Average Rating: [starrater tpl=10 style=’starscape’]
Please rate above and contribute your review in the comments below.
Welcome to our Rating and Reviews page for Assurance Wireless. The star rating above is an overall customer satisfaction average of all those surveyed. Further below you’ll find reviews of the company from real customers. If you have a free government phone from Assurance Wireless we encourage you to rate the company and leave a review.
Please consider your overall satisfaction with Assurance Wireless — customer service, delivery, product quality, cell connection quality — and give them a one through five star rating above.
Dawn says
Schok phones are garbage 1st one lasted a week before it stopped charging. Replacement arrived after waiting month, talked to 6 reps and 2 supervisors. Got 8 different responses. Finally wrote to BBB & Exec from Sprint replied I need to pay $20 shipping for DEFECTIVE PHONE. The replacement lasted 2 weeks going through the same BS AGAIN! NOT PAYING $20 SHIPPING! Save yourself the trouble, RUN!
Mar Schl says
The Shok phones are the worst phones I have ever used.sorry but too many repairs and time without a phone.i should not complain,it’s free.but doing without a phone on and off is redicules.
Henry says
Schok Volt SV55
$69.00
A smartphone that you can trust when you need it.
The Schok Volt SV55 smartphone was created to be affordable, modern, and extremely reliable.
It only has 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage space. A low end spec phone. Any heavy duty computing will hose this phone. These specs were OK from over 10 years ago.
john smith says
i made a mistake, they are not made in china. they are made in malaysia. even worse with child labor problems.
Mark says
The worst phone service I ever dealt with you can’t reach anybody by phone the only way I reach somebody is by Facebook Messenger for assurance wireless which is ridiculous the only problem I had was buying extra minutes and they couldn’t even solve the problem it’s too much of a headache and I’ve been without a phone for 5 days there’s no customer service to help you
john smith says
this phone is not worth the 8 cents that they pay children in china to make it for them. this phone was designed to make someone rich other than that i would rather go phone less than to own another one..
Felipe NA says
There’s one thing everyone should understand, all that bull regarding applications, address conflicts, recertification is necessary info requested by the government, that has nothing to be with assurance. I work at Assurance as a customer center representative, and personally I get really frustrated when I see people getting denied or opted out of the service for the most stupid or simple reasons, but this decisions are taken directly by the government, and even if we wanted to help you there’s nothing we can do as the government platform is totally locked up and it only let us check the status and send out new applications.
One thing I have to express is how upset I get when people call angry complaining about every single thing about the service, like if they were paying for it, it’s f***ing FREE, free phone, free minutes, free texts, and they complain more than the paying customers, people should be grateful instead. I don’t want to generalize but this is something that happens at least in 1/2 of the cases.
But the service itself is really good, you know assurance is a Sprint company, they use Sprints network to operate so the service is pretty swift and stable.
Parsley says
hmmmmm… I was going to go with this service… but if ANY WAY affiliated with team-mobile.. no way ! I went on T Mobiles 14 day try out plan many years ago… I got a phone… didn’t work… they shipped me a new one on my 13th day of my trial.. took the original back to the store and tried getting them to extend my ‘trial’ period… they refused, so I said I didn’t want their service… returned the 2nd phone… and… not only got billed for ‘not returning the first phone’, which I did at their location…they billed me for service !!!!…..
pamekla gamble says
I had my assurance phone for many years and never had a problem with my phone or their employees
Pinky says
I did send document using fax number provided two times for which I got call report of fax sent successfully. Evenafter that while calling customer care. They denied saying haven’t received any document by fax resend it again..
It is horrible
Catherine says
Get this one….My application was denied because there was “something missing” in the address, and yet the letter with accompanying applications got to me just fine using the address I had given them on my initial application….WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?????????
Catherine says
Everything all of you have said about Assurance, has happened to me. I’ve been trying to get a phone from them since November 2013. Six or seven apps later, I’m going to go elsewhere…but WHERE? Any recommendations?
I have been homeless for 1-1/2 years, and while I have used various addresses over that time on my app (being homeless, I move alot!), how is a homeless person supposed to get a phone when an address is required? It seems to me that we are some of the neediest but aren’t able to get phones. While I live in Minnesota, I asked if the phone could be sent to my sister in Iowa whom I trust and see often, and was denied. I asked if the phone could be sent General Delivery, and was denied. I was in a group residential home when I first applied, and because someone who had lived there YEARS ago had gotten a free phone, I was denied by Assurance. While I think this company STINKS in customer service, and you have to push 0 repeatedly to actually talk to a human being who doesn’t speak or understand English, I also think someone needs to devise a system for receiving free phones for those of us without permanent addresses.. I recently read an article congratulating someone for their BRILLIANT idea that allowed homeless people to receive their free phones through the Public Library system. Anyone know more about this? I would be most thankful for any info or ideas.
Charlie says
Try Reachout Wireless, I have it in California. You get 250 talk and 250 texts free each month. So far it’s been good.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Except that Assurance now give unlimited minutes and texts in California.
M1111 says
Had service for 4 years, got a text that I needed to update my address, which I did just before the rep hung up on me after extreme rudeness. 2 weeks later, service cutoff; reason given: no valid address. Called them, went thru 3 reps, asked for supervisor, told I had to send in a new application, which I did. Waited SIX WEEKS, no mail. Called, told it would be ANOTHER 2 weeks. Finally got application, filled out completely, mailed. After 3 weeks I called again, told they would call me in 3 days; waited 7 days, no call from them. Called them again, told it is in process, would take another 2 weeks,. After 2 weeks got a letter that address is “incomplete” and service is denied. Called AGAIN, read them my photocopy of CORRECT address I sent on their form, they said it is incorrect. I have lived here over 4 years and get mail daily…how the heck is that an invalid address? Told AGAIN a supervisor would call in 3 days. It is now going on to the 6th day. Word of advice: NEVER, EVER, waste your time on these pathetic, lying, incompetent imbeciles.
diane melton says
This last comment belong to Diane Melton I need a answer. And I recieve disabilty ..housing..ssi.so I qualify.
diane melton says
I HAVE SEND MY PERSONAL INFO.IN TO ASSURANCE WIRELESS 3XS.WITH THE APPLCATOINS AS REQUESTED.AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. WAS NASTY RUDE.AND SINCE I GAVE A BAD REPORT His SUPERVISOR The person keep denieing my application and my personal information is just anywhere. I need a response asap. Or I will write congress.
stephen says
Assurance SUCKS. They are all LIARS.
Applied since 4/15/2014. I have been waiting for 2 month. I sent them application for 4 times!!!!!!
Customer service in Philippine site; They can’t recognize each other; They can’t transfer to those whom I talked before; Whenever they promise or guarantee you with something, don’t trust them.
When I faxed 3rd application over to them, they wanted me to wait 7-10 days again for processing. After 7 days, I called them, they were saying it was receiving and processing so i have to wait 3 more days. After 3 days, I called them again, and they said reviewing was done but it was not updated because all cases update by Sunday, and they wanted me to call back on Monday. On Monday, they told me they didn’t even receive the application. WTF!!! and wanted me to send another one with new fax number which was direct fax number (8004303987).
I faxed it over again, and after 8 days i called them again. FRANK, a worker, said it is reviewing and he escalates the case. He put my case as a priority and he gave me a case id number. HE guarantee me I can get either approval or denial by Friday (3 days after).
On Friday, I called them, but they are saying application was not received. WTF they are doing.
They just keep playing with me. Talking with Supervisor or manager??? It means nothing. Just keep saying “sorry about that. But there is nothing i can do. I will create new case then send us new application.”
That’s fkin horrible. really. Never seen like these people.
Even there is only 1 number!! and there are spreading to all world. Even though we note their name, date, and time, they can’t even recognize who they are. WTF
Even we can’t complain to those who lie to me.
These SCAMMERS OP.
Federal government should know about it.
Bar says
Stay away from Assurance Friend applied 6 mos ago still no viable explanation for rejections. They are sending rejection letters daily 2-4 a day…so far 30 plus received….scammers! Federal government needs to investigate them. Still no phone
Jmar says
Ok this company is horrible! If it is even legit company. It really is a joke. They have you apply, think of some bogus reason why you were “denied” then tell you to reapply. I have played this stupid game back and forth with them for the past 8 months! This company is sick and gets off by messing with people after they get all your personal info. STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!
Marcia says
When I had their service, they kept sending me texts saying “This is your last warning. Use your phone to make a call or your service will end”. I HAD made a phone call on the phone! Who ARE these people at Assurance??
Jan says
I’ve been with AW for 2 years now. They operate out of the country of Columbia and the majority of time you can’t understand what they are saying. They do not have a way to switch you to someone else, I’ve asked this.
When you call the only way to get to a person is to KEEP pressing “0”. They all take American names, ex: Henry, Jennifer…
Recently, I’ve been trying for over 2 months to go to the $5 month plan from the free one as my brother in another state is dying and I speak with him when he is very depressed. They say you can switch online..BUT YOU CANNOT !! I’ve even had my 40yo daughter try… it can’t be done.
FInally I called *86 where you don’t have any charges against you to speak with them.
I was told that the company has had so many complaints that you CAN NO LONGER top-up automatically meaning you can’t have the 500 min plan for $5. You have to call them each month to have this. HOW SAD. I’m changing to another pay plan FREEDOM POP with whom I have great internet service and they now have phone service UNLIMITED for $6.67 mo…but you have to pay a yr in advance and buy their $99 phone or have a Sprint enabled phone already.
Walter McGrath says
I do n’t know how to turn my service back on. Last month my phone was shut off. Somehow I contacted the company and payed $ 20.00 plus tax and they turned it back on for a while. Now it is off again. I don’t know how to contact the company, my phone is dead and I just missed a doctor;s appointment, and a hospital appointment for a ct scan. Please, how do I get my phone back on? I need help!
Milena says
If you still have your asw cellphone you can dial 611 to speak with a live rep, or you can call 1-888-321-5880, it sounds like you are using your service at ten cents per minute
Lin says
I had the phone for almost 2 years and apparently they had one digit wrong in my address and just cut me off a few days ago and said I’ll have to reapply. Customer servcie appeared to be in mexico using US govt funds or using illegal aliens. Couldn’t understand them and they were no help whatsoever. I emailed and they didn’t get back to me.
James M says
I think some people do ok with this service and free phone, but alot of people are having issues, I was approached by an assurance wireless rep in a dollar general parking lot offering me a free phone with 250 free minutes a month, He took all the info, wanted to take a picture of my ebt card and wrote the number down, I had to cancel the card because their rep had all my wifes info and they had no record, then after calling customer service, they wouldn’t do anything about it, they just laughed it off
Marcia Nichols says
That’s incredible!….the customer service rep I talked to told me to “Send your food stamps to me”.
Kathy says
I meant to add that you do have to get recertified every year on ALL free cell phones! AND you have to use the phone once in awhile. If you don’t use it for 6 months (or maybe it’s 3 months) in some way either text or call, you could lose the phone. I think it’s a fair policy. If you aren’t going to use it then someone else can.
I have an extended family member who is 2 times severe Traumatic Brain Injured (TBI). He has lost about 6 Assurance Wireless phones. Each time Assurance got him another phone. So I’m just saying..I think that’s really patient of them. He isn’t allowed to get another one from Assurance but I’ll help him get one (with some kind of case/holder to wear around his neck), from a different carrier. He is homeless right now and really needs a phone!
I still say Assurance Wireless has been great to me overall. My phone was activated as soon as I gave them evidence of eligibility and have not lost service of any kind since.
I’m sorry the few people above have had problems with them. Maybe there is a misunderstanding on how it works? Maybe if varies from state to state or region to region? I hope you all find great free cell service. I hope I do as well.
Kathy says
I’ve been with Assurance Wireless for about 3 years. I have never had a problem with them at all. The only issues I’ve had, are, the phone is really a cheap. with a tiny screen, and a tiny keypad. After 3 years or longer, the screen is very scratched. I can’t see anything in my account, such as my personal information. Somehow, about $45.00 was “topped up” in my account without my knowledge. I can’t afford that nor would I ever add that much to just sit in my Assurance Wireless account. I don’t use the phone all that often. I use it to call my Mother and other family members who all live out of state. I have never gone over my 250 minutes. The other problem is lack of disabled accessible phones, for people with low vision, and lack of mobility or use of my hands, and so forth. No one in the company seemed to know anything about accessibile phones for persons with disabilities. Assurance said they offer a few, not so great, low rated, “PayLo” phones which you can purchase from their web site. They run from $11.99 (is the highest rated phone due to low price) to about $34.00 plus shipping (lowest rated phone). These are Android phones that have like 2.0-2.4″ screens. Some have the pull out, qwerty keyboard, some have the regular telephone keypad, and I believe one or two have on screen keyboards. These are still all too small in my opinion, and are too hard to use if you have low sight, no sight, and/or mobility problems like I have with my hands. However, they are very inexpensive (especially the $11.99), and except for the phone, you receive 250 free minutes and now get 250 free text too. They sent me a letter telling me I would be getting 250 free texts too that would go into effect in a few months (months ago). Well it didn’t happen on it’s own. I thought it just would start. But no, many months later, I finally called when I saw that there might be a $45.00 top up on my account. I asked why I didn’t get my free 250 texts and they informed me I had to call in and request them! How goofy is that? So I requested they be added, they were but I had to wait until the next cycle. Who knows why? Overall, the customers service staff have always been helpful and polite. I’ve had a good experience with them. They refunded the mistaken $45.00 top up in about 2 weeks, back to my bank account, even though it had been their apparently since Oct. of 2013. I discovered the mistaken top up the middle of April 2014. I think most mobile company’s would not have refunded the money. I think most would have insisted you keep it on your account as a credit to use. They did try that first. They tried to get me to use the funds to get an “accessibility” phone. I didn’t want one, or don’t as of yet. Overall, they handled that issue really well.
In sum, the customer service department have been very helpful, eager to please, and the free cheap phone they give you, seems to stay charged for a month! No frills, bells or whistles, just a simple, small black, plastic phone, to use for when you’re away from home, urgent, or long distance calls. After doing some research online, looking for the Lifeline free cell phones, it seems so far, that Assurance Wireless seems to be the best in customer service, and the best in the amount of minutes/text provided. I would like the ability to use the web on a screen I can actually see. I may try the newer company (that I just forgot the name of), which allows you to bring your own used Sprint phone of any kind.
Assurance Wireless is also part of the Sprint Network and is connected to Virgin Mobile. You can buy any of Virgin Mobile PayLo phones to use with Assurance. And yes, you can top up them up over the phone, on the phone or online..
I have no complaints except for the lack of accessibility phones for the disabled. I need a bigger clearer screen, and one where I can text from the screen using a stylus or a talk feature. The Qwerty keyboards buttons are much too small for my hands which that do not work well. It’s painful to text on their cheap plastic, black, very small phone. For example, to get the C you have to press the #1 4 times. It takes forever to try to send a 1-2 line text. The keys are tiny and the screen gets scratched easily so try to find a cover for it if it’s going in your purse or pocket.
Although there are laws regarding accessibility for disabled persons, Assurance Wireless staff, are totally unaware of the laws.
Lastly, I have never been aware of a “referral program” with Assurance Wireless. But I think I read somewhere around here, that Assurance has one. They certainly don’t tell you about it. I would go so far to say they hide it from you. As I said, I’ve been with them for several years, have referred a few people and have never received any written or any information about a referral program where you get additional free minutes for a completed friend or someone who signs up.
If you’re not disabled, have good eyesight and have good mobile dexterity in your hands,then Assurance Wireless, thus far, seems to offer the best deal for free. They offer the most minutes and texts too.
My Mother has a TracPhone and really likes it a lot. Personally, I really like Virgin Mobile’s, Assurance Wireless services, except for their lack of knowledge of disabled person’s rights to accessibility, or use of a what in the end, has to be FCC compliant device.
I hope this helps someone make their decision!
Oh if you have to call internationally, I don’t know think Assurance is so good in that case. I’d check around if I was you first. Assurance Wireless charges .10 cents per minute rounded up of course! This will add up very fast if you have family out of the USA. That is not a good deal compared to some other services out there. Not many give you free international calls but I think at least one does in most states. But then you don’t get as many talk minutes or texts.
Happy Calls Everyone!
Joy says
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I was going to get my spouse service thru Assurance. From your opinion of them I have decided to look elsewhere. It`s hard enough to be disabled. We do not need any more grief, aggravation, and frustration. Thanks to all who gave their experiences also.
Bernard Wilhite says
This company is a complete and total let down. I stayed with them for over a year, I had moved, they never forwarded my new address to California Lifeline and I was discontinued. It took four phone calls for them to even admit their error. Then they not only attempted to hide their error, they did absolutely nothing to correct the situation. I had put $5.00 on my phone, anticipating on getting 250 minutes and they told me I could not do that. I spoke with a manager named Josh, who said he would see to it, that he could at least give me the minutes that I thought I was buying, he promised to call back in one hour and never did. YOU CANNOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE. It is to the point I am going to legal aid and see if I can initiate litigation. These people cost me a job. I am telling everyone DO NOT DO BUSINESS with Assurance Wireless.
edwin flanders says
Kathy, if you don’t like the phone, then please do what my mom did (or rather, what I did for her). She couldn’t stand that original phone (that came with the plan), but your account CAN BE TRANSFERRED to a better phone. Go to a Radio Shack. Shell out a little over 20 bucks for a KYOCERA KONA (very basic flip phone). Bring your PIN number, and your original phone. Ask them to do the transfer for you. My mom did that months ago, and now, she actually likes it! The reception is MUCH better, and she’s elderly, so she really appreciates the larger buttons. Also, since it’s a flip-phone, there aren’t any scratches on the screen, and aren’t likely to be.
Charlie says
Oh my God–where do I start with this company–they are TERRIBLE–SIMPLY TERRIBLE. Pure “bait and switch” They lure the elderly and poor in with a promise of a “free” phone and then several months later they fine a “reason” to discontinue service and then the fun starts. They ask you to send and resend documents and they claim they never get them–the refuse to return calls, e-mails or letters. Their whole motive is to get you so fed up that you will gladly pay (“Topping up” they call it) 10 cents a minute for the phone. Don’t believe me? Look them up on line. They should be investigated for fraud!! STAY AWAY from them. They also have the WORST Customer Service on the planet!
Val says
Wow, I feel bad that you have had a bad experience with your phone. I made the switch almost a year ago after being with sprint for several years and paying $80+ monthly for unlimited talk/text and data.
I had to downsize due to my job and miner health issues. I started with the 250 free talk and text, but my daughter and I are close so we chat a lot. I now pay $30 a month for unlimited talk/text/data.
I even got to keep my same phone number from sprint that I’ve had for years.
I have always had the best response from anyone in customer care. The only problem now is that I owe sprint for breaking my contract. I am blessed to have found this company. I hope they resolve your problems and everything works out for you, hang in there, It gets better.
Janice says
Don’t feel bad about paying to break the contract; you began saving money the day you left Sprint.
fed up says
Totally agree lost phone they sent me a new one and would not activate it after having service for 7 months said i could top it off for the ten cents a min plan until i reapplied B.S…. don’t waist your time they are con artists !!!!!!
Marcia Nichols says
Holy COW! I’ve had the exact same experience with this horrid company! They told me I qualified but needed me to send them my food stamps??? Serious…that’s what the customer service rep said to me! Ah, but that was only the beginning! It was “we need one more thing” for months on end & I provided every single thing they asked for (minus my food stamps!). 5 months dealing with these idiots & providing everything they asked for to find out now that because I have a PO box, I can’t have the service. I TOLD them I don’t get mail at my home & gave them my home address which is obviously different than my PO box address. They told me to call USPS & tell them to register my home. Well, I was told by USPS that if I did that, I couldn’t have a PO box! Oh, & by the way, good luck in getting anyone at Assurance wireless who speaks and understands English!
Arlene Chabez says
They wanted a copy of you proof of government assistance. Here in California all you need to qualify is a copy of your EBT,, Medical card etc. and to fill out the 1 minute app.
Na says
Same thing happened to me. I told them I had lived in the same place 40 years. I have filled out 3 apps, exactly like it was suppose to be. They deleted me out of the sytem. I told them I had the phone for 3 years, but when renewal time came, they found a reason to not renew mine. It is so frustrating. I depended on that phone. With our limited income, we cant afford huge phone bills. Something should be done. These phone are suppose to be for us, with low income and other things. I want to scream everytime they email me, that I cant use my box number. I KNOW THAT… ughhhhhhh
Kathleen Michelet says
Just file a FCC complaint and they become quite helpful. I filed 4 this year.
Joshau says
I’m currently going through the same thing! First of all, I had a phone through them because I am on disability, am unable to work and receive EBT and medicaid. I live below poverty and have no other options for a cell phone.
This was the reason they gave for canceling my phone OUT OF THE BLUE with NO WARNING: “The address you provided us is incomplete or could not be validated”. I even went so far as to get the post office to check and double check my address to make sure it’s valid, which is what these Assurance con-artists told me I needed to do.
So I did, which takes weeks to go through the post office and then re-applied and guess what! I got a letter stating ONCE AGAIN that “…the address you proved was incomplete of could not be validated.” Are you kidding me? Amazon.com knows how to deliver to me, UPS knows how to deliver to me. And since I live in a rural area I HAVE to pick up my mail at the small local post office. There is no other choice.
And here’s the topper……THEY MAILED MY PHONE TO ME ONCE A FEW YEARS AGO WITH NO PROBLEMS…WHY CAN’T THEY DO IT AGAIN? The answer is, they don’t want to. They sucker in the elderly and the poorest of the poor, then they attempt to squeeze money from them. It’s disgusting. And if you don’t fall for Assurance wireless gimmicks and just use the basic service, they cancel your phone. With no warning. And their customer service is a HORRIBLE.
If Assurance Wireless is indeed receiving federal funds to provide phones for the poor and elderly, they are in big trouble. A lawsuit is coming and it’s coming soon.
Avoid Assuracne Wireless at all costs. I mean, we’re talking about a company whose BUSINESS MODEL is preying on the poor, infirm and elderly? These guys are the lowest of the low.
Brenda Serrano says
Yes, this is the case for me too. Exactly the same. I recomend you do what I did and call the FCC and fill a complaint. I have already done it and am going to do it again as they have not resloved my issure which is the same as the complaint above. The are a scam and a half.
Debbie says
Oh My God I applied for a phone they told me I could,nt get one “because my physical address was not in the USPS data base” I sent a letter to Assurance wireless with the proof from the Post Office and they still Denied me a phone. I went as far to turn them in to the better business people and it took 3 months for me get finally get a phone from these assholes. well had it a year and they CUT me off for the same reason.
Free Government Cell Phones says
It’s not really their fault. The FCC is really on the companies to verify the addresses and they are just doing what is required of them. I know it’s a pain, but if they gave you a phone they’d be fined.
B/ onnie Taylor says
They did the same thing to me!!!! I went through this even longer – don’t know why I kept believing them. They are still collecting money on me I think – and i still have no phone and I’m listed as having one with them so I can’t get one with a better company.
They lied and lied and lied and lied so many times.
Assurance Wireless / Virgin Mobil has made a true chump out of me.
They have really damaged my life, and ability to function safely. It hurts. Thanks4listening.
J.L Baron says
Have not b een able to use safelink phone for 2 weeks. tried to
call no answer telephone will not come on. my land phone 404 266 8341
wanda says
You are on the wrong provider dude. This is Assurance, not Safelink. I have not had one bad experience with my Assurance phone. I have had mine for a while (too long to remember) and customer service could not have been more helpful!!
donna says
i have a neighbor who is in a wheelchair and is considered disabled so he has this but his phone is a p.o.s. and he wants to use a smartphone, or at least something with a decent camera but he keeps getting the run-around and they say they have to be “paylo” phones. okay then… if “smart” paylo phones exist that he could switch his service to then does anyone know where they can be found? even if its online. because we have had no luck finding any. none that they consider compatible anyhow. any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
peacock says
Did you get a receipt when you returned the phone? I returned a phone to Senior Mobile Service and they kept saying they hadn’t received it until I got out my receipt and told them exactly when they received the phone. They returned my activation fee every last penney, but the frustration was annoying.
cynthia brunat says
I have a free Assurance phone. 2 months ago while I was on the phone it let out a loud squeal in my right ear. I still can’t hear good out of that ear. I’m afraid to use my phone because I don’t want to loose the hearing in my left ear. What should I do about this problem. Thank you.
Glenn M. says
I found this company worse than useless. I applied repeatedly, kept being requested by mail for the same verifications to be faxed or mailed to them repeatedly, sent them at least 2-3 X. Never got a phone or acknowledgement. The website only allows you to apply or re-apply. The phone number only takes messages. No customer service available at all, not that it would have done any good. This all happened months ago; never got my phone. I suspected that they were just a scam and taking money from the gov’t, and not providing the service at all – based on my own experience.
Marie says
well I have been waiting over 2 months now for my phone they say im approved and all paperwork is in order but each time i have called I’m told wait 5 more days well its been 5 more days about 5 times now the last time i called i was told it now has to wait for the GOV to give a go a head before they can ship or give me a number was told to wait 5 or 6 days that the GOV is running slow that was 2 weeks ago Funny i did’nt go seeking this company It was shoved in my face but a very nice lady who was signing peeps up and saying oh you will get it in 10 days well 10 days is now over 60 days Yes I know its free and I need it due to low income and medical reasons emergencies and Doc Appt after the 10 days i called they were not able to find me and when they did I was told no its going to be 5 or 6 days after the 10 days and then 5 or 6 more days after the 5 or 6 days ect ect Now its aproved on Assurance end but they have to wait for Gov end geesh I have been real nice about it and They even thanked me for being nice But how far can a person carry the nice
Kathy says
Worst customer service I have ever dealt with in my life. First of all, the service is outsourced to what I believe may be India, some of the phone people are impossible to understand or don’t understand what you are asking. Second, each rep I spoke with (and there were at least 4 over many weeks of this disaster) told a different story. Or they assured me they would “personally escalate” the issue, which never happened. Certification papers were lost, they couldn’t tell me how they would do what they said they would do to check it out…after 41 minutes of this garbage at the last phone call I gave up. Run away from Assurance Wireless, there are likely other companies in your state that offer the same government lifeline service. Terrible experience with them. Seriously, keep looking.
Eric says
I applied and sent the necessary documents. It took about two weeks and I received the phone. I didn’t have any problems at all with my phone. I followed the steps and I was up and running within minutes. All the features are easy to set and navigate to and it all works quite well. Just take a little extra care with this phone because as you will see it’s small and there’s not much to it (don’t drop it or spill nothing on it). Because it is FREE I really can’t see the reason to complain about the small stuff. However, I do sympathize with those who are having problems applying for one, especially since this process was painless for me. Overall, a very capable little gizmo!
Diane Cazier says
I work for a State program and have helped more people than I can count receive a free cell phone from the Assurance program and they all received them with the FIRST application. I myself qualified for a free cell phone, and tried to get one 6 times.
I MAILED in the first application and they sent me notification that my application didn’t come out in the FAX. They requested I FAX the next one, and I did, and they said I didn’t include my income statements. I had saved copies of everything I FAXED and my supervisor noted the FAX and everything was doubled checked at the time it was faxed and the income statements were included.
They asked me to resubmit again (this simple 2 page application) which I did. They came back with a response that I hadn’t checked all the boxes required. Again, I had saved the third copy and had my supervisor check before sending the FAX–the boxes WERE checked.
The fourth time I resubmitted they denied me again stating that I had forgot to sign my application. We checked the copies that were FAXED–and they WERE signed.
My supervisor had FAXED my application that time and we both double checked the application together and my signature was on the application as clear as day.
The fifth time I had to resubmit, I had a hour long phone call with a supervisor from Assurance and she guaranteed that she would get to the bottom of the situation. She wanted me to resubmit and FAX it directly to her and gave me her FAX number–which I did…and guess what??! I received another denial stating that I hadn’t included my back page of the application. Again, my supervisor and I rechecked the application and found that the BACK PAGE of the application was indeed FAXED.
Tonight, I spoke with another supervisor and got the same run around wanting me to refax everything. (By the way– I received notification that all of the FAXED pages had successfully gone through –on every one of the 5 FAXES).
Anyhow, knowing full well these people from this call center are totally incompetents–I did apply–this one LAST time–which probably categorizes me as the biggest fool of all this April Fool’s Day 2014.
I hope you all have better luck than I did:)
Randy says
I received my Assurance phone about 9 months ago due to financial hardships. I’m glad they offer the program and help people out. Just one complaint. Since I’m looking for a job, an employer may call and the phone keeps dropping calls and losing signal. Other than that………
Lin says
This company is the worst; I applied and after repeatedly resubmitting information by mail and by fax no one could tell me why I was not being approved; I was told repeatedly that everything had been received but I kept receiving notices that my application was incomplete and when I called in to find out what was needed, I was told to resubmit my application. I was so stressed out after several months of this, I could not take it any more; a year later I applied to T-mobile and had my approval and service activated within a week. Assurance is either totally incompetent or has another agenda; I suspect they are connected to Sprint and were not approving me because I was a Sprint customer.
Charlie says
Same thing with me–I kept sending and resending the application and they would reject it by saying I did not check off the appropriate boxes–which of course I did, or they could not “read the signature” ect. Go elsewhere for your phone and STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS!!!
Still waiting says
I have sent in applications 3 times, have called to follow up 3 times and have still gotten no where. Started this process 5 months ago. Sigh.
Ms J says
4-4-2014 Looks like I am having the same problems as others on this review column
Charlie says
I feel your pain—they abruptly cancelled my mothers service saying that she was on a “national data base” as having two phones–not sure what that means as the 3rd world “customer service” people could not explain it either–they just told me to “write a letter to corporate” which I did–twice–and of course they never responded–AVOID, AVOID, AVOID this company. There must be other companies to deal with–but this is NOT a company you want to do business with. Now my mother is on this “Data Base” she is now unable to get a phone anywhere else and they are “powerless” to help me–in a situation they caused! NEVER EVEN CONSIDER DOING BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE–YOU WILL REGREAT IT!!
carrie says
Tried ordering my husband an assurance wireless phone.Faxed the application and proof of eligibility together on Febuary 25,2014.On March 5,2014 an application came in the mail with half of my husbands first and last name on it.I have called assuranced 4 times during this week only to be told that the sensitive info that I faxed in cant be found.Im sent from one person to another to explain my problem and still no answer on what happened to our papers.I have the fax info that shows that they received the fax and somehow they just lost our information.Still waiting for promised phone calls to be returned with answers from them to make this situation right.Still a little worried on where our personal information reguarding our kids and ourselves has went.
Scott Graff says
I have received two phones so far.The first phone had the same problem that the second phone had.When I tried to talk to someone on the phone,I could hear them,but they could not hear me.I wrote to the company online and they basically told me to reprogram the phone(nothing changed).I called the support team.They told me not only to reprogram the phone,they also asked if the mute was on(the mute was not on).What are the odds that two different phones would have the same problem?The woman on the land line told me that if they sent me another phone,they would have to charge me for it.I refuse to pay for a inferior product.
Russell Fletcher says
Nothing but trouble since I got the phone. First, it went dead about 2 weeks after receiving it, so I asked for a replacement. While the replacement phone was on the way, my old one comes back to life, so I send the replacement they sent me, not activated or used, back to them in the padded envelope provided. Then I start getting texts, then phone calls, saying I needed to return the phone or my service might be suspended. I sent many E-mails and numerous phone calls to Customer Support telling them their phone was sent back. On February 14, 2014, they shut off my service! I report them to the BBB, yet all they want to do is talk about the phone not being returned, which it WAS! Would not advise using this company to my worst enemy!
JLAli says
call the service # and explain you sent back the new one. Without a retuern service number they have no idea who is returnng the phone or for what reason.
R says
I can’t complain myself. i had the phone 4 two yrs. i try 2 take care of it. kind of pamper it. no complaintS.
crescente Villahermosa says
Can’t receive incoming.AUTOMATICALLY goes to voicemail.Complained in writing snail mail, email, by phone. Techs can’t solve. No action. gave it to daughter to keep her safe and to track her.useless.
geri E. says
nice it’s free, not free of one major headache, the co. in South American has of course language barriers. amid that, they have some money service to call, and leave you messages, which both will use up your free minutes. after asking them repeatedly to take my number off their call list, they don’t. and when I ask them to repeat something because of the language barrier, and they still cant get it, I ask them do they understand English, and they TELL ME I’m being rude!..really!?..the calls from their money services which of course is not a part of Assurance are frequent, a ploy to force me to buy more minutes. its very aggravating because I’ve asked them so many times to remove me from their calling list. I get more calls from their money service than I actually get personally. ..so it is not all that free.
yucomplainin? its free! says
Still no complaints.
The phone works fine for a cheapie. Its lightweight and does everything a basic cellphone should do.
No issues with the calling plan. I was getting low near the end of the monthly ‘cycle’, and topped up with no problems at all. Now I’m into the second month and decided to top up at the beginning.
I guess I should change my name from ‘yucomplainin? its free!’ to ‘yucomplainin? its five bucks!’
Heather says
It is easy to put down people that have complaints if you don’t have any. When I signed up last year they sent me a broken phone. I was able to get it to last for two weeks by fidgeting with it then it broke in half. My only option was to buy one of the three phones they had available on their website as replacement phones. All three were priced over $40 (way out of my budget) so I was never able to replace it. It is like if I had to stand in a long line for a free ice cream for an hour (because I couldn’t afford one from the short line) and just as they hand it to me my scoop falls off (because it was melting all over the place) and they tell me if I want a replacement scoop I would have to pay double for it now. It is only a benefit if it is actually usable.
yucomplainin? its five bucks! says
You fidgeted with it then it broke in half.
Technically, it looks like YOU broke it.
I’ve never seen such a cheap phone. But amazingly, it works.
If they sent you a broken phone, why didnt you just send it back and try to get a different one?
Your ice cream analogy would make sense if you said you fidgeted with the cone and the scoop fell off.
But then, that would be your fault as well.
Lary says
I needed to get a cell phone and filled out the app and sent it two times I have my pin # and all the info to check statue….Never was processed 2 times. After several phone calls to customer service Which is bogus I find out 1) its in Columbia south america, 2) they tell you to wait 7-10 days 3) they have no information period 4) when I ask for customer service in the USA
Lin says
Had the same issue; are you by chance a Sprint customer? go to t-mobile; I was approved and activated within a week
Gaylene says
Did you go to T-Mobile for a free phone or did you simply purchase a plan?
Ms J says
I put in an application for assurance wireless on Feb 2,2014 Each time I call to check app ,
I am told 7-10 business days. Today is April 4, 2014 still no assurance phone………..
I just learned, the cell phone was sent to the wrong address……..free cell phone is not worth the worry
Under the Radar says
I had a problem with a phone. The battery wouldn’t stay charged and when I went to use the phone, I kept getting a message that said I needed to check my phone’s restrictions. I couldn’t make calls or send messages. After getting the run around from the company, I contacted the Better Business Bureau. I filed an online complaint and the company I was having problems with jumped through the hoops mighty quick. I received a replacement battery in less than a week. I had no further problems with the company after that. And, the BBB followed up to make sure I was satisfied.
MJ Brewer says
Nice. I need a phone because I’m about to lose my house phone. I’ve been dubious of getting a government phone because of all the senseless frustration people have endured. But with two elementary students, I have to have a phone. This seems like the way to go. Thank you for sharing.
JLAli says
I have had an Assurance Wireless for 2 years. I was sent a Kyocera Jax phone. It gets 250 phone minutes and250 Text nessages a month for free. It is a smaller phone, and has a connector for the charger, one for the earphone, and controls for the volume. All other adjustments are done thru the settings control inside. I can choose large and regular print. I can look up missed calls, received calls, all calls, etc. For an additional $5 I can receive 500 minutes a month, etc.
When ever I have a question, I call customer service (611) on the phone, and they help quite well. I get good signals, have dropped calls onky when going under large, long bridges. It’s free, does what my friends (expensive!!) phones do, and does quite well.
I’m pleased. I’d like to go online to my bank, but I can’t really pay for the web service, so, in general, I’m happy with the free phone and the free service.
Lin says
My experience with Assurance was a NIGHTMARE; go to t-mobile; I was approved and activated within a week
Charlie says
This company is a true nightmare–AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Their “Customer Service” is a joke. Outsourced to the 3rd world they are clueless and if you have a question they can not answer–which are most questions–they tell you to write a snail mail letter to their corporate offices in London, KY–which they never answer. I could write volumes on how they messed up my mothers phone service and how they were incapable of fixing it–but the short version is STAY AWAY!
Linda says
I want to return the phone I got and get out of the free phone plan. I never asked for it. My grand kids thought I might need it, so they did. The phone seldom works or accepts calls. I don’t have texting because I don’t text. The phone is so cheap, if you drop it even once, forget it. I have no address to cancel the service. I don’t know how to do that. if anyone knows where to send these Assurance phones to cancel the service, please post it. Thanks
A Husband says
Unfortunate that this service is the only one available to me here. Been two months and 3, yes 3, applications later I still do not have a phone. The games they play and the insults to my intelligence from their customer service are beyond belief! This is nothing but a scam to rip off American taxpayers! This company gets paid to do this, they also get paid for the phones and use the bandwidth for free. Not to mention all the tax breaks and subsidies the company receives because they are a provider. The Americans with Disabilities Act and Legal Aid are on my list for Monday. At least they were nice after I threatened them with an attorney and reminded them that phone records do not lie! Be interesting to see what happens now. Have a choice? Do not even consider Assurance.
yucomplainin? its free! says
Hard to believe some of the complaints in this forum.
This phone works perfectly fine. The customer service has been friendly and very helpful.
The phone does everything a conventional cell phone SHOULD do.
It makes phone calls. It creates text messages. It has voice mail. ITS FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John says
Two months of unreturned calls, broken promises and lies; never did get a phone. I went to SafeLink and had a phone in 1 week.
wthconsumer says
Those foreign workers are the worst. They wouldn’t let me recertify, playing games somewhere in the freaking Phillipines. You mean to tell me Americans don’t need these jobs and the rich got the nerve to holla about supporting ppl who need Welfare!!!!!!! No they’d rather have a immigrant work and bytch some more about ppl receiving free phones. These idiots can’t even do the paperwork or whatever. America is a mess and it’s downfall is at hand.
Kennetha Scott says
Assurance Wireless has the worst customer service ever! I have been without service for nearly a month due to them setting up a new pole. They say they don’t know when it will be done and will not credit my 30 a month payment. They offered 5 dollars, what a joke. They were rude and when I asked to speak to someone higher up, they gave me a mailing address. DO NOT USE THEIR SERVICE, GO TO ANYONE ELSE INSTEAD!
Shiron says
Assurance makes me believe the old adaga “you get what you pay for”. They are highly disorganized and the departments dont communicate with one another. When they dont load your minutes properly, the consumer is to blame because you may have spoken with someone one at one of their 50 other phone numbers which they know nothing about. This headache is hardly worth it
vieva says
I just got a phone from them and receive incoming calls so they sent me another one with the exact same problem. I give up
Andrew Karpinski says
The service: Mixed feelings, overall not bad for free. I had an OK experience and no reception problems until I moved to a different neighborhood in the same city but on the other side of town (Lakewood,WA). On our new street I usually have 0-1 bars and texts rarely go thru and calls drop constantly. Before we moved it was fine, and when I leave the house and go to where theres another tower signal its OK. I called Assurance almost 5 months ago in July when I first moved and the customer service rep told me she was aware of the service interruption in my new zip code (something about the cell tower), was receiving many calls about the matter, and they they’re working on fixing it within a couple weeks. Its been 5 months, not fixed. The $5 top-up to get another 250 mins and 250 texts is a bargain (when you can actually use it).
The phones: Their basic candybar free phone (Kyocera Jax) is no good. I’ve had it replaced twice because the first one quit powering on and the second only worked on speaker, and the 3rd one randomly turns itself on and off in my pocket or when its slightly bumped. I upgraded to the Kyocera Loft 3G which looks like a wanna-be Blackberry Bold. The tiny keys take getting used to and unlike the “Jax” it has a pretty crude rudimentary web browser I was able to use to update my Facebook status and such. It wasn’t great but way better than the first one. Its almost mandatory to upgrade if you want a usable phone, however then your “free” service is no longer free. My upgraded phone was purchased for $5 used (like-new condition) on Ebay rather than paying the $40 something dollars they charge on the Assurance website. This Inum recommend doing, you’ll save substantially. Switching my service to my Ebay-bought phone was a snap, I expected a hassle but it was actually quick and painless, all it took was a phone call and the new phone’s serial #. A year later, THAT phone also quit working. It is my opinion from what I’ve experienced that Kyocera is a cheap brand that makes lousy phones.. very poor quality and I’ve never had so many defective or broken phones from one manufacturer (and I didn’t abuse them). Unfortunately Assurance only offers Kyocera brand phones with their Lifeline service.
Overall a mixed bag but whattaya expect for free. This service saved my behind when I was homeless for a couple weeks.
shasha says
If you want to upgrade to a new phone go to Virgin Mobile website and select the paylo phones. These phone are the only phones that will work with the free 250 minutes . I agree with you on the free phone provided by Assurance Wireless. It is like a candy phone indeed. Like a toy cell phone but I am good with it.
Roy W says
I’ve had an Assurance phone for over a year but rarely use it. The reception is so unreliable, I only use it for text. Any time I try to use it for a phone call I know I must first be in the best possible place. Reminds me of the cell phones we had in the early 1990s.
I had to buy a different phone than the one they originally provided because it was so poor, nearly impossible to text on and the screen too small to read. It doesn’t matter though – sometimes texts come through the next day, sometimes never. I miss calls all the time. I get dropped calls about half the time I make them.
It’s free, but worth less than that – it’s more of a hindrance than having no phone. It’s as unreliable as a phone could possibly be. Total fail.
Mary Stanley says
AWFUL service, if you can even call it that. This service is not free, as the government is paying them to provide dependable service to low income and senior citizens!!! NO bar signals and constantly disconnecting calls. Customer service hard to understand and little or no help! Now I have no phone service except for them and it is in essence NO PHONE SERVICE. Government needs to look into them!!!!
julie sky says
The phone is so bad that I actually cannot use it. In addition the keys are so small I have to go find reading glasses in the rare event that I do use it.
tired of the run around says
agree with most comments. Sprint owns Virgin Mo-bile, Virgin mo-bile runs lifeline and assurance wireless. bought a phone that was suppose to work with my plan, doesn’t. replaced twice now. sprint has a no refund policy they run you around till you give up. what is the country coming to when we accept this kind of service. and sprint wonders why they are hurting. hurt your customers and eventually it will come back to bite you.
Christian gal says
If you have no money, you can check ur balance. However, if you have money or top up with ur phone they will charge you. Customer service told me to top up via computer. Since i have no computer, i drove to library only to find out that the top up feature is not working. This is such a vicious circle. I put $5 in acct to buy xtra minutes and they sucked it all out in $1.50 charges before i could buy minutes. “NON-customer” service is no help.
James Williams says
I don’t know why so many people complain about a FREE SERVICE, 250 minutes and 250 text messages, service is ok, in order to be a free service is great. The problem is there are so many ungrateful people that even for a free service complain. Many people request to have a good service, why don’t pay for At&T or Verizon, of course they can’t afford that. I haven’t had any issue with Assurance Wireless so far, I read my Term and Conditions and I know what I am getting and I know how it works.
Lori Davis says
Just looking over reviews out of curiousity. I am happy to see that someone (in this event, James Williams) spoke up and posted exactly my thoughts and feelings. It is impossible for me to understand how anyone who is recieving a “gift”, can speak so ugly and be so thankless. Even if the service doesn’t provide top-notch accuracy, still, remember the successful calls and texts you have made. Do you deserve?? I think NOT if you are one who doesn’t know how to respect and appreciate.
Kennetha Scott says
The phones don’t work, so it has nothing to do with ungrateful people. Just because you can talk doesn’t mean we all can. It is ok for you to leave a comment that they are great, but leave our motives out of it. It makes you look ignorant because you do not know what you are talking about.
Marvia McCree says
i completely agree Kennetha. free should NOT equate crap, bad customer service, etc. for instance, when you receive medical care through medicaid, u should NEVER expect the quality of your healthcare to be diminished nor should you have that mentality. i dont know about anyone else, but when I go to the doctors, i expect to NOT die, be given inferior,ineffective, bad or wrong treatments & council. there are good doctors out there under the program just like there should be better phones. now dont get me wrong, i do appreciate being able to receive this service, but im not going to “be grateful” or be made to feel as if im unworthy of quality service just b/c im on the lower income bracket. smh are you kidding me?! a lot of the companies share that same mentality, “oh, we dont have to offer quality b/c the consumers arent paying a monthly fee”. no, we’re NOT paying, but make no mistake about it, they ARE getting paid. so again, its not about being ungrateful. its about companies offering sub-standard products & services to low-income citizens based on a mentality that we dont or shouldnt expect quality. when we settle, we’re telling them that what theyre offering is acceptable & theres no need to improve. so regardless if we’re paying or not, a companies product & services should never be sub-par or reflect a “be grateful” mentality. when consumers adopt that attitude, we agree w/that pile of manure. imo its insulting. im not expecting or saying we should get Samsung Galaxy amenities, but ALL companies should deliver quality service plain and simple.
K Kline says
Awful customer service. Every time they tell me I will get a refund or a credit for no service or some mistake they made with my account, it does not happen. They are just scamming poor people for money and getting money from the government too. Takes hours to reach customer service for a problem; then suddenly, you get disconnected.
NEVER order a new phone online or through chat; they do not know their products and the web site dumps you out when you order a phone so you have to order again. Then you are charged for two phones automatically. When you realize it a few minutes later (their site does not tell you that) after seeing your bank account, they tell you they will only send one phone to you. Then they send two.
You have to end up paying for return shipping for a credit that you may never get because every customer service and tech support person that you speak with after waiting for an hour or more (if you are not disconnected) gives you the wrong information so that by the time you get the (hopefully) correct information, it is too late to send it back for a credit or you have to pay for the return shipping,.
They don’t pay for return shipping for their bad website or their bad information from their untrained customer service. Beware! There is NO GUARANTEE you will get any of your money back or credits and you are stuck with what their system “accidentally” took out of your bank account or Top Up card.
I give them a minus 4 stars for customer service, connections, knowledge and web site design. Unfortunately, they get what you and the taxpayers pay for.
What a scam!
Rocky Houston says
The Free Wi. Fi. Free 50 minutes a month is really cool ! Broadband2go
COGO says
Applied early October and sent proof of eligibility to the address in IL that they indicated on their application form. A month later, when I was expecting to receive the phone, I received instead a letter from Assurance saying I need to send my proof of eligibility to an address in NJ!
Heather Pfeiffer says
Awful service! I applied for an Assurance Wireless phone about 2 months ago after being accepted for pregnancy Medicaid and STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PHONE. I called two times where they reported my phone was “in transit” and I’d receive it soon. Then, they said they had the wrong address. Then I called again and they said that that order was cancelled and I’d have to start the process all over again (waiting more than another half a month!) Each time there was some excuse. I practically had to beg them to talk to their manager. This is a very flawed, very unreliable and has been 100x more stressful than helpful.
Janice Kiper says
this service is terrible, It only works half the time. they have a hard time fixing their own service. it is a waste of government money.
Y Mock says
Service is the worst! Plus they only give out a phone that they admit “has issues”. If you want an “upgrade”, you have to pay for the phone. What’s the point then???
laquandra says
I sign up for the phone, almost 2wks ago and was told that i should have the phone in 7 days she ask for my address, i let know that my mail goes p.o box that when she said no we have to have physical, so i gave the physical so its now Oct 21 and still no phone , so I just called this morning the guy ask my a total of 4x how to spell the first and last name, i gave the account pin# that was written down for me, he puts me on hold next thing i know I’ve been transferred to tech support per the female,told her why would i need tech support when i haven’t gotten anything that when she ask me and i quote” did you get a letter from them,:” i said no i haven’t gotten anything from them period.. I told her as i told the male customer service rep, that i told her that i don’t get mail at physical address that goes to my p.o. box, and i said the same to the female that when she goes that fed ex won’t delver to a p.o box , i held my tongue, cause wanted to tell her yes they do for the fact i order my clothes off line and they do. but she goes on to say but i can redo you and application and i said no you got to be crazy,but tell you this i will turn u in for fraud to better business bureau,she got quite and i nicely hung up
jokerplayer11023 says
This company sucks every time i call the first thing i ask is to be transfered to virgen mobile
I dropped.a total of 25 calls within a twenty minute period
So virgin mobile gave me 5 bucks on my account within 1 day all of my minutes are gone just by making 1 phone call the rep told me that all my minutes are gone but the phone shows i still got 250 minuted
Nicholas says
This phone sucks big time. When i call people it hangs up on me and i got a yellow spot in th middle of my phone not on the screen but in the phone.
Liz says
One of the really frustrating things about this co. is the fact that English is NOT the 1st language of their employees, so many of the problems I have been having may be due to this situation. I have been waiting 2 months to get a phone from this co. & I still do not have one. Every time I call, I get a different answer as to the source of the problem. One person tells me they will mail to a PO box, the next person says no, next person says it was mailed out on Sept. 19, instead I get a LETTER mailed on that day stating they have already mailed a free phone to someone living at said address & I must fill out additional paperwork. Four times I have told the person on the phone that I live in a battered women’s shelter & this is the only physical address I can provide, yet their agents have “selective” hearing or are just ignoring me altogether. I am fed up with this company’s incompetence – they are in the business of COMMUNICATIONS & need employees who know how to communicate in ENGLISH!
Rachel says
I’m so glad to see I am not alone here!!! This company SUCKS A**!!!!!!!!! My gosh from the get go it’s been hellish.I had the unlimited talk and text plan and every time I paid my bill with my debit card at the cost of the unlimited,they would give me the limited although I followed their directions to the letter!!Then I would have to talk to customer service AGAIN!!!!! Also none of the customer service reps are on the same page at all!!!They totally contradict each other!!!Every time!!! I told them that they should all have a seminar that all could attend from Brazil,Philipines and Costa Rica so they could all be on the same page for ONCE!!!! I ended up leaving the state and was told by Chamille in the Philipines that it was fine the state I was in but just had to re apply and give them a copy of a current government program letter and I had like 90 days to do this.I did it immediately to stay on the safe side.Every month it was just one thing after another and I was in total compliance in updating them of new address and verification and then over a month later even though I sent all this in their own self-addressed envelope,a month later they said they never got it!!!They are rediculous and absolute morons!!!The final straw was a bit over a week ago when the SAME payment problem happened again and was told by a Johnathon in Costa Rica that they don’t do service to the state I moved to!!!!I’ve been here since the beginning of July and had told several reps that!!Chamille said it was no problem.So this Johnathon character says that now they have to close my account!! Yea and right after I paid my bill! I demanded to speak to a manager who’s name was Linda.She at least said that since I just payed I could have the service till the 24th.FINE. GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH I say!!!These people have their heads so far up their bum,it’s wrapped around twice and sitting on their shoulders again!!!!!! Oh and dropped calls galore!!!!!
Scammy says
I signed up for this a year or so ago because it said it was available in my area. Then it said I’d receive a phone within a week or so. I never got one. I emailed the company and the only thing they said was “this isn’t available in your area”… Obviously unless you live in a huge city like NYC or something don’t waste your time. Even though its advertised in your town you won’t get a phone. Rip off!
Assurancewireless Isaweful says
Terrible service, don’t use it.
Robin says
My phone never rings when I receive a call. And in order to hear the person on the other end, I have to set it to “speakerphone.” The battery started dying as soon as I received the phone. I don’t expect a smartphone for free, but I do expect one that works adequately. I miss all of my calls.
yvonne says
ASSURANCE WIRELESS SUCK wish this site had a rating of -0. they take take your minutes and text then will say you used them up they are stealing from the GOV. thats why i have reported them to the FCC If you would like to please call them at 1-888-CALL FCC
karen says
No service so why bother with the phone? It is free but I can never get a call through-keeps kicking me off. Can not go beyond home area-no roaming. So phone is basically useless. Voicemail reset twice for no reason as well-had to set it up again both times. I could use a phone but seeing the reviews for other companies doesn’t give me much hope that any will work. Good idea but we need phones we can really use!
Nicholas says
Thank you
It happens to me 2
Christine dlG says
BTW – most of the customer reps are OUTSIDE the USA. However, you have the right to ask for a rep located inside this country. That should make understanding them better. Best of luck to you!
Ronnie says
Going on my third month and my sixth attempt in getting a phone. I would get a letter that my information was not received yet, assurance received my application. How does one paper show up and not the other when I mailed them together. Today I called to check my status and was told I was denied, but yet the girl I spoke with told me she was looking at the correct paper work. She also asked what the Lone Star card was, I replied it’s the SNAP program here in TX. Now, I should be getting a call back to see why I was denied. It appears this program does suck.
Tiger7 says
I have missed calls without a trace of an incoming call. People tell me when they have called or I find it on my voicemail several days later. God only knows how many calls/jobs I have missed.
shirley says
have had my free phone for about 3months and appreciate. it. but what’s the sense in having aphone if u can never use it. some times I can call out and some times I can’t. same way with receiving calls have call cusumter service so many times and up until now have not gotten any where.and they seem as if u are bothering them when u call would like a decent phone if I can get one.thank hope this help
Mary Cantwell says
Im seriously thinking assurance are scams. They have auto debit me for a yr for ibternet service that I have never been able to access I have stopped payments and seriously thinking of filing a civil suit for backpay VERY SERIOUS!
Marco Polo says
This company’s application processing couldn’t be worse. They lost my first application. The second application was rejected, even though the required paper work was provided. The telephone rep didn’t understand why it was rejected and escalated the issue to management, advising me that I would hear the following day by 3PM. I called back after not hearing from them. They seem clueless and now tell me to wait 7 to 10 days.
The only people who would pay for this level of service is the government.
Michael says
Does the government watch over these companies? I am now on my third Assurance phone which now holds a charge of 34 hours and I dont even use it, the other two times they would lose my calls, not even dial them or make a call but the call would break up so it was senseless. I called every time and customer service just didnt seem to give a darn, they had a attitude like I was a bother to them. It seemed it was easier for them to just send me a new phone than help me get the issue resolve, besides trying to understand the reps was also and issue since their English was broken and bad to be a phone representative. I realize these are free phones, but what good is a free phone if they dont work and you cant make a call or depend on the phone when you would need it the most?
darlene says
We’ve been trying for at least 3 months just to make them happy with our application. First app they said was unreadable, which was rather ironic since the rep was not understandable except you could tell they didn’t want to listen to our problems with them. Second rep was nicer, I think but could barely understand them either. We got a 3rd letter saying our 3rd package of info wasn’t complete (we sent in SNAP program eligiblity letter, LITE UP TX program letter each time. Last rep said “oh, I see your documents are right here” everythhing is ok we will expedite your app, and send you a letter in the mail in four or five days. They must make $ just processing appllications. TOO MUCH DRAMA! HELP! Think we’ll stick with 2 tin cans and a string.
Ebony Pope says
I feel you most government phones are about the same.I would recommend Reachout Wireless. I have never had a problem buying more minutes.It can be done online from your checking account and you receive a text message right away informing you of you new minutes added to your phone.No top up, no cards to buy.I hope this helps.
Jacqui says
When you pay the amount you need to top up say like 5 dollars for 250 more text and voice minutes the system should automatically convert the to the plan instead of 10 cents a minute. The customer service representatives I get the feeling, don’t even want to be talking to you when you call so they need to improve the ease of service to their clients so that there is no more misunderstandings. I cannot understand the customer service reps on the phone. I mean no disrespect, but I would like to be able to understand the person I’m talking to. Are they even talking to us from the usa? It is very frustrating. Maybe there is a way somebody with some power over fixing the program reading these can see the good in constructive feed back and do something about the kinks. Thank you for listening.
Todd says
Same problem here.Everytime that I want to pay the $5 monthly fee(an extra 250 min/250 texts)…I have to call cust. ser. & go thru red tape!?I purchased a Samsung M575 for $40.The phone’s not great/not too bad(u get what u pay for).I can’t make 411 calls w/out a cash balance.That sucks majorly!!!10 other gov. cell phone comp’s allow it?They have good rates/plans…but need a better phone & FREE 411!!!
Ebony Pope says
Ebony Pope August 31, 2013 at 3:17 pm
I feel you most government phones are about the same.I would recommend Reachout Wireless. I have never had a problem buying more minutes.It can be done online from your checking account and you receive a text message right away informing you of you new minutes added to your phone.No top up, no cards to buy.I hope this helps.
James Williams says
Why don’t you get Safelink ?
Greg says
By the way, I did not get the opportunity to rate them but it would be ZERO STARS.
Greg says
This is a joke. You cannot speak to anyone and since this is a government program, that makes it really scary since you must provide quite a bit of personal information. There is a problem with their online application and I am sure that even if I did speak with someone, they wouldn’t be of any help. It always amazes me (I guess by now it really shouldn’t amaze me) that our government is so incompetent.
Ronald Watson says
I was a client of Safelink in Nevada before Assurance and Safelink is much better. The Safelink phone is much better quality and displays your minutes balance when you turn on. It is easier to start program with Safelink as you can apply online and get your new phone in less than 10 days. I think California could do a lot better than Assurance Wireless!
Betty Holland says
my assurance cell is lost and hopefully i will be sent a kind of cell like a flip phone or any thing but what i had Betty Holland
Betty Holland says
the only problem i had a problem with is the reception and being cut offf in the middle of a conversation
Jeff says
Here is something I just posted on Assurances face book page. The have people that work there that do not have a clue!
About a minute ago
After spending MANY hours on here and by MANY emails as well as HOURS of my time I finally found some one that knows what they are doing as the others did not have a clue even when I sent proof I was correct and they where wrong I found someone that really knows there job as I said most do not have a clue!!!!!! Read this email I just received and they FINLAY admit they where wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! Not right now since I paid for extra minutes this month but I will be finding a new company to deal with that does not try to rip me off. Wake up folks and learn to do your job or you many be looking for a job!!!!!!!!! To late as I have all ready started complaints and will make sure I leave my feed back on the BBB, FCC and others web sites! It is Assurance fault they forced me to do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will all so be posting this as many places as I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I qoute[Hello Jeffrey,
Thanks for contacting Assurance Wireless Customer Care.
First let us extend our apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.
After reviewing your account, we confirmed that you have used 120
minutes from your Lifeline plan. You added an Assurance Bolt-on to your
account on 6/29/2013, but the minutes were not set up correctly.
We have opened an internal ticket in your account on 7/9/2013 so we can
set up the Assurance Bolt-on for $5 in your account. This might take up
to 24-48 business hours. Here is your internal ticket number 25879571.
If you need additional assistance, feel free to let us know how we can
assist further or contact us at 1-888-321-5880. You can reach us Monday
through Friday 6am-9pm PST and Saturday and Sunday from 6am-6pm PST. As
a reminder, please include your Assurance Wireless phone number and PIN
on all replies.
Thanks,
Roger R.
Assurance Wireless At Your Service
http://www.assurancewireless.com]
Michele Turner says
This company is inept and I suspect scamming people or the lifeline program. I applied for and received service from them and then begin getting text messages and voice messages that I needed to apply for the lifeline program or they would start charging me. I did apply for lifeline at the time I applied for the phone. They also had my name spelled wrong and after several attempts to get that corrected, I just gave up. If they can’t even correct the name spelling (I don’t have a complicated name), how can I trust them to process the lifeline application? I finally got tired of dealing with people who couldn’t understand me (and I couldn’t understand them) and told them to just cancel this “free” service! I’ve been on lifeline on my landline for YEARS and never had a bit of trouble. They told me my number would change if I cancelled the service. What?! That doesn’t make any sense. I told them I don’t want a number period. What is so hard to understand about “cancel my service”? Most inept company I have ever dealt with and the frustration is just not worth the “free” ….
mrDJxn says
Worst experience ever had.
FREE is totally not worth it.
Chu Lan Yeung says
I agreed. I have tried since early April and so far they have asked me to wait another 7 to 10 days each time. And after 5 attempts to reach Assurance wireless, I decided to check out complaints and found similar situations like mine. They are just liars.
rick says
Canciled me saying I did not reapply after nearly a year of NEW (reuped) service. Want CASH now. This IS an EMERGENCY number for an ORGAN TRANSPLANT!!!!. Shut off. With out my notice. Now they now cannot open it with cash even. Hope your next balloon, airplane, spaceship with my tax money and cash and fees fails. MR Big Shot, flying high on the backs of the poor, could at least provide honest. Rick
delana says
I was a previous customer of reachout wireless and I would like to reactivate the service.
tommy gardley says
After seeing the dates on the replies.All mostly 2013.What’s really happening?The service was great before now.By the so call free,it opens the door for lower income people to actually upgrade service.Thus making the company money.
tommy gardley says
Many of us pays extra for more minutes and text.So they poor service is bad business for them.We even purchases better phones.They service went from great to bad in last 3 months.
JK says
I fax in everything for my free phone, and called to make sure that they received everything from me, and customer service said that they did, but I still did not see my free phone, and when i called back customer service told me that they did not receive my information. So I called them back, and told them just to cancel everything, and now I went to safelink. Assurance Wireless is a JOKE
William Toler says
This plan stinks! I received a phone that looked like someone tried to pry it open and it didn’t even work. I sent it back two weeks ago for repairs. I still have not gotten it back and this company can not be reached by phone or on the internet. I feel completely ripped off!!!!
Lori says
this company is whacked, I signed up in july 2011. all was fine until I had to renew, they kept telling me they never received my documents, then they have my address on my cell phone all wrong, then when they upped to 250 mins n 250 txts they wouldn’t give me my texts free, know they are telling me that I must top up $5.00 to stay active with my voice mail. Then they shut me off stating I was illegally using my cell phone to tether it to my laptop, and accused me of not using it to call other people. and then told me I had to make cell phone calls at least 2 every 60 days. I did nothing illegal on this phone I used it for doctors, social services, pharmacy contacts, section 8 etc. all the things you need a phone for they never told me why they shut me off, and all calls to my phone were going straight to voicemail and I never agreed to any of that, my calls were all being monitored, and someone was listening in on my voicemails. seems to me someone was able to port my number out to their phone system. I believe I was hacked and the company won’t respond to any of my emails anymore.
DONT USE THEM FOR YOUR LIFELINE PROGRAM
Denisa says
Very rude customer service. The people I get, it is obvious English is not their first language. I was denied for service, stating I did not fill out the app correctly. I called to find out what, if anything I did wrong and was treated like a second class citizen.
John says
I am currently in the process of receiving my THIRD phone. The first two were faulty just as the original phone I was having issues with. They only send out reconditioned phones, which have problems. Also, customer service is by far the worst I have ever experienced. I was hung up on, and treated extremely rudely. They do not care about their customers. 0 Stars.
amado garcia says
I have probren with my pfone is broken my number is ***-552-4035
Terry says
DON’T go out of town and try to use your phone or text.I had an emergency had to go out of town while out of town I had an emergency. COULDN’T call for help.I was very upset.I know that it is free,but you should have service.Unless that is there way of controlling you.
KBToys says
Ah yes, I also noticed when I was in Maine, that there were no towers I had no service in one particular section of town. So yes, that was a little scary.
ELIZABETH POWELL says
This is true about Maine limited communication infrastructure. It’s true for all the cell phone companies that serve that area not just Assurance Wireless. Some service better than others but by and large when you’re in Maine there is no dedicated service to rely on.
Barb says
Re certified my service on time and they told me that I did not re certify on time. After several attempts to get my service back they kept giving me different excuses as to why I did get approved . The customer service reps were very rude and after I finally got my service turned back on they also told me that I could keep my same number but now they are telling me different. I have half a notion to report this to proper authorities. They should all loose there jobs!!
KBToys says
And you should learn proper grammar. I can’t believe people complain about a free phone. Ugh! I’ve always been treated fairly by them, and although though my phone isn’t recognizing texts at the moment, their customer service will handle it I’m sure. I’m extremely grateful!
Deb says
I am very upset at Assurance Wireless. They cut me off, saying I didn’t do the Annual Re-Certification.
Fact is, I tried 6 times to do it online. Each time I tried, the words “you do not have to re-certify at this time” would come up. I called Assurance Wireless, who told me I didn’t have to re-certify at that time. And then, I got text messages, warning me to re-certify. I then called the phone number to re-certify, I tried 6 or 8 times! Each time I tried to re-certify, I received the message “you do not have to re-certify at this time”. Then, I received a post card, warning me to re-certify, or I’d loose my phone service. I again tried to re-certify, and the system wouldn’t let me. I again called Assurance Wireless, and the person told me I didn’t have to re-certify at that time.
What awful service from Assurance Wireless!! I am now looking for another cell phone for my lifeline service.
Mark says
DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR AND JUST GO WITH ASSURANCE WIRELESS! BACKED BY AMERICAN/BRITISH OWNED VIRGIN MOBILE, CUSTOMER SERVICE IS GREAT. THEY ACTUALLY SPEAK CLEAR ENGLISH. SET-UP TAKES 5 MINUTES, MAYBE 12 HRS TO PORT YOUR OLD NUMBER. COMES WITH A NEW PHONE(cheap one though) THAT WILL ARRIVE IN 3-4 DAYS (got mine in 3). PLUS YOU CAN USE ANY VIRGIN MOBILE PAYLO PHONE(I use the Kyocera Loft-$19.99), JUST GO ON VIRGIN MOBILE’S WEBSITE AND BUY ONE (CHEAP) AND EASILY SWAP IT OVER ONLINE. GREAT CALL QUALITY, SERVICE, AND GREAT $5 ADD ON OPTIONS SUCH AS INTERNET PACKAGES, TEXT, AND EXTRA MINUTES. BY FAR THE BEST GOVT. SPONSORED CELL SERVICE
Craig mcculloch says
I faxed my aplication On 4/1 and on 4/10 when I calle them wondering what was up. They didnt have it in there system. Now reading the rest of the reviews I think I will use another company. Not a good way to do things ………… see ya
Mark says
REMEMBER, MOST OF THE REVIEWS YOU WILL READ ABOUT ANYTHING WILL BE WAY MORE NEGATIVE THAN POSITIVE DUE TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE NORMALLY DON’T POST POSITIVE REVIEWS, JUST THE DISGRUNTLED, UPSET ONES ALMOST ALWAYS POST NEGATIVE REVIEWS.
Robin says
I;ve been try9ing to get Assurance wireless for the past 6 months. They keep telling me that the writing doesn’t match or some stupid thing like that. My husband and I really need the phone as I’m disabled and so is he. He’s in a wheelchair due to a drunk driver. I wouold NOT recommend this service as the only service you’l get is lip service. A lot of people don’t like to fill out the application so I do it for him and he signs it as I’m his secretary. They think this is a cause to not approve us. Do not use this service. All you’ll get is a run around.
Mark says
DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION IN PDF FORMAT AND OPEN IT WITH ACROBAT READER AND TYPE ALL THE INFORMATION IN- THEN JUST PRINT AND SIGN THE FORM AND FAX IT WITH PROOF OF INCOME. TRUST ME THEY WANT TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE PROGRAM AS POSSIBLE SO THEY GET MORE MONEY FROM UNCLE SAM…
BILL says
They have to many issues don’t use their service
Don says
Approval of my application took less than 3 weeks. The phone number in the approval letter never got into the system, so the phone couldn’t be activated. After talking with numerous people and being told the problem would be fixed, I insisted on talking with a supervisor, who was able to get the phone with a different number activated. But I also wanted to “port” my landline to the cell phone. That was another adventure that only was accomplished when talking with a supervisor at Virgin Mobile. When the porting was successful, the 250 free minutes and 250 texts disappeared, so I had to go back to Assurance Wireless customer service to get the minutes restored.
So far both the phone and the service is working. We’ll see whether that’s the case long term.
But I would certainly advise people to not apply unless you’re willing and able to go through a lot of frustrations, delays, and problems. And I’ve concluded that a number of the people that answer customer service calls cannot solve the problems. Thus, I’d suggest going to supervisors, if your problem isn’t being resolved.
It’s also possible to file a compliant with the Federal Communication Commission. (fcc.gov).
Mark says
IT’S FREE! DO YOU REALLY EXPECT CUSTOMER SERVICE TO BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO FIX YOUR MINOR ISSUES/PROBLEMS AS A NON-PAYING CUSTOMER? YOU WANT GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE, GET A $120/MONTH PLAN THROUGH ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPANIES. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A STORE TO GO TO FOR HELP…GET WHAT I’M SAYING?…
Marianne says
What’s the old saying? If it looks like it’s too good to me true, ir probably is.
Rusty says
I got the approval letter, then the phone. But I can’t activate it. Nobody at Assurance Wireless can either. They passed me off from one person to another. Everyone claims that the phone number in the approval letter doesn’t exist. When I try to activate from the phone, I get a message saying that it can’t and I need to call the same number that I got no help. I will toss this POS out now.
Mark says
I WOULD CALL VIRGIN MOBILE- IF THAT DOESN’T WORK, SH*T IN THE BOX AND SEND IT BACK TO THEM!
ronald says
I applied for my phone in Feb. was approved by March 1. Received my phone this past Saturday. I had not received my letter yet so i called virgin mobile not assurance wireless and without my pin or phone number they activated my phone and gave me my phone number. I also had an english speaker.
Shawn says
They have lost my application I cant tell you how many times. I have sent and resend and resent and resent the apps with no luck. The reps cant/will not understand you will not transfer you to anyone who can. A complete ripoff.
Mark says
REALLY CANT BE A RIPOFF IF ITS FREE. APPLY ONLINE AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR PHONE WITHIN A WEEK, UNLESS ME AND 4 OF MY FRIENDS WERE JUST “LUCKY” AND GOT OURS QUICKER THAN NORMAL.
MrsC says
Rip-off!!! Stay away from these people. It is a bunch of red tape. The jerk you around. Their customer service representatives are idiots and English is not their first language. I have been trying since December to get my father-in-law a phone. It is now Feb. 27th and still nothing.
They claim they lost previous documents I have sent. The don’t read the information you send them. The said Medicare and Medicaid was the same so there would be no problem getting him approval. Well they are not and we got denied. So we reapplies using his income. They will only look at his income before his Medicaid is deducted. That makes him over $30 per month to qualify. However, if they look at what he actually gets paid, he is under the limit. I have called them 3 times about this.
I finally gave up. Being their service is so terrible, I don’t trust the stupid phone will even work.
Stay far far far away from these people. There are other inexpensive options out there. My rating on a scale of 1-5 Negative 11.
Mark says
CONSUMER CELLULAR HAS GREAT OPTIONS FOR OLDER FOLKS WHO HAVE TROUBLE WITH HEARING OR EYESIGHT-THEY HAVE PHONES WITH LARGE BUTTONS AND LOUDER EARPIECES. THE BASIC PLAN IS $15 PER MONTH, BUT THERE IS A DISCOUNT FOR AARP MEMBERS- MAYBE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO IF YOU A LOOKING FOR A BASIC LINE OF COMMUNICATION- WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT GO WITH TRACFONE!
Mark says
http://www.consumercellular.com/
taylor says
I applied with assurance back on Dec 04, I was approved Dec 06, I received the phone Jan 12, as of today Feb 20th, I am still waiting for the letter. I have called their customer service many times and always get the same answer. but here is My thought. if these companies (assurance,safelink and reachout) all are funded by the USF (universal service fund) then from what I am seeing, these companys are being fraudulent, I say this because if someone signs up AND is approved, but never receives said service, dont these companys STILL receive the government funds?????
tom says
I applied over and over and over and am still waiting 4 months later. customer service says they [government] are still checking to see if I qualify. are determining. they will never contact me it has been months. I have been on foodstamps since 2007. horrible service
jeff bute says
Hi
It’s none of my business, but still, your post made me think and prompted a question. You have been on food stamps since 2007? Virginia doesn’t allow that. You get 6 months, then a 6 months extension, but that’s it.
What state are you in?
Mark says
Message removed since you used ALL CAPS. no need to shout here. – admin
Sandy says
I just set up my new assurance cell phone..I had one problem the paper work sent had 6 digits as the code # to enter which it kicked back saying I need 10 digits I called customer service in South America the person was very helpful and the best part I could understand her. I cant help thinking how we need these jobs in the US.
Peggy says
Because outside the US Assurance can pay “little to nothing” and get away with it. Sad to say but it’s that way with a lot of companies.
George says
For over a year I have been trying to cancel my Lifeline service with Asurrance and they have given me nothing but the run around plus I have had to deal with customer reps who do not have English as their first language. Just when I thought I had the service cancelled, the rep assured me it had been taken care of, then a couple of months later I find out that it was not cancelled and once again I am getting the runaround from Assurance.They offer apologies but make no effort to solve this problem. I am very frustrated and not in the best health and this is a very big stress and strain on my mental health. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get this problem with Assurance solved.
Joyce says
Don’t use the phone and they will cut you off.
dshay says
YOU ARE BETTER OFF BUYING A TRACPHONE. ASSURANCE IS A BIG HASSLE AND A DISAPPOINTMENT! WHEN CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE GOOD LUCK TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE OUT SOURCED TO INDIA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS
Katja says
Tracfone (includes Net10) customer service is outsourced to both India and the Phillipines. Very frustrating to talk to them, as well. Better to get pay as you go T-Mobile, maybe. I’m not sure where their customer service is located but it’s gotta be better than the two aforementioned.
Lemmy says
It took forever to get my Assurance Phone and now I spend every day sending emails to this company to let them know that the phone keeps dropping my calls or my calls are lost. In three months, I have not been able to use this phone to call out or to have anyone call me on it. Every time I email this company I get the run around over and over to call their reps., or reprogram the phone etc. The phone is obviously a bad phone. I have asked and asked that a new phone be issued and I would send the old phone back. Again, this has yet to happen. What is the point of having a phone if I can not use it. In case of an emergency, it might be pretty hard to TEXT 911 that I need help. This company is ridiculous.
luann says
Also got the run around for a week now on a phone that they won’t replace because it stopped working .They stated it is no longer under warranty which was NEVER mentioned in the first place.They said to buy a paylo phone from Walmart(which our walmarts don’t even sell lol and to call them back and they would activate it (to my dismay and frustration I called them back for a week and was told something differant EVERY single time that i spoke to the(a) person whom i was almost beyond being able to understand.Long story short i WOULD NOT EVER recommend Assurance to anyone looking for help with phone service I would go without first It is a complete joke and the customer service beyond the speech barrier the left hand doesnt know or understand what the right is doing or supposed to be doing for their customers ONE BIG STUPID JOKE played on the low income unfortunate people of this USA They schould be ashamed.I rate them a big fat 0
Deborah says
I applied on the computer and faxed my information over. I applied 1/18 got the phone in the mail 1/22. And I am still waiting for an approval letter in the post? Cause they can’t email me my number so what the heck am I gonna do with a phone I can’t use for a whole week? I could go activate it online or by phone with the customer service but they can’t do it without a phone number.
poco says
i bought 5 dollars of air time online and they said it didnt transfer to my assurance acct just virgin mobile so i lost my money and added 5 for data and could not access the internet on my karocea cell phone and lost that mpney too a scam to rip off the poor bad company
Tony Rovere says
My mother received her phone from Assurance a few months ago. It is a simple phone, with small buttons, but is manageable for her.
In addition, we have found that the service can be somewhat spotty at times.
But you also have to remember that you get what you pay for. And if you are paying $0 for the phone and service then you can’t expect miracles.
Overall it is a good phone and for those who qualify I would recommend it.
Kris says
WOW!! I see a lot of unappreciative people on here. I had an Assurance phone for a while. I was tickled pink to get it! I wasn’t expecting much for FREE but I was impressed. I can’t believe the number of people who are actually griping about a FREE phone with FREE minutes!!
Lemmy says
Kris, maybe you are one of the lucky ones. It’s not being “unappreciative”, it is being extremely frustrated to wait and wait to get these phones and finding they do not work. Mine will not allow me to make any out going calls or to receive any calls, all my calls are dropped. I send emails everyday to this company and get the same run around. It is obvious after 3 months that I have a phone that just does not work. Why can’t this company get it? Send another phone and they can have the non-working phone back. This is just getting to be ridiculous.
Minerva Moreno says
Yo aplique para un assurance cell me mandaron el telefono pero nunca me lo conctaron y llame y todo para conectarlo como 2 o 3 veces y no lo conectaron nunca y ya va para mas de 1 ano yo quiero saber que puedo hacer para que me arreglen el problema gracias .
TJ says
No, illegal immigrants do not qualify for free phones. Unless they can prove they voted for Obama then you can have 2. De nada.
MVD says
I get the same run around as everyone else since September, send in or fax documents, repeat phone calls are useless, operator on other end doesn’t speak English as a first language, ask for a supervisor they tell you your paperwork is escalated 7-10 days you will receive more paperwork that never arrives, call again you go back to square 1 and they send a new application….no free lunch comes to mind with this ‘service’ frequently. Where is this call center outsourced to with so many in US out of work?
r says
THIS IS NOTHING BUT A SCAM TO GET YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION!!! i have sent in very personal information along the application several times and they say they don’t have it. i never got any response. so where is it? this has happened to other people that know of. just because they say its free it does not mean they can treat like crap. no body can ever answer any questions. all they tell is to send another application. customer can never understand your questions. i would not recommend assurance wireless to anyone free or not. there are other ways to get a phone and a better one at that!!!!!!!
James says
I asked for an application online and received it about 7 days later, filled it out and sent in the info. I received my phone about 2 weeks later, charged it up, called and got my new number. I haven’t had one single problem with this little phone. Never dropped a call and sounds fine with a ton of great features. I wish it had a camera but IT’S FREE ! THANK YOU Assurance ! BTW, I’ve had it for over a year now.
Justice May says
IIt’s very irritating to call a cellular phone company that doesn’t know their own policy. Free phone or not All (supervisors as well) the assurance wireless don’t know, don’t want to know, don’t understand, or just don’t want to understand, their job description (if such thing even exist in their corporate BS minds). I had an extra 5 dollars placed on my phone which at that time would have given me a extra 250 minutes, but with all of the aggravation that I had to deal with a male supervisor gave me an extra 100 bonus minutes, and I also had 76 minutes remaining from the moneys I had put on their prior to all of these things happening which gave me a total of 676 minutes. A representative by the name of Maria told me I had only used a total of 520 minutes when I asked where the rest of my minutes went she placed me on hold for a total of 10 minutes, however when she returned she still did not have the answer to my question, as a matter of fact she forgot the question I asked, so I had to reiterate it to her once more. The customer service rep was so incompetent that she tried to run circles around the conversation like she was speaking to an idiot, and throw me off the question at hand by stating the policy of their 250 minutes that they give for free, but my question still didn’t get answered, (because she didn’t have the answers), so she place me on hold for another 7 minutes, and when she realized that I was not going anywhere she discoed the call.
How customer service friendly is that Assurance wireless?
At the end of the day I’m now a believer that these big corporate companies take their business to other countries because less pay, but worst customer service will eventually be the down fall of their empire, eventually when people realize, it’s time to bring it back to home (united states) where customer service is important to the customers and the representative that is assisting them. This experience has made me started looking for the tags my grandparents did a long time ago that read “MADE IN THE U.S.A”.
Linda Parks says
EXTREMELY unhappy with both virgin mobile and assurance phone plans,AND cell phones used, at first , the cell phone ,kept dropping calls ,from my apartment, and I noticed that other people that were using the same phone in my apartment complex and other friends, too, that used them were having the same dropped calls and no reception. SO I asked that they replace the phone with one that worked better .and they sent me a new cell phone.
this is the first time I have had anything to do with someone else s cell phone. why do I say this????
because – after coming home from the hospital, I was trying to do a bit of laundry, and inadvertently ,left the cell phone in my house coat pocket ! after saying I was so sorry , and that I had never done something like that before, well they said because I had just had a replacement sent to me–I couldn’t have another for some time yet.SO — I waited about 5 to 7 weeks, but had thrown the moldy cell phone out due to allergy to mold!! when I called they sent me a newer cell phone, and asked that I send the moldy one back, I explained that it had been thrown away, due to allergies !!!! having NO IDEA that a moldy , TOXIC cell phone was to be sent through the US mail!!!! they said they understood-BUT THAT IF I didn’t send that phone back –they would be SUSPENDING service to the NEW cell phone that had replaced it!! NOTHING I COULD DO but ship the only cell phone(the replacement for —((the washed,and now moldy, and disposed of cell phone ) back to them and ask to be removed from service.
I did not have a choice!! and I spent many hrs on the phone to both virgin mobile and assurance returning crank texts back to them about not being able to return a phone that had been disposed of!! both of the companies called, text ed, and emailed me on several occasions. I still have no cell phone, and am not happy with either the cell phones used or either company’s policies, or the unbending rules that do not allow for a sick– unthinking person just home from the hospital, and an accident.
TJ says
Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic about the TOXIC, MOLDY phone? Many people have similar things happen to their cell phones and there are many remedies for drying them out and sometimes even getting them working again.
barb says
What a drama queen!! If you don’t like what you are getting for free, go out and buy it
rather than mooching on society and no I am not on this site to try to get a phone
just for educational purposes.
Lula Rojas says
Also it will not hold a charge for more than a day!
TJ says
Yes. There is a great upgrade problem called buying your own phone. It’s amazing the selection available out there. Try it.
Lula Rojas says
I would like to know if I can up grade My phone?Because the one that I have is not a good phone, It drops calls, it also will fade in and out while in conversion
Don says
My phone was received and activated over a year ago. I have NEVER been able to make a call from my location. Now they are pestering me no end to re-certify. I have answered by mail 3 times now telling them that I am not interested and have since gone back to Verizon which does indeed work quite well. NOW they are continually pestering me on my VERIZON number to re-certify with them. This is highly illegal.
I spoke with their customer service department today which is populated by morons. After spelling my 1st and last name(s) “slowly” and phonetically 6 times, she STILL didn’t get it correct. I gave up and filed a complaint with the FCC and also with the Consumer Fraud Division of the State Attorney Generals Office here in Texas.
The only “fraud” being perpetrated is them telling you that these phones are being paid for by the government! Well…..half true. Those folks with other wireless phone service are being charged a “Universal” service fee each month. THAT friends, is who is paying for YOUR free phone! Do you find that fair? If so, youre probably a Socialist!
Linda Parks says
it is not cell phone users that pay –it is land line users that pay the TAX/fee that pays for free cell phones.
TJ says
Does it really matter how they are stealing the money from societies contributors and giving it to societies takers? It’s a bunch of crap anyway they take the money and redistribute it.
Ms.M. raiford says
I’ve got one for ya’s; my free phone has been activated for 3 days now but, still has no service available, & the ppl who are supposed to be tech support are as useless as you know what on a boar hog! I might as well just go ahead & go without food in Jan. & go back to Net10. At least, I’ll have cell phone service again.
Beverly Lonski says
My son has sent 4 applications into Assurance W. He receives new applications monthly. He still has never received a phone. He started this in August of 2012. It is now December of 2012.
Linda Parks says
I might ask –why is an obviously minor child getting a cell phone, OR if he is not a minor ! ?? why is this adult man’s MOTHER acting on his behalf ??
Dani says
Linda, it could be that her son is disabled.
TJ says
Disabled enough to send 4 applications but not be able to post on a message board???
barb says
Why are you so angry? This thread is about the phone not the people posting. So she shared that it was her son who applied, big deal, she wanted to share what she felt was important info that was appropriate for this topic. Perhaps her son just didn’t want to
post. I thank her for the insight on potential problems and wonder about people like you
who obviously have nothing to do but find fault.
Joanie Lingle says
I sent my FIRST application in JULY–which they LOST…I sent another application in Sept….they said I had to send another in Oct. (both had the needed verifications. EVERY time I called (many times, too) they said “my application was in review”…from July? I finally have had enough and contacted one of our news stations…they called me back the other day and said that a LOT of people are having big problems with them. They are going to check into them further and call me back. This really sounds like a scam the further I look into it! Too bad they can just go ahead and SCAM poor people–I have M.S. and am NOT poor by choice!! All I can think is SCAM, SCAM, SCAM…
DONNA says
I have been having the same problem. My 1st application and documentation was “lost”. I found this out after 3 months of hearing it is under review. Very messy procedures. I am very upset.
Patti says
I applied a couple weeks too via the United States Mail and emailed them twice asking if they’d recv’d my app…they finally come back and say they haven’t found it yet which worries me because I sent them valuable income info belonging to me. This is of great concern!
Mary Wood says
When i first applied for mine, i was at the Community Action Center applying for the energy assistance program “IHEAP” and the applications were there and i asked her about it and she signed me up and i recieved the phone in about 8 days. Did you have a caseworker set it up for you?
Dani says
Same problem here, as with Joanie, Donna, and Patti. I first applied online in the beginning of November 2012. After finishing the application, I was instructed to PRINT the app. Since I do not have a printer, I left their site and decided to wait until my next trip to the public library. But, apparently they DID receive my electronic application, because a week or so later I received a letter from them, thanking me and confirming receipt. The letter also asked me to send a copy of qualifying documentation in the enclosed return envelope ALONG WITH THEIR LETTER. I should have smelled a rat right then. (I should have made a copy of that letter before mailing it.) I mailed it the very next day. I don’t remember the date, but it was definitely before Thanksgiving.
I was expecting to have a phone by Christmas, but never received any notification by mail. I sent an email on Jan 4 asking about the status of my application and to request an ID number. The response I got on Jan 5 said that my application was received on Dec 14, 2012, it was “under review”, and that “this process may take from 1-3 weeks.” (Odd… 12/14 – 1/5 IS 3 weeks). I waited one more week, then checked my status online using the ID number he provided. (Bogus number… who’s PIN is six consecutive numbers??) The number did not work.
Sent another email explaining the situation and received a reply from someone who obviously does not speak or write English as a first language. Her “explanation” (what I could understand of it) was nothing like the first answer I got:
It is always our pleasure to address your concern. We have tracked your
application ID 157835164 and our records confirmed that we haven’t
receive or process your supporting documentation, therefore the status
on your application remains “Pending”. We sent this application on
01/07/2013 because your application ID 153833695 received by 12/14/2012
was denied because we didn’t received the correct support documentation.
So… I’ve been demoted from “reviewing” to “pending” to “DENIED” ??? What REALLY ticks me off is that they HAVE LOST MY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION! In addition, she gave me a totally different ID number, one with NINE digits instead of the required 6 or 10. Another BOGUS number!
I was trying to figure out what she meant by “We sent this application on 01/07…” when I got a letter today in the mail dated 01/08, along with a NEW APPLICATION! I am wondering just where is PARSIPPANY, NJ? And does PO Box 686 really exist??
Jennifer says
I absolutely agree, I have had the same issue. I have called the State of Colorado and asked them what is up with it because Assurance wireless continuesd to tell me that they needed approval from the state of colorado even though I sent them the requirements two or three different times. I agree I think it is some sort of scam. I would really like to have the phone to help me get on my feet and get out from under a cell phone bill. I use majic jack to assist with job searching but it would be nice to have a cell phone to use outside of the house for emergencies. I truly think you are right.
Dani says
This is really getting out of hand. They have lost my supporting document, and have sent me a new application. After doing some searching, I have discovered that this TACTIC is so very common and the end result is that the new applicant will be disqualified for “submitting more than one application from one address.”
The TACTIC of giving out incorrect/bogus ID numbers is also very common – identical descriptions of being given a “9-digit number instead of the required 10-digit” in several complaints.
I found a customer who also questioned the “Parsippany NJ” address that AW uses on their return envelopes. What he discovered was is that this address belongs to a company based in South America, which outsources to a 3rd party (name UNKNOWN) that handles “approval of applications.”
Just wondering if it is those of us who apply by MAIL to that address that are having problems with documents being lost. It seems that those who apply with the aid of a case-worker (a County, State or Fed employee), who have the ability to fax documents and not worry about limited phone minutes, don’t have this problem of lost apps and docs.
I don’t know, but I know this: I am saving every bit of electronic communication to and from this company. I am going to write again to ____ (Tom, Dick, Jane… pick a name) once more and see what miscommunication comes back in response.
Yvonne Green says
I have spoken with Assurance Wireless on several occasions trying to get my mom’s account closed. She passed away in August this year 08/21/2012. They are refusing the disconnect the service and also explained if it was not recertified they would close the account in November. The account is still active and now they are saying they are allowing people until 12/31/2012 to do the re-certification. I am frustrated because they can see with assurity she has not updated this.
janice a. says
I received my phone recently and I’ve had no unusual problems with it or the service. If you expect a fancy cell phone , this is not it, but for basic functions it’s fine. Customer service answered promptly and were very helpful to get my phone activated.
I give it 5 stars for service and performance. I had read terrible reviews from folks as far back as 2010, I don’t understand the complaints they voiced….oh well !
cynthia says
I’m trying to get in touch with someone about my phone ; I lost my phone and need to have another send to me. thanks
Linda Parks says
you will never get over this, read my below comment, I washed mine then threw it away after it became moldy. consider your self with out a phone forever.——–
deverene dillom says
unlimited
jenitals says
when i dial a number, whether or not it connects (voicemail, person answers), i get charged a min of talk time. even if i hang up before it actually rings. when did this start? every cell phone i have ever owned/used did not charge this way. it is very frustrating. it makes your cell min deplete sooo fast, its unbelieveable!!
and the keyocera jax is a piece of crap. mine doesnt even turn on anymore..
any comments, please!!!
thanks
frusterated says
The comment is this, the phone is junk, the service seems to be junk anymore. It seems that because it is “free” that they can give people the run around and turn cheek. I have had my phone replaced 2 times in the last 6 months, and this new “replacement” sounds like pop was spilled in it or something because they keys crackle when pressed and are hard to press. So….again….junk.
Frusterated says
Trying to get through the automation is a pain for sure. I am getting pretty good at it though as many times as I have to call these people!!! For 3 months, I have been having problems getting my minutes and texts due to me under the plan. For three months I have been told, “We are sorry ma’am and we assure you that next month you WILL get your allotted minutes and texts.” For three months I have been told that even though I am supposed to get these minutes and texts, and I didn’t, that there is nothing they can do “at this time” to rectify the situation, that I HAVE to wait until my next billing cycle renewal for the “fix” to take place.
Now, when I do have plenty of talk and text time available, I get a message saying that my minutes are almost up and it’s deducting funds from my account. This is insane!!! I am looking into another phone company. I am tired of this!
luis e leyva says
this is the worst phone company in tha whole world ,you all shoul go to yail for liying to your costumers which like me are mostly poor and sick. the goverment should cancel your contract. as far as i am concern you can all go to hell. unfortunatly i am stuck with this company cause i am poor n sick.
santa ken says
i have no idea what they are doing , i have been denied twice . i am on medicaid and sent my application along with my proof of elgibility . i sent a letter from my case worker with name and my case number , the date i was approved which was several years ago until the present . the letter had all my info and seal proving it was from a govt . office . so whats the deal if they denied me with all that info then how do you qualify. i call assurance customer service to see why i was turned down and they could not tell me . they told me to fill out another application and mail another statement from the medicaid office . im sure im going to go through that a third time just to be denied again .
Lynn says
OMG , ARE YOU ALL CRAZY ?? I HAVE CALLED LOTS OF TIMES AND CAN UNDERSTAND THEM JUST FINE !! AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL ! IF THEY ARE DO NOT UNDERSTAND YOU , JUST ASK FOR A MANAGER AND THEY WILL HELP YOU OUT !! I HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST !! ITS FREE !! STOP COMPLAINING PEOPLE !!
Valerie says
Judging from all these negative reviews about Assurance Wireless, I wonder if they are really affiliated with Virgin Mobile. I caution people about giving their social security number and date of birth to this company in this age of rampant identity theft.
Molly says
You don’t give them your SS# on application…only last 4-digits. You give them your DSHS Client ID too.
Maryjo says
All you need is the last four numbers, the rest can be figured out. For a company that represents the government I find them very relax in not having your number or account number together. They need more training with client’s information. Just my opinion
Maryjane says
Assurance wireless, I have recertified 3 times with in the last two months, and you are still telling me, no i have not. what is the problem with you people.? are you just there collecting a paycheck. When i ask a question you go all around the answer. You need better customer service that looks into a person concern then just giving a general government answer.
frederick churchill says
My brother has you as his phonecompany. My question is why is it that whom ever try’s to call him and the phon stays quiet and wont ring as a matter of factwhe I try to calol you . youre phone wont ring either. Can you help it is verry aggravate the hell out of me!!!
Unsatisfied Assurance customer says
How do you get switched over to the 250 talk or text plan? My plan is still 250 talk only and this garbage phone is worthless trying to communicate via voice. Are they still giving out the Kyocera Jax phone? It is the worst phone ever!!!
Unsatisfied Assurance customer says
Never mind, I see they are still handing out the unusable “Jax” phone. Their threat to cancel service after one year if I do not re-verify is a lie. I’m one month past my renewal and they still have not cancelled it! I think they are abusing the Lifelink program and keeping customers without proper verification. I’m considering reporting them to the Attorney General. I can not call them to cancel because my lousy reception won’t hold a signal long enough to stay on the line. That is due to Assurance going through Virgin Mobile…who uses Sprint’s crappy network coverage. All around, this is a worthless phone on a worthless coverage network.
jenitals says
i believe you are allowed 120 days of service past your recertification date, if you no longer qualify.
Mary Baston says
Oh by the way, my daughter is homeless and disabled so she uses my address to get her mail she has an assurance phone but I told them about that when she applied. She needs the phone it is the only way I can know if she is OK out there. Assurance needs to understand that just because she uses my address does not mean she lives with me. We are not allowed to even have visitors very often where I live.
Mary Baston says
I am so fed up with this phone company. I have been on the phone for hours trying to get re-certified. The robot keeps me going in circles and if by chance the representative answers they say hold on and never come back. What am I to do I am challenged and on disability using oxygen as well so, you know I am frustrated. I guess I will let them discontinue the service and try the other company. Assurance wireless SUCKS!!!!!!
Ms. West says
You are not along, i am having such a hard time. I know i re-certified on the phone. Assurance said no. It is frustrating when you know what you did, and assurance wirless has the upper hand.
roni says
The best thing to do is to print out the application for your state and send all applicable documents with it.
Debra L. Corns says
Whom Ever This May Concern:
You sent me an application for your services over a year ago. I was thrilled that there was such a service , as I am disabled and could use the help. I filled out my application and sent it back. I also referred a friend with another application that you had sent with my application. We live at the same residence, which is MY HOUSE, I PAY ALL THE BILLS HERE and have lived here for over 12 years. You processed my fiends application and denied me because it was the same address but I sent my application first and the instructions said HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD. I AM HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD, DISABLED and APPLIED FIRST! I called to received a rude answer and hung up on. This is not right. He is an able bodied man who can provide for himself except for his drunken behavior. You are not fair in my eyes and probably many more will agree with me. I gave him a place to lay his head to sleep and you deny me this opportunity. How Sad. Now you send a letter to tell him saying that you are worried about him. Believe me, he’s fine. Believe me. he’s fine. Thank You So Much For Your Concern!
DEBRA WALKER says
i need to verify my phone for a another year i am having problems trying on the phone
DEBRA WALKER says
i wonder if someone can help me
Maryjane says
Send in the application instead.
bekka says
When I recieved the letter to renew I had also sent the paper back to them and it didn’t go thru for some reason so I got on their web site assurancewireless.com and was able to enter my info there and I have not had any problems since then. Much easier going thru their website and not even bothering with trying to send the form in or calling to give them the info. I don’t know about everyone else but every time I have had to call I always end up with someone that don’t speak or understand english.
iblobar says
The phone number they give u to call is automated and irritating. The phone they give u is Jax, and probably is the cheapest I’ve ever seen. If ur over 45 and need glasses, well, ur s.o.o.l. because the print is so small, I have to use my magnifiing glass just to read whats on the screen. Activating is a complete headache. Getting a live person to help is timeconsuming and burns ur minutes up. Other than that,,great!!!
college says
Assurance phone takes your minutes away in a call that didn’t last one minute. My last call was only 52 seconds and it deducted the minute anyways, a call that lasted . Also sometimes it doesn’t even call or send text messages, there’s the phone icon as if it is calling but there’s no sound and then a message on the screen that the call didn’t get through or something, isn’t this supposed to be an emergency phone, why it doesn’t work like it’s supposed to? If that was me making an emergency call I would have been dead by now because of this stupid bad service. My calls are dropped in the middle of a conversation, and sometimes when im walking you can’t hear very well what it’s being said on the other side. If this is a free service for people in need, at least give them the free to be of quality and make that important call without “technical difficulties” Today I felt like dumping this phone in the garbage, then I remembered im just a broke college girl. Fix the system or don’t give it out at all!
roni says
Just in case you didnt know, the minutes are not billed per seconds, it will bill in 60 second increments. Meaning that if you use the phone and the call lasted 5,6,7,or52 seconds, it will always bill you for 1 minute.
adrienne says
i filled out 4 applications and sent the necessary proof i needed it, but STILL have not received anything – no phone call, no email, no snail mail, of course no phone. it seems as though they are ripping the goverment off if they don’t follow through.
Linda Weeks says
As a follow up note. I left my name and number with the PUC and was told I would recieve a call to explain what had happened. Needless to say they never called. They just sent the letter of deniel. I live alone, Had a reaction to medication and could not call anyone because assurance didn’t come through. That is why I went with Cricket, I couldn’t risk waiting on them any longer.
Linda Weeks says
I recieved my application on Sept. 6th. I sent it back on the 7th. No word from them for over a week so I borrowed a phone from a friend when she came in from out of town and could not understand the operator. Had to try to piece together her broken english. So I decided to try an email. It was full of miss information. What was suppose to take 7 to 10 days magically became 10 to 14 days. The application number I was to use to check on it’s statis was 9 numbers it takes 10. After a month of nothing I managed to sign up with Cricket wireless which cost me 60.00. When I called the PUC to lodge a complaint and told them I had to sign up with cricket. I recieved a letter stating my application had been denied because I had signed up with cricket. It took 2 days from the time I called to complain and the letter of denial. I have saved all emails and letters so if anyone has the same problems I had with them and wish to follow up on it. Let me know I will gladly share my information.
Richard says
I have had good service. Things I dislike,
The Email address they gave is always full or doesn’t work,
I don’t have a number to call even to a rep mentioned above that I won’t understand. I wanted to report messages I got that said my service was being dropped. I called the number and the first thing they asked was for my credit card number the said for insurance which made me suspicious. I wanted to contact Assurance to see if it is a scam and ask how they got access to my phone
Out in the daylight I cannot read the display
The number pads are so small you have to use your fingernail and too frequently the rest of my finger adds another pad meaning I have to start all over.
Lucy says
In addition to my other comment, I am going to give this company a chance…after all it is free. My only concern is the reliability as I have to be able to call 911 etc…this is why I’m keeping my Boost prepaid phone which I’ve had for 6 years with no problems….I just need to be assured Assurance Wireless will work for me. It is wonderful that this is availiable for folks who qualify…me surviving on soc. sec. retirment only. If you have this service…at least be Thankful…I see so many mean comments on here…what’s up with that??
Lucy says
I sent my application to these folks and within 2 weeks I had the approval letter along with the phone..both received under separate cover but at the same time. I had difficulties getting the
phone actiivated. I couldn’t understand the rep and he couldn’t understand me. He finally connected me (didn’t tell me he was doing so) to an english speaking lady and she was able to
acitivate my phone. Since this phone is free along witht he 250 minutes..I shouldn’t complain but the phone is very very small! I have a prepaid phone for $7 a month and I will keep it I think as
a back up because I’ve read so many negative comments regarding connectivity etc with Assurance. Just my 2 cents.
TJ says
Seriously????You have a prepaid phone and still got a free phone. Have you no shame?
KENIA says
HEY!!!!……THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THE PEOPLE AND COMPANIES THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE
G. BLESS
KENIA
Leigh says
I just got my phone, which took less than a month after sending the app in. I had a very hard time getting it to make and receive calls, until I found it will only work outside—oh, crap, I thought–here in ” Portlandia”, with the eight months of cold weather coming up! Also, what if someone had to call me? Do I have to pitch a tent in my backyard? I’ll either stop using it for 60 days so they’ll drop me, and try another carrier, or keep buying the prepaid service, using this Assurance phone as a backup. does anyone out there know if it’s true that cell phone service should be free,anyway, since old military satellites are used for the signals? It’s like Tesla, believing his electricity should be free for everyone, but it got commercialized. Well, that’s my input–oh –one more thing–phones that don’t work right (especially when offered to the very poor, who may have more need for one than those with better lives) are not anymore gifts than potential curses, in the event of an emergency. Yeah, just give those recession victims moldy bread to eat, right? Sometimes their dignity is more palatable.
bill martin says
You people make it so god d hard to simply recertify. why donL!t you just have a website that says recertificationl form?
Justin says
Iv been with virgin mobile ever since high school n have not had no problems with it so when my mom got aproved for assurance wireless told her it would be good if powerd by virgin mobile but is nothing like my service. Why they cant run it like virgin mobile idk but the billing isnt anything like it. I have a 25 plain with virgin mobile that i add money to my acnt and it takes it 6 hours before my month is up no problems but with assurance it is so messed up have to watie till the month restarts with the 250 free mins before adding money for unlimited mins why idk its so messed up should be simple but they cause nothing but problems. Richard Branson should get on them before they bring down the good name of virgin mobile.
bauvais says
safelink is good and it helps me.we will understand the quality of this phone when you really have an emergency.you needto call some one or 911 to help you.
Tammy says
I was happy to get a free phone,but it has TERRIBLE reception and I have to go outside and walk around most of the time to pick up anything.It also has a lot of static,cuts in and out and drops calls constantly,so I rarely use it. I have heard the same complaints form other people I know who have Assurance phones.
Disgusted says
This whole thread displays just how diversely stupid people can be in the United States. You get an opportunity to get something that wasn’t available in the past and then you talk shit about it as if it was owed to you. “You get what you pay for” like it or not in this country, unless you happen to white and have good credit, then the rules are different!! If you are not happy with the service, stop using it!! If you are having problems with the cell phone, google the company website and contact costumer service.
Come on people, American society already feels as though people on any kind of assistance are stupid and or drug dealers and the ignorant comments made in this thread definatly supports the “stupid” argument!!!! Common sense!!
Patricia Allaire says
My son desperately needs this phone while he is going back and forth for chemo and radiation for aggressive brain cancer. We submitted a full application by fax (recommended by the Assurance agent) and they claim to have not received it. Then we submitted by mail, and again they do not have the application. When contacted by email, they say to give them the information again and they will mail out another application for us to mail back with supporting information. How long will that take? Meanwhile, we have to return the borrowed phone. The service is abominable!
celia mcgowan says
I would like to start my service back up with Assurance Wireless. Because I had my service stopped. And thet told me if I wanted my service started back up to let them know.
Wtf ppl says
What was the point of that “review”??? Are you frickin retarted? What about REVIEW don’t you understand? Gosh, you people disgust me!!!
wow says
wow, harsh much?
Molly says
If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Life it too short to be such a rude critic. Get over it!
Bigpic says
Stop whining and take in the big picture!!!
Who owns this company and how can I be a part of that???
I want to get filthy rich by doing basically nothing!!!
With whom would I inquire about investing?
blondie says
U guys r stupid be grateful for the free phone
Yuuup says
So if somebody offers you an apple, you should gladly accept it, and not complain at all that it is rotten? Because you got it for free? No, I do not want an apple, and yes I have a right to be angry/upset that the “free” apple was worthless!!!
G.T. says
I have read with great interest all your comments on this and the safelink site. One thing strikes me: these cell phones may be free to you, but are payed for with the taxes of all other telecom customers. (currently I pay one third of my phone bill in fed. taxes). Therefore, all complaints should go to your Representative and your Senator! These companies are paid by the government if you receive your phone or not, if you receive service or not. We, the taxpayers are being cheated if you do not receive the promised service in time!
jessmal1017 says
you people are fricken rediculous. As far as peoples taxes paying for the phones, you alone, can’t change that. And for those of you who got one of the free phones, quit your complaining and be happy they’ve given you one.
Donald Poppy says
Obama phone, my —. This guy is shameless. How dare he put his name on a program that gives free telephones to those at the government trough which are paid for by the working people who have to pay a mandatory tax on their telephone service? He is a commie for sure. A “trough” is were pigs eat.
Lisa says
Assurance gives 250 voice minutes & 250 text mins every month vs Safelink only giving 250 mins total which get used up by voice & text. Assurance also offers many options to add time if needed, for instance $5.00 can double your voice & text amounts, making them 500! The cheapest additional minutes for Safelink is $10.00 (only available for purchase online, otherwise it’s $20.00 from a store) you only get 30 mins for 10.00!!!!!! EVERYONE GO WITH ASSURANCE!!!!!!!!!!
Fed up says
Really poor customer service, can’t understand them half the time because they have horrible accents. This is the SECOND time I have applied over the phone to get the application sent to me, and it’s been over a month and nothing in the mail – no application, nothing. The site doesn’t even have my information in. The automated system is clunky and garbled. I have a physical address and a PO box – CSR told me in 2012 that it “wasn’t a problem” – well, honey, apparently it is, because your company hasn’t sent me jack yet.
don't matter says
Also if I needed to have this phone quick it don’t matter simply because it rakes like a month and a half to even get the phone
don't matter says
I just got off phone with assurance …I live in a trailer park and get my mail in a p.o box. For some reason a application can’t be sent to my mailing address .. . I don’t understand this. I have a physical address and a p.o. what’s the problem?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Yes, you need a physical address. Stupid rule, but all the companies follow it.
debs says
not stupid, stupid. At least it is one small attempt at keeping thieves from stealing more than one phone from taxpayers.
Toria says
I live in a very small town which does not deliver mail to our homes. The post office says we have to use our po box # or we will not get our mail. How may I acqire a phone? Thank you for your assistance and for the work you do in providing phones for those who need it. I see a lot of negative but it still has to be better than nothing. Since I live in a remote area, I constantly worry when I go to the dr. or to get groceries that my car may break down. I have to drive 40 miles round trip every time I do.
audrey says
This is the most unreliable service I have ever encountered.If I were dying in my home and needed help. I would not have service. I have to go outside my home to get any service at all.Even speaking to customer service. Is totally redculous..
don't matter says
I agree Audrey …the telemarketing ppl just had a very arrogant and condescending attitude. He was no help at all
Cin V. says
It sounds like some of you people are EXTEMELY paranoid! First of all anyone with a decent police scanner can not only listen to your phone conversations they can listen to your baby monitor!! and this has been since wireless communications came out! Second of all unless you are a person of interest to the authorities they don’t care to listen to your mundane conversations. You would have to be a REALLY BIG TIME CRIMINAL preferably a TRAITOR to your country for them to monitor your phone calls. Remember Watergate? Or your rights? they can’t record your conversations without your knowledge nor would it be admissable in a court of law. STOP being so paranoid of your own government! no wonder this country is in the state we’re in!
Also, even if this is a FREE phone every customer deserves the same concideration and quality service. If you have an issue speak with that persons supervisor right on up the ladder until you talk to the right person in the company and be sure to take down the names and employee numberof every employee you have to speak with and put in a complaint in with their supervisor.
ONE LAST THOUGHT – I came to this sight to read reviews on the phones, the company and coverage you received NOT to read PARANOID conversations and or statements from you people. This web page is for product reviews not personal thoughts or feeling about our government, the law,Big Brother, or any other other of those stupid things you people have posted about!!!!!
DIRK DIGGLER says
Couldn’t agree more,read my honest and current review of the phone and service above,no big brother b.s. in there,just a phone and service review.
Cin V says
I had Virgin Moble Prepaid phone service (whom is also Assurance) they are actually from Canada. I ended up getting t-mobile so gave my phone, number etc… to a friend and he hasn’t had any complaints or nightmare stories except for the $4.88 phone I bought at Wal-Mart quits texting from time to time and I told him he has to take out the battery and reinstall it I had the issue when I 1st got the phone. I was happier with that phone than I have been with the t-mobile htc sense that I have now!
bill says
If you don’t want to see this stuff, turn off your computer. Quit coming on here and telling all these people what to do and how to act just to suit yourself. Just who do you think you are anyway? Don’t answer that. I already know who you THINK you are. Well you’re not so get off these people back.
Disgusted says
Since the creation of the Patriot Act created after 9/11 the rules have changed. “Probable Cause” can mean anything now and you do not have to be notified if anyone is monitoring your calls (kind of defeats the purpose!! lol) This has been argued and continues to be debated about the violation of peoples civil rights and rights to privacy,
Now on the other hand if you’re not doing anything you’re not supposed to, why would anybody be worried about whether or not someone is monitoring your calls? The gov does what it wants to do regardless and justifies it’s actions accordingly. Don’t forget that there are people that make careers out of using fancy words and made up causes to justify shit to the American public. Unless you plan to run for office, GET OVER IT!!!
Kris says
You people aren`t about shit but POOR ass people go get on a contract! You sit and wait all month for 250 minutes really?
DIRK DIGGLER says
LMFAO,Amen!
Kelly says
This is the worst company to work with. NO ONE is helpful and they could careless if you are happy or not. I have been trying to cancel my account for DAYS I have 7 e-mails to prove it and 5 phone calls… still not canceled. I am calling my local state rep to tell them about this so he can see why these FREE phones are not being canceled when asked and tell him how rude they are!
Just saying says
I stand by my December post about this company. If it wasn’t for it being free it would get 0 stars from me. At this point I would give it 1 star, not 2.
This Kyocera “Jax” or whatever this piece of crap is is the worst phone I’ve ever used or seen in my life. As others have stated, it’s like a little toy phone. Cute? Maybe. Functional? Not at all!!! I think the speaker and microphone are encased inside the thing. Can barely hear the person on the other end and they can barely hear me.
One of my complaints was the automated calls I was getting from Assurance. Since my last post they stopped doing that so I decided to try to keep using the phone. But now, today, was the last straw. Just went through a nightmare trying to take care of personal business with a company and they couldn’t hear the correct numbers I was telling them, kept asking me “are you still there???”. I actually had to hang up and borrow my neighbor’s phone.
This piece of junk is going bye bye. What are the other options out there? Lifeline? Any others? Will they send me another spongebob phone or an actual real phone?! Who ever the bright engineer was that dreamed up this phone needs to be tied to a stake and stoned to death in the public square!
Rock says
What other cell phones can i use beside this out dated jax phone.For assurance
phone service.
Chet says
Having a free cell phone as .Robert P Wilhelmi noted in cases of emergency, etc. HOWEVER, ASSURANCE WIRELESS is not the only choice. After being lied to and jerked around from Jan 12 to Mar 22 with discussions at least 3 times with supervisors and all kinds of broken promises, I went elsewhere (Safelink). I applied painlessly and today, April 5 I received my phone. I am SOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad I cancelled with ASSURANCE…incompetent liars and yes, beggars CAN be choosers to disagree with Sarah B. above. We aren’t 2nd rate citizens just because we’ve been believing a bunch of lying government officials. By the way…”Government can’t give you something that you didn’t earn, without taking it from somewhere who did the earning”. Government isn’t paying for these…some other person who makes more money and pays taxes is !
Kaylyn Ento says
I have been approved for assurance wireless, they have said I received a phone which I did not, then they said they would send out another but are unable to give me a tracking number, and they tell me that all there phones are sent fedex. I don’t get this are they already being paid for a phone I have never received?
Robert says
I got on here just to find out if it’s a scame, you guys make me wonder if the whole world gone nuts. If you have ever signed up for new service (cell phone), you must not have read you paper work. If the service is good, just say so and everyone will be happier. granted story wont be as interesting. Do your watch television, if so how do you, not already know they do record and listen, make the 6 pm news tonight for murder or whatever, and most of us will know what you said to your best buddy last night or a mouth ago.
dorothy says
assurance wire less is a piece of shit i lost my phone info so i dont know the phone number to the phone call to activate the phone and guess what i was told they can not help me without the number but i have my pin number to my account and everything else so guess what i did sighed up with a new carrier
gene says
just a quick lesson pay attention. THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO MONEY. there is zero government money it is all taken from someone to give pay for any government program. It is taken from someone who worked to earn it it cannot be taken from a business because if they have to pay a tax they just raise their price so that guy who works to pay for everything else has to pay the taxes placed on any business also.
tracy says
hi my name is Tracy,i just recived my assurance phone yesterday on time,i got it turned on ,no problem and i like the phone they sent me,all the bad things people are saying about assurance must dont apply to kansas resedents.they get an a+ IN MY BOOK THANK YOU ASSURANCE WIRELESS.
ms. West says
I was approved TWO MONTHS ago with assurance. Today in the mail i received a letter from them stating you are required to
go through a certification process every year before your lifeline
expiration date to prove you are still eligible for assurance plus we will also need your social security number and birth day. It’s a free phone you must prove you are eligible, why the personal information. Assurance customer service is in another country. I called and was given a long expernation.
Tom says
My phone works fine if I’m in town. Out by the lake area where I live, the phone is worthless. No signal. Other than that, it’s all good.
‘Perry’ : http://www.assurancewireless.com/Public/FAQs.aspx#faq9
What if I need to access additional services like texting or international calling?
Yes. You may add money to your account with a credit/debit card, PayPal, or a Virgin Mobile Top-Up card to take advantage of the following service offerings:
• Text messages for 10¢ each
• Messaging Packs as low as $5 for 200 text messages
• 411 service at $1.75 per call + standard airtime charges
• International calling at great rates to over 200 countries
• Mobile Web, ringtones, games, graphics, and more
Pricing for domestic calls and messaging only. All domestic text prices are to send and receive.
perry says
Does anyone know if text minutes are available from assurance, and how I would go about getting the service? I recently got the phone but have been unable to contact anyone. They seem to make it impossible. I don’t need additional minutes, just text messaging.
kentuckywoman2 says
I picked Assurance Wireless over SafeLink, thinking I might get a better phone, customer service, etc. WRONG. I’ve had my phone about 2 weeks and haven’t been able to use it yet. Yes, I would be very thankful for the government giving me 250 minutes a month and a free cell phone, but I think both the government and customers are getting ripped off.
When they sent my phone I thought it was a toy at first. It’s very cheaply made and tiny little buttons and icons I can’t even see. Be that as it may, the battery was completely dead when I got the Phone, even though I had been told by them on the phone when I first inquired about their service that it would come with the battery fully charged. So I had to charge the phone before I could even activate it.
Then I find that not only do I have only one “bar” and can’t get reception, but I have to fully charge the phone every day and a half – WITHOUT EVEN USING IT AT ALL – because the battery loses its charge. So I called Kyocera, who makes the phone. They said the phone should last at least about one week on a fully charged battery, without using the phone. They asked how many bars I had and when I told them, they said that the reason the battery was draining was because of a low signal, and that it should be 5-6 bars. They said the PRL needed to be updated and to call Assurance.
So I called Assurance. Again, hard to understand anyone there, but I finally got them to understand why I was calling. They transferred me to technical support, and again, couldn’t understand her very well because of the broken English. I told her what Kyocera said about updating the PRL and she put me on hold. Then she came back and said that I had to call back in 3-5 days because they were going to replace the phone but had none in stock and so I had to call back to see if they were still available. I asked her about updating the PRL and she said that they couldn’t do that. When I asked why, she just said I had to call back in 3-5 days to see if the phone would be available then. I asked her were they just going to ship it out when they got it or did I have to call back to go through this all again and she said that yes, I had to call back and no, they would not send out a replacement phone until I call back.
NOT HAPPY. NOT HAPPY. NOT HAPPY.
While I’m grateful for a government program that gives a free cell phone and 250 minutes a month, I’m not grateful for a cell phone that doesn’t work and a cell phone company that’s taking money from the government when it isn’t providing the service as intended.
I’ll call back in 3-5 days and if they give me the same crap, I’m calling my State Attorney General, my U.S. Representative and whoever else will listen. These fly-by-night companies are not providing the service/s they are being paid by the government to provide. And so tell me why this program is better off administered by private companies? I think it would be better off administered by the government itself. That way, no chance for fraud of not providing working equipment or the service itself, including minutes or signal availability.
Speak up and out when these companies don’t perform as they should! That’s the only way you get what they’re supposed to be delivering.
Penny says
CORRECTION, THEY ROUND UP TO THE NEAREST MINUTE SO THAT A ONE SECOND CALL IS COUNTED AS A FULL MINUTE.
Penny says
SCAM – ASSURANCE HAS A COSTLY WAY OF ACCOUNTING FOR CELL PHONE USAGE…SOMEHOW I REACH THE 1K MINUTES BEFORE THE MONTH IS OUT THOUGH I NEVER EXCEEDED 600 MINUTES WITH T-MOBILE. I DON’T EVEN USE THE PHONE EXCESSIVELY…I BELIEVE THEY CHARGE MINUTES FOR ALL PHONE TIME (INCLUDING LISTENING TO VOICE MAIL, ENTERING CONTACTS, ETC.)….I’M OVER 900 MINUTES AND STILL HAVE ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO GO…I BELIEVE THEY WILL START CHRGING ME 10 CENTS PER MINUTES AFTER I EXCEED THE 1K MINUTES….ALSO, THEY ROUND UP EACH ACTIVITY TO THE NEAREST 30 SECONDS WHICH REALLY HURTS IF YOU DON’T GET THROUGH AND IT’S REALLY A 5 SECOND CALL…
Penny says
I HATE ASSURANCE….YOU HAVE TO ADD MONEY ON A CERTAIN DAY. ALSO, BE CAREFUL WHEN BUYING A DATA PACKAGE (INTERNET TIME)….I ACCIDENTALLY BOUGHT IT MORE THAN ONCE AND THEY ALLOWED IT AND KEPT THE MONEY….VERY DISHONEST AND NOT USER FRIENDLY AT ALL – DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FEE / CHARGES METHODOLOGY….BE CAREFUL!
Penny says
BUYER BEWARE – WHATEVER MONEY YOU PUT IN THE ACCOUNT, THEY WILL USE REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY MINUTES YOU USE…I KEPT ADDING MONEY BECAUSE MY DOLLAR BALANCE WAS LOW AND THEY KEPT ABSORBING IT….MY 1ST MONTH WAS OVER $100!
kittycat_7 says
What does assurance do with your social and any information you send them? Do they give the information to the phillipines and other countries where people work for them? I’m concerned about identity theft. Also, their custormer service is nice while I am not a customer of theirs. I don’t know if I want to be one after reading all the negative comments on them. I have a cell, but stupid telemarketers are running my minutes down with their advertising texts and the only way to stop it is to turn off texts. Thanks to them I only have 91 minutes and can’t afford any more minutes. I use texting sparingly. I want another phone for potential emplyers to call and for emergencies. If you are putting application on line, do not give your cell number out..the telemarketers will text you. They never stop. Anyhow, I can really use this cell. Is there another company that is doing a similar service? Please get back with me. Thanks
DIRK DIGGLER says
This is a major problem and has really gotten bad over the last year.I used to just get calls from people wanting former customers that used to have the cell number that was given to me but now I am being driven crazy by collection agents and on-line colleges,etc. so it has come to a point where I demand the company name and the name of whom I am speaking to and tell them to add me to their do not call list and any further calls will be handled legally due to harassment and has worked quite well but I still get a few so this is a common problem even for land-lines which is 10 times worse if you are on a social network site like face book so I avoid all sites and delete all tracking cookies every single day.Good luck to you.:~)
william ard says
how cani get a replacement phone. mine has been dropped and is cracked. some of the features like voicemail don’t work.
DIRK DIGGLER says
I am worried about a lot of the negative things I have seen here but I was approved in less than 2 weeks but had my documents in order and my phone was mailed Wed. the 22 of Feb. by fedex and I called Assurance this morning for a fedex tracking number in which was provided and my phone is in route by fedex to be delivered Monday Feb.27 and this is from fedex tracking.I live in the KY,the State not the jelly,lol,and nothing gets here that fast.I can’t judge the quality of the service as of yet but most of the agents I spoke with had far better English skills than AT@T who suck IMHO because every year I have had to send my life-line link-up up to 3 times because I was denied when I qualify under 3 of the programs which is pretty bad when I am a partially disabled Veteran but I will post back after I activate the phone and I am a Marine so you will get the straight scoop because I bow for no man or Company after what I have been through but so far Assurance has smoked AT@T and I don’t have to talk to Habib from a call center who claims his name is Dave so I will stay positive which isn’t easy for a grunt SSGT who did 3 tours until my clock got punched by shrapnel to the spine.Rock On! :~D
DIRK DIGGLER says
O.K.Here is my honest review of my Assurance phone after using it a few months.The reception and charge really surprised me for such a cheap pretty much crap Kyocera 3 G CDMA cell and my only real complaint with the phone is that I had to keep the volume maxed to hear well which caused some distortion,but the phone functioned as advertised and it was free so what do people expect for a free phone?I will say that the free safelink phones I have seen looked better but I never tried one.I will say I got good customer service through Assurance but like all companies these days,even AT@T,these are not Americans you are talking to and some can be hard to understand.The only real complaint I had about Assurance is that I got more calls for people who were not me and collection agents drove me nuts eating up my minutes for other people but I did have the option of getting a new number but it was not worth the hassle of giving the people I knew the new number.I am stuck with AT@T as my DSL ISP and kept my land line because if you have problems with you’re modem or DSL service you may be on the phone for 30-45 min. talking to Ha-bib in some call center in India or Pakistan and that would have eaten up my Assurance free min. which is why I kept my land line but the free cell was for emergency use only because my car was not in the best of shape and I don’t text.I just got tired of the wrong number calls and now AT@T is doing their lifeline certifications by phone so no fax or forms to deal with and I would much rather have the lifeline to take 15 bucks off of my AT@T bill than give it to Assurance but for me in my rural area I was satisfied with the service and never had a dropped call once but if I ever do decide to try a cell again I will give Safelink a try just to compare the two services but I in no way had any of the horror stories I have read here about Assurance and trust me when I say I am the most unlucky man on Earth! lol,I think people just expect too much from a FREE cell and I had way more dropped calls when I was paying for a full price cell with rollover minutes but free or not these free phones should have rollover minutes in my opinion because I almost never used half of mine every month so there you have my honest current review of Assurance. B+ :~)
DIRK DIGGLER says
Well,so much for my praise of Assurance.I have had good luck with them until I wanted to drop them.I have an AT@T land line and DSL to pay bills and keep the land line in case I have to call AT@T DSL support in which is usually a 30-45 min. ordeal dealing with some agent I can’t understand and did not want to eat up my Assurance minutes which are for emergencies only such as car towing or 911 health calls if I’m away from home.I have an older car which has turned into a money pit each month so I really didn’t need the cell and the life-line could be applied towards my AT@T monthly bill.I have been trying for the last 5 months to drop Assurance and have spoken with about 6 different Agents who all assured me that my service would be terminated and I would receive a letter showing that I was no longer a customer but still keep getting minutes added to my phone every month and zero letter.This place is like a roach motel,one you check in,you can’t check out and it took just over 2 weeks to be approved and have the cell in hand but they do not want to release you.I stayed on the phone for 45 minutes this morning and waited to talk to the highest person on the food chain and flat out told them this would be my last contact with Assurance and the call was being recorded and my next phone call would be to my State Atty.Generals office because they didn’t have the right to keep me against my will and I needed their letter of termination of service to get AT@T to re add my life-line discount and AT@T are real pricks about this no matter how many programs you qualify under.I see that a lot of people here have problems getting Assurance but just wait until if you ever want to drop them! I think 5 months is total b.s.when it took 2 weeks to have phone in hand so I would suspect that they are milking the Govt. to keep you as an Assurance customer and you by law have the right to drop them at any given time but don’t expect them to get in any hurry and every single Agent I have spoken with has flat out lied about my termination letter which is ironic because I get at least 1 letter a month if not more with Assurance applications for friends and family and they are totally screwing the life-line program and with this kind of activity and the shape the Country is in these free cell programs will probably go up in smoke in the end.Good luck to all:~)
DIRK DIGGLER says
UPDATE!!!!Jesus H. Christ! grrrrrrr,after talking to no less than 8 different so called AGENTS,not the Assurance peon douche-bags,but agents from Verizon they called to deactivate my shitty cell finally in which I said it was about time and asked about the deactivation letter they said was in the mail a few months back and this dip-shit says that they don’t send you a letter! I said WTF because that is what I have been told since day 1 of trying to get this phone turned off and this guy just basically blows me off and says he is turning the phone off.I told his ass that I had already paid to send faxes to my State life-line because AT@T kept turning me down because Assurance couldn’t get it right and I am one pissed off Jar-Head because you can tell this is a Government sponsored SNAFU and cluster f*ck because nobody could screw it up so bad.I have recorded every single conversation with these piss poor English speaking peons and will be calling the State Atty.Generals office next week after Labor day and demand an investigation of this matter because I have been paying taxes since I was 18 and am 49 years old now and paid until 2005 when I took a spine full of shrapnel in the Sandbox which is why I qualified for the phone to start with so this retired Marine SSGT has declared a state of War on Assurance,not that I’m anyone special for giving 12 years of my life to this Country but this is above and beyond B.S. when you are misled and lied to by idiots.I just really wonder how much the tax payers are getting screwed by this flawed program because the the Government sets this up and forgets about it leaving these companies to govern themselves which is a bad joke,LOL,no worries because it’s not like I’m going to pump 5.56mm NATO rounds into anyone but my tongue and mind are sharp and someone is going to have a really bad day next week.Peace:~) OO-RAH!
Shauna says
I have safelink and have been having them for over a year now. I’ve not had any serious problems and the mini problems I’ve had, they corrected them immediately. I was thinking about switching over to assurance so I could get the Loft by Kyocera. It’s a great program. I let my eleven y/o son use the phone. He doesn’t need anything to fancy. The only dif is safelink let you text with their mins and assurance, I think, make you buy extra mins to text. Maybe I will call them to see if this is correct. But other than that I really don’t have any complaints, besides my son who wants to take pictures..kids lol
JWright says
As far as Assurance Wireless, I would have to rate them poorly and not dependable. When I first received my Assurance cell phone I was very pleased and grateful as it worked well. However, I’ve had it over a year and a half now and mostly I get dropped calls with people constantly saying “You’re cutting out. I can’t hear you!” I never have more than one bar shown and sometimes cannot connect at all, neither being able to dial out nor people being able to reach me. What good is a free phone if I needed to make a call, but can’t since I have no signal or the conversation is not understndable by the party I called? I’ve had two heart attacks and have several other medical conditions which make it necessary for me to have a phone to use to call 911 or to call a family member if I am ill. I can no longer drive and need access to dependable phone service at all times. Although I appreciate being provided with a free phone, it would be nice if at least 50% of the time it actually worked.
The phone has no cover over the keypad ( meaning not a flip phone ) which means it is constantly in danger of being accidentally dialed while in my purse bumping against things and the key pads are tiny little things with itty bitty text below and on them that is so small I have trouble even when wearing reading glasses seeing the numbers. However, I could live with the cheapness of the cell phone itself, if the service were only reliable.
kentuckywoman2 says
AMEN. I couldn’t have said it better. If they don’t replace my phone within the next 10 days, I’m canceling my so far non-existent service and going with either SafeLink or Budget Mobile.
DIRK DIGGLER says
I can’t dispute a lot of what you say but I think you just got a bad phone but there is a very simple 4-digit key lock feature to keep the phone from being activated and it clearly states that in the book that comes with it:~D
JWright says
As for the simple 4-digit key lock feature, I had already read the manual, however as a previous heart-attack victim, I don’t think I want to chance having the lock turned on and then, just before going into cardiac arrest and kicking the bucket, I attempt to dial 911 for an ambulance, only to have to take the time to deactivate the lock before being able to use the phone.
DIRK DIGGLER says
911 is supposed to over ride the key lock feature and I have health problems as well but have not tried dialing 911 with the key lock engaged to be honest but do see you’re point but without the phone being locked you’re battery may be drained flat anyway because the slightest bump will activate the phone even in a loose fitting cotton shirt pocket.
Ms. P says
I had Safelink service and got a second-hand phone that wouldn’t even work; I sent an application to assurance, got a phone before receiving an acceptance letter! You can’t activate the phone without the 10 digit ID code on the acceptance letter! If this is any indication of what kind of a company this is, I’m expecting nothing but problems and poor quality service as well as a poor quality phone. If all you’re going to do is provide junk, why bother doing anything? So you can look good!? What a waste! (as usual!).
ME says
you dont have any obligation to use this service. if its so horrible get your own plan with VERIZON, AT&T or T-MOBILE. theres many more as well. but stop complaining about a free service. BEGGERS CANT BE CHOOSERS!!!
Just saying says
Why don’t you people that are slamming the complainers go get a life, as well? The title of this page is “Assurance Wireless Ratings and Reviews”. They are free to leave whatever kind of review they want to.
My review of this service is maybe 2 stars. Only because it is free. The phone is very difficult to hear the speaker, even when turned all the way up and I am not hard of hearing. Another problem I have is horrible reception. I received an automated call today from Assurance telling me that I have not used my phone in 60 days (which is not true) and to call the following number “888____” then the signal was lost. Which brings me to another complaint…I am always getting these stupid automated calls telling me that I have not used my phone in 30 days, or 60 days, etc. and I HAVE been using my phone. So maybe I don’t constantly sit around talking on it and using a bunch of minutes but I DO use it.
It’s becoming very annoying and I am considering just dropping this service and looking into possibly signing up with a different Lifeline provider. I don’t know if that is even possible, or if it is will they send these automated calls, too?!
lori beall says
i havent got my assurance phone yet why?
Jessi says
I ordered this phone for my daughter to use for safety reasons, and It was never shipped to me. I reported that and they verified the had the right address and said they re-sent it out, and still never received it. I tried 2 more times and gave up..never received the phone. They even sent me a letter asking did I receive it and wanted me to rate the phone service. I don’t understand what the problem was..but they have some bad Customer Service.
swtninee143 says
assurance wireless sucks badly no good obama just trying to be able to track us down thats all that is a tracking device thats it
Sherri Conley says
uuuhhh…..are you a secret CIA ninja that the government has to keep track of?
ITS A PHONE. It isnt a “tracking device”. I am POSITIVELY CERTAIN that Obama or anyone else in the govt has ABSOLUTELY no interest in where you are and what you are doing.
Just sayin’….
SC says
Is there nothing better to do then rant on this website?? Assurance Wireless is for all that need it and qualify It’s a FREE PHONE!!!!
Do yourselves a favor and get off this forum and do something else!! Assurance Wireless regardless of where the customer service reps are from,their purpose is to assist you! So stop slamming and get out and do something constructive not destructive. You signed up for it so obviously you like it!!!
Greg says
Yeah, I signed up for it because I need it. It’s been months and I still have not gotten my phone. If they do not keep their end of the bargain (sending me a phone to use their phone service) then Assurance Wireless is worthless!
DIRK DIGGLER says
I totally agree SC,what do people expect free Hooker’s and Whores like the Secret Service?LMAO,I was happy with my phone to call a tow truck in the middle of the night and it helped me out of several jams.I mean,it’s FREE! WTF,do people expect and I have had worse that I paid full price for with roll over minutes.Holy Shit,what a bunch of crybabies because if you fill the forms out right and have a valid address you probably won’t have any problems and I have filled out several forms for people and they got their phones and don’t bitch at all! :~D
Virginia W. says
There are a lot of uninformed and crazy people posting comments against Assurance Wireless. There is even a bogus website called freecellphonescam (or something similar) which is nothing more than an anti-poor, anti-working people rant, a tinfoil-hat/black-helicopter pseudo-political barf-fest. There is no “free cell phone scam”. Assurance Wireless is perfectly legitimate; the government program assists people of zero or ultralow income, the disabled, etc… Also, beware of people who POST IN ALL CAPS THEY ARE YELLING AND FLAMING ONLINE and they have a personal problem.
Rather not says
This is funny that a lot here are on the internet, which cost money to use, and they are complaining about a company that offers free minutes and phone. It bothers me how much gripe over nothing is on here. Customer service is always hard to deal with, but complaining the same thing that someone has already covered in other messages does not fix anything. It is like listening to a broken record. All customer service is hard to deal with.
I used to work for a company as a customer service. It is the worst job ever. Do you think they really love talking to you? It is a paycheck to them. That is pretty much it. They are not your friend or enemy. They are just someone paid to answer questions and send and receive things in the mail that are needed and get information on account.
No matter what company it is you are going to go through crap to get something done.
Virginia W. says
You are right. I have worked many many phone center jobs, and it’s not for the faint of heart or thin of skin to be the first line of defense against angry callers — and most angry callers are justifiably ticked off about a real problem and require assistance and understanding. I have been a dissatisfied communications company customer, too, believe me! Giant telecom companies are among the most despised for good reason, and yes, it is not the fault of the “lowly” hard-working support staff, techies (or as we used to call ourselves jokingly, “phone monkeys”). Spread love and accurate information when possible. Or, as the famous poem says, “Keep your head when other are losing theirs.”
Mine says
Rather not & Virginia W. That’s what I’m talking about I got on here hoping for some info on this company so I could make a wise choice as to which company to go with now. Though with all these kinds of things on here I guess I’m staying with whom I’m already with. Thanks anyway, & thx Rather not & Virginia W & I hope everyone finds a cell phone they can be happy with. Happy New Year Too All.
Shauna says
Safelink is great, I’ve never had a problem with dropped calls or not being able to make or receive calls. Try them, it’s free…you have nothing to loose and I get my mins ususally by the end of the month.
Greg says
Rather Not, I don’t have to pay for internet service, at least not directly. I go to my local Public Library to use the ‘Net. Almost every Public Library offeres free internet usage through their computers.
michellhiggs says
to rather not ..everybody has the right to speak and the internet is free to use also at their discretion people are tired just as much as the customer services representing the phone company …its a sad thing to make a comment as if you do not know what it is like to need a cell phone do to hardship and you still cant get it weather its death divorce or loss of a job that has weakened your income your its your elderly parent they do not have the right to not even consider the customer with the highest respect of service.
melissa fugate says
would apreciate it if i could get the gov phone im a single that struggles n very well need one.
samuel c. says
assurance is definitely a scam. I was approved in june and have yet to get my phone. I called a hundred times but each time they said they were sending it right out. Some goverment agency must be appropriate to complain to.
Jessi says
Same thing happen to me..smh
Sherri Conley says
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6154016_regulates-cell-phone-companies_.html
Info on how to complain and to whom
michael c says
I applied for Assurance W around last April. I mailed in copies of my pay checks, a letter from employer and tax return. I called countless times and was told that my app was pending. During this time I received 3 new (separate) apps in the mail, I never asked for them. Then it was approved and my phone was on its way, then they never shipped it but would immediately. Then I was told I had 2 apps pending. I finally emailed and was told my app was never received. I called again and was told the same. I stated to them that I mailed all of my sensitive info. They just said they would send me another app, which they never did. This lead me to think AW is an identity phising scam? I now have AT&T, they suck pretty bad also.
frustrated says
I did receive my phone and have had it for about four months. I did notice that my minutes pass far too quickly so I decided to spend money for the addition packages they offer. I wonder if I did not have the free 250 minutes from low income eligibility, when I pay $20.00 for the 1000 talk and 1000 text plan if I would actually get 1000/1000? As of now they give me 250 free minutes and 750 talk & 1000 text minutes.
Now I have YET to have a smooth transaction for these 4 months. They say my activation date is the 15th of the month. They take my money on that date but they do not give me the minutes/texting until the 16th – and I am feeling like it is for them to charge us the extra money for THEIR benefit (all about the $$$). They told me last month to wait until my free minutes have been added before I top up for the extra 750/1000 talk text minutes. This month I did that and guess what it did. It showed I had the 250 then it updated my extra and shows that I now have used 750 out of 1000 minutes…. I guess I should be grateful that I did receive my free minutes. However the “scam” is in they took my money and did NOT give me what I paid for. They are charging me for every text I send and I can’t reach anyone in an upper management position. I keep going from one associate to another but none that can fix the problems! One gal told me that she fixed all she could and would transfer me to have the rest resolved by a different department. This “other” department wound up being something called sitell??? They had no clue and said they could do nothing. I had to recall and their own associate told me to just forget it and go to another company. …even the associates don’t believe in the company. I just want what I paid for!!!
Richard Clement says
Great services, except can a touch phone be substitude for the free phone, if I pay for a Touch Phone?
John says
If the provider isn’t providing, complain to the organization that pays them.
http://www.lifelinesupport.org/about/tools/contact-us.aspx
If that doesn’t get results . . .
Contact your local affiliate(s) of NBC, CBS, ABC and/or the international networks CNN, BBC America, etc. ;they’re all online.
Heck, contact the 700 Club and sick the Bible-thumpers on ‘em.
You do have power, use it.
Betty says
Richard, the address for Assurance is PO Box 686, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Good luck, I gave up when the last time I called to ask where’s the phone, they told me that my contract had been canceled. So they got from April to Nov money and I never got a phone.
Betty says
Been trying to get a phone from Assurance since April, 2011 when I was told I was eligible and would have a phone in 5-7 days. My son says it is a scam where they get money for me having a phone, but they never send you one. Is it the Public Service Commission that I would report this to?
Richard says
I am approved for an Assurance Wireless cell phone. My account info letter, dated September 09, 2011, states that my phone would arrive in 10 days. It’s now almost November and I still haven’t received the phone they said was shipped. Have tried to call them several times. I have never spoken to a live rep and the automated system menu does not have any option for connecting with one. As a matter of fact, if I do nothing, hoping to be transferred to someone, the system hangs up on me! I wish I could find a mailing address for Assurance because it’s taking a ridiculously long time for the shipment of the phone.
Greg says
I am having the exact same problem with Reach Out Wireless / Reach Out Mobile which is Nextel. Weeks with no phone and no way to talk to a real person!
blake says
if u buy a additional min and your time to get the 250 min u loose all those min u just added let say u had 1oo min free min is added today your back down to 250 min
marianne campbell says
without this help Id be phone less..Thanks for the help and being able to stay in touch by phone with this wonderful phone program..
Mine says
Well why don’t you folk’s change to Safelink.com & drop them like a hot cake which is what I would do. They don’t offer the $5.00 /500 minutes but everything else my whole family has safelink & in different parts of states too so we all get great service!As far as getting a phone replaced they do that know problem even if their stolen & it may take a few to talk to someone but you will talk too someone & you can add minutes but it’s costly. Anyway DROP ASSURANCE as soon as you can at least that’s what I would, BUT THAT’S MY OPINION lol.Hope the best for all.
Chanda says
P.S.!!!!!!! A very IMPORTANT P.S….DO NOT click on ANY of the options!!! When the automated thing asks you to press or say “one” or whatever..DONT SAY OR DO ANYTHING!…This process will repeat a couple of Tues and the the automated voice will say “I seem to he having trouble understanding you”..and the he says something like “Press Zero” and you’ll be connected to an operator”…..THEN……you will get to speak to a live person and you can listen to all of the lies effortlessly fall out of their mouth!!!
Chanda says
Here’s the number everybody….
1-888-898-4888
Whoever it is that answers their phones….well they all have a very thick Spanish (I think) accent so its hard to understand them…and personally, I don’t think understand half of what I’m saying…I’ll let you all know of I get my phone in “7 to 10” business days..which SHOULD be by the 18th..*cough* *cough*….LOL!!!
Richard says
well, chanda, at least somebody spoke with you. good luck. hope your phone arrives as promised. think mine is lost in space.
DS says
My call never goes through!!! What customer service # are u using??? All the numbers I have for Assurance, never ring. I have tried from different phones
Annie says
Chanda…. Could you give me the number you have to talk to a real person? My son is in the same position as you & can’t get anything, but a recording….no real person to contact. Thanks
Chanda says
I am ALREADY at my wits end with Assurance and I haven’t EVEN received my phone yet!!!!! I was “approved” nearly 2 and a half months ago! I call and call and always get the same answer “its on its way”. I called 3 weeks ago and they “PROMISED” me it would be here in “20 business days”..and so yesterday I called again (as the 20 business days had come and gone)…and THIS time she told me the address they have for me was off by one number (Ex: 1234 Main Avenue but THEY had 1235)…which I do NOT believe as they have mailed me numerous applications AND the call I made 3 weeks ago there was NO ISSUE WHATSOEVER with my address. I told the girl I wanted to speak to her supervisor..so I was on hold for a few minutes..and then she came on the line and said her “supervisor” is still on another call and “would I mind holding for about 2 minutes” and I said no problem and told her I have all the time in the world…well after about a minute and a half she come back on the phone and “SAYS” all her supervisors are “busy” and I told her I don’t believe her…She then said my phone is on its way to which I replied “ANOTHER 20 BUSINESS DAYS??” and she said “oh no…it will be there in 7 to 10 business days” ….I said “do you PROMISE it will be here in 10 days?” to which of course she said absolutely since the “issue” was my address and to have a nice day. Does anybody KNOW of and/or can recommend a DIFFERENT company I can start this whole process over with?? Thank you in advance for ANY advice or help!!!
Free Government Cell Phones says
Check our states page to see who else can help you out with a phone.
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
geena r. says
Try (Safelink.com), which is completely free of any gov’t assistance! They will send you a tracfone, which is the cell company they are attached to.
Basically, the cust. service is okay, and they have always helped me with any problems/issues with my phone right over the landline. In Massachusetts they offer 3 plans —- i forget plan 1 but plan 2 which i use gives 125 free minutes monthly which rollover if any are left. Plan 3 is 250 non-rollover minutes monthly. This differs from state to state but from what i saw seems the same in many states. I told many people about it — some knew some didn’t and also if u do not like your phone you can purchase a nicer one for an ywhere from $10, all the way up to
$90 for their top of the line smartphone at the moment— more will be added soon i hear and prices do go down so give it a try… goodluck! 🙂
Free Government Cell Phones says
Safelink and Assurance are identical programs, in relation to how they work with the government.
JstMe says
Yes, but remember, you are NOT dealing with the government when making or receiving calls. Tracfone has an excellent record (Safelink), which started this, and Assurance is Virgin Mobile, Sprint……so that could be all the difference in the world with your connetion problems, and lack of techinal help. I, myself, have Straighttalk, which is a Tracfone spin off and love the phone, serive, etc. I am eligible for this type of assistance, but would not go with Assurance…I will go with what I know. Good luck to all.
Mine says
safelink.com is another gov cell phone free service I have had them for a yr without any problems ever. Though I liked the fact that assurance would add 500 minutes for only $5.00 But, after reading some of these night mareish reviews I don’t believe I’ll be going with assurance now.
Sherri Conley says
Am I misreading this, or do some of the posters here have the mistaken idea that if you are using a ‘government subsidized lifeline phone’ that “the government” is listening in to your calls??
I will pretty much guarantee that the government could not care less what 99.9999% of the lifeline customers are talking about on their phones. Can you imagine the sheer magnitude of TIME that would be involved in that sort of thing?
If I am mistaken, I apologize, and disregard my rant! LOL
marie says
i have a tiny gripe w/ assurance i thought my minutes would be loaded up on my scheduled date @ least by 12 a.m. well they werent until 8p.m. and i was outta minutes that day my God i would hate to had an emergency come on assurance do a little better w/ that
Briana says
I had a phone from assurance wireless. My first phone got damaged, so I ordered another which I had to pay for. Then the second phone was stolen, they said that they would send me a new one, which I also had to pay for. Well two months went by and no new phone, everytime I called them back I was told that they were sending it out. Another month still no phone, then finally I get someone on the phone who tells me that we are only allowed one replacement phone a year. Then it took a week to get my money back that I had paid for the replacement phone. No more assurance wireless for me.
Not My Name says
Assurance is getting like AT&T – can’t talk to a person and when you call you “Sam” or “Nancy” in the Philippines who apologies profusely, takes your info and promptly forgets that you ever called. My phone worked fine for a year but now has reception problems. I’ve talked to the overseas people twice for approximately 1 hour total with no results.
This program is partially government sponsored. I am going to comb the internet and find the numbers of the governmental people as well as the Assurance managers and try to find out why I can’t talk to a tech support person as I could when Assurance first started this program and why I can’t have my problems resolved.
Folk, think $25.00 hammers and $10.00 cupcakes. This program is slipping into a rip off of the people and the government. They have designed their web pages so you cannot get to a person and so that your problems can be ignored. Assurance does not give a damn! They did when they started this program but with success in the US these days comes inept management and a screw the people attitude.
I intend to contact the proper officials and find out why this is allowed to happen with taxpayer funding. Enough is enough!
The way to fight this attitude and the other companies with the same attitude is with your wallet. They don’t care what you say or do but they certainly care where you spend your money. When you encounter a company like this – move on and find a company with at least a tolerable amount of customer service. It may cost a little more but you wont have to talk to “Sam” and Nancy” in the Philippines.
People like Assurance are taking us to “hell in a hand-basket” and using taxpayer dollars to do it!
ME says
Your not paying for it. so why do you care so much?!?! take your own advie and move on then.
You says
You might not be paying for it, but I have a job and those taxes taken out are paying for this service. For those that need a phone this is great but the overall scenario is that the lack of government regulations on how well the service performs just illustrates the inefficiency of our government.
Cajun says
Amen brotha…..anyone with a home phone is paying for it and I believe that Assurance and others like them are skimming government programs money and delivering the least possible service they can get away with. All of you that say it is free trust me it is not free and if the government is involved it will be abused like Medicaid, food stamp, welfare….etc….just another government program to make poor people enslaved to the government.
RCS says
You may also discover one of their fishing tactics to get you to buy more minutes: I receive a text message about once a week that states, “An incoming text message did not come through due to a low balance. Top up to add to your cash balance or purchase a messaging pack now. Go to VirginXL>Top up.”
It is bogus – my balance is always 99% unused as I use it only for emergency. It is a deliberate, deceptive attempt to get you to buy more minutes.
Sherri Conley says
I have verizon right now; but am looking into getting a lifeline phone because of being unemployed currently. Even if you are on a “premium carrier” service, you still get crap service from illiterate filippino garbage dump dwellers (yes, I will FREELY admit I have a HUGE problem with this particular country and its inhabitants….a COMPLETELY different story….sorry, I digress…) ANYWAY….if you choose to speak to a PERSON, rather than go through the automated system, Verizon charges $5 to your bill!!! FOR EACH ISSUE. This means, if I call in to do an address change, and add a feature, and pay my bill all in one call, and I speak to a live operator, they charge me $15.
So you see, it isnt just the “freebie” services……they are ALL ripping us off. If you have ever scrutinized your phone bill, land line OR cell; you will see a plethora of fees, taxes, surcharges etc, etc, etc. It doesnt matter who you are or what company you are with…..you WILL be bled dry.
Just my .02 worth! Have a great weekend!
CARLISHA says
i CALLED ASURANCE AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS GREAT, THE REP HAD A GREAT ATTITUDE,FRIENDLY AND VERY HELPFUL.
cindy says
it sucks you cant get out to no where
Kay B says
I applied for an Assurance Wireless phone about 3 months ago. I called their customer service number and I was told the application was ‘PENDING’. I pay 70% of my income in rent and I’m on food stamps. What part of “I’m living below the poverty level” don’t they understand?
I”m using Google phone right now, until they decide to start charging for internet calls next year.
BARRY S says
I HAVE ASSURANCE AND I HAVENT HAD SERVICE IN OVER A WEEK. THEY FIRST SAID IT WAS THE PHONE AND THAT i HAD TO WAIT 48HRS TO PUT IN FOR A REPLACEMENT. I TOLD THEM I USE THE PHONE FOR EMERGENCIES, SO WHAT DO I DO? THERE REPLY WAS THAT I HAD TO WAIT. SO I SAID WHAT IF I BOUGHT A PHONE? ($10…WOW) THEN THEY COULD SHIP IT OUT RIGHT AWAY, SO I BOUGHT IT. TOOK 5 DAYS FOR ME TO GET IT AND STILL NO SIGNAL, SO NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE PHONE. BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU TALK TO CUSTOMER SERVICE,
THEY ARE IN MEXICO. NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER 48HRS. (IF I AM LUCKY) I GUESS IT IS THE OLD EXPRESSION, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THEM.
Rather not says
So you think people can snap their fingers and just get what they want exactly when they want it? This is what I call very impatient.
Don says
Impatient ?? I applied on Oct.8th, 2011. As of today, Jan. 25th, 2012 I still don’t have the phone. I’ve made 10 calls to their service reps in various countries and one call to FEDEX to verify the tracking number I was given and was told no such number exists and no record of any deliveries to my address.
I’m continually getting a run-around. So, today, I sent a nice, creative to their address listed on the application giving them 10 days to get the phone to me — or else.
IMPATIENT my assets !!!
Kathy B says
I think my Free assurance phone is great! I really don,t care if the government is listening in on my cell phone . I’m not scamming anybody and my life is not all that interesting. If they want to pay my bill they can do what ever they want.
demure says
Totally agree with you Kathy B. Why do people complain about something that they didn’t have to pay out of their own pocket. I think having these phones are great and i only use it for emergency situations. The phone is for emergency situations anyway. Stop complaining about free stuff you don’t have to use it.
Rather not says
Because, they have nothing else to do.
Eva says
Well put Kathy B!
kelli says
If you don’t think the govt is listening to your emails and ph calls think again. Check out http://www.infowars.com and http://www.prisonplanet.com. this shit is REAL!
Rather not says
This is for the paranoid only!!
Greg says
To: Rather Not – Keeping your head buried in the sand won’t save your butt.
Sheba Johnson says
I have had my phone for over a year,which I only use for long distance
and car emergency. Recently , I had to call a tow for my car which took all my minutes for the month. My question is , why don’t the minutes roll over .? There are some things that can’t be control such as car break down suddenly. Thank God , it wasn’t two o’clock in the morning coming from work. Consider roll over minutes for us seniors.
Me says
Why just seniors! You think that young people and middle aged don’t break down or have emergency situations as well!
Rather not says
I agree with Me.
Debra L. Conner says
If you sign up with SafeLink, you can choose the 125-minute plan and your minutes roll over. If you choose the 250-minute plan, your minutes are gone when they give you the 250 minutes at the beginning of the month. Hope this helps you, Sheba.
Also Me says
to ME above, u don’t have to be senior citizen. my brother is 21 and has one thru assurance and my sister is 19 and has one thru safelink
Robert Leonard says
Assurance Wireless is running a scam.
My phone went into FTM mode (field test mode) and they won’t replace it. they said that my phone which is under 6 mo old is out of waranty. this is the 3rd phone I have had in less than a year. every one quit working for no reason of mine.
They wont even cancel my account. they want to keep charging the GVT for service I can’t use. I would like to know who to report thisd to.
lynne gilham says
Report this situation to your elected representative. If you do not know who that is, contact your local library and ask someone at the library’s reference desk. Get your representative’s name and phone number and call them and tell them what happened to your phone and that now you cannot use it. They have the staff and the “pull” to get something done for you.
Sherri Conley says
You can contact the FCC or your state office for regulation of utilities and services…
the following is copied from EHOW.COM:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the two primary governmental agencies that regulate the cell phone industry. The FCC certifies wireless devices and it ensures that companies comply with FCC regulations. The FDA handles health-related concerns with cell phone use.
This is a link to the page where this information was located.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6154016_regulates-cell-phone-companies_.html
Good luck!!
sue Lettieri says
HOW DO I APPLY? I REC’D A PHONE FROM SAFELINK WITH SOME ONE ELSE’S PHONE NUMER SAFELINK HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS.
PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY ARE IN SINGAPORE AND THE TELEPHONE REPS CANNOT SPEAK OR UNDERSTAND ENGLISH
Meek says
I agree, I have had an issue with safelink that I have been trying to resolve fot a month. I have spoken to 20 reps and nobody on staff can help they keep transfering me from person to person. I just canceled my service. Not worth the headache.
Sarah B. says
A lot of people talk crap about these government phone companies. Yeah, they have pretty poor customer service, but I have to say that I’m just happy that the government helps the companies give out these phones. Beggars can’t be choosers you know. I’m not going to bitch about anything. I’m happy I’ve got my Assurance phone.
frank says
I totally agree. i am happy to have this choice also.
Reedia Ann Smyth says
I am glad you haven’t had any problems, yet. I don’t understand why we have to settle for poor customer service and be treated like we don’t matter. Yes this is a “free” phone and I am thankful for that since I’ve had financial difficulties lately due to 2 major chronic medical conditions. I do think these “free” phone companies have forgotten one very important aspect of the picture and I would bet my “free” phone most people agree with what I am going to say:
DEAR “FREE” PHONE COMPANIES-
FIRST LET ME SAY THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM, IT IS APPRECIATED BY ALL.
AS WE ALL KNOW THIS IS AMERICA, THE ABSOLUTE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! DO THESE “FREE” PHONE COMPANIES KNOW THIS, YES THEY DO AND DO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS, NO THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE!
THEN LET ME SIMPLY EXPLAIN IT THEM:
JUST BECAUSE WE, ANY AMERICAN, QUALIFY FOR YOUR FREE PHONE AND AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY DOES NOT- I REPEAT DOES NOT – MEAN WE WILL QUALIFY FOR YOUR POOR SERVICE TOMORROW, THE NEXT DAY OR THE DAY AFTER THAT! WE MAY GET OUR OLD JOB BACK, INVENT THE NEXT BEST NEW PRODUCT, BE CURED OF OUR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, MAYBE THE BUSINESS WE STARTED A YEAR AGO IS NOW MAKING MONEY, WE FIND A JOB THAT PAYS ENOUGH TO SUPPORT OUT FAMILY AND ON AND ON AND ON – THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS BECAUSE WE LIVE IN AMERICA. SO MAYBE YOU SHOULD TREAT THE CUSTOMERS YOU HAVE REGARDLESS OF HOW THEIR PHONE IS PAID FOR BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO PAY FOR OUR OWN PHONE WE WILL AND IT WON’T BE WITH YOUR COMPANY. I PROMISE YOU THAT!
WE HAVEN’T ALWAYS BEEN IN THIS SITUATION AND NOR WILL WE ALWAYS BE, SO WATCH OUT COMPANIES WE ARE KEEPING SCORE OF THOSE WHO DESERVE OUR BUSINESS AND THOSE WHO WILL BE LEFT IN THE DARK.
GOD BLESS AMERICA-
john satach says
if you cant afford one, dont have one
Dyan Gwynn says
I m an Assurance subscriber, however; as of today they cannot be accessed on line. Also, for the the last two months I have received less than 250 minutes. I am not clear as to that happens and why they cannot be reached on line.