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South Carolina: Free government cell phones & Internet from Lifeline and ACP

First the bad news: Unemployment is up, inflation is up, taxes are up. Each one of those is very bad news for low-income residents of South Carolina, and they are even worse when they’re combined.

Now the good news: You can now combine the Lifeline free government cell phone program with the new Affordable Connectivity program (ACP) to get a free smartphone, unlimited talk, unlimited texts, and maybe even unlimited data.

This is really outstanding for needy South Carolinians who have been trying to get by without phone and internet service. Combine these plans and life will suddenly become much easier. You’ll be able to find potential jobs on the internet. You’ll be able to apply for those jobs. It will be easier for potential employers to reach out to you. It will be easier for you to get in touch with medical professionals. It will be easier for you to keep in touch with your kids.

Thanks to these two great programs, life gets far more liveable and far more affordable. First the bad news: Unemployment is up, inflation is up, taxes are up. Each one of those is very bad news for low-income residents of South Carolina, and they are even worse when they’re combined.

Lifeline and ACP free government cell phone service providers in South Carolina

Here’s a list of all the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in South Carolina. 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.

How to qualify for Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in South Carolina

You qualify for a free government cell phone, through the Lifeline Assistance program, if you participate in any of the following government assistance programs:

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

You may also qualify if your Total Household Income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guideline for South Carolina, which we’ve calculated for you in the table below:

Income Based Eligibility for South Carolina
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 South Carolina

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.

Everything you need to know is right here on FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net. Just click around for a few minutes, find the plan that fits your needs best, and enroll today. Lifeline and ACP are available now. So there’s no reason to wait any longer for a free government cell phone, free talk, free texts, and unlimited free internet.

Latest ACP and Lifeline News for South Carolina:

How do Budget Wireless customers find a new free government cell phone company? - If you're one of those 800,000 abandoned Budget Wireless customers, what should you do next? How do you find another Lifeline company to replace Budget?
Business booming at TAG Mobile: Company offers free government cell phones in six new states - Tag Mobile is now offering free government cell phones to in six more states (Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin).
South Carolina Goodwill helping people qualify for Lifeline cell phones - Goodwill Industries in Charleston, South Carolina is helping its people get free Lifeline cell phones.

See more cell phone news.

If you have any other questions, please refer to the links in the sidebar.

Comments

  1. Michael Hartzell says

    A friend of mine is disabled and applying for disability. He currently has no income, cannot work, and receives Food Stamps. Where could he get a phone with service?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Any of the companies list on this page (assuming that he lives in South Carolina, that is). You and he should click through all the companies listed on this page to find the plan that suits him best. Then he can enroll with the company that offers that plan.

  2. Concerned Citizen says

    My nephew has already received 3 free phones and service from different companies and waiting on 3 more to come in the mail. This in my opinion is fraud. He works and can afford to pay for service. Something needs to be done about this.

  3. Kristen Lewis says

    I live in Calhoun falls, SC and I have the worst time getting the phone to work that is provided by the free services that comes to our area. What can I do to help with this?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Do you know which national network your service provider uses? Does the phone work in some areas, but not in others?

  4. Allison R. Scott says

    Lot of valuable information on here! The free government phone service would be a great help /give me better piece of mind with how my finances are currently. I am enrolled in Medicaid & I once received Low-income Energy Assistance on my lights this year, but it ran out in May. So, my husband & I are covering our energy/utility usage again.

  5. Jessica Wheeler says

    I had an account and never ever received the phone, kept getting emails that it was on the way, and never got it, even called to give them my new address which was a secured address, never did see it, that was Q-link wireless, finally stopped getting emails. I have applied for service through Assurance, I believe it was, and I have not heard anything from them and I have medicaid, sent copy of the letter they send me every time they re-new and they said they would send me a letter and to watch for it, that was about 2 weeks ago, what should I do? Apply with a different company or just wait?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Contact Assurance customer service to ask for the status of your account. Did you apply online or by phone?

  6. Samantha says

    The form look like the minimum age to qualify for a phone is 18. The person receiving Medicaid in our house is under that age. Can we apply for a phone for him? No one else has Medicaid in the household.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, the person who receives the phone must be the person who receives the benefits. And, yes, you are correct that the minimum age of eligibility is 18. Have you looked closely at the list showing all the ways a household can qualify. It can be found in the article above. If someone else in the house can qualify, there’s no reason the phone cannot be used by the person who is under 18.

  7. April Jones says

    Is there anywhere in my area Anderson South Carolina I can go and get a government phone

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We strongly urge you to enroll by phone or online, April. There has been so much fraud and abuse at street events that we cannot recommend that you enroll at one of them.

  8. Lisa says

    Over 1000calls for defaulted loans that AREN’T mine..ptsd with a recorded history of trigger being harassing calls. I need new account and new phone. They refuse to help.

  9. Hiram F Taylor says

    I’m having a problem with my phone. Are there any Lifewireless tents set up in Florence,SC 29501 today?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We urge our readers NOT to do business as the street events, Hiram. There have just been too many cases of fraud and abuse originating at the tents.

  10. Christina Karn says

    I currently live in SC I been using SafeLink for 4 years my phone was stolen now they are trying to make me buy a new phone. I’m in need of a smartphone. If I have to deactivate my account to go to another I will. Can you help

  11. Evelyn Reese says

    I want to have my service deactivated because I’m No longer eligible. I contact customer service and spoken with someone, and I was told that my service was renewed for another year, in which I was not contacted in any way to renew my service and when I question, how and why was it newed when I was not contacted to do this because I knew I wouldn’t be egibile, I was told it was renewed in June, 2017. But my renewal date is November 2017. Then I asked why are they renewing my application without my consent, I was told it was renewed via email, of which I know that is false also. Next I was told my phone service will be deactivated but if I become eligible for the phone service again, it will direct me back to the same company. So my main concern is how can I get the service deactivated from Qlink wireless company and to show it is deactivated in the National Phone Service Registar, because, I’m not looking to reapply for the free service and if in the future I become eligible again, I do not want to apply back with Qlink service.
    Please help, thanks

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      If you qualify, check out all the plans discussed on this page to find the one that fits your needs best, Reginia. Then apply with that company.

  14. Elizabeth Segura Barnes says

    I keep trying to get the free government cell phone but every time I put my information in, I get a message that states I already have free cell phone service with another company and I won’t be eligible to get service until 12/8/2017…I have no idea what this is. I have not received any cell phone and/or service from anyone. I tried last year but I was in the hospital numerous times from having half a lung removed due to cancer all the way to heart failure. I am quite disabled and now I have cancer for the second time in my thyroid and I need help. Please guide me in the right direction here. I am lost & have no idea what to do. Thank you so much for your assistance in this matter.
    Sincerely,
    Elizabeth Segura Barnes

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Call customer service and ask to speak to a supervisor. Tell that person that there seems to be a mistake on the National Lifeline Assistance Database (NLAD). They are supposed to help customers clear up those problems and it is, at least in theory, supposed to be a relatively quick and simply process.

  15. James Hopkins says

    How do I find out the provider for a cell phone. I am trying to help my sister add minutes to hers and can’t figure out how.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Call 6-1-1 on her free government cell phone, James. That’s a direct line to her service provider’s customer service team.

  16. Barbara Whisman says

    I tried to sign up for one but its telling me that someone at this address already has one. I did have a flip phone at one time but when the time came to renew it it wouldn’t go through so I just forgot about it. I have no idea who it was with because its been at least 1 year since I had that. I can tell you this, I signed up for it outside the food stamp office in our town at a tent. Any help would be appreciated right now please.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      If it’s been at least a year, we’d be willing to bet that your account has been cancelled. You didn’t recertify at the end of your one year contract and whoever stole your phone would have been unable to recertify because they wouldn’t be able to provide the correct information needed to recertify. In other words, your account would have been cancelled. If that’s the case, you can now reapply with any service provider in your state. Here’s where you can find a list of those companies:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Check each plan out carefully to find the one that fits your needs best (most minutes, most texts, most data, best smartphone). Good luck.

  17. Jerry Fussell says

    I have been told that in SC that social disability meets the requirement for a free phone. Is this true and how do I proceed.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not familiar with “social disability” so we cannot comment on it. However, you left your comment on our South Carolina page, which lists all the programs that give you automatic eligibility.

  18. Joannie says

    I’m trying to add minutes to my ent phone but I can’t it has been an issue for 2 months please help.not still lets me text

  19. Manila Lucas says

    Good evening my name is Manila Lucas a couple of weeks ago two lady’s came to me apt and signed me up for a phone the thing is I havnt receive the phone threw the mail and I’m not sure what company there from and was wondering if it was yours tha ms you

  20. diana vass says

    I used to see the safelink people on a corner in my area to sign up for a free phone. I do qualify
    Please tell me how I can know when and where they will be set up so I can go get a phone by application in person.

    I live in Laurens, SC zip 29645

    also close to Simpsonville, sc zip 29681

    Gray court sc zip 29645

    can you email to me some locations and dates to help me out. When calling all I get is no one who can answer my questions. Thank you

  21. Jon B says

    I have a Tempo wireless phone and a safelink wireless phone. I would like to terminate the Tempo wireless contract as to not be left out of eligibility for having more than one phone? How do I do this?

    • Sharon Dunn says

      I live in low-income senior housing in Columbia, SC. I am also deaf but need a cellphone to enable me to dial 9-1-1. Would I qualify for this program based on my disability and low-income??

      • FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says

        Disability is not a qualifier, but low income is. By the way, if you only need to be able to dial 911, any cell phone, even without a plan, will work for 911.

  23. Christine Garcia says

    Hello,
    I now have rither a q-link or safe-like free phone. I would like to swich conpanys. How do I go about doing this? Thank You!
    Sincerely,
    Christine Garcia

  25. Cathy Black says

    I would like information on where I go to become a cell phone distributer for low income people. Do you have a website that offers a careers option?

    Thank you

    Cathy Black

  27. virginia says

    my sister lives in south carolina and does qualify ,how do we get a form for her or phone number.

  28. Theresa Williams says

    How can I contact a provider of free cell phones regarding coming to our center and providing phones for Veterans?

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Each of the South Carolina providers are listed on the page above. Contact them to find out which company offers the best deal in your area.

    • Tami May says

      I am a lifeline phone provider for the area of upstate SC. If you are still looking for someone I’m willing to help if you are with in a reasonable driving distance.

  29. Dana Smoak says

    I have a track phone, can I get the lifelink on this phone? If so, how to I get my mintues put on it.? What do I do when applying foe service? Can I apply on line?

    Thank You,
    D. Smoak

  30. kathryn stone says

    I looked up another company
    they said they don’t have coverage in
    29926

  31. sharonda greggs says

    Where can I go and sign up for the phone and receive right then and there? Is there a store location? I am in seneca SC

  33. Fred says

    What about those of us who get compensation and pension through the VA for service connected disabilities?

  34. angela goode says

    I had a “free phone” through budget mobile in Hampton, SC, I misplaced my phone, it wasn’t used for more than 60 days, I found it, tried to reactivate it myself, then online, then with customer service, still I had to return to budget office in Hampton where I was told I must pay 10.00 and bring a different basic phone in to activate in order to have free phone minutes. So, it isn’t free. If I must provide a phone, that I do not have, it isn’t free. Why can’t I receive another phone that will work since I qualify, instead of having to pay ten dollars. I don’t even have an “extra” $10 to get another phone with.

  35. charisma white says

    no the phone is no longer free they are charging for a phone that is free for pepole that can not aforard the phone what is the perpouse of saying its free

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      It’s free. There are a small handful of states that charge one dollar a month.