It’s about time for some good news to come out of the horrible Covid pandemic — now your Lifeline free government cell phone plan comes with free unlimited talk, free unlimited text, AND free unlimited data.
As one customer said to us, “Holy freakin’ moly!”
One service provider spells out just how easy it is to turn your free government cell phone plan into your free government broadband bonanza. But keep in mind that although we are quoting one service provider, the same great benefits are available from EVERY service provider, including the provider who offers your current plan:
Complete a few short steps to begin enjoying this benefit.
Click the button ‘OPT-IN NOW’ to review the disclaimers, e-sign the form and start enjoying this new benefit.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), is a temporary emergency federal government benefit program operated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) aimed at ensuring connectivity to eligible households and those consumers affected by the pandemic. The EBB program is expected to end 6 months after the Secretary of Health Services determines that a public health emergency no longer exists or when the funds are depleted. Only one EBB benefit per household is allowed.
As a qualified Lifeline benefit participant, you are also eligible to receive the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB).
Unlimited talk!
Unlimited text!
Unlimited data!
Contact your current Lifeline free government cell phone service provider to opt-in to this great new benefit. Or enroll in a new plan to begin receiving it. Either way, you are on your way to unlimited talk, text and data. (Another thing to keep in mind: service may vary by state.)
The government has finally done something right during the Covid epidemic. This new, expanded Lifeline free government cell phone benefit will help a lot of people search for new jobs, help a lot of other people communicate with their doctors, and help a lot of students with their virtual schooling.
This benefit won’t last forever, so enroll now.
Christopher Rottner says
I had a free cell phone and I’m 67 yrs old, was in a rollover 3X car accident on dec. 09, 2022 in san diego., CA. My car was totaled and cell phone broke. I was in Trama at Sharp Memorial Hospital and had several concussions before that and was on S.S. Disability for life. Igot another concussion from this accident and they are still doing tests on slight brain damage. My wife is writing this for me. I’m seeing a Neu. Dr for brain (Dr. Lasker in San Diego, CA.) and I need a new cell phone. I still have the one that you gave me but it broke and doesn’t work. How do I go about getting a new phone for free? My name is Christopher Rottner. Email : **********@outlook.com I need one bad for calling for rides to and from Dr. and other things. I don’t need the internet just text & talk. I’m with Spectrum but they want to much money. I’m on SS. My Landline is 858 *** ****.
My wife will talk for me , She is Dianna Rottner. What should I do. I have been with no cell phone for 4-5 months. Date : April 30, 2023 Christopher Rottner
Free Government Cell Phones says
It sounds as if your free government cell phone has been inactive for so long that your account should have been cancelled. That means you are free to enroll with any service provider you want. Here’s where you can find all the service providers and their plans in your state at this link:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
If you choose any service provider other than your original one, the new one will consider you a new customer and send you a new free government cell phone when you enroll.
MARIA H ZHAO says
Hello;
Thanks for the information. This is helpful. I prefer to have a better smartphone. If it’s a very basic device, it won’t do much. Also, we are seniors with low visions; it’s better to have a big size device available.
thanks for your consideration.
Danielle Faulk says
Im looking for options for 31017 GA!
Free Government Cell Phones says
We can’t break it down by zip codes, Danielle. The best we can do is state-by-state:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Odell says
Looking for a new company in MO 65803, do any offer a free phone with unlimited data?
Free Government Cell Phones says
We are unable to track availability down to the zip code level, Odell, but you can check with the service providers in your state. Here’s where you can find them:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Henry says
BIG news on the horizon about the EBB program! It will end on March 1, 2022 and will be replaced by the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) on that date as a result of the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Nov. 15, 2021. The guidelines for the new program are still being formulated and will likely have many similar rules like for EBB. The fund balance will be much bigger for ACP at $14 billion versus $4 billion for EBB.
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From the FCC website:
The Infrastructure Act also provides for a 60-day transition period from the EBB Program to the ACP for households fully enrolled in the EBB Program as of December 31, 2021. Accordingly, the 60-day transition period for the ACP will start on December 31, 2021 and end on March 1, 2022. The ACP will also begin to accept enrollments on December 31, 2021.
The benefit will provide a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.
The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
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There are some eligibility rule differences. The income requirement is now at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (for EBB it was 135%). If you are already a Lifeline subscriber, you should be eligible for enrollment in ACP. Note that the monthly broadband service subsidy will drop to $30 from $50 per month under the new plan.
Note that the same benefit of a one time purchase of a laptop, desktop, or tablet is also a benefit in ACP. However, it is not clear if you got a device through EBB would disqualify you for the device in the ACP.
So those on EBB will need to subscribe to the ACP by March 1, 2022.
Henry says
PCs for People sent an email that said that those who registered for the EBB program with their service will be automatically switched to the ACP program without having to do anything. So, my previous statement about applying for the ACP program is not entirely correct for those already approved for the EBB program. EBB subsidy payments will end on March 1, 2022 and then superseded by the ACP subsidy payment. PCs for People did indicate that if you already got the tablet, desktop, or laptop device under EBB, you cannot get one under ACP.
Henry says
Based on the last figures for the EBB program as of December 31, 2021, almost 1/2 of the $3 Billion EBB fund had been spent. The ACP program has a total amount of $14 Billion. So if the spending pattern of $3 Billion dollars for one year is the average, the ACP funds should last almost five years.
Five years of no cost broadband service. Yippeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Willow Gossack says
I need to CANCEL!!!
But, before I do, I would like to log a Formal Complaint against the last customer “no service” rep… she was so rude and it was not my fault. She kept telling me that my pohone says Samsung S5 but it is really an S3… in a tone that was suggesting I had done something fishy to the phone!!! And she kept repeating it over and over… omg I kept saying :what next? what do I do now? and she couldnt give me any kind of answer but ” your phone says S5 and it is an S3″ … I even heard her say Oh my gaaaawd at the very beginning of the call. Please pull it up and listen to the call. My ph # is (971)207-**** and the call would be Oct 07,2021 at around 9;45-10 am. but who knows… I gort hung up on or put on terminal hold like 4 times just trying to get to a rep. I have been waiting for communication by email for a MONTH!!! I dont have phone service now obviously… I was SUPPOSED to be sent a new phone because my other one is stolen now… but nooooo. ACCESS HAS DONE NOTHING FOR ME BUT TAKE MY MONEY! Yes, I was the idiot who paid extra money for a better phone, which wasnt, and for unlimited service. I have bought 3 kroger SIM cards… all for nothing… for an uneducated rep to assign it to a phone that isnt compatable apparantly.
I am hereby officially requesting paid funds returned immediately please. Contact needs to be made by email because I need proof of the kind of things you all say to us customers, and the fact that I dont have a phone becuase Im the idiot who thought ACCESS WIRELESS was a good choice. Yes I am screenshotting this message fyi. maybe Trustpilot and google could use a fair and honest review of you? Yes.
Free Government Cell Phones says
We understand your pain, Willow, but we are not your service provider. This is an independent informational website. Contact your service provider’s customer service team.
Sara says
If you are looking for reliable and trustworthy free government cell phone service provider head over to Safe Link.
G.W. Bochow says
Dearest Sara- YOU GIT THAT RIGHT ! The former stellar Lifeline Service is stellar no more….it is more like “STELLA” from “Streetcar Named Desire” fame ! T-Mobile is making more errors than the 1963 New York Mets baseball team in taking over from Virgin Mobile. The phones they offer are OFF-OFF_Brands and they are as User Friendly as a White Nationalist at a Justice For George Floyd Rally ! The entire Assurance Wireless system is Horribly Mis-managed, it’s limited phones are bottom of the barrel, it’s Customer Service so mis-guided and suffers from extreme linguistic shortcomings that sound like a combination of Mandarin Chinese and Swahili ! After over 12 years with Assurance Wireless I am about to head over to Safelink for cell service.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Congratulations on a first, G.W. No one here has ever quoted Tennessee Williams on this website.
Georgene Elley says
love it yes about time
Patricia Anne McQuerry says
I am 72 years old, permanently disabled with at least 20 ailments I feel the 3 worst of the worst, is Parkinson’s, COPD, & Congestive Heart Failure. I live in Arizona City, Arizona, so I have to go to another town to get to a hospital. I have tried to get a phone from QLink, and they pay no attention to the fact that I have not recieved a cell phone, but monthly they send me how much time I am using. Obviously, if I don’t have the phone and it is still getting used, someone did get it. My caregiver is my sister, whom I live with, deaf in one ear, and very hard of hearing out of the other, so if something happened to me, she would find my dead body in the morning. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Horrible story, Patricia. If Q Link has been claiming you as a customer for 60 days or more you can switch to a different company. Here’s an article that tells you how to make the switch:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
And here’s where you can find all the plans available in your state:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Bob Raliegh says
There is no longer a port freeze. You can switch 6 minutes after signing up, you don’t have to wait 60 days.
Free Government Cell Phones says
You are correct, Bob. Here’s an article from March that tells you everything you need to know:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/usac-update-switch-free-government-cell-phone-companies-any-at-time
Lee Cox says
Can switch at any time although it’s usually 2 months. If you’re having problems and you’re not receiving good service you can switch without waiting that 2 months period.
(SORRY, LEE, BUT IN MOST CASES WE DO NOT ALLOW OUTSIDE LINKS IN OUR COMMENT SECTION. AND YOUR COMMENT WAS JUST JAM-PACKED WITH OUTSIDE LINKS.)
Henry says
This is the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program that began on May 12. It provides a credit of up to $50 a month for internet service ($75 limit in tribal lands). You have to renew every month to continue to receive the credit. Subscriptions that extend to several months are not included. Also, if you are currently subscribed for several months, you cannot get the credit now. You must wait for your subscription to expire and then renew for one month only.
There is also an additional benefit that provides a credit of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop, or tablet device. The purchaser has to pay more than $10 and less than $50 for the device. The device has to be purchased at the same time as the monthly internet service and it has to be with the same company.
Some internet service providers are also offering the WiFi hotspot device at a lower cost.
Many of the Lifeline service providers are increasing the talk and data limits for people enrolled in the EBB program for as long as it lasts. When the FCC declares the program to end, the people who were getting the EBB benefits will revert to the regular Lifeline service, if they are still eligible, or they will have to convert to a regular paid subscription, if not eligible.
Here is the link to the FAQ about the program.
(LINK DELETED)
Free Government Cell Phones says
Sorry, Henry, but we had to delete the link. Google sometimes hates outside links and we end up in trouble with the Big G without even knowing why. Better safe than sorry on our part.
Henry says
Not a problem. Many forum sites also restrict adding URL links to comments. Some of the reasons sometime relate to affiliation monetary issues. Note that my URL link was from the FCC site itself for the EBB program. Anyone reading my comments will just have to look for more information on their own.
The most important thing about this new program is that it is temporary. When the Government declares the end of the pandemic of if the money runs out, whichever comes first, your benefits will decrease or you will have to pay to keep them at the current level.
Free Government Cell Phones says
The good news for free government cell phone customers is that the government has a real problem ending programs. Let’s hope this one lasts for a while so more people can get help.
Donald Haley says
what thell I did not get any
Free Government Cell Phones says
Please, Donald, this is not the forum to discuss your dating situation. (PAUSE) Oh, we beg your pardon. One of the other content moderators thinks we may have misinterpreted your comment. Our apologies.