Idaho was the 43rd state when it was admitted to the Union way back in 1890. And now, coincidentally, it’s the 43rd state to participate in the free government cell phone program (the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico also participate).
It’s about time, because this program offers tremendous benefits for low-income Americans and Idaho’s poverty rate is higher than the national average.
One of the leading free government cell phone providers estimates that 50,000 Idaho residents are currently unemployed and that 200,000 live below the official federal government poverty guideline.
Crunch those numbers as often as you want and in any way you want, because the result is the same: Far too many Gem State residents are hurting financially and can really use help from the free government cell phone program.
With a free government smartphone and unlimited internet service, you can reach out to and stay in touch with potential employers. You can contact medical professionals to keep your family healthy. You can communicate with your kids and parents and keep them safe. And you can call 911 in case of emergency.
From Bonners Ferry in the north to Preston in the south, from Montpelier in the east to Fruitland in the west, a lot of people are going to be happy that the Lifeline free government cell phone program and the ACP unlimited internet program have has come to Idaho.
Lifeline and ACP free government cell phone service providers in Idaho
Here’s a list of all the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in Idaho. They all offer different plans with different numbers of minutes, different refill options, and serve different geographic areas. So click through them all and find the plan that’s best for you.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
- Veterans Pension and Survivor's Benefit.
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
How to qualify for Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in Idaho
Here’s a list of all the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in Idaho. We recommend that you take a look at all of them and compare plans before making a commitment.
Lifeline Discount Companies in Idaho
If you qualify for Lifeline Assistance, but you find that none of the companies offer free government cell phones where you live, you have another option. The companies below, while not offering free cell phone plans, do offer substantial Lifeline discounts off their regular mobile phone plans in Idaho:
Lifeline Mobile Phone Eligibility in Idaho:
You are eligible if you receive Lifeline Assistance benefits from any of these programs in Idaho:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
- Veterans Pension and Survivor's Benefit.
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
You may also qualify if your Total Household Income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Compare your income with the chart below, which has already been calculated at the 135% rate:
| Income Based Eligibility for Idaho | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members in Household | Annual income | |
| 1 member | $18,347 | |
| 2 members | $24,719 | |
| 3 members | $31,091 | |
| 4 members | $37,463 | |
| 5 members | $43,835 | |
| 6 members | $50,207 | |
| 7 members | $56,579 | |
| 8 members | $62,951 | |
| For each additional member add $6,372 annually | ||
How to qualify for an ACP free government phone and unlimited service in Idaho
It’s even easier to qualify for ACP service than it is to qualify for Lifeline service. The USAC website spells it all out:
Consumers qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) through participation in Lifeline or a Lifeline-qualifying program, having an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, through participation in ACP-qualifying programs, such as the free and reduced-price school lunch or breakfast program (including the Community Eligibility Provision), WIC, through award of a federal Pell Grant, or through participation in a participating service provider’s existing low-income program.
What are you waiting for? Choose your favorite service provider and favorite plan and the future is, well, almost unlimited.
Latest Lifeline and ACP News for Idaho:
If you have any other questions, please refer to the links in the sidebar.
Tami says
If you qualify through the guidelines can you be in nursing facility to receive a cell phone?
Free Government Cell Phones says
You can qualify, but it’s a little more difficult. You need to contact your chosen Lifeline company and ask to speak to a supervisor. Tell that person that you live in a group home and need an exception to the “one per household” rule.
scott says
Do I qualify for a free phone
Free Government Cell Phones says
How would we possibly know your personal financial situation, Scott? The only way to find out is to check out this article, which tells you all the various ways you can qualify:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/basics/qualify
Jim says
I live in a Section 8-subsidized old folks’ home and, twice in recent months, while in my apartment, have been on the edge of a 911 emergency without a way to summon help via 911. Have too much hearing loss to put a phone+minutes to use, but need to know if you have a plan and equipment for summoning help in an emergency.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Are you aware, Jim, that ANY cell phone with a good battery can be used to call 9-1-1? You don’t even need a cell phone account. It’s a little know, but very valuable tool that all the phone companies participate in.
Jim says
Thanks. Assumed there might be something like a Jurassic beeper that wouldn’t be loaded with several hundred minutes I won’t be able to use.
Jim says
Checked with craig and found no old phones. Recall seeing none on excursions to thrift stores. Can you recommend a seller of cast-offs or throw-aways?
Free Government Cell Phones says
We’re not sure what “Craig” is, Jim. We would imagine you can find older, cheap cell phones on eBay. Give it a try and let us know what you find.
Heather Gardner says
I am being denied the phone service because Assurance Wireless says that someone at my address already has one. They have referred me to you. it is only myself and my young son in the home and I assure you we do not already have one. How can I get help sorting this out?
Free Government Cell Phones says
They referred you to us? We have great relationships with most of the free government cell phone companies, but we’ve never had one refer a customer to us. Surely they didn’t say, “Get in touch with FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net.”
Regarding your problem: Only Assurance can solve you problem. Call them back again and ask to speak to a supervisor. Explain your problem again and ask how to solve it.
Sorry that you get stuck in this no-man’s land. It happens a lot more often than it should.
Heather Gardner says
They told me to contact Life Line in my state
Free Government Cell Phones says
Who is “they?”
Jennifer says
The guidelines above — for instance, $27,122 for 3 — is that the poverty guideline, or the 135% of guideline? I ask, because we seem to be in a weird gap. We make $2,335/month – which puts us over the poverty guideline by $150+, so we’re unable to receive food stamps. Are there other programs in which we ARE qualified? Would we be able to receive a phone?
We’re in a strange situation. I was born with a birth defect. Our daughter is special needs. And my husband became ill about 8 years ago, and is only getting worse. Since he’s probably in the worst situation, he’s the one we’d want to have a phone, so he can always reach someone.
Free Government Cell Phones says
The numbers in our Idaho income chart are 135% of federal guidelines. However, it sounds as if you may qualify for other reasons. Take a look at those other government assistance programs that allow you to qualify. You can find them on this same page, just above the income chart.
James W. Berry says
i WOULD LINK TO SIGN UP FOR A free phone
Leslie says
I just found out that my Safelink through Tracfone charges for toll free calls! Unbelievable. It’s the poor that need to make so many long calls to government 800 numbers. I really got burned this month moving to a new state. My “free” phone has cost me over $20 so far in extra minutes. Are all providers scamming us by charging for toll free calls? I tried to contact the recommended provider in Idaho — Assurance — but I couldn’t reach a real person to ask.
Can you shed light on the toll free charges?
J Green says
A cellular telephone is free of the cord, or land line. The minutes you spend on it, except fir calling the carrier, count. Most cellular plans include nationwide long distance, and many include Hawaii, Alaska, Canada or Mexico as well. That means when you call numbers in those locations you won’t get a per minute charge or a per minute and a per call charge for long distance. [You are still subject to plan minutes of use limitations, and excess use charges].
A toll free call means that the calling charges are paid by the called party. Generally this applies to dragging the phone call across the country…such as from Houston to Omaha or Los Angeles to New York City. It does NOT imply the minutes are free, though we may wish they were.
Toll free numbers: area codes 8xx (800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833, 822, 899, 811)
Possibly free to call on your cell (pleade verify with your carrier) the n11 series:
2-1-1: Community services and information (eg: United Way of America)
3-1-1: Municipal government services, (911’s non-emergency number)
4-1-1: Directory assistance
5-1-1: Traffic information or police non-emergency services
6-1-1: Telephone company (telco) customer service and repair
7-1-1: TDD and Relay Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
8-1-1: Underground public utility location (United States)
/non-emergency health information and services (Canada)
9-1-1: Emergency services (police, fire, ambulance/rescue services)
(4-1-1 and 6-1-1 are commonly used within the U.S. but not officially assigned by the FCC)
If you can deal with having two phones, keep the one activated phone on the cellular network, and consider having a second phone that does not have an active cellular service account. You can still call 911 from it, and in some jurisdictions some of the other n11 codes will work as well. Where wifi is available, you may download apps onto it, including games and if you have Netflix or Amazon, download videos to watch on it when you don’t have network. The same could be said of podcasts, music, etc..
A free number, such as a google voice service number, and a (free or not free) app could easily matched/married up to combine into a quasi-phone service if and only if the device had a wifi connection. [Doing that may conflict with federal lifeline program rules- I have not checked yet. I think that discussion deserves its own topic/thread]
J
[I’m speaking as a former director of regulatory affairs for a California Internet telephone company.]. Some materiel conviently copied from Wikipedia.
sheila says
Is there any blocks on my free Obama cell my carrier is sprint .net I’m trying to register my phone to be able to accept calls from my son who is incarcerated at deeridge in Oregon how do I set this up and is it possible to talk to him from 866 Nmbr
Lorraine Liles says
Is there a phone service that offers free monthly talk, text and internet? Or one that offers assistance with phone service?
Lorraine Liles says
I am not looking for a free phone, just free phone service or assistance with phone service. Thank you
misty gerrard says
Tell me more about cheap internet
Donna says
Hello my mom is disabled and on social security with that being her only income she needs a phone for medical reasons and she can not for the life of her figure out how to apply for this program can u please give me some direction on how she can apply on line ?
FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says
Yes. Just click on any of the vendors you see on this page, and then read the page you come to. All the info is there.
debbie brunner says
I faxed my application and my income proof I am on stamps and section 8 you achnowology my application but said I did not sent income paper. recheck my papers. I try calling but there are no humans working to help me
is there a place i can carry my papers to in boise Id?
Free Government Cell Phones says
You didn’t send them to us, because we are not a phone provider. Sorry your company is not responsive. I don’t know if there is a retail store for you to go to because I don’t know which provider in Idaho you have chosen.