Here’s good news for Ocean State residents. Assurance Wireless is now offering eligible Rhode Islanders a free cell phone and 250 free monthly voice minutes per month. This introduction means that Assurance joins Safelink Wireless and Yourtel Wireless in offering the Lifeline program in the state.
Unfortunately, there’s plenty of need for a program like this in Rhode Island because 61,100 of its residents are currently unemployed and more than 11.5% live below the federal poverty line.
“As we’ve become available in more and more states, Assurance is proud to help customers stay connected to potential employers, medical providers and child care-givers,” said David Trimble, vice president for Assurance Wireless. “We look forward to providing this same type of assistance to eligible Rhode Islanders who need support and resources during, what continue to be, rough economic times for many.”
Assurance is one of the big three national providers of the Lifeline program. They are helping job seekers across the country land jobs by helping them stay in contact with potential employers, they’re giving parents a way to stay in touch with their children, and they’re giving the sick a way to reach their doctors when medical situations demand.
Assurance Wireless is part of the Lifeline Assistance program. But what, you may ask, is Lifeline? Simply stated, it’s a federal program funded by the Universal Service Fund designed to bring quality telecommunications services to low-income consumers at affordable rates. Money for the Universal Service Fund is provided by a small fee that’s added to every phone bill in the United States each month.
Are you eligible for a free cell phone and 250 free minutes every month? Quite possibly. You’re eligible if you participate in Medicaid, Food Stamps/SNAP, General Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Rhode Island Medical Assistance Program, Rhode Island Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Elderly or Family Independence Program. In addition, you may qualify if your total household income is low enough.
There’s only one catch and it’s a pretty minor one. You must offer proof that you qualify by providing some sort of documentation that you participate in one of those programs.
Let’s give a hearty thanks to Assurance Wireless for opening its doors in Rhode Island. It’s good news for the people, it’s good for the state and it’s good for the economy.
Patricia Lafleche says
I want to cancel out my assurance wireless because of the lack of minutes.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Do you want to enroll with another Rhode Island service provider? If so, it will take care of all the cancellation details for you. Here’s an article that tells you all about it:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
If you don’t want to switch providers and just cancel your Assurance plan, you should contact Assurance customer service. Your other choices are: (1) Turn your phone off and don’t send nor receive and calls or texts for 60 days. That should automatically cancel your service. Or (2) If you’re near the date of your annual recertification, do not recertify. That should also automatically cancel your service.
kim kerr says
Need a phone I can see numbers and letters
Barbara Hazelwood says
My nephew got me a phone last yrs ,but he told he can’t pay it on it anymore,I do get food stamps.want to see if I can get one with my same num ty