our standard answer to this kind of question: Please do NOT enroll at a street event, Larissa. It’s much safer for you to enroll online or by phone.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Impossible for us to know the answer to your question because we are NOT your service provider, Jasmine.

      Reply

  75. Diana Narvaez says

    I have not gotten any service from assura ce wireless since i came to Puerto Rico for a vacation. No internet or driving

    Reply

  77. Patti Hellman says

    Two months age i had gotten a replacement phone when i was in the hospital and i liked it because my other phone got broke and i got a replacement one and after i got out of the hospital it was stolen two days later so i was wondering if i am able to get a new one again if i can

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You’ll need to contact Assurance customer service, Patti, but we assume you’ll need to pay for a second replacement phone.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You don’t have an account with us, Silvia. This is an independent informational website. You need to contact your service provider directly.

      Reply

  80. JUAN MARTINEZ says

    The smart phone ans model ul40 that i got from assurance wireless keeps going out of function every other day and have to factory reset .I have tried to reach the vendor several times with no avail .I don,t know if im the only one with this problem or theres an epidemic of bad functioning phones out there that nobody cares to fix since they are free… just saying.

    Reply

    • E R says

      You are certainly not alone. I suppose the general feeling is that these are free, government-provided phones, so what the hell. The UL40 is a notoriously bad phone (which is why they got them so cheap). Always failing, and never designed to have very many apps on it. Even Messaging fails some of the time. Google shuts down. Yeah, it’s pretty awful. Don’t add anything like banking apps or Uber to it. Just can’t handle it. But there’s even more reason not to trust Virgin Mobile (now Sprint) UL40s which is my current complaint. BTW, when you receive a faulty one, they will replace it with another refurbished one. That’s a spin at the ol’ wheel-of-fortune, too.

      Inside the system app Wireless Update is an app (Autoins.fota.ins) that enables the phone to spit out ads and offers to download stuff loaded with adware – maybe even malware. In some cases, the app downloads without your approval and you have to go into Settings and remove it.The anti-viral programs see Autoins.fota.ins but can’t touch it as it is embedded in a system app. It ships from the factory that way. I’m told but I have no proof that they allow China to do this in order to help pay for the Lifeline service. Those ads spring up at the most inopportune time like when you want to answer the ringing phone and lose the screen to do so replaced by screen ads and offers to download. Nice. But there may be something even nefarious in that embedded app – like tracking info or key tracing. I am willing to bet this phone is a security fail. Don’t ever do banking on it or input any passwords you wouldn’t want someone else to know. Assurance tells me to reset the phone and it will be taken care of – which is incorrect. It will reload Wireless Update which has the adware and you are back where you started. Assurance Wireless isn’t very forthcoming with good answers. It’s why I’m taking this to the Public Utilities Commission.

      Reply

    • Patricia Hoffmaster says

      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 defect so u have to buy)… It mostly sat here unused when I got sick if it always dieing. I let me service expire and even then took the 3-4 months to actually turn it off. Now I have nothing.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to go through the actual enrollment process, Sharon. Contact the company using the information we provide in the article above.

      Reply

  82. Dawn Williams says

    My puk is block my name is DawnWilliams my number is 225-312-**** my phone is blocked. it stated the Puk code is locked??

    Reply

  83. Meri says

    This problem has been going on for several weeks. In July I added monies to my account as I was out of minutes. A couple days later, I called Assurance to confirm my monies would be carried over to August. The rep I spoke with asked how I liked the service and was I satisfied. I told him I was happy with the service but the phone I received has problems: dropping calls, can’t receive or send photos, text messages don’t download, can’t access internet etc. The rep apologized and said would send new phone would call back on Aug 1 with tracking information. I never received a call back.

    Fast forward to August 3, I called again, rep said, no record of new phone request, but phone was sent July 23. I checked records, July 23 2018 the phone I now have was sent. Requested supervisor, talked with Frank, explained situation said will get new phone ordered and sent with no charge, will send ref # and tracking number to my personal email the following day, August 4.

    August 4, no email received.

    August 5 2019 11am MDT got rep explained situation said will escalate I should have a cb in 15 minutes. No call back.

    11:37am I called and requested to be put in contact with US rep, rep refused and hung up.

    11:39am I called back, once again asked for a US rep, cs rep argued and put me on hold with Sprint musak.

    11:51am Rep back. I explained voicemail issue and wanted refund of 40 minutes on vm as phone doesn’t always disconnect. More argument over how to use voicemail (vm). (I am technically savvy and don’t need this repeatedly explained to me.) Once again I requested US rep, again put on hold.

    11:59am rep back, not listening to what I am saying, again requested supervisor. Put on hold again.

    12:04pm Rep again explaining minutes. Once again I said I understand how minutes work and requested supervisor. On hold again.

    12:08pm Rae (claimed to be a supervisor) on the phone, I explained AGAIN and was put on hold.

    12:13pm Rae, said phone activated 8/1/2019…I said no, “This phone activated 2018…last year.” On hold again.

    12:20pm I explained to Rae AGAIN all the phone problems and how I have been lied to several times. I requested a senior supervisor.

    12:37pm Got supervisor, before I could explain, the call hung up.

    12:38pm I called back got disconnected in the IVR.

    12:39pm I called back again, got CS rep Shane, explained AGAIN, asked for super and was put on hold AGAIN.

    12:49pm Rep now saying she is in the US (outright lie) and trying to sell me a replacement phone as this phone (UL 40) is out of warranty. I requested supervisor and was put on hold AGAIN.

    12:55pm TT Gabriel, (id’d himself as a supervisor) same story, explaining vm minutes. Again, I said I understand and this is only a symptom of the problem which is the phone itself. I asked for a phone number for the US and a senior supervisor. Put on hold but line not muted, I could hear background conversations in Hindi.

    1:08pm Gabriel says sending to escalation department and refused to get senior supervisor on the phone, refused US phone number. I insisted on a senior supervisor. ON HOLD AGAIN.

    1:19pm TT Aaron, who claims to be a supervisor, at least he had read through the file on the problems. He refused US rep or phone number. I said, “I’m tired of being lied to, mis-led, BS’d, etc. I’ve been on the phone with Assurance for 2 hours and 20 minutes trying to get this situation resolved. Been disconnected, lied to, hung up on, and am tired of the BS being slung at me.”

    What I received in return is a lot of platitudes. I worked for 25 years in a call center for Citibank in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I know how these things work. I understand auto-dialers and IVR’s. Your outsourced group, I presume, in India has MAJOR language and training problems. They lack business acumen, morals and values. The quality of service is so subpar; I personally would be ashamed to say I work there.

    2PM I do have a confirmation number for a new phone: 248630634 and a reference number 181768 ****. Whether or not a replacement phone will be sent remains to be seen.

    Reply

  84. Deborah Stanger says

    Phones have so many glitches, don’t get my calls or messages and customer service is terrible. I’m on my fourth phone (returned three) and this one keeps changing my notification settings for my texts and phone settings shutting them off every couple of days. I am missing important communication constantly because of this. I have to keep going back and turning notifications back on!
    Customer service is terrible!!!!!

    Reply

  85. Christopher Williams says

    I would like to be a master agent for Assurance wireless. How do I contact there Corp office

    Reply

  86. Melvin W Cunningham says

    Hi. I’m Melvin Cunningham I have universal service administrative co.lifeline service and I am trying to see if I could switch my service over to assurance wirless please thank you

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’re pretty damn confident that you can make that switch, Melvin, but not here on this website. You need to contact the company directly using the contact info we provide on this page.

      Reply

  87. Meagan Tweedy says

    How can I find out the model of my phone so I can get a phone case for it? I have searched everywhere for a phone case, and for the model/type of phone I have, and can’t find either one of them anywhere!! Help, please!!

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Contact your service provider’s customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone. They should be able to tell you what make and model they gave you.

      Reply

  88. deborah starman says

    I am having an extremely hard time working with Assurance Wireless to re-certify my Lifeline. I can’t understand the people I talk to at Assurance as they have very thick accents. I’ve been trying for 2 months and FINALLY today I talk to Lifeline and they got the problem worked out but I had to have Assurance send me the forms I needed to reapply with Lifeline online. When I called Assurance, the person was very unknowledgeable and as I was trying to explain to her for the umpteenth time what I needed, my phone went dead and I couldn’t make any more calls on my cellphone. I thought she hung up on me but when I called them back, they said my phone service was shut off and I had to call from another phone. When I finally got in touch with someone they said my phone was reported lost or stolen. I want to file a complaint about them and find out who I can talk to to get my problem resolved.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We didn’t cut your phone off. Your service provider cut your phone off. Contact that company’s customer service team.

      Reply

  90. Anthony Chamberlain says

    Is there a store or building i can go to in person to pick up a phone and service in pwrson instead of online?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      It depends on which state you live in and which service provider you enroll with, Anthony. Most of the free government cell phone companies do not offer brick-and-mortar stores, but you can check your service provider’s website to see if it does.

      Reply

  91. Providencia Olan says

    Can you guys switch me back to assurance wireless from safe link wireless.i made a big mistake.and get my old phone number back too. I really want my service back from assurance wireless . I can’t wait ninety days to get my service back.please help me out please.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t switch you back, but you can switch yourself back. Just follow the same process you followed when you made the first switch.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      How long has it been, Irene. Most companies say it will take two weeks or so, but many readers have told us it takes three or four weeks or even longer. Have you check with Assurance to determine your current status?

      Reply

  93. Danny says

    My cousin has seasirs and this is her phone not used in a year prob now sim says moc locked I think and she needs it I got a 5 doller top up but didn’t work what do I do?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      If the phone hasn’t been used in a year, it was undoubtedly cancelled long ago. That being the case, we’re not sure how you managed to top it up. You need to enroll in one of the plans in your state (Assurance or any other company that offers plans). Here’s where you can find details on all of them:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Reply

  94. tilda l martin says

    My name is Tilda Martin.orginally had tracphone thru safelink.. It was a free phone.I qualified because I receive a medicaid.card. that phone was destroyed in a car accident. They told me my phone was no longer available and that i must purchase a phone from amazon or dollar general. I tried for a week to get them to understand what happened. when i finally did get them to understand, I cant get service at my home.I live ten miles west of Rainelle and ten miles east of rt 60.Can you switch my service from safelink to your company?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not Assurance, Tilda. This is an independent informational website. You’ll need to contact Assurance customer service directly.

      Reply

  95. Virginia Ellis says

    I want to switch from safelink to assurance. How do I go about doing that?? I also need another phone with assurance. The one I have from safelink is bad and I don’t like safelink service anymore. I qualify because I am on food stamps

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Jeez, we’re getting tired to giving this answer. The Assurance website requires you to plug in your zip code to find out how many minutes, texts and how much data is provided. It varies by state.

      Reply

  97. Devi says

    This program outside of CA is now seemingly only offering 350 minutes per month. Probably the worst of any available Lifeline phones.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Not sure what you’re looking at, Devi, but we checked the plan offered here in Texas and Assurance offers a plan with unlimited voice, unlimited texts and 2GB data.

      Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          As if says on virtually all of the free government cell phone company websites, “Plans may vary by state.”

          Reply

          • Stephen P. says

            It says on this page, “If you qualify for an Assurance Wireless government phone, and REQUIREMENTS vary from state to state, you WILL get a free Android smartphone, unlimited talk and unlimited text messages plus 2GB of data at absolutely no cost.” (extra formatting obviously added by me). Then there’s a metaphorical asterisk that California has a different thing going on. Otherwise, the page is basically telling people, or at the very least heavily implying, that in all the states listed at the top that aren’t California, offer unlimited talk and unlimited text messages plus 2GB of data at absolutely no cost.

          • Free Government Cell Phones says

            Here’s an idea, Stephen. Start your own website that reports on 25 Lifeline companies and their constantly-changing plans in all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We’re confident you’d do a bang-up job.

          • Steven says

            Wow. Could the representative that responded to this as well as a few other questions seen. Possibly have any more sarcasm oozing from them?? In regards to this query, you tell Stephen to start his own website to keep track of, and report, the “ever-changing” lifeline service plans varying by state. That he’d do a “bang up job” your sure. When in reality that’s exactly what your website [then correlating to you, the rep] is here for. So if you do not like the work, get to frustrated from the questions, or just flat out can NOT act in a morally and professional mannor. It’s possibly time you make your return to ‘Waste Managment Service’s’! Considering your comments/replies are what I’d consider a garbage truck man to throw in his truck! Trash!

  98. adrienne says

    hi i just tried to summit my info and it said i needed to go to lifeline or something what do i need to do

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We have no way of knowing what that message meant because we are not your service provider, Adrienne. Contact your service provider’s customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone or by using the info in the article above.

      Reply

  99. George Johnson says

    I want to cancel anything that I may have applied for with your company.Please cancel my application,,, thank you,,, George Johnson

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You didn’t apply for anything with us, George, because we are NOT Assurance. You need to contact that company’s customer service team directly, not through us.

      Reply

  101. Renee Black says

    I have applied several times and I never hear back. I have sent all the paper work three times now. What is the problem?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      No way for us to know the problem because we are not affiliated with Assurance in any way. However, if the service you’re “receiving” is this bad, you may want to enroll with a different company. Here’s where you can find all the free government cell phone plans offered in your state:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Most Lifeline companies say it will take a couple weeks, but our readers tell us if often takes three or four weeks or even longer. As our old grannie used to say, “Patience is a virtue.”

      Reply

  103. michael shaw says

    i worked my entire life nearly killed myself doing it—-now in past 6 years my epilepsy has gone crazy—i have had a widow maker heart attack. back surgery,shoulder surgery and now spine is a mess heart is damaged and weak—–i have had safelink for 5 yrs and now they are cancelling me because i do not have medicaid–wtf i live on disability and piss poor broke —i see drug addicts people who live offf welfare with 1,000 dollar iphones and yet all the money i paid in over years now that i am disabled i do not qualify for a phone—-my wife works at her 2 s**t paying jobs jobs we are always broke yet keep trying —you f**king people disgust me you will give these phones to illegals and welfare people who live off the system yet somebody who worked their entire life and whos body has finally given out from the strain gets s**t on its f**king disgusting—–

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’ve said this about a thousand times, but’s always worth repeating. We urge our readers NOT to enroll at street events because they have been the scenes of far too much fraud and abuse.

      Reply

  106. Frances J viesca says

    My name is Frances viesca I got a assurance wireless virgin mobile phone at the food bank on liberty street in Cincinnati Ohio the agent who issued me the phone put in a wrong date of birth and social security number I showed her all my information I’m on ssi disability my phone she gave me doesn’t work the number is 513 587 ****. My email is *******@gmail.com its against and a violation of my civil rights for a government agent to tamper with fraudulent information against my personal information. That I entrusted to the agent for the agent to falsify and lie about my information by putting in wrong date of birth and wrong social security numbers ! I’m a 61 year old women with a chronic death illness . shame on you for depriving me of a FREE PHONE READ GALATIONS 6:7 !

    Reply

    • Tom says

      Hi Frances Viesca You can do two things Contact assurance wireless who is your lifeline provider and give them to correct the information or you can just go back to the Food Bank and find a Rep. from assurance wireless and request a working phone with your correct information.

      Reply

  107. m says

    I wouldn’t call assurances “free phone” a phone. They send out the ANS phone which is truly a piece of junk. You’d do better with a toy phone out of a .25 cent gumball machine. You are constantly having to send the phone in for repairs, which means you are usually without a phone. If you are lucky you’ll end up with with 10 Days use out of 30!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Mark says

      I agree i am currently haveing the same proplem , except without the use of my phone i can not contact the company for the information i need to even get a replacement . without the phone functioning i am depending on emails and have sent several to the departments the give for proplem phones and have NO responses. i am currently in a shelter and looking for work with no way for employers to contact me .Could someone PLEASE help me ?

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        Can you borrow someone else’s phone? Does the shelter have a phone for its residents?

        Reply

      • Tom says

        It maybe easier just to go with a new provider try contacting the food stamp office near you go in person there is a rep a lot of the time there. If not perhaps one of the workers can help you.

        Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Speak to your service provider’s customer service team, Evette. Give them a call.

      Reply

  109. Carol Grant says

    I’m an Assurance Wireless field agent. A customer service representative told me I could download a paper application for a customer but I don’t see a link for that. Please send one to my email address.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’re not Assurance, Carol, so we don’t have access to their internal documents. How about if you contact your supervisor?

      Reply

  110. Liane says

    I have an Obama phone and am about to start freelancing again. Is it true that I cannot use my phone to talk to clients?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Then you need to contact Assurance, Sheila. We are not affiliated with that nor any other free government cell phone company.

      Reply

  112. Marice says

    I am on the Safelink lifeline program. I realize it is a free program but how do you file a complaint about the customer service or lack there of on the company? The employees are rude and talk to you as if you are stupid. They lie about your account or just don’t answer question at all. its like they know they do not need to respect you as a customer. Please advise.

    Reply

  113. Thomas Alexander Ross Jr says

    I have file and application in March 25,2019and it was sent in.
    Name: Thomas A Ross Jr
    Baltimore Md. 21205
    I was asking have a phone been sent to this address yet?
    Was I approve for the phone?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t answer your question because we are not Assurance Wireless. You need to contact that company’s customer service team.

      Reply

  114. Mr. Fuck Tard says

    THANKS ALOT!

    How am I suppose to tell John I’ll be late for work.
    He was expecting his free five dollar blowjob hours ago.
    Now that i have to walk cuz I can’t phone for a free government taxi…Probably not gunna make it over to my dealer’s house before he passes out either.
    You destroyed my day with not giving me a phone.

    BTW… I’m gay so I really thought that meant I qualify for everything

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We HATE to censor readers’ comments but this one is so far over the top that we seriously considered it. Instead we decided to run it exactly as it was written just so you can see what kind of lunatics are out there.

      Reply

      • youwildman says

        Who ever you are moderating this board and answering questions; you so totally rock. You should have been a chef. You’re making me feel at home here. That one where the agent was asking you where to download an internal .doc. was def Top 10 material and it would not surprise me if you’ve gotten questions like that from .gov people and had to explain to them their own program. Too funny! You are def under-paid. Keep smiling! .

        Reply

      • youwildman says

        “I’d be more than happy to help you with that form. Just give me your supervisor’s name and email address and I will tell them what it is you need and where to find it and you.”

        Reply

    • Disabled Female Elderly says

      It truly amazes me that you don’t qualify for a government cell phone with such a ghetto mouth. I wish I could fly so high above the rest. Need a taxi? I’ll give you a ride.

      Reply

    • SAMANTHA LYNNE DAVIS says

      I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT SOME OF THESE PHONE COMPANIES THAT OFFER THE FREE GOVERMENT CELL PHONE DEAL IS CRAPPY,I MEAN BAD CRAPPY,CAUSE THEIR SMARTPHONES ARE BIG PIECES OF REFURBISHED BALLS OF SCRAPMETAL. CAN YOU GO TO JAIL FOR HAVING MORE THAN ONE GOVERMENT CELL PHONE?

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        If, for example, you had two, you wouldn’t go to jail. When you eventually got snared by the National Lifeline Assistance Database, one or both of your accounts would be cancelled. However, there are people who are so fraudulent that they have dozens or even hundreds of the phones. We hope they have been prosecuted and jailed.

        Reply

      • Gavin T says

        Ya because you should have a free smartphone in the first place… no you should have a free phone that lets you dial, and tap text via numbers. Why is it you think you should get what other people have to work their asses off to pay for, people who live paycheck to paycheck, but don’t qualify for these programs? What do you want… an iphone X? I have to pay for your shit when I can’t afford my own, only for you to come on here and whine about the “quality” of something that you don’t deserve – not that you don’t deserve a phone -you deserve a way to communicate – you don’t deserve a smartphone. There is a difference.

        Reply

  117. Ann R. Bullock says

    I am asking on behalf of my 62 year old homeless son. He wants to know when he will get a replacement phone. His name is Kenneth Conrad.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Only Assurance can answer that question, Ann. We are not Assurance. This is an independent informational website.

      Reply

  118. Scott Lambert says

    Would I be able to come back to yous even though I don’t have the cell phone from yous because I went to q-link and I don’t like their service at all but also by coming back would I still be able to get another phone

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not Assurance. This is an independent informational website. However, the rules of the free government cell phone program say that you can switch service providers every 60 days. Each time you switch, the new company will send you a new smartphone that is compatible with its cell network.

      Reply

  119. Gloria says

    Hi my phone is not working i have smartphone no service . i ilike to have another free government phone thank you

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not Assurance, Gloria. This is an independent informational website, so you need to contact Assurance customer service.

      Reply

      • youwildman says

        Not top 10 but def Top 25 or so. Once a guy told me his PC kept freezing-up and telling him to hit the any Key and he had looked and looked and even bought a new keyboard “But for the life if me I cannot find any ‘any’ key.”

        Reply

  120. Wilma j markwith says

    I am below poverty level I cannot verify my income because I do not have any can I si
    Till qualify for a free phone I need some way to comuicate…
    I am on SNIP a and can prove it with my card

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You’ve stumbled upon on of the biggest problems in the free government cell phone program — people who have zero income have no way to prove they have no income. The USAC says it is aware of this problem and “working” on a solution.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’re not Assurance, so we cannot answer your question, Debra. Contact that service provider directly to get the answer to your question.

      Reply

  122. Monique DuPree says

    Hello,

    I work for a non-profit agency who secures work for people with disabilities. Must of the people we serve receive SSI. Would it be possible to have a representative from the company to come to our agency and sign up individuals? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t answer that question because we are not Assurance Wireless, Monique. You need to contact that company directly to make your request.

      Reply

      • youwildman says

        yazzz. you def underpaid. figure out a way you can get a dime every time you post the assurance link and redirect one of these chuckholes their way? (I was writing “chuckle-heads” but “chuckholes” works well too ;>). Actually, that set-up would work b/c Assurance would give you their full list of sites and phone numbers and instead of you giving out their home page to these chuckholes, you could be sending them right where they need to go and saving Assurance a lot of time.

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          If we could figure out a way to get a dime every time we redirect a reader, we would be very, very wealthy.

          Reply

  125. Timothy Hall says

    This is Timothy hall,
    I was just wondering if you guys have received my application yet to get a new phone?
    You can send an email back to me at ******@gmail.com thanks…

    Reply

  126. ALBA EMERIC says

    HOW CAN I DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION ONLINE?
    I HAVE SURF YOUR SITE AND I CANNOT SEEM TO FIND A PLACE
    WHERE TO DOWNLOAD ONE.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You don’t find an Assurance application on this website because we are not Assurance Wireless. This is an independent informational website. You’ll need to visit the Assurance website. We provide all the contact info you need in the article above.

      Reply

  127. Christina Winters says

    I seriously cannot believe the ridiculous number of people that are leaving comments directed at you as if you are their service provider!! I’d have thought the fact that they aren’t at the assurance wireless website would have been a dead giveaway but what do I know? Thanks for keeping up the good work even though it’s gotta be irksome.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Our comment moderators always try to be polite and helpful, but we completely understand when one of them occasionally loses it when they answer the same question for the twentieth time in a day.

      Reply

      • youwildman says

        Times 2 to what Christina Winters says. I’d be tempted to cut and paste stock answers to mundane questions..

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          Our comment moderators always try to be polite and helpful, but we completely understand when one of them occasionally loses it when they answer the same question for the twentieth time in a day.

          (See what we did there, Wildman? We cut and pasted the same answer we gave Christina. Gotta do something to amuse ourselves.)

          Reply

  128. Suzanne Reeves says

    I understand you can’t pin point if one carrier gets better coverage than the other. My problem is AT&T isn’t even in my area of CA, so before I apply I need to know if service is available in my area. Can’t seem to find out unless I apply, can’t shop around if I apply FIRST!
    SUZI in Valley Center,CA

    Reply

  129. JUdith Alziadeh says

    hello i trued to go on assurance to inform you my phone was lost but they keep saying no such number i’m Judith Alziadeh my number is 734 752 ****…please turn this off so if whom ever has it does not use it…i have no phone to call you so im at the WYANDOTTE library to inforn you of this matter..thank you so very much…..Respectfully Judith Alziadeh

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Sorry, Judith, but we are not your service provider, so there is nothing we can do to help you. You need to inform Assurance customer service directly.

      Reply

  130. Tom Armstrong says

    I cannot get ANY assistance from your stupid computer phone system because I forgot my idiotic password and your phone system won’t let me speak to al live person. Please contact ******@gmail.com ASAP. Your service sucks. Thomas F. Armstrong.

    Reply

  131. Elsa Hernandez says

    Hi i am trying to find out on how can i be able to get my account number from Assurance Wireless. i am trying to switch over my phone number into a new account. but i’m not able to do so without my account number. so if you could please help me to provide what i ask for i would be very thankful. .

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Well, this may seem obvious, Elsa, but have you attempted to call Assurance customer service to ask for your account number?

      Reply

  132. John W. Manning says

    My name are John W. Manning and I mailed you all proff of my food stams letter, but if you all need me to send you all a copy of my SSI letter from the Social Security Office please let me know and the Email address to Email it to.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Not us, John. This is an independent informational website, NOT a Lifeline service provider. You need to contact the company’s customer service team.

      Reply

  134. Mark Evans. says

    I have a password lock on my phone and I need to know how to reset the phone to change my password. My email is *******@gmail.com. thanks.

    Reply

  135. myanano says

    Assurance is profiting billions of US tax dollars just like all other corporations that feed off tax revenue intended for “benefits” to qualified recipients. The”government” is just as guilty, it feeds itself first, corporations second, everyone gets their part of the pie. It starts with the lawmakers and lobbyists that represent Sprint, everyone is in bed together at some point or another.
    If there were no middleman corporations involved, at a fraction of the tax dollars, you would receive benefits directly and enough to purchase one of the newer cell phones with unlimited service. As with all government assistance programs you end up with a crumb of pie crust.
    After the initial skimming at the government level, instead of sending you a voucher which would allow you to choose your provider and obtain normal competitive quality product and service, your tax dollars in the form of an assistance benefit that you qualify for are given directly to the major cell phone carrier corporation itself, Sprint, also known as Assurance Wireless.
    Here’s what your crumb of pie crust looks like:
    1) An outdated, disposable cell phone.
    2) The worst in outdated technology signal service.
    3) Minimal usage. Because Sprint makes billions more profit selling you what you should have had in the first place.
    3) Terrible customer service and a website that does not function properly. The benefits that should be sent directly to you are paying Sprint executives, sales commissions and eventually a person with an OUTSOURCED job, in a foreign country, trained to tell you rudely that you should be grateful to them for anything you get from them because they are giving it to you for free!
    It’s a no gamble situation for Sprint, they are given the massive profit before even offering any product or service.
    In reality, aside from profit and salaries, you qualifying for this program pays for all the people involved in the pie feast (including that rude broken English speaking call center rep in the Philippines) to have real cell phones and quality unlimited service. Your crumb on the floor gets you a worthless phone, 350 minutes of unreliable signal, and a slap in the face by them insisting that they are giving you something that you do not deserve.

    Reply

  137. Priscilla Martin says

    Yes, I was able to qualify for the Virgin mobile cell phone. Got it at the end of December had problems with it sent it back. Got phone #2 had other problems sent that one back. On 1/8/19 received my 3rd phone still having problems & some of the problems are the same problems I had with the first two phones. I inquired that I paid $20.00 dollars to 2 men in N.B., MA that were representing Assurance wireless. Had 3 options 1 was free 2nd one cost $20.00 & the 3rd was $30.00 I believe. So I purchased the $20.00 one. I would like to get my money back but they said that wasn’t possible. Well if I have to I will contact the BBB & speak to the Attorney General of MA on this matter!

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      The way we understand your comment, you bought your phone for $20 for two guys on the street who said they worked for Assurance Wireless? Are we the only ones who think this sounds somewhat less than on the up-and-up?

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      If you mean that you are changing service providers, you must tell your new service provider’s customer service rep that you want to “port over my current phone number.” It’s a pretty simple, straightforward process, but repeat it several times in your conversation and confirm that it has been done before you hang up.

      Reply

  139. Michelle Sweet says

    Michelle reviewed Assurance Wireless

    “Worst customer service ever!”

    If I could remove stars I would give -10. I was talked into contacting Assurance for a Lifeline phone to help make things easier for appointments. The first flag I ignored was their absolute requirement for a physical building address, even though I did not have a fixed address. Shame on me. About a year later, I finally get a place to allow me to use their address. Got the phone. I’m not big on technology, so didn’t use it much, but noticed a few months later that the screen would black out when trying to make a call or check voice mail, and it was a real $#*! to try to get it to come back on. I thought it was just a fluke until it started doing it every single time. So I got the bright idea to call and ask for a replacement. The account verification process was a head-banger, especially since I forgot some of the info from what turns out to be a year and a half ago. 30 minutes later, finally get to the point where they can order a new phone… and oh, by the way, there is a $5 shipping charge. Um, ok. I guess that’s what I’ve got to do. Color me surprised when I see a $6.39 charge on my bank account they cannot explain. They finally come up with the lame excuse that the IRS collects that…??? I’m no idiot, but the IRS DOES NOT COLLECT STATE SALES TAX. And no state anywhere charges a 28% sales tax rate! Multiple requests for an itemized receipt were ignored, messages that were received were patronizingly stupid. Requests for the tracking number that SHOULD have been issued within 3 days of ordering the phone, per the clerk on the other end of the line, were ignored, and phone has yet to be received. After confirming the mailing address twice on the phone, I’m told that they need yet ANOTHER confirmation…….

    I have a pretty solid case of CPTSD, and this stirs it right up. I have no room for stupidity and dishonesty. Overcharging me and then lying about it equates to theft.

    I did NOT get involved with Assurance so that I would have an unnecessary source of stress to deal with. Stay far away from these people. You’ll be glad you did.

    Reply

    • Mic says

      Definitely stay away from assurance wireless. Junk phones had two and mailed old one back but bcuz they can’t find it cut service off but still registered as customer to keep me from getting a phone else where
      Alina. Had phone stolen they actually said they have no way to shut the service down on the stolen phone unless I buy a replacement phone for 35.00$. They’re all a scam one way or another. Good luck to anyone needing a phone but has no income or resources to be able to get contacted for appts or possible job is not happening

      Reply

  140. Rosemarie Daniel says

    How do I get started?? Some how I keep coming back to this page I’m trying to see if I can get this assistance I don’t know if I qualify because all I get is social security benefits and my kids do too?

    Reply

  141. PATRICIA ANDERSON says

    I had assurance wireless and missed the annual recertification. I have no phone at all, disabled and on ssi and desperately need one asap

    Reply

  142. Gordon Lagrow says

    My disabled mother on Medicaid lives in Connecticut with my sister who is also on state assistance and has a free phone. Can we get my mom a phone of her own? Sister was told no only one phone per household.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      That is correct, Gordon. Only one phone per household UNLESS each phone applicant lives separately. For example, they must each have their own room, buy their own food, pay a portion of the rent.

      Reply

  143. Kimberly Cornelius says

    Because my mother lives in a small town where you get your mail at the post office and not delivered to your house this program does not apply to her?? I have met with a representative currently in our area, tried to apply online, and called customer service. Does not apply to my mother who lives on SSI with an annual income of less than $12,000.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, you have stumbled into one of the biggest flaws in this program. What they are telling you is true, and the USAC tells us that they are “working on it,” but so far that work has not paid off for potential customers in your situation.

      Reply

  144. steven dilley says

    yes i have a phone through u an ive had nothing but problems with it im getting calls for the pervious owner of the phone an it keeps frezzing up on me an kicking me out of my facebook is there any way i can get a different phone an maybe alil bit bigger plz an thank u

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You are mistaken, Steven. You do NOT have a phone through us because this is an independent informational website that is NOT affiliated with any free government cell phone company. You need to contact your service provider’s customer service team by calling 6-1-1 on your Lifeline phone.

      Reply

  146. John Charlebois says

    I swap my old phone out and got new phone I’m tying to additive my after six times one line and twice by call I’ve gotten no were, Case#81629672 help please

    Reply

      • Kimberly Fuselier says

        LMAO!! Reading these questions are entertaining & there are no words for some but it’s hard to believe that these are adults asking these same questions that’s been answered too many times and the fact that NOONE CAN COMPREHEND THE FACT THAT Y’ALL ARE NOT THE ACTUAL PHONE COMPANY WITH WHOM THEY HAVE SERVICE!! WTH??

        Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We have an extension cord somewhere here around the office, Judy. But we don’t think it’s long enough to reach your house.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Of course it’s not charging. It’s free.
      Sorry, but we couldn’t resist. We can’t help you because we’re not your service provider. You need to contact its customer service team by dialing 6-1-1 on your free government cell phone. If your phone is dead, you can call the number shown in the article above.

      Reply

  149. Wayne Robey says

    I have used Assurance Wireless for several years. Sometimes the service has worked well (but not now) but customer service never works well. They require me to use a ZTE model N817 HW version CQ5110V2.0 phone which they supply. While there are numerous problems, the most troublesome ones are that the system will not pay attention to the location of the center of my finger and unless I use a tool I specially designed with a .12″ diameter tip will execute near by functions rather than what is under the center of my finger, so I have to keep the tool with me to perform most functions. The second problem is that to answer a call, I have to put my fingers on a bar and slide them down. The bar should follow but usually does not. If I slide my fingers sown too far with the bar not following, a bunch of messages pop up from the bottom and there is no way to retry. Many calls go unanswered due to this.
    There is a annual re certification of eligibility requirement that has never worked properly. I weas trying to change phone companies so delayed the process this year. Now I find the plan I was intending to use is discontinued so I am trying the recertification. They encourage me to recertify over the phone. The service is for people with low income but one year the system ask me to certify that my income was less than some ridiculously large number and since then it requests me to certify that my income qualifies without revealing what that means. Then it would require me to say that inorder to continue my life line service I do not now have any, so recertification could not be completed. Now when I start the process, it asks me to agree that the name they have in file is my full legal name. They have never ask for my full legal name so it is not and the machine says I have to send them a paper application with proof of name change. Since my name has never changed, there can be no such proof. The materials they send me says my current service expires on December 14, but on December 5 I discovered that it was not working when a friend came to check on me because I did not reply to her SMS messages. Then I found that I could not send SMS messages or place phone calls. Their so-called customer service has been of no use in fixing the problem.

    Reply

      • Cynthia Tyree says

        I use Assurance also. I first received a ZTE . When I needed a new phone they sent me a ANS. I do like it better. I love Assurance. I get great coverage and their customer service is wonderful

        Reply

  151. Pepi LePeu says

    Where is your office located? I would like to get a job wif u. You guys keep answering the same questions and get to abuse da peeple who rite in. It sounds like your company really sucks and Cintex treats peeple like shit, but what do you expect for free? It’s grate that Obama did this and made everybody else pay for it.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      It’s impossible for us to answer that question, Tracy. Each company offers a number of makes and models and they are handed out randomly. So the person before you may get one phone, you get another, and the person after you gets a third completely different make and model.

      Reply

  153. Fred Dunphy says

    I was on your website looking into lifeline. Please send me the most basic phone. Talk and text with a physical QWERTY Keyboard. In addition, I would like to know why your website causes pain in the wrist? Whats up with that?

    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t send you anything, Fred, because this is an independent informational website, NOT a free government cell phone company. You need to contact one of the companies offering Lifeline plans in your state.

      Reply

  155. Lois A Phillips says

    To whom this may concern At the Assurance Wireless Phone Company well i got a free Phone and today something popped up on the screen saying the phone has stopped so I tried to exit that off the Screen and it wouldn’t let me and i even tried to Power Off My Phone and it wouldn’t let me do that either so i got to thinking about maybe i can take the Battery out and reset it that way but no i didn’t get that far because i noticed that something liquid was leaking out around the Battery so i just laid my phone down and decided that i was going to try to Contact you all which is The Assurance Wireless Phone Company and see about getting a Replacement Phone because that phone was junk it didn’t last maybe a week and i don’t understand why and what happened to the Phone so please let me no what i have to do to get a Replacement Phone or what i need to do so that i can get My New Replacement Phone please and THANK YOU SO SO VERY MUCH

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not Assurance, Lois. You need to contact the company directly using the contact info we provide in the article above.

      Reply

  157. Linda Schmidt says

    My name is Linda Schmidt. I have been with assurance wireless for years. But everytime I”ve been sent a replacement phone there was always something wrong with it. So, I switched over th a Samsung p0hone, which I got it last Saturday and it didn”t work either, I returned the Samsung phone for a refund. Right now I don”t have a cell phone. I would like to go back to Assurance Wireless. I would liek to know how I can fill out a application on the internet so I can start recieving my smartphone from Assurance Wireless. Thank-You, Sincerely, Linda Schmidt

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to contact Assurance customer service using the contact info we provided in the article, Linda.

      Reply

  159. Andre D.Johnson says

    My name’s Andre Johnson ..from Mankato MN….I have been waiting for my cell phone.. I sent in all the information needed…..been waiting over 2 months for my free cell…how long does it take to get it…already have a cell pin but no phone yet… patiently waiting…..but like to be informed when an how long it takes…thnx..

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Two months is too long to wait, Andre. You should contact customer service at the company you enrolled with to check your status.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      For god’s sake, man, what is wrong with our readers today? This isn’t the Assurance Wireless website, CarMell. You need to enroll directly with Assurance.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to enroll with a company that offers plans in your state, Theodora. Click on “States” at he top of this page.

      Reply

  162. ralph nasco says

    Cheap is the key word here. My assurance wireless phone cracked and broke way too easily 904 894 ****. I need a new phone Ralph Nasco

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to speak to Assurance customer service, Ralph. This is an independent informational website, so we cannot provide you with a new phone.

      Reply

  163. Maritha wright says

    I am leaving a comment because I sent my shipper and have a little time and never received my phone I want to know was going on

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We cannot answer your question, Martha, because this is an independent informational website that’s NOT affiliated with any free government cell phone company. You must contact customer service at the company you enrolled with.

      Reply

  164. TERRI GEER says

    Where do I send the application to? USAC – Lifeline Support Center, or Assurance Wireless?

    Do I send the whole 8 pages, or just the ones that I needed to fill out?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Send it to the company you are enrolling with. We don’t know what the other pages are, but we’d send them all the pages if it were us.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      First thing you need to do is to Google the make and model of your cell phone plus the words “user manual.” Once you find the manual, you can look up the solution to your problem.

      Reply

  166. Catherine burkes says

    I have put in a application for a government phone how long do it take for me to hear from yall my name is catherine burkes

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You will wait forever to hear from us, Catherine, because this is an independent informational website, NOT a free government cell phone company. You must contact one of the service providers using the contact info we provide.

      Reply

  168. Cheryl says

    My sister is with Assurance Wireless and the phone she recieved is very difficult for her to use.
    Can I give her my old phone or buy one that is truly useable by a person with memory problems?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You may work, Cheryl, but you need to speak to Assurance customer service or tech support to make sure that your phone or the one you want to purchase is compatible with the Assurance network. Not all cell phones are compatible with all cell networks, so PLEASE confirm that the replacement phone is compatible before you purchase it.

      Reply

  169. Darlene Costello says

    I have forgot my password on my other cell phone the one assurance wireless and you’ll send me another one but I was trying to find out if you’ll can give me a free new phone number with it

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not Assurance Wireless, Darlene. Speak to customer service at Assurance to get your question answered accurately.

      Reply