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Washington: Free government cell phones (Internet, too!) from Lifeline and ACP

Believe it or not, not everyone in the state of Washington works for Microsoft or Boeing. In fact, a considerable number don’t work at all.

Fact is, there’s a lot less green in the Evergreen State than there used to be. Greenbacks, that is.

Luckily, the Lifeline phone service program is alive and well in Washington. That means the state’s residents who find themselves in financial hardship can get free cell phones and free minutes every month to take care of all their basic and emergency needs. nd now, thanks to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) they can also get free internet.

Lifeline and ACP free government cell phone service providers in Washington

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

Lifeline Discount Companies in Washington State

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 Washington:

How to qualify for Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in Washington

You are eligible if you receive benefits from any of these programs in Washington:

  • 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)

In the state of Washington, you may also qualify if your Total Household Income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The chart below shows these calculated income levels:

Income Based Eligibility for Washington
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 Washington

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, Washingtonians? Check out all the plans available in your state. Find the one that best fits your needs. Enroll today. And the next thing you know, you’ll be getting a free smartphone, unlimited talk, unlimited text, and perhaps even unlimited internet. And it’s all free.

Latest Lifeline and ACP News for Washington:

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?

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

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Comments

  1. Whitney Horton says

    Where can I get a Free phone at in Washington State today I think there’s a place in South Seattle for phone

    Reply

  2. Raymond Hagen says

    Way to confusing. Ok, why is there ACP and LifeLine? There needs to be only one. Please choose one and get rid of the other. It makes it seem that one can be used for home internet and one for a free phone and service. Not so. And why did you make the service expire and not re-enroll everyone? Now I have a huge internet bill I can’t pay. I lost my phone have no phone service for a job call I’m suppose to get next week and have my home internet scheduled to be shut off. Thats what happened when you ended the program with out enough notice. Please don’t do that again if you can help it. And if you can’t we need to send about a million dollars worth of delinquent internet bill to the person responsible.
    Other than that. I qualify for home internet and cell service and have nothing but a huge bill and a headache.
    Thank you
    Ray

    Reply

    • Henry says

      To put it in “the bottom line” explanation terms:

      Lifeline = Free or discounted phone/data service that must be recertified annually for continued eligibility. You must also call/text at least one time per month or service is terminated. Program targets smart phone devices.

      EBB (now ACP) = Up to $30 discount for home internet service that must be renewed monthly and also requires to be annually recertified for continued eligibility. Program targets computers, tablets, and router devices.

      These two programs do not overlap each other. Lifeline program has no end date, BUT, ACP has a funding limit which terminates the program when it has been reached.

      If you did not renew your monthly ACP participation with the company that you enrolled, that is all on you. Sometimes, the service provider may “forget” to send you the monthly reminder to renew, so everyone who enrolls in the ACP program MUST be aware of their monthly deadline renewal date and the annual recertification date. For Lifeline recertification, you should get an email and mailed letter about how to recertify around 60 days before the deadline date.

      For your situation, your only recourse is to contact the customer service department of your provider. Or just reapply with the same or another company.

      Reply

  3. Lee Cox says

    Hey this is a tip for the other customers who are like I am…
    The people who run these sites are very helpful people. They are not the companies who you sign up with. I realize that many people get frustrated and do not understand how things work. But I was approached by a person who owned one of these sites one time and they are on their own dime helping others out. Now they may get frustrated and sometimes they may make a slightly smart allocate comment but don’t take it too hard. Can you imagine how frustrating it is for a person who is running a website on their own dime and time and getting people angry at them for no reason when they were just trying to help and they are not the actual companies? Well some guy was going to actually pay me once to do some updating on what different companies offer. So imagine that. Some guy is out there paying out of his own pocket. That was a beautiful thing to hear I didn’t realize that until a little while later and I had a lot going on so I couldn’t do the update but I wanted you guys to know you should really really whoever runs these pages. Because they are something special and they have been around apparently for many years and they have been regularly making sure they answer everyone they can. And just like I see on Facebook which is worse many people are believing that this is where you sign up but it’s not but you are lucky. Because on Facebook there are many groups and people are believing that is where you sign up but it’s not. You can meet people like me on groups who would give you guidance. I have signed up tons of people but I’m tired of doing that. And there are other field agents who are legitimate. And you would have to give them a birth date and the last four digits of your social and a little bit of other info like an address but for the most part these guys who are on these groups on Facebook are foreigners who are not even americans. And people are typing words they tell them and then they click on because they see whoever does their monkey shines day tell them Simon says and whoever answers they know is easy game so they will ask you to sign up a form. And I have seen many fakes use a form called JIMDOSITE. Don’t know if all who use that form are fake but I have never seen it be legitimate. But there are some legitimate ACP and lifeline providers who will have you fill out a form called TellGoo or there is another one which is legitimate. But you can verify a person is a field agent or not with a provider. It is better to sign up with a field agent because you can get a better free phone that way usually. Like the field agent free talk Wireless which is in Memphis tennessee. Free talk Wireless is the only field agent I have seen who does not require you to be in person. So if you encounter a field agent who will sign you up without being in person you should question that. Because like I said I have heard of maybe a couple others other than free talk wireless. You can confirm a person is or is not a field agent if they tell you which provider they sign people up with. Most fuel agents require people to be in person.
    And while there is a new arena in digital inclusion and yes you can use an ACP benefit to pay $30 per month toward a fixed or mobile data plan and you can also use your lifeline benefit to pay $925 per month toward a fixed or mobile data plan you can combine these together for the same plan or you can separate them. You can also have two free phone plans on two separate free phones if you juggle your benefits properly. Or you can use one of your benefits toward Wi-Fi or fixed fiber data. And you can use the other benefit toward a mobile data plan on a phone or a tablet or a mobile hotspot device.

    It is usually best for most people to combine both benefits in the end toward one mobile data plan which will give you at least 20 GB or more of high-speed mobile data. And there are not a lot of companies who do that. SafeLink Wireless and Assurance Wireless and tempo Telecom also known as lingo communications will give you 20 GB or more of high-speed data per month for free if you combine both benefits and a company called tone communications may give you 20 GB if you use just your ACP benefit. Excess Telecom may give you 15 gigabytes with I wanted to talk and text if you use just your AC benefit. And if a company will give you over 10 GB using just your ACP benefit by itself that is a rarity. That means also that you can use your lifeline benefit on a separate plan.

    Although many people are using their ACP benefit to get free Wi-Fi sometimes the mobile data plans cost more. If you can get Comcast Xfinity Internet essentials it is best to just pay $10 per month out of pocket for your Wi-Fi plan with the Xfinity Internet essentials basic plan. And you can then use your benefits for separately to help you get a tablet and then you can use them to get a decent free phone.

    Tone Communications and CATHECT COMMUNICATIONS her sister companies. They offer an $11 tablet. But if you get the tablet from some other company you can use one of these two companies as your data provider later. And they may give unlimited talk and text with 20 GB of high speed data per month for free. Not sure about the texting but I believe they give unlimited talk and 20 gigabytes of data. So does the company SANO CONNECT. SANO gives just unlimited data I believe and may not give talk or text but they will give a 8-in Samsung tab e tablet. And they charge only $10 in one penny for it. Plus they will give you unlimited data but if you use more than 20 GB it may slow down.

    Excess Telecom or MAXSIP may offer tablets for $10 to $20. And they may give 15 GB of data per month. Excess may give you also unlimited talk and text along with the 15 GB of data. Plus access may offer you the option to pay $1 per month to get 25 GB of data and I believe you would still get the unlimited talk and text. And air talk wireless and cintex wireless have a similar plan option to pay a dollar to get a significant amount more of data.

    If you are going to use your ACP benefit to pay for your Wi-Fi it would be best if you plan to first use your ACP benefit to get a tablet with a provider and then transfer after a couple of months.

    If you sign up with Xfinity Internet essentials whether you get the basic $10 per month plan or the plus plan which gives you twice the data speed but uses your ACP benefit you will be able to get a modem. You pay zero extra fees. After you get the modem you should learn how to set it up and find help ahead of time if you don’t know how and go research some videos at a library or someone’s house if you do not have a lot of unlimited data at your own home because watching these videos like any videos can eat up the data on your phone. So after you get the modem activated they will send you a bill after 30 days. You will then have 20 more days to pay the bill. But do not screw up with Xfinity Internet essentials or you will be required to wait 90 more days and this plan is amazing. If you have a lifeline and an ACP benefit it is best if you use ACP benefit to pay for your Wi-Fi if you cannot pay it out of pocket $10 per month. Because it will give you not only unlimited data at home which is where you use most of your data but you will also have access to free mobile what Wi-Fi hotspots in public. And you do not need to download an app for those because there is a desktop browser version for many of the apps which people use. And these will prevent you from apps which waste background data and battery.

    Reply

  4. TAMMIE Hensley says

    How can I be on life line when I don’t have a phone to call from they turned my phone off because I factory reset it

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      That’s what this website is all about, Alberta. Just click around for a few minutes (beginning with the navigation bar at the top of the page) and you’ll quickly figure out what to do

      Reply

  6. Kim Barwell says

    Is someone receives SSDI income that is over the means test would they still qualify for a phone?

    Does a person have to have a permanent address to get a phone?

    Reply

    • Lee Cox says

      YOU CAN USE A SECOND ADDRESS WITH MANY OF THE PROVIDERS SUCH AS ASSURANCE WIRELESS AND SAFELINK WIRELESS AND TERRACOM WIRELESS…

      Many providers have different procedures on a few details. But there are many which will allow you to sign up with your main address as your service address and use a second address for shipping because some people have rough winters and others.
      But you might be able to find a nonprofit such as a church or community center which may allow you to have your package shipped to their address. But if you ship to your main address or to a second address or to a totally third address if you are homeless be certain you ask the company if you can get the name of the delivery service. Whether it’s UPS or FedEx or USPS regular post office. Then ask if you can get a tracking number sent to your email address. You can then make a profile with the delivery company and you can also track the number.

      But be on your toes in case you get a little misinformation because SafeLink Wireless was telling people they were delivering with FedEx. And friends I knew couldn’t get through to FedEx because the recording would not accept the tracking number. And although it clearly stated FedEx they later learned SafeLink was using standard USPS I believe.

      FIRST SIGN UP WITH THREE COMPANIES IN THE SAME DAY.

      1 FIRST SIGN UP… Apply with Xfinity Internet essentials. Choose the basic $10 per month plan. Turn down the free Wi-Fi plan if they offer it because it will require your ACP benefit. And you can do that later but you should first use your ACP benefit for at least one month to 3 months so you can get a discounted tablet and get two free phones.

      2: STEP 2 SIGN UP… APPLY WITH SARVER WIRELESS. Use only your ACP benefit. Choose the 10-in T10 Elite Sky devices tablet if it’s in. First ask them. If it’s not in stock ask when it will be in stock. If it will require only a couple of days to a couple of months it is worth it to wait on this tablet. The T10 Sky devices 10 inch tablet will cost you only $20. SARVER WIRELESS will give you a free data plan monthly including unlimited slow data with 5 GB of high speed data.

      3: STEP 3 SIGN UP…. PLAY WITH TERRACOM WIRELESS. Tell them you wish to use only your lifeline benefit. They will give you a free monthly data plan including 500 minutes of talk per month with unlimited texting plus 4 and 1/2 GB of internet data. And they may still give a free phone. And it may be unlocked.

      4: STEP 4 SIGN UP… WAIT AT LEAST 31 DAYS AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED AND ACTIVATED THE PHONE FROM TERRACOM WIRELESS AND THE TABLET FROM SARVER WIRELESS… Then after 31 days or more after you have activated these you can transfer your benefits. It is best to apply with a company called FREETALK WIRELESS in Memphis, Tennessee. Tell FreeTalk Wireless you are interested in their SafeLink Wireless ACP plus lifeline plan. And ask if you can get one of the better free SafeLink Wireless phones. FreeTalk is a field agent so they may give you a Nokia G300 or a Moto G Pure or a BLU VIEW 3 B140DL.
      Free talk is a field agent for SafeLink wireless. That is one of their signups. They also have a discounted tablet sign up and a cheap Wi-Fi sign up but it is best if you sign up with Sarver to get a tablet and Xfinity Internet essentials to get a $10 home Wi-Fi plan on your own.
      What you want from free talk Wireless is their ability to get better free SafeLink Wireless phones. Because if you sign up on your own on the SafeLink Wireless website you may get lucky and get a BLU VIEW 3. I have seen a few people get this through the mail if they sign up on their own on the website but most get cheap phones like the orbic Maui Plus or BLU VIEW 2 B131DL. These cheap phones may not be worth $50. But the BLU VIEW 3 and Moto Pure and Nokia G300 are worth around $100 and $150 and $200 respectively. You will get unlimited texting with unlimited minutes each month plus 25 GB of fast data including 5 GB of hotspot data for free if you sign up and use your ACP and lifeline benefits together with SafeLink Wireless. After you use the 25 GB of data it may slow down to 2G data speeds.

      You can transfer your benefits after you have used a provider for at least 30 days. You can transfer both or one at a time.

      If you have a SafeLink Wireless phone it will unlock after at least 60 days. TracFone Wireless which owns safely Wireless will send texting codes to you. With simple instructions to text the codes to a certain number and it will unlock your phone. This is the case for all the TracFone family companies. You can also use your SafeLink Wireless phone after it unlocks with many other providers but even before your phone unlocks you’re SafeLink Wireless SIM card and your SafeLink Wireless phone can be used with other phones and other SIM cards from other TracFone family companies. I was told this by an operator and I have read it also. This may mean you can use your SafeLink Wireless SIM card and you can buy one of the many good phones being sold refurbished or brand new for a great deal online. If this is the case and you should check it out to confirm it then you can buy a phone which was sold for total by Verizon or Walmart family Mobile or SafeLink Wireless or straight talk or net10 or Page Plus or any of the other companies under the TracFone family umbrella.

      IF COMCAST COVERs YOUR AREA… You should sign up for the Xfinity Internet essentials home Wi-Fi plan. You do not have to use your benefits. You can use your ACP benefit to get totally free Wi-Fi but this will give you only your lifeline benefit to get a free monthly phone plan and the lifeline benefit pays only $9.25 per month. So the most you can get if you use your lifeline benefit by itself is 1000 minutes of talk with unlimited texting plus 4 1/2 GB of Internet data. Many companies will give this plan for free each month but very few companies will give you a free phone if you use your lifeline benefit by itself.

      Assurance wireless will give you a free phone if you use your lifeline benefit by itself. And 1,000 minutes with unlimited texting plus 4 1/2 GB of Internet data.

      But after you get your phone unlocked for SafeLink Wireless if SafeLink doesn’t give you enough fast data each month you may transfer your benefit to Assurance Wireless. This means at the end of a little after 3 months you can have two free unlocked phones and a discounted tablet.

      And you can transfer to Assurance Wireless. If you can buy more benefits insurance wireless will give you like many companies if you use your ACP benefit by itself or if you combine your ACP benefit with your lifeline benefit many companies will give you unlimited talk with unlimited texting plus unlimited slow 2G data plus 10 GB of high speed data if you use the ACP benefit alone. But if you combine both benefits you will get 35 GB of high speed data.

      If Comcast does not cover your area then you cannot get the Xfinity Internet essentials plan. But if you can get the Xfinity Internet essentials plan it is best to choose the $10 per month basic plan. It will give you unlimited data with 50 Mbps download and 10 megabytes per second upload speed which is enough Wi-Fi for four people. Plus you can buy a new Dell laptop for $150 which may be worth twice as much. You can choose either a 3100 Chromebook or a 3120 latitude. Type the phrase Xfinity Internet essentials low cost computer. If you can’t afford $150 for that half off laptop brand new then maybe you can get a discounted laptop or two in one in grade b or a condition from Chromebooks R Us.

      AFTRR STANDS FOR THE ALLIANCE FOR TECHNOLOGY REFURBISHING AND REUSE. It has dozens of refurbishers who may give you a discounted or even free computer if you meet certain eligibility criteria.

      Also learn how to shop on Alibaba and AliExpress for some incredibly cheap devices compared to what they cost in America.

      IF COMCAST IS NOT COVER YOUR AREA THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES WHICH MAY GIVE YOU A DISCOUNTED WI-FI OR FIBER FIXED HOME INTERNET PLAN FOR $10 TO $20. Hopefully you can get the plan for under $20 without having to use your ACP benefit. But if you feel you may need to consistently have free Wi-Fi then you can use your ACP benefit to get free Wi-Fi with several companies. Make sure you choose one which gives unlimited data uncapped or at least a thousand gigabytes a month. And AT&t has a discounted Wi-Fi plan for low income people called Access. Sprint has a plan called Assist. Optimum and Suddenlink have plans called Advantage or Altice.

      SARVER WIRELESS may have the best tablet for the ACP program. If you choose the 10-in T10 Elite tablet made by Sky Devices. It has incredible specs. But you may need to get a screen protector because the screen may be made of scratchable plastic. So you should find some cut to fit screen protectors which you can find very cheap. You can get one a little too big made for a bigger screen tablet and cut it to fit. You could also use gorilla tape.

      AIRTALK WIRELESS or CINTEX WIRELESS may have two tablets which maybe even better than the T10 tablet. They sometimes have Samsung tab S4 or tab S3 tablets in stock. The tab S4 was worth $730 when it was released in 2018. They also have some great free phones for the ACP and lifeline benefit but you must do your comparison shopping to see which ones they have in stock which have good specs because they also have some phones which are lame. Look for a device which has at least 4 gigabytes of RAM with at least 32 or 64 GB of ROM and an octa core processor with preferably around 2.0 GHz processing speed.

      CULTURE WIRELESS ALSO HAS A TABLET WHICH IS PROBABLY MY THIRD CHOICE… Culture Wireless gives a 10-in Moolah wireless tablet for free. The specs are pretty good. It is not only 10 inches but it has 3 GB of RAM and fairly decent specs. But like most of the providers to give out the better tabs culture Wireless does not give much free data for the ACP program each month just like Sarver wireless. So you will first want to use the ACP benefits to get a tablet and then later transfer your benefits so you can get a better data plan.

      IF YOU TRANSFER TO THE RIGHT MEDICAID COMPANY YOU CAN EARN OVER $200 PER YEAR WITH SOME MEDICAID COMPANIES. If you have the right Medicaid company some will give you vouchers but some will give actual money on a Visa reward debit card which you can use inside Walmart or you can use it online with most businesses as long as you don’t buy alcohol tobacco or firearms. They give rewards for 1-800 quit now smoking cessation some give $145 plus a $10 completion survey. And $100 for addiction treatment. And over $50 for chronic condition management. And if you transfer Medicaid companies you will be considered a new client and at that point you can earn 15 to $30 within the first 30 days if you make a new client profile and if you do an initial assessment. After 31 to 89 days you will earn only $10. After 90 days you cannot earn for this activity earn the other activities all year long as long as you use the money before the year is up. You can pay your Xfinity Wi-Fi bill with this. The only store you can use some of the cards is walmart.

      IT IS BEST TO PAY $20 TO SARVER WIRELESS OR AIRTALK WIRELESS OR CINTEX WIRELESS TO GET ONE OF THE BEST TABLETS. BUT IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD ANYTHING AT ALL THERE ARE A FEW COMPANIES WHICH SUPPOSEDLY DON’T CHARGE ANYTHING. BUT A FEW COMPANIES HAVE FOUND A WAY TO INVOICE OR SOME WAY THEY DON’T CHARGE YOU AT ALL…

      Culture Wireless Moolah Wireless tablet.

      LTE WIRELESS gives a 8 in Maxwest Nitro tablet. They also give at least 10 GB of high-speed data per month for free for the ACP benefit.

      COMLINK MOBILITY aka COMLINK Total Solutions gives a 8-in Maxwest Nitro tablet also from what they told me. Their data plan they give for free each month includes 10 gigabytes of fast data with unlimited talk and unlimited texting. You can place the SIM card in a phone.

      AMERICAN ASSISTANCE ALSO KNOWN AS AMERICAN BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS may also give a completely free 8-in tablet. Either a Maxwest nitro. Or a FoxxD T8 or T8 Pro tablet made by Foxx Development. Or Azpen. Or Maze Speed.

      Now those companies give free tablets but it is better to pay $20 and get one which is far superior. The T-10 Elite tablet made by Sky Devices has 4 GB of RAM with 64 GB of ROM plus an octa core processor which has 2.0 GHz processing speed and expandable memory. The same company made many phones and tablets which sound as if they aren’t nearly as good but they made a 8-in elite tablet a couple of or 3 years ago which was a knockout generic tablet. This 10-in does not disappoint either I promise you I have used both of them. The only problem is the screen may be plastic so you want to get a screen protector anyway. The body is metal you keep it away from liquids of course. If you want to use a screen protector made for a different tablet which is more well known and which will probably mean you could find plenty of cheap protective gear for it then you will want a screen protector which is a couple or a few millimeters narrower or shorter than your tablet. On the other hand if you have to use a case which was made for a different tablet then you should use one which is at least as long and wide and thick as your tablet for preferably just a couple or few millimeters longer or thicker or wider.

      Here are some search phrases for people with low income…

      FINDHELP.ORG

      211 SEARCH.

      HUD COUNSELING AGENCIES NEAR ME

      LOW INCOME COMPUTERS.

      ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.

      IPADS FOR PEOPLE DEAF AND WITH AUTISTIC SPEECH PROBLEMS.

      FREE CLOTHING CLOSETS NEAR ME

      ANGIE’S ANGELS HELP NETWORK

      HOW TO SAFELY SHOP ON ALIBABA AND ALIEXPRESS AND BANGGOOD.

      MadeInChina and Global Source and Alibaba shopping websites

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        congratulations, Lee. This may be the longest comment ever left on this website. We can’t say we agree with all your strategies, but our way isn’t the only way. One thing we do disagree with it using the Chinese sites for anything. Every Chinese website is at least partially owned by the Communist Chinese Party, which clearly wants to guide the downfall of the Unites States and all of western society. Giving business to Chinese companies is short sighted.

        Reply

  7. Pepper Mintz says

    I’m trying to get information about the Safelink (TracFone) Verizon transition.
    I got a text saying I need to upgrade to a SIM that is VoLTE compatible or my phone will stop working on Feb. 22, 2022.
    Tried to get the one that Safelink says I need, online and through CSR, but there is some error in their system that won’t allow the order to go through. (saying merchant id missing when you try to check out).
    My carrier is currently is AT&T and my phone is a standard Motorola G4 (not Plus) which is not VoLTE capable.
    I’m trying to find out if we are going to have to be switched to Verizon and if that is a GSM or CDMA. My understanding is that Verizon is CDMA and my current phone is GSL so do I have to buy a CDMA phone and get a Verizon SIM? Safelink customer service have no clue when I ask these questions. They also do not have any Verizon compatible phones in stock and have no idea when they will get any.
    I’m wondering if I should just buy a new phone and Safelink Verizon Sim from Amazon. but that GSM/CDMA question has me stuck.
    Can’t believe they can tell people about this with so little time to deal with it.

    Reply

    • Henry says

      The Safelink website does not make any mention of a Feb. 22 deadline. This is from their FAQ about the Verizon transition.

      Current SafeLink customers will not have to make any immediate changes or take any action. Current customers will be able to remain on their current plans and will not have to change plans or devices because of the transaction.

      There should not be any change to your service as a result of this transaction. SafeLink is excited to bring Verizon’s world-class service to its customers with time and to provide access to innovative technologies, plan features, international calling options, and increased options for devices.

      SafeLink customers will be able to keep their current device. If a customer’s SafeLink plan is served on a network other than Verizon’s, SafeLink will have a carefully managed transition during which customers will be able to move to the Verizon network, including obtaining a device compatible with Verizon’s network if necessary. We will communicate with such customers and you do not need to worry about being surprised.

      SafeLink customers will be able to stay on their current plan and for a significant period of time going forward. Of course, you will also be able to move to any of the new plans that we introduce.

      As for GSM and CDMA, Verizon and Sprint used CDMA while A&T and T-Mobile uses GSM networks. Tracfone says it partners with four network providers (Sprint, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile). The Tracfone website does mention the Feb. 22 date to convert or lose service due to network changes. This appears tied to the AT&T 3G shutdown date.

      Sprint’s 3G: Jan. 1, 2022
      AT&T’s 3G: Feb. 22, 2022
      Sprint’s LTE: June 30, 2022
      Verizon’s 3G: Dec. 31, 2022
      T-Mobile’s 2G and 3G: Not yet announced

      Anyone without a 4G compatible phone will be cut off by the end of this year, if not earlier. A lot of 2G and 3G phone devices are headed for trash bin very soon. This is not the same as with a Windows 95, 98, XP, 7 Operating System computer that will still run even though the Operating System is no longer updated. A phone that cannot connect is only good for viewing stored photos and videos and text messages.

      You need to go to this website for the full details about the network conversion and its impact to you.

      extras.tracfone.com/en/survival-guide

      The 2G and 3G shutdown has been announced a long time ago. Ignoring it will come back to bite you with a vengeance.

      Reply

    • Lee Cox says

      Hey I believe you can get a free phone from SafeLink which will work. If you commit both your ACP and lifeline benefits you might be able to get a Nokia g300 or a Moto G Pure or a BLU VIEW 3 B140DL. At least if you go through a field agent such as free talk Wireless in Memphis Tennessee which is the only field agent I know of who does not require you to be present to sign up. And they will get you the same data plan you can get by yourself if you sign up on the SafeLink Wireless website. Unlimited talk and text and 2G slow data with 25 GB of fast data per month including 5 GB of hotspot data per month for free if you combine both benefits. But field agents can usually get you a better phone for free. And 2 months later TracFone will text unlocking codes and instructions to you. But if you want to know if you’re SafeLink Wireless SIM card can work with other phones yes if you buy a phone which is sold for Walmart family Mobile or total Verizon or straight talk or net10 or Page Plus or SafeLink wireless. Supposedly you can use a SafeLink Wireless SIM card inside any phone or tablet which is sold for any of the TracFone family companies.

      Reply

    • E. Lee Cox Fort Wayne says

      I recently had an insurance phone that took a squat on me but it may have been by dropping. But the drops were not very hard piss off of a chair but for future reference you should always have a protective case and screen cover. And they are willing to send me another one which is better. Day for a while gave out UMX unimax 693 CL phones. These phones were better than some because they were a bigger screen phone. But I have seen Assurance Wireless giving out phones called s c h o c k volt sv55 phones. They had much better operating systems than the UMX 693cl phones. But the shock phones are a little slippery so you darn well better get protective case for them. And they aren’t very plentiful or the easiest to find so you have to look. But I know there are some Chinese companies who make phone cases for these. And they aren’t that expensive. There are also screen covers. You can find them on amazon.com and probably also on ebay. If a person learns how to order from AliExpress or banggood or Lazada which are foreign sites you will save a lot of money but you have to be patient because it takes a while. You should also do your research to learn if there are any things you need to do special like duty tax or anything. I have read this but I think it is not really a problem. But you should make sure if you ever order a cell phone off of one of these foreign providers that you talk to a live person and understand the process and you know how to get a phone which will work in the us. The phone will be called either a global version or an other areas version.

      TERRACOM WIRELESS HAD THE BEST TABLET FOR THE EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT PROGRAM. THEY WERE SELLING A SM-T307 SAMSUNG 8.4 INCH 2020 TAB A TABLET WORTH NEARLY $300 FOR ONLY $10 AND ONE PENNY. THEY ALSO GAVE UNLIMITED DATA. BUT HOTSPOT OR HIGH-SPEED DATA IS THE ONLY IMPORTANT NUMBER WITH UNLIMITED DATA BECAUSE AFTER YOUR HIGH SPEED RUNS OUT OF COURSE IT WILL BE VERY SLOW. THAT IS WHEN IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE UNINSTALLED OR DISABLED AS MANY OF THE APPS AS YOU CAN. MOST APPS YOU CAN USE ON YOUR BROWSER SO YOU DON’T NEED APPS. AND IT IS GOOD TO INSTALL AN APP BROWSER WHICH IS VERY CONSERVATIVE. AND YOU CAN ALSO LEARN HOW TO REDUCE THE BACKGROUND DATA AND BATTERY WHICH YOUR DEVICE USES AND YOU CAN REDUCE BACKGROUND DATA AND BATTERY ON MOST OF YOUR APPS. EXCEPT FOR A HANDFUL OF THEM WHICH WILL REQUIRE IT FOR SAFETY REASONS LIKE LOCATION OR FOR FINISHING YOUR EMAIL IF YOU ORDER AN EMAIL SENT AND THEN YOU GET AWAY FROM YOUR BROWSER PAGE.

      Terracom Wireless and Assurance Wireless and stand up wireless head really good tablets for the emergency broadband benefit program and each of these three providers charged only $10 and one penny for the tablets. But remember you can use your copay assistance of $100 copay from the government only one time so be sure you have a good tablet. Do not get a tablet from truconnect or Q Link Wireless because they are very cheap. Although true connects tablet is 4G it has only 16 GB ROM and 1 GB of ram. And the operating system isn’t that great. The graphics are poor. Q Link has the cheapest tablet I’ve seen in the system. For the ebb program. And the ACP program is like the EBV program but it pays less each month for data. Terracom wireless and Assurance Wireless have workers who told me they will again be offering tablets for the ACP programs. And I imagine stand up wireless may do the same. Stand up wireless heading budget tablet which is cheaper but not cheaply made it is a very good budget tablet with a great operating system and it was dual SIM card capable. It is a sky elite T8 OCTA tablet. Assurance Wireless offered a 10-in Coolpad Tasker tablet with a good operating system but it is only Wi-Fi connectable while the others I mentioned have 4G LTE connectability. A company called daily tale out of West Palm Beach Florida told me they make their own tablets in China so I expect they may be cheap like Q link. This doesn’t mean they have to be cheap they could be great because they’re a great tablets made in China the best. But when a company has their own mate it’s likely that they’re cheap.

      Tone Communications offers a in you you Tab 8 which is a good budget tablet. They charge only $11 and they give 20 gigabytes of high-speed data which is pretty decent for the $30 per month which the ACP program pays. City Communications offers the same tablet and they offered 20 GB for ebb but I don’t know if they offer 20 for the ACP program.

      IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHICH PROVIDERS OFFER LIFELINE OR ACP COVERAGE OR BOTH NEAR YOU TYPE EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT PROVIDERS OR AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM PROVIDERS NEAR ME..

      You enter your state and city or your ZIP code not both and you will see dozens of providers. Some of the providers have two names for the same company. Stand up wireless is also known as global tale. And I believe trueconnect is called sage.

      IF YOU ARE COVERED BY COMCAST YOU CAN GET HOME WI-FI FOR ONLY $9.99 PER MONTH IT’S CALLED XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS. THERE IS NO FEE FOR MODEM OR INSTALLATION. AND YOU CAN BUY A 3120 LATITUDE OR A 3100 CHROMEBOOK BOTH ARE BRAND NEW DELL LAPTOPS. YOU CAN PAY ONLY $150 BUT BOTH COMPUTERS ARE WORTH FAR MORE.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      It’s very doubtful if you could find a company that will be interested in an old flip phone, Edith. But we appreciate your thoughtful idea.

      Reply

  10. ronney K Harriman says

    Is their a way to get a free phone and free service from the government if im homeless on the streets but have a mailing address at a friend’s house?

    Reply

  11. Ginger says

    Don’t call truconnect cuz nothing & I mean NOTHING is free whatsoever but this only applies to residents of Washington State unsure about the others. All they offer is weak discounts for crappy coverage service no less. Fyi don’t waste ur time as of 5/31/21. Onto the next…

    Reply

    • Henry says

      Many of the Lifeline providers offer different benefits for people in different states. For example, American Assistance offers free service to CA residents, but charges a monthly fee for everyone else.

      For my state, TruConnect offers 250 MB data every month (way below the Lifeline program’s requirement of 4.5 GB). They are offering up to 14GB right now on their website, but that is a temporary offer and will revert to the regular level once the EBB program expires. You have to pay a monthly $15 fee to receive 4.5 GB data without the EBB program.

      I just got the approval from the National Verifier program today. So I will looking very closely at all of the companies offering in my state. I will ignore the EBB program benefits when I decide which one to sign up for. Some “greedy” people will just sign up for the EBB benefits with a specific company and then switch later. I think I will focus on the smart phones available along with the voice/data limits offered for the regular Lifeline program.

      Reply

    • E. Lee Cox Fort Wayne says

      IF YOU ARE IN WASHINGTON STATE LOCALTEL COMMUNICATIONS IN WENATCHEE WASHINGTON OFFERS ONE OF THE BEST TABLETS FOR THE EBB PROGRAM. A LENOVO 10.3-IN TABLET WHICH MAY BE WORTH $150 OR $175 AND THEY CHARGED ONLY $25 FOR THIS TABLET BUT TERRACOM WIRELESS HAD THE MOST VALUABLE TABLET FOR THE EBB PROGRAM AND THEY MAY AGAIN SOON OFFER IT AFTER THE TRANSITION PERIOD IS OVER IN MARCH

      Truconnect tablets are cheap. I will not recommend them or the ones by Q Link Wireless or daily tell communications.

      TEAM MIDWEST & IT BEEN TELEPHONE OF TEXAS EACH OFFER A 10-IN AMAZON FIRE TABLET

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You really need to check out all the plans offered on this page, find the one that fits your needs best, then enroll with that company using the contact info we provided.

      Reply

  13. Kate Cross says

    Do telemedicine appointment count against either my minutes or my data limites? Calling my clinic is free but the doctor/provider is not always at the clinic for a telemedicine appointment.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      That’s a question we’ve never been asked, Kate. We’re actually surprised to hear that calling your clinic doesn’t cost you minutes. Far as we know, every call except 9-1-1 and 6-1-1 costs you minutes.

      Reply

    • E. Lee Cox Fort Wayne says

      SIGN UP FOR XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS THIS IS ONLY $9.99 PER MONTH SO YOU CAN HAVE WI-FI AT HOME WHICH DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST YOUR DATA.

      But you can sign up with insurance unlimited and get 35 GB of high-speed data with another 10 GB of hotspot data. And unlimited texting and unlimited talk it is the best plan bundle for the affordable connectivity program. And they said they will again be offering tablets sometime this year. It may be soon I’m not certain. But they offered a good tablet although it was for a limited time it was a 10-in Coolpad task or tablet and it cost you only $10 and one penny. Terracom Wireless had the best tablet for $10 and one penny you could get a tablet worth nearly $300. And 8.4 in tab a Samsung with unlimited data which may have been 20 GB of high speed data.

      Reply

  14. Tiffany Neely says

    I am not sure the regulations for providers when offering lifeline, but I have been a customer with Straight Talk for years. I wasn’t notified by Straight Talk until I called to inquire on financial hardship assistance. I spoke with 4 representatives who stated one of
    the eligibility requirements is customers have to be more than 3 days before the due date of their service plan to be eligible for Lifeline. Remind you, I receive snap and I am currently unemployed, no income, and currently under medical care. As I reviewed DSHS website https://www.dshs.wa.gov/, I did not see anything stating about customers have to be more than 3 days before the due date of their service plan to be eligible for Lifeline.I can’t afford the monthly payments, my cell phone number I can’t afford to lose due to many people have my number, and it is inhumane to conduct business with stipulations on federal government opportunity for families in need. I am speaking for myself and all Straight Talk customers this is affecting. My cell phone will be off tomorrow because no income. Please contact me by email at 662-617-****.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, Tiffany, we cannot respond individually because of the volume of comments and questions we receive every day. But we can give you a little info. We know nothing about Straight Talk because it is NOT a Lifeline free government cell phone service provider. It offers discounts, but not free phones, and as you can tell by the name of this website, that is our focus.

      We suggest that you check out all the free plans available in your state. The eligibility rules in the Lifeline free government cell phone program are all the same, no variation from company to company. Check out all the plans carefully to find the one that fits your needs best. Here’s where you can find all of them:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

      Good luck.

      Reply

    • E. Lee Cox Fort Wayne says

      YOU CAN PORT IN YOUR PHONE NUMBER TO A NEW PROVIDER. BUT BE SURE YOU DO IT RIGHT AFTER YOUR PLAN STARTS OVER SO YOU HAVE NEARLY 4 WEEKS TO PLAY WITH SO YOU DON’T LOSE YOUR NUMBER IF THE NEW PROVIDER IS SLOW WALKING YOU

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’re not your service provider, Makki. This is an independent informational website.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not a service provider so we can’t send her anything. This is an independent informational website. She needs to contact one of the companies listed on this page.

      Reply

  17. Samuel Redick says

    In the steps for how to get a cell phone, it says once you’ve narrowed down the phone provider you want, you can go to their website and check out their phones and programs. What is meant by programs? Where on the website do I find the programs? I’m checking out Assurance Wireless’s website right now. I live in Washington state.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We use the words program and plan interchangeably. We actually list each of the service providers’ plans on their individual pages. For example, choose any service provider listed in the article on this page. Click on that provider and you’ll be taken to its page where you can find all the plans that company offers.

      Reply

  18. Star pinkeyz christi says

    How do u actually get a SIM card that really works or is that up to the company. I thought that qlinkwireless was a store that u had to go to? Thank u for ur free Ave but I’m not all that impressed with the svr so far. May be if I could get another person on line that would be able to work such as person to person on the phone.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Q Link is not a store. You get a phone or a SIM card depending on the company and the plan you sign up for.

      Reply

  19. Samuel Redick says

    Hi there. I have Asperger’s Syndrome and anxiety and depression and I dont work or live on my own. I am on the SNAP program, have an EBT card. Am I eligible for a cell phone from the state?

    Reply

    • E. Lee Cox Fort Wayne says

      I’M VERY LIKELY CAN SIGN UP FOR THREE BENEFITS.

      YOU CAN GET A FREE LIFELINE PHONE & FREE PLAN.

      YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM AND GET A TABLET AND TERRACOM WIRELESS HAS THE BEST TABLET IF THEY COVER YOUR STATE. IF NOT BOOST MOBILE WAS GIVING A GREAT TABLET FOR THE EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT PROGRAM AND I DON’T KNOW IF THEY WILL FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM BUT IF THEY DO YOU SHOULD GET THE TABLET AND THEN TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PROVIDER TO GET A BETTER DATA PLAN. BUT IF YOU DO YOU MAY HAVE TO CHECK ON GETTING THE TABLET UNLOCKED BECAUSE BOOST MOBILE WAS OFFERING A JOY TAB 2 BY ALCATEL WHICH IS 4G LTE CONNECTABLE AND MAY REQUIRE UNLOCKING. IF YOU TRANSFER PROVIDERS YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT THE RULES ARE ON UNLOCKING THE TABLET.

      STAND UP WIRELESS WAS GIVING A GOOD BUDGET TABLET CALLED A SKY ELITE T8 OCTO TABLET. IT TOOK HIM A WHILE TO UNLOCK MY FRIENDS TABLET THEY SAID 45 DAYS BUT IT TOOK A FEW MONTHS. IT IS FOR GLT CONNECTABLE BUT THEY DON’T GIVE MUCH DATA WITH STANDUP WIRELESS. AVOID Q LINK AND TRUE CONNECT AND DAILYTEL WHICH IS OUT OF WEST PALM BEACH. THOSE ARE CHEAP TABLETS.

      TERRACOM WIRELESS HAS THE BEST TABLETS THEY ARE $300 SM-2307 SAMSUNG TABLETS AND THEY COST YOU ONLY $10 AND ONE PENNY. INSURANCE WIRELESS ALSO CHARGES $10 IN ONE PENNY. THEY WILL PROBABLY HAVE THEIR TABLETS OUT AGAIN SOON BUT STAND UP WIRELESS CHARGED ALSO $10 IN ONE PENNY. ALL THREE OF THESE PROVIDERS HAD THE BEST TABLETS FOR THE STATE OF INDIANA BUT THEY HAVE PAUSED DURING THE 2-MONTH TRANSITION PERIOD UNTIL AT LEAST MARCH.

      YOU ALSO CAN APPLY FOR $9.99 PER MONTH INTERNET WITH XFINITY INTERNET ESSENTIALS. THEY ALSO OFFER YOU A LAPTOP NEW DELL LAPTOP FOR $150. EITHER A 3120 LATITUDE WHICH IS WORTH $450 OR A $3,100 CHROMEBOOK WORTH $320. YOU PAY FAR LESS. YOU ALSO DON’T PAY FOR MODEM OR INSTALLATION.

      PICTURES WIRELESS HAS THE BEST ACP BUNDLE CALLED ASSURANCE UNLIMITED 35 GIGS OF HIGH-SPEED WITH ANOTHER 10 GIGS OF HOTSPOT AND UNLIMITED TALK AND TEXT PLUS THEIR PHONES ARE BETTER NOW.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Check out ALL the plans shown on this page to find the one that fits your needs best, then use the contact info we provide to contact the service provider of your choice.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We don’t take them because we are not a free government cell phone service provider. But there is surely a charitable organization in your area that would gladly accept your phone.

      Reply

  22. Darren White says

    I am a case manager for Catholic Charities and I was wanting to get a cell phone for one of my clients. He has no contact info, so I have to track him down physically, on the streets. I am in Washington State. and I am not sure how to go about getting my client a cell phone, so he can communicate with the housing team. Thank you for your time.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, it’s impossible for him to get a free government cell phone unless he has a street address and residence. We think it’s crazy, but that’s the way the regulations read. Can you get him into a shelter? Then he could use the shelter’s address.

      Reply

      • Jennifer Gomm says

        After reading some of the comments I feel bad for the author and/or correspondent of this article.

        With that being said, I would highly recommend staying away from Q Link. I’ve been a customer for awhile now and I’m looking to change providers as often the services offered do not match what is provided and the customer service aspect has drastically declined. I never had any issues with being a customer before they made the upgrade to the new 5G network. Now, it’s a nightmare. I’ve been trying to resolve my account issues since April 15, 2021 to no avail. They simply do not care about you or your problems. They’re just collecting their funding. In my opinion of course.

        Lastly, thank you for creating this site. The information you provide is very helpful, informative and a little entertaining. As well as some of the comments you receive. And your answers are great. Please keep up the great work. I certainly do appreciate it.

        Reply

  23. Rowan says

    My son is 20 and homeless. He is on the streets in Spokane WA. He is autistic and has never worked since he graduated from high school last year. What kind of proof could he present?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      He will need:
      -Government Issued Photo ID or Driver’s License.
      – One (1) Eligibility Document (like your program award letter)
      DON’T FORGET!

      Your submitted proof MUST be dated within 12 months of application date and include your full name and benefit program name.

      It MUST be clear and legible. We can’t process it if it is not. Please only send copies – no originals.

      PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS

      -Program award letter (i.e. SNAP or Medicaid) clearly showing your full name and program name
      -Document with your program ID, name and benefit name
      -Letter from State Agency stating you receive the benefit

      INCOME ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS

      -Last year’s income tax return
      -Social Security statement of benefits
      -Divorce decree
      -Child support award
      -Retirement/Pension statement of benefits
      -Veterans Administration statement of benefits
      -Unemployment/Worker’s Compensation statement of benefits
      -Federal or Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance
      -Other official document showing income information

      Reply

  24. Heather says

    We have a client we are trying to assist to sign up for a Lifeline phone. She keeps getting denied as it says a member of the household already has a cell phone through the program. The client lives alone and is being exploited by a family member, her son-in-law and daughter, who used her address so they could get two phones each. The client was unaware they did this and the family unwilling to make it right now. We have reported this to APS as exploitation for investigation but it will take awhile to get an outcome report. In the meantime and especially during this Covid-19 crisis this client needs a Lifeline phone to stay connected. Who can we contact to appeal her eligibility denial and/or make an exception. This is also9 fraud and we would also like to report this for investigation. We are in King County in WA state.

    Reply

  25. Star Logan says

    I may qualify for a free phone. I and granddaughters are all members of the Lakota tribe. Do members of the Lakota tribe qualify or is there other criteria?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Contact customer service at any of the service providers to find out what they offer.

      Reply

  27. Kristy Magat says

    My mom got a free phone several years ago and it is in need of a replacement ( it doesn’t hold a charge) how does she go about that?

    Reply

  28. STEFANIE Godfrey says

    Why the f**k does anybody think it is acceptable to treat people I. such a degrading manner. Every human on earth runs into hard times for one reason or another. Maybe the problem lies exactly where the ugliness of your behavior representing the gov. Who is offering a resources for just as deserving people as anybody else in this world. How dare anybody think judgment passed of another is their right. One judgment day comes and your high and mighty not worthy miserable soul will be put into your place. Everyone please don’t be discouraged to seek out benefits you deserve. Humbled and grateful stay as you keep a loving forgiveness in your heart for the ones who are miserable without the peace of GOD GRACE IN THEIR HEARTS. ” WE WIN” Anyways without having to compete and exhaust ourselves throughout life by putting other down trying to find happiness and love in .Worldly possession. LOVE IS THE AWNSER… ITS THAT SIMPLE YOU GUYS! CMON NOW … PLEASE STOP WITH THE EASY YO THROW HURTFUL COMMENTS AND RESPECT EACH OTHER. I PROMISE IT WILL BENEFIT YOUR LIFE. GOD BLESS US ALL…

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Interesting that you would say “Why the f**k” in your opening sentence and end with “God bless us all…”

      Reply

      • Debra says

        Lol! I just came across this site to help an elderly friend get a free phone. I have to say, I have been laughing after reading some of your responses to these offended people. Lol! Thanks for the entertainment. 🙂

        Reply

      • Cindy hanson says

        Free Government Cell Phone,
        Why did you find it interesting that Stephanie says “f**k” in her opening and “God bless” in her closing?

        Reply

      • Bethany J Swindle says

        Lmao right? I thought the same thing combined with her message also being the most and actually the ONLY judgemental, aggressive, rude, and inappropriate comment on the site at all telling me if anyone deserves shade, backlash or public crucifixion it would most definitely belong to her! Crazy b word probably complete with cats and all! Hahahaha

        Reply

  29. pilgrammmanm says

    hi my names pilgramman I would like to know if there is a way to find out information on which lifeline wireless service providers. on how many of them of which ones are their that have the customer right to use a trac phone on the bring your own devive program of the wirless contract government service

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We think you’re asking which service providers offer a Bring Your Own Phone plan. Virtually all of them offer this service, Pilgramman.

      Reply

  30. William Misner says

    I am age 79 disabled Vietnam Era Veteran. I bought an ATT cell phone from Walmart. Is there anyway I can get free cell phone service to work on my Walmart ATT cell phone?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      The odds are in your favor, but you will need to discuss it with AT&T customer service or tech support to find out if the specific make and model are compatible.

      Reply

  31. ReNee Winget says

    My phone came up missing May 13th. I’ve tried to get it replaced, but I’m getting nowhere. I have medical issues and I need communication with doctors, family, rental properties, class instructors, and up coming employers. They all keep blaming me for not having a phone. I don’t have the finances to replace it. I was told they would keep my service but not replace my phone. How can I get the help I need? Urgent.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, you need to take them at their word. Your only option is purchasing a compatible phone from your current service provider or some other source. Sorry.

      Reply

  32. DAVID says

    THERE ISNT A LOCATION FOR SEATTLE TO FIND ANY OF THE FREE PHONES> YOU TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE DURING DAY> DONT TELL ME TO CALL TELLL MEEE THE LOCATION OF THE PERSON OFFERING THE PHONE IN SEATTLE

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You are a freakin’ moron, David. But we assume this is not the first time you’ve heard those words.

      Reply

      • Cindy hanson says

        Free Government Cell Phone,
        By your answer to David’s question, it is clear to see that you are not a representing the United States of America but rather our freakin’ moron of a President of the United States of America

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          You assume we support the President because we don’t like to be ordered around by a complete stranger in the comments section of our website? We don’t see the connection, Cindy, but we obviously do not share the razor sharp intellect that allows you to see it.

          Reply

  33. Paula Ayres says

    How do I find out who my provider is? The phone I was using took a sudden unexpected crap so I have no way to reach them via *611 and would like to transfer my services to a new phone

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Two options: (1) There are only seven service providers in Washington (all shown on this page), so it wouldn’t be too much trouble to call each of their customer service numbers to ask if they are your provider. (2) Go tothe EveryoneOn.org website. You’ll need to click around to find the correct page, but they can help you figure out who your service provider is.

      Reply

      • david says

        bull crap YOU WONT ANSWER WHERE THE SEATTLE LOCATION IS>> YOU DONT KNOW > YOUR GETTING PAID TO TELL SOMEONE TO LOOK ONLINE THEN CALL A RECORDING>> YOU ARENT INFORMATIVE

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          Don’t blame us because you’re too freakin’ lazy to scroll down to see the information, you worthless waste of oxygen.

          Reply

          • Jennifer Johnson says

            You made me laugh so hard at the way you just delt with that guy asking you for an address to where you can get free phones lol

          • Free Government Cell Phones says

            We are here to serve. Of course, McDonald’s employees say the same thing, but whatever.

          • Kathi Mattson says

            omg I’m laughing my head off! the crazies are everywhere!
            It’s really easy to see there’s a point when enough is enough! By the way, checking reviews of the various WA programs was disheartening. I’ve yet to find one that doesn’t have poor customer service.

          • Free Government Cell Phones says

            Yeah, if we had to guess, Kathi, I’d say we’re kind and helpful to 99% of all commenters. But every once in a while someone says something that just puts us over the edge. Glad we could amuse you with some of our answers.

        • Bethany J Swindle says

          Are you mental, illiterate, or just a fuggin prick? It’s quite apparent to anyone with the brain capacity of a 3rd grader to catch the concept here that this company is not a provider of free phone service but basic information on how to start narrowing down your options according to which state you reside in! The fact you dont, wont or likely cant grasp such a concept by demanding this unaffiliated third party to provide information outside their scope of practice because you’re too lazy or stupid to find it yourself is nothing more than a personal problem but one I find comical as it is trivial considering in the amount of time you’ve likely wasted directing unwarranted insults at these people you know nothing about most likely would’ve been more than enough time you’d need to look it up your damn self you entitled, tantrum throwing, spoiled little brat! Now go lay down and lick your dish or grow the F up! You’re exactly what kind of person is wrong with the world today and make me friggin sick!

          Reply

  34. MaryAnn Sparaco says

    I do not have an email and when I try to get one, they ask for a mobile phone number which I do not have. So tell me, how do I get a free phone?

    Reply

  35. TJ says

    I tried to apply online. I am currently homeless and the address I used is a place I pick up my mail. It says that the address is blocked. Is there anyway to get around this?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, there is not, TJ. Howebver, if you were to get yourself into a homeless shelter, you could use that as your address.

      Reply

      • Suzie says

        Im browsing around for a Lifeline phone in Wa state and I came across your site. Here is my opinion (and no I didnt ask if you wanted it) First, You are providing a service to people. You can suck at your job and provide crap service but still be professional and polite and knowing when you need to keep your mouth shut. Instead you got your feelings hurt and reacted like an asshole. It was only when I read on to see you giving advise to the homeless person to get a stable mailing address did I realize what a judgmental puke you really are. Its clear you had no other intention but to toss in a little dig to make yourself feel that your better than others. It was none of your business to give life advise nor the time or the place! Try wearing someone elses shoes. And you will give much better advise.

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          Perhaps if you could work really hard and improve your reading comprehension, you might change your opinion. Here’s what we said: “Unfortunately, there is not, TJ. Howebver, if you were to get yourself into a homeless shelter, you could use that as your address.”

          In other words, we didn’t tell the reader to get a stable mailing address because we got any pleasure out of him/her being homeless. We said it because that is one of the primary rules of the Lifeline program and the ONLY way he/her can qualify for a free government cell phone.

          Who’s the asshole now, Susie?

          Please allow us to tell you what we’ve told a number of other people over the years: If you don’t like the way we handle this website, you are free to go find another website that provides more information and answers more reader questions than we do. Oh, what’s that? There is no similar website? This is the original and by far the largest free government cell phone website? Well, looks like you are out of luck in addition to being an asshole, Susie.

          Reply

          • kjr says

            What?! Not enough drama at home so you create a website to cause it? Bug food you will eventually be for your meanness you’ll see. Hahahahaha…. joke’s on you!

          • Illpickupthatpenny says

            Free Government Cell Phone, I have to say you are the smartest “Cell Phone” I have ever observed lol. Your replies have certainly gotten more HONEST over the years and it’s about time someone in service or retail be allowed to treat consumers how they deserve, good or bad. I mean, it’s a free item to those who are broke, destitute, or needy. Simple fact. I’m broke and needy myself so yeah I can judge my peers. But I also know, if i need to ask for help, no HAS to help, nor am I entitled to a damn thing I didn’t earn. I’m glad for a phone that works, and it’s a bonus when I can play games too. Thanks Obama, you were a leader of poor and rich alike, and thank you cell phone guy for passing on the good stuff!

        • Bethany J Swindle says

          Let’s see how long your fuse gets dealing with lazy, entitled, immature less than ideal people all day looking for free rides on silver platters and delivered same day at their fingertips with a smile and exception? Let’s face it, not the sharpest tools in the shed ok?

          Reply

  36. Vicki Costello says

    My brother lives in assisted living and has brain damage. He has nothing. He was ordered a free phone. However it is a smart phone which even after months of us trying to help him with it, he just can’t use it. He doesn’t text or need data but needs a phone just to call and be able to answer. The facility he lives in is beyond frustrated trying to deal with the provider to find a resolution and gave me their numbers. I understand their frustration, I never got to talk with anyone who had English as their first language. Can anyone give me advice about how to get him a plain phone?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Find a company that offers a BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) or BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program. Then purchase a cell phone that is compatible with the national cell network used by company of your choice. That should solve that problem, but we have no solution to the English as a second language problem.

      Reply

      • Vicki Costello says

        Thank you. I believe I have canceled his current service and signed him up with one that we supply the phone and if this works he will even have more phone minutes a month.
        If whoever answered this is involved with the government program helping people like my brother, since there is nothing you can do about trying to deal with people who are not natural English speakers it could make a huge difference if instead of the providers saying they send whatever phone is available in their closest distribution center and they have no idea what that is. Perhaps these vendors should be required to have a simple check box for either a smart phone or a basic phone during the sign up process. I believe this would really be more help for the people this program is designed to help.

        Reply

    • Kimberley Merritt says

      Not to step on anyone’s toes over there, but there is a company by the name of “Consumer Cellular”. From my understanding, their products are primarily focused towards ages 50+. Their accessability features make it super simple to operate for those people with poor eyesight or dexterity. Making/receiving any calls/texts takes little (to no) effort. They also have a tablet- type product named “The GrandPad”, that would make video chatting (during these uncertain times), an attainable option. Their website is consumercellular.com & their phone # is: 888-345-5509.

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        We normally don’t allow commenters to post phone numbers or links, but we know Consumer Cellular is legit so we’ll allow it this time. Our only problem with Consumer Cellular is it’s price structure. We think they charge too much for what the consumer gets in return.

        Reply

    • Kathi Mattson says

      Personally, I have an old Rugby flip phone made by Samsung that i have had for over 10 years with the same SIM card. it’s so old the letters are mostly worn off. I have dropped it enough times the cover is dented. you can drop it in 30 feet of water and it keeps working. Talk and text only from Naked Mobile, which is Cellular One. You can order the same model from Amazon dirt cheap. My opinion is good old Rugby phone is simple enough for your disabled brother to use. Good luck!

      Reply

  37. Doobie says

    Where can I find a PHYSICAL building/location in the Seattle WA AREA to get a free government cell phone and NOT an 800 number or on the internet?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Most of the free government cell phone companies do not have physical stores, Doobster. The only thing we can suggest is that you go down the list of service providers in Washington (found on this page) and call each of them to ask if they offer any physical locations.

      Reply

    • gggirlgeek says

      …you can simply buy a Tracfone at any Target or CVS and then apply online for a Safelink account. Once your safelink account is approved, activate your Tracfone phone with Safelink. In other words, any Tracfone location deals with Safelink, but the retailers don’t know any details.

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        Sorry, gggirlgeek, but we had to edit that link out of your comment because we are unfamiliar with the organization you referred to.

        Reply

  39. Elena Pharaoh says

    My husband and I have no jobs no income. I have been unemployed since Feb 26, 2018. We moved back to Washington in April, 2018. He has been unemployed since November. We were wondering if we still qualified for a free phone…

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You qualify, but you may have difficulty proving that you have no income. Maybe you’ll get lucky and they will accept pay stubs from your last job or even income tax returns from 2017.

      Reply

  40. Bernie Sanders says

    Almost forgot. Add TerraCom Wireless who are now offering service in WA: https://www.terracomwireless.com/
    Their website isn’t clear on this but the Lifeline plans are for all of WA state and not just tribal lands although addresses on tribal land do get a better package.

    Reply

  41. Doobie says

    Could you please tell me where can I find a physical store to get a free government phone? There used to be a Budget Mobile store somewhere down in Seattle but it is no longer there. I now live in north Lynnwood, WA.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Read the many answers to similar questions below to find out why we urge you to enroll online or by phone instead of at a street event.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You don’t need a physical location, Doobster. You can enroll by phone or online with any of the companies listed on this page.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You can’t get one by leaving a comment here, Frank. You need to enroll with one of the companies on this page.

      Reply

  43. diane says

    Diane Randall (360) 736-****. I am on ssi and fall from instability issues. My counselor from dshs said I qualify for a free smartphone.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to check out all the plans listed in the article on this page (above) to find the one that fits your needs best, Diane. Then you need to enroll with that company using the contract info we provide for each company.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      All the info you need is right here on this page, Nina. Check out all the companies and plans listed and enroll in the one that fits your needs best.

      Reply

  45. Michael J Brow says

    Need help with a phone for employment,job calls for phone/bus pass/work/ boots.Can start work tommrow .need phone for communication with boss-buss pass transportation-work boots for work.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Assuming that you are eligible, Michael, you can enroll with any of the free government cell phone companies listed on this page. Check them all out to find the plan the fits your needs best.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Check out each of their websites, Vicki. We doubt that you’ll find any (maybe none) that still offer flip phones, but you should look for the ones that offer BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) plans. If you enroll with one of them, you can buy an inexpensive flip phone and use it with your new plan. But PLEASE make sure the flip phone you purchase is compatible with the network of your new service provider BEFORE you buy.

      Reply

  47. Dawn says

    I’m in a semi-remote area and people have only had 3 carriers work where i live. Is there a way to make sure or check and see uf the phone will actually work? AT&T, Verizon & Straight Talk are the ones that worked here. Any help would be appreciated.

    Reply

  48. matt sanders says

    Do I qualify for this program? I am a disabled vet that collects a veterans disability check?

    thank you

    Reply

  49. Dan Cassin says

    Assurance Wireless is TERRIBLE!!!!
    Impossible to get thru to them.
    I live in Burien Washington. Is there another provider?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t track availability down to the local level, Dan, but check out all the providers on this page. It may take a few calls to the various customer service teams to find a company that offers service in your area.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We avoid answering this kind of question, Jessica. We give you a generally accurate list of towns and cities served by each Lifeline company (just click on the company names in the article on this page) but the only accurate way to answer your question is for you to make follow-up calls to customer service at each of the companies listed.

      Reply

  51. Cindy Campbell says

    I have cancelled and have not used qlink and went back to Safelink I now got cancelled from Safelink saying I’m with qlink this is not true I am homless and need my phone how do I correct this

    Reply

  52. Hussein says

    I have applied for a cell phone and am eligible. however, I have been told since Feb20 07, 2017 the status “change to Pending State of Washington Certification Approval”. The people at safelink wireless can only repeat that information. They said the time frame is 5 days for the approval and now it has been more than an month and a half. They said I should keep waiting and checking the status and they can do nothing about it . Asked if they can send a reminder they said no.
    Can anyone shed more light how to get this approval other than waiting and doing nothing than checking my status?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, there is an age limit, Kim. You must be 18 to qualify for the free government cell phone program.

      Reply

  55. Marissa Little says

    Trying to help my dad get a phone and has been 3 months with assurance wireless. Status hasn’t changed. Filled one out and completed it online. They said wait for a paper one. I waited and waited. Nothing so i printed one filled it out sent it in the mail. No status change. Still says we havnt received your application please wait for it in the mail. Finally 5 weeks later, they keep denying him for BS reasons. Like sorry we don’t Ship to Po BOXs. (um ok then it’ll probably get stolen but whatever.) Ok so i provided a physical address. Then denied again because signature is unreadable. Seriously? signatures are supposed to be ledgible? Isn’t that why it says print name right under? So now here I am almost 3 months later and the online status is still the same “we received your request for an application septemeber…. please wait for it in the mail. So pretty much fed up I’m trying to get him one through Qlink and i fill out everything and it says invalid dshs client id number. ummmm what? He receives multiple help like SNAP/EBT and SSDI as well as supplemental ssi from when my mom passed. I’m so angry! HELP!

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      It might be time for you to contact the USAC, Marissa. Here’s some info from its website:

      When USAC Can Help

      USAC can help…

      Find companies that offer Lifeline-supported service
      Look up which company you are using
      If your company refuses to help you, or is unresponsive
      If you have a question about how the program works
      USAC cannot help you apply for Lifeline, buy more minutes, sort out your bill, replace lost or broken handsets, or get specific information about your service plan.

      To contact USAC, call (800) 234-9473 Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET (press 1 for English or press 2 for Spanish), or send an email (lifelinesupport@usac.org). You can also use one of the other options below.

      If your Company and USAC Can’t Help

      More options to get help:

      If your company won’t help – Call your state’s utility regulator to complain.
      Report Fraud:
      Consumer fraud – If you know someone who is fraudulently receiving Lifeline, or is receiving more than one Lifeline benefit, contact the FCC’s Lifeline Fraud Tip Line at (855) 455-8477 or via email.
      Company fraud – If a phone/internet company is committing waste, fraud, or abuse, please report it on USAC’s Whistleblower Alert page.
      More consumer help –Call the FCC Customer Help Center at (888) 225-5322 if you could not resolve the problem with your company, state, or USAC. TTY users call (888) 835-5322, and video phone users call (844) 432-2275.

      Reply

  56. Christina Lafferty says

    I am going through a nightmare with Safelink! I have been a client with them almost 10 years. Jun 2017 they sent me a form saying someone else in my household applied for phone. I filled out the form and DENIED this accusation and sent it back. Two months later I notice I didn’t get new minutes on my phone. I call them and they tell me my account has been CANCELED because there’s already someone with a phone in my house! When I asked to speak to a supervisor they would hang up on me OR transfer me and then that person would put me on hold and hang up on me. This went on for 2 1/2 hours. I ended up having to buy minutes. A few days later I called them and asked since my membership was cancelled could I “Re-Enroll” and they said NO because I was enrolled already. But they could VERIFY my information over the phone and I was doing this until they asked for my DSHS client ID number. I wasn’t at home so she said to just call back when I had it. I called back later and they then they said they would send me a Verification Form in 7 to 10 business days. I NEVER RECEIVED IT. I just called them again and he said I am canceled and what was my NEW Member Account Number. Now I’m told I have to RE-ENROLL COMPLETELY. I have to provide them with Section 8 Verification, DSHS Verification for Food stamps and Income Verification! And he said he is MAILING me a form to fill out In 7 to 10 business days!! What the HECK is going on here. I feel like I’m being put through the ringer with SAFELINK and THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. MY SITUATION HAS NOT CHANGED. I am a Veteran, a single person, living alone, with a section 8 voucher, I’m on Food stamps and my income…ha ha ha what income?? I get babysitting money and that’s it. The customer service people can’t answer any of my questions. They just repeat the same thing over and over again until you get so frustrated and angry you just give up. THIS ISN’T RIGHT. I MAY NOT BE PAYING FOR SERVICE MYSELF, BUT SOMEONE IS, AND I’M JUST GETTING SCREWED OVER AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. I already can see I won’t get phone service until NEXT YEAR if I ever get it at all. SAFELINK IS A TERRIBLE COMPANY.

    Reply

  57. Farkhanda Moin says

    Hi I’m farkhanda Moin I have no SSN . due to domistic voilanc I live in Redmond WA alone with my baby boy he born here I need a cell phone some one told me about free cell phone phacility plz tell me how I apply for free cell phone thanks

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Depends on the company you’re with, how long you’ve had your account, and whether the customer service rep got up on the wrong side of the bed.

      Reply

  59. Lori says

    I have applied for a cell phone and am eligible. however, I have been told since June 07, 2017 the status “change to Pending State of Washington Certification Approval”. The people at safelink wireless can only repeat that information. Can anyone shed more light on what that actually means?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      None of the free government cell phone companies offer unlimited plans in Washington, Teri.

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        We’re not a Lifeline service provider, Jon. This is an independent informational website. You need to contact your service provider’s customer service team to find out what the problem is.

        Reply

  61. Louisdgraves says

    I tried to go through SafeLink to get me a cell phone but they said my address was invalid I live at 156 and a half South Brown Spokane Washington 99201 apartment 40 they said my address was invalid I have I am on food stamps and Medicaid

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You need to get in touch with customer service at one of the service providers listed on this page, Christina. We’re an independent, informational website, not a free government cell phone company.

      Reply

  64. Rebecca Miller says

    My application was rejected for not having the last 4 digits of Social Security number. I have a new application but need questions answered. Please call 509-292-****.

    Thank you,
    Rebecca Miller

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We can’t answer your questions, Rebecca, because we’re not your service provider. We an independent website. You must contact your service provider’s customer service team to get your questions answer.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Don’t expect to receive a cell phone based on leaving that comment, Jeffrey. You need to contact your chosen service provider’s customer service team to enroll.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You must be 18 to qualify for a free government cell phone, Betty. But what you do with the phone after that is up to you.

      Reply

  67. Amy says

    I notice that some of the companies listed states that they are offering free smartphones as part of the program, however, when you call, they say that this is not the case. Sounds like a lot of false advertisement out there. Do any of these companies actually offer a free smartphone as part of the Washington State Lifeline Program? If so, which one is currently offering a free smartphone?

    Also, if this is a free program, I think that the whole thing should be free, including all termination ccosts. I spoke directly with some of the companies and they make it very clear that I would have to return their phone back to the company upon termination and the cost of the return shipment is at my own expense. Could we fix this program to where the company is liable for the shipment cost?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You asked a couple questions, Amy. Are there any companies that offer smartphones in Washington? First thing you need to do is check out our article on the smartphone/upgrade policies of all the leading Lifeline companies. Here’s that article:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/which-lifeline-cell-phone-companies-offer-smartphones

      Q Link is the only company that offers smartphones to all its new customers. However, the other companies may or may not offer smartphones. It’s a totally random process, so the person before you may get a smartphone, you may not, and the person after you may. According to new FCC regulations, all companies are supposed to offer smartphones to all new customers as of December 1, 2016.

      We don’t know who you spoke to, but there are ZERO termination costs for this program. On top of that, you are not required to return your phone when you terminate your enrollment.

      Reply

      • Amy says

        Thanks so much for your prompt response and link to the smartphone question. It definitely saves me a lot of time and hassle!

        As for any costs associated with termination, for one, John Reed at Budget Mobile sent me this response via e-mail: “You need to send the phone back to us to any time that you are able and we do not send return labels. you will be sending the phone back to us to your expense.” This was roughly the same response that I received from several companies (though the nicest one because he didn’t state by when I had to return it), but can’t recall which ones since they were just phone conversations and I didn’t keep a log. Regardless, most of them told me that upon termination of service, I need to send back their phone at my expense. Anyways, if you say that they aren’t supposed to do this, is there a way to clarify this with the companies so that customers are provided the correct information.

        Thanks for this forum and for keeping the information up to date.

        Reply

        • Free Government Cell Phones says

          We’ve never heard of a company requesting/demanding that the free government cell phone be sent back. We’ll see what official info we can dig up for you, Amy.

          Reply

  68. Joshua says

    I live at a homeless shelter and I noticed that several other people at the shelter have free government phones. Is it a violation of federal law for multiple people at the same address to have free phones?

    Reply

  69. Jeanette Lamont says

    How does someone go about reporting someone with a state provided phone using it to make harassing and abusive phone calls. I can’t put up with it any more. Thanks, Jeanette Lamont

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      That’s an issue for the police, Jeannette. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the free government cell phone program. Call your local police department or drop in to speak to them in person.

      Reply

    • Allison says

      You should also be able to block incoming calls and texts from that number either through your phone settings, or account settings in your carrier’s website.

      Reply

  70. Victor says

    Life Wireless will not approve you if you are receiving Transitional Food Assistance as their cross-match system will report you are not eligible for SNAP. Is this correct?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not familiar with the Transitional Food Assistance program, Victor, so we are unable to answer that question. But we can tell you that the rules are the same for every Lifeline free government cell phone company, so if Life won’t approve you, neither will any of the other companies.

      Reply

  71. Lourinda andrews says

    Need to find out how to check the call log on a spirit phone through dshs. Very important. it’s reguarding a missing person. Info might lead to her whereabouts so we can bring her home. Thank you. I have below and understand. plz if anyone can help email me. She has been missing for 67 days and has children that need her. Even a link to the site that can answer my question would help.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      The answer to your question isn’t a complicated one, Lourinda. All you need to do is do a Google search for the make and model of your phone plus the words “user manual.” That will take you to a user manual. Read through it and you should find the answer to your question.

      Good luck in your search.

      Reply

  72. GEOFF says

    i’M ON A FIXED INCOME FROM VA DISABILITY AT $1334 A MONTH. SINGLE PERSON INCOME. SO I’M TEN DOLLARS OVER ON QUALIFYING?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You fall into an unfortunate zone where you can’t get an account, Geoff. Do you live alone or with other friends or family members? Because the income limit increases with each additional household member.

      Reply

      • Sue Cantrell says

        My understanding from reading WA quirements led me to believe a person is eligible if they receive veterans pension. Yet, the email response indicates the man was refused due to income requirements. If eligibility is based on income then I am confused. Is income the real qualification?
        Thanks,
        Sue

        Reply

  73. Bonnie J Frank says

    If you are unemployed and have no source of income can you qualify for government assisted phone service?

    Reply

  74. Vivian Heller says

    Service has been provided for a client of yours and they are harassing me. Calling my place of employment, leaving insulting messages on my phone, etc. There phone number is (206)249****.
    Please help.
    Vivian Heller
    206 510 ****

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Not a client of ours, Vivian. We are merely a website that provides complete information on the free government cell phone program. We have no idea which company you are referring to (since you don’t mention its name), but you need to contact that company directly. Here’s a page that lists all the Lifeline Assistance companies. You can find the contact info you need by clicking on the company’s listing:

      https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/free-cell-phone-providers

      Reply

  75. sharon davis says

    These phone people that give out the phones wont let you have one if you have no address now i thouht its for the poor this issi neds to be check out.When think your gonna get a phone get there and they say your hommless you cant have one i was so ebarrest And they where lauaing at me and this in redlands ca. 99Cent store on redlands blvd. This is very wrong.

    Reply

  76. Clayton says

    How do I find out what company my phone was from. And my account number? I have lost all information and I need another one. thank you

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Call 6-1-1. The company that answers the phone “should” be your service provider. However, it doesn’t always work because some providers have gone in together to provide the service. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.

      You should also be able to ask any service provider to look you up on the National Lifeline Assistance Database. The database keeps track of Lifeline Assistance customers to make sure they only have one account.

      Reply

  78. Celia Brown says

    If a patient has Alien Emergency Medical only Medicaid, will she be able to get a phone through this program?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Impossible for us to answer, Celia, because we’ve never heard of Alien Emergency Medical-only Medicaid.

      Reply

  79. Kathy Jones says

    I have a complaint against safe line. I have assisted two people attempting to obtain a phone. During the application process additional documentation is requested to verify physical address and program eligibility. This information is provided by uploading while the person’s account information is open.

    Upon follow up Safe link states the information has not been received. I have email, uploaded, and faxed the information. Each time I am told they are having system problems – please try again. Once I kept asking for a supervisor – two supervisor later the paperwork was found. But, the application was denied. We were told to resubmit – which we did – and not we are going through the “we have not received the requested paperwork” routine.

    Today when I called I was not allowed to speak with a supervisor. I was told to upload the documents, again, which I did. I then asked about the second person I was helping – was told the requested documents for him were not received. Was told to send in the mail – that they are having issues with uploading not working. They had just instructed me to upload the first persons information – now within minutes they tell me the uploading not working.

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Unfortunately, this is a common complaint not just about Safelink, but about most of the free government cell phone companies. The Federal Communications Commission is close to announcing an independent verification service that will take that responsibility away from the Lifeline Assistance companies.

      We’ll keep you posted about the latest news in this development.

      Reply

      • Kathy Jones says

        Thank you – I called the Federal Communication Commission – per their suggestion I will be filing a formal complaint against safe link.

        Reply

        • Tammie says

          Just to add to previously stated facts for so many people who have some sense of entitlement and fucked up attitudes. If you’re not elderly, disabled or otherwise unable to financially support yourself – you may be a lazy turd. If you’re capable of “babysitting” – you’re capable. Period. You’re also capable of reporting your ha ha ha what income? to DSHS. There are too many people that have ha ha ha no money after working 50 hours a week and buying groceries and paying full rent, utilities, auto repairs, auto insurance and gas and student loans that don’t have the funds after paying thru the ass in taxes and fees and bullshit to pay their own effin cell phone bill. And a lot of these people have disabilities and illnesses. Poof $50k a year and still can’t afford a cell bill? They’d be happy to have that ha ha ha what money UNDER THE TABLE BABYSITTING CHUMP CHANGE you whiney mf’er. Maybe everyone can call the FCC and complain and cause the service providers more time and money when they’re not likely receiving funds for state of the art tech and the IT to keep it moving as though these are Enterprise accounts.
          **the moderators and admin on this page are some amazing people to deal with some of the crap thrown at them. And those who truly deserve this service shouldn’t have to be included with the shitbags who can’t figure out that nothing is free when your neighbors working two jobs because some people don’t feel like working at all…

          Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We are not a free government cell phone company, Vanessa, so we cannot send you a cell phone. You must contact one of the companies listed in the article on this page. You can do it by phone or online. Just click on the various companies’ names to find out what plans they offer and which one is right for you.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      YourTel and TerraCom have always had overlapping ownership and management. Now they’ve merged under the Terracom name.

      Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      You’ll need to click on each of the companies on this page to see what each of them offers.

      Reply

  84. Tina says

    It would be VERY helpful if a chart comparing the offerings of each of these LifeLine offering companies were presented.

    For example I would like to be able to spend more time on the phone talking to my children – extremely poor – financially & health-wise (in an assisted living facility via Medicaid) so it would be nice to know WHICH of the companies offer the MOST NUMBER of free minutes.

    Can you DO this?

    Reply

    • Marianne says

      As the owner of the site is NOT affiliated with the companies, it’s YOUR responsibility to identify the best option for you. That said, all companies offer a base of 250 minutes. Some offer a 500 minute bonus for the first 3 months, then reduce to 250 or 350 minutes. Some even offer a smartphone if asked.
      Your best option is to do the research yourself, since it would be an impossible amount of work for this site to chart each company AND the states they provide service to.
      They gave you company names…do something for yourself!

      Reply

  86. Cindy Gates says

    I have qualified for a phone however since I live with my son and his family, and they have a P.O. Box, because the mail does not run in a rural area I can not receive the phone.
    Thank you,
    Cindy Gates

    Reply

    • Marianne says

      You must contact the company directly and explain that you are requesting a cellphone for a DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLD. The Lifeline service provides one per household, NOT PER ADDRESS. Tell them you live in the same house, but arent in the same household.

      Reply

  87. Kim Fabre says

    A company called Qlink sent me a phone and a charger but it didnt work so i sent it back. They still think I have the phone even though I didnt use it cuz it didnt work. I sent it back & i dont have the receipt slip. Ive called them but you cant talk to anyone and theres no response. I am disabled due to 2 heart attacks and 1 congestive heart failure and I could really use a free phone. I dont have a free phone cuz i sent it back but they act like i do. They could check the minutes to see its not in use but i cant speak to anyone. Would it be possible to get a free phone from your company? Thank you for your time and I hope you csn send me one of your free phones. Thank you, Kim Fabre

    Reply

    • Marianne says

      This site DOESN’T provide phones, only resources. If Qlink hasn’t received the phone, and you have no proof you sent it, you have the option of paying the $25 replacement cost, or simply transfer service to a new company. List is above.

      Reply

  88. Bob Smith says

    Your info website is quite helpful. Do you have any brochures for the program overall or specifically for Washington State. Need 20 brochures for brochure rack. We live in a independent living affordable senior housing community of 200 to 225 that could really use this program. Thanks for your assistance!
    Bob Smith
    360.896.****

    Reply

  89. Linda Varon says

    My brother has just moved to Arizona and applied for a free phone. He had one at his previous address in WASHINGTON state. How does he CLOSE the Washington account, so he can get one for Arizona? We just mailed his new application, but we know he needs to close the Washington Account..Thank you!

    Reply

  90. Anthony says

    My physical address most of the time shows up invalid, I checked with different departments of the USPS and they didn’t care enough to straighten it out. However, UPS and FedEx don’t have a problem delivering my packages. When venders bought my address up I just told them to sent it, because UPS and FedEx knows what they are doing.
    These HUD Senior apartments have been here for over 25 years.

    Reply

    • Marianne says

      Yes. Your child is in your household. You should qualify.
      You’ll still need to go through the verification.

      Reply

  93. David J. Skjonsby says

    Safelink wireless is holding up applicant’s service for three weeks due to typographical error in application.
    Application pending State of WA approval. Which agency approves a pending application?
    Documented SSI and DSHS data was faxed to Safelink – yet no reactivation of minutes.
    Safelink creates a run-a-round with no solution.
    freephoneWA.org should do something about these vendors.

    Reply

  94. davidmhuttunen says

    I have Kroger phone now and at 25.00 dollars per month. Not on currently

    Would like a free or low cost cell phone.

    Reply

  97. Kathy says

    Who pays for these phones. I do not see this as a necessity and not fair to others who work for their phones. And no they do not need phones the elderly and school children survived just fine before this program .Is this more tax payer money being used.

    Reply

    • Krista says

      My son’s father has multiple sclerosis. He has poor time management because of the way his brain is impaired and may forgot things, get lost, or become too sick to walk back home (he can no longer drive). Perhaps the cell phone companies donated the phones/time… but chances are that the taxpayers are all paying rich corporations. Don’t worry, they won’t get what you pay for, crap phones, poor service, and 250 minutes. And then their is always the disrespectful judgment from people like you who judge others without knowing any better.

      Reply

    • KELLY says

      Kathy. Many have problems. Yours is blindness & your judgmental. May the rest of your life be perfect! People are told to get out when in a domestic violence situation.Many dont, knowing they cant live/take care of children financially & if Government help is needed to start a life/feed children w/o partner they are ridiculed & degraded for needing assistance from Government or your tax dollar. like they never paid into-right!! So to you & all others like you-Take your conceit & selfishness & pack it into your STOCKING. See what it gets you. Santa or Karma. I hope the latter.

      Reply

      • Cassie says

        Clearly you must be someone who is living a more wealthier life than probably most of us, and well you should know that not everyone has such a life and your kind (cold heartless stuck up snobs)should just go to &%@*! Or better yet try spending even just 1 day in someone’s shoes who works their @$$ off,probably harder than youll ever work, and still not make enough money to enjoy the simplest luxury of being able to keep in contact with loved ones!, and not everyone’s loved ones live close enough to just go visit any old time wanted! The nerve of some people!!!!!! Its sad really how more and more people these days can only think of how things will effect them without putting any sympathy or concern towards anybody except them own self ! You should be ashamed of yourself! Really maybe grow a heart too! Good day rudeness i truly hope you have a nice life!!!!!!

        Reply

  98. S.Lee says

    I qualify for low income pud assistance, but Verizon is the on
    Y phone that works or here. What options do I have?

    Reply

  99. haronchae says

    hi

    my husbund and i we are lowincome so we got a foodstamp service.
    i like to know how can i apply free phone? i need an information.

    Thank you.
    sharon chae

    Reply

    • FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says

      We can’t send you information, but we’ve written up all you need to know. It’s this page you are on.

      Reply

  100. Dian Eakin says

    The cost of my phone is going up. I live is an Assisted Living facility which is very expensive.
    A free phone would be great.

    Reply

  102. RICHARD VALDERRAMA says

    I AM PRESENTLY HOMELESS AND HAVE NO ONE IN CALIFORNIA THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO USE THEIR ADDRESS…HOW DO I GET AN OBAMA PHONE SINCE I HAVE NO ADDRESS??? CAN I GET IT SENT TO POST OFFICE ???

    Reply

    • Terri says

      There is no such thing as an Obama Phone. The cell phone program was added onto the lifeline program (which started in the 80’s) in 2008, the last year that Bush was in office.

      As for how to get one, look at the requirements on this page and go to the web sites.

      Reply

  103. Denise Stanton says

    I need your help in which program to get into for a phone.They all are diferent and have no idea which to choose. Live in Washington .Please help me figure out who to choose.I have NO MONEY/

    Reply

  106. Globetrotter says

    I’m in WA state and it’s totally crazy: I am eligible for free phone based on my income level, but every time I apply they want my DSHS client number and I don’t have one, since I’ve never been their client! And because I can’t provide DSHS client number – they won’t give me a phone… How crazy is that!

    Reply

  107. michael fletcher says

    how come i can not find a assurance wireless compatibale phone anymore mine got ran over and no one sells a paylo phone around seattle or tacoma wa

    Reply

    • Norman Edwards says

      Change service dude, I have the same problem with assurance wireless and decided that the best thing is to change service.

      Reply

  108. Jeanette Doane says

    I need a replacement phone mine has been taken I need to know how about getting a new one my number is 360 **** 198 that is my budget mobile number thank you

    Reply

  109. heather says

    hello what kind of phone?! is it touch phone without keyboard?! I want a touch phone — no keyboard please. let me know how can I applied for a free phone. since I’m deaf and o need a phone to text and to look for jobs through Internet

    Reply

    • Dee says

      Yes you can but you will have to choose which carrier you want to keep and might have to disconnect the Budget one first.

      Reply

  113. Debra says

    I am trying to find free or very low cost phone service for my brother who lives in Spokane. He is Medicaid/energy assisted and medically disabled. He cannot afford the $56 a month phone bill but needs to be able to call locally and long distance. I live in Peoria Il.. He just finished radiation, lives with heart failure and will soon begin lung cancer treatment. All he needs is a phone.

    Reply

  115. Sue Magalhaes says

    I am very low income, I only make 325.00 a month from social security, I am 63, live in Senior housing, it’s just me and my little dog I dropped my cell phone and told them, they didn’t say they were turning off my phone and thats been over a month ago and the only way I have to communicate with them is here at the library, they keep telling me it’s not a good address but it is it is 302 1st st #7 Morton WA 98356 I can’t take this anymore, I’m on the verge of tears, so I need somehow to talk and I do have an older computer at home. I did work, I was a caregiver Please help me!

    Reply

  118. jennifer says

    I submitted my application with assurance wireless along with my documents of goverment assistance (EBT) last month. I never heard back from them. So I called. I was told that they could not find me in the system under my name. After a while, the topic came up that I was not elegable because I already have a phone under Verizon wireless . the option presented to me was, “to be activated with assurance wirless , my currant Verizon wireless account would be unactivated”. I cannot afford to pay the fee to Verizon to be disativated. There for I am unelegable.
    Is there a way around this? I am mostly interested in getting this phone for my son. I feel it would make life a little safer.

    Reply

  119. Michelle says

    Met two young homeless when I came out of a store. One a foster kid who aged out and was dumped out by the state, the other kicked out by step mom. No high school diplomas, No GEDs , No personal ID, so very limited what they can do to help themselves. They live in tents, moving regularly for their own safety. Where do they go as they are like ghost people. Unable to get a library card to use free internet at libraries for job searching as they have to have an address with proof they live there as well as photo ID. The list of gov services is difficult for them to apply for or possibly qualify as they have no way to find out where to go or transportation to get there. Bus service is not free. They are like nomads, walking miles to find bits of food, etc. Their lack of food lowers their blood sugar and they are foggy brained, not drug brained. As an observer who talked to them for two hours, fed them and clothed them, i am exasperated how easy it has been for the state gov to turn them into throw away youth after our tax dollars warehoused them with no end results. What do you suggest they do to get a free cell phone, ID etc. Remember where they are currently tenting in a public right of way, they are two miles or more to any city center where some gov services are located. Too exhausted from lack of food to walk that far. Where would homeless charge a cell phone for free? Too many locations call it loitering, like the library as they don’t have a card etc.

    Reply

    • Joel Holmes says

      Where are you living-The West Bank, Gaza “Strip,” or Northern Syria?? Seriously, giving away “free” phones ultimately FORCES everyone to buy a phone–whether they want to or not? What next–“free” govt.-funded “credit” cards for all? (In effect, we have that already because the banking system is totally govt. sunsidized [20007-9 “bailouts”] and regulated [since at least 1933].) This is the “problem” of so-called “Network” Externalities (e.g. Bill Gates & Microsoft software in the 1990’s alleged “market dominance” -supposedly achieved just be being “dominant.”) So, the more subsidies the State gives (e.g., to higher “education”–mostly, A WASTE of time for most college students)—the more it must give to other people. (See A. Michael Spence, Screening ; A Theory of Labor Market Signalling (1974 ed.) and other similar books.)

      Reply

  120. Cindy Spanton says

    Is there currently a location in the Greater Seattle area (WA state) where people can go to acquire a free phone and service plan for the Lifeline service? We have always used Budget Mobile in Renton for our clients, but the store is suddenly closed and empty.

    Reply

  121. Jennifer Adamson-Schubert says

    I am an unwed mother with a baby due any day. I do get food stamps. I do live with my boyfriend and his mother but I have no personal income and my boyfriend only works part time. I do get Medicaid as well.

    Please let me now thru email what I need to do to get a cell phone. I really need a cell phone for emergencies if I or the baby get sick. My boyfriend’s income isn’t enough to consistently pay for one. I am almost due and our phone is out again.

    Reply

    • FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says

      Everything you need to know about getting a free cell phone and service in Washington state is on this page above.

      Reply

  122. Luke Mickle says

    I currently recieve food stamps , so by my understanding I think I qualify , please get back to me. Transportation is an issue that is why I’m trying to do it all through the cpu.

    Reply

  123. GUS says

    HELLO-
    i need to know how I can sign up to get a cell phone and calling plan. Also, I live in a rural area and want to know how I can get in touch with the right company to get HIGH SPEED INTERNET. Please let me know the two requests. I do receive FOOD ASSISTANCE and Energy Assistance now.
    Thanks

    Reply

  124. Barbara Ragusa says

    I am low income and qualify for a free phone but was denied several times by assurance wireless and can’t figure out why? I live in a small town in Washington and have a physical address but can’t use it because the mail only gets delivered to a post office box. This isn’t my fault so what can I do? I need advice.

    Reply

    • sandy says

      for: Ihab, Michelle, Barbara and others:
      There are several ways to get a phone if you do not have an address:

      1. If you have a food bank near by they may offer free mail service.
      2. Tell your problem to a church pastor and the church address may be used.
      3. Find a friend who does not receive a free phone and use that address.
      4. In some cities, like Seattle, there are locations where you can go and
      apply and pick one up, as well as certain agencies that give them away
      to the homeless on the streets.
      5. Establish a paid mail drop(private mail box) as they are usually set
      up as if they are a residential address.
      6. Research the help line resources at your local city hall to see
      what their directions are on free phones.
      7. IF NONE OF THE ABOVE WORKS FOR YOU, I WOULD TRY THE FOLLOWING (MAYBE
      YOU SHOULD TRY IT SECOND IF CITY HALL HAS NOTHING): write or email
      asking for help to: Connectup@solid-ground.org
      This is a Northwest area help organization which has all the info you
      need to assist you in getting a free government phone.–Good Luck

      Reply

  125. Debbie Sharp says

    I qualify under SSI for a free phone, but because I live in such a small town, we only have a Po Box for an address, which you do not accept, why is that?

    Reply

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      Companies cannot accept PO Box addresses due to the FCC rules that are set. It’s their (flawed) way of complying with the one-phone-per-household rule.

      Reply

  126. Sheila Hurst says

    My adult brother is developmentally disabled ,tho quite independent in several areas. He would need his phone in case of an emegancy.

    Reply

  127. Keenan Rispens says

    Hey, I get food stamps and medical and I’ve been told I don’t qualify for a phone. Please tell me if I qualify or not because I really need a phone.

    Reply

  129. Andrew says

    I have no income at this time. I do receive food stamps from the state. I really need a phone to get back up on my feet.

    Reply

  130. Andrew says

    I Have no income, I have went to welfare and got some food stamps. I do not have a phone and would like to get one.

    Reply

  131. Venus Kyle-Mann says

    need a phone just moved to Seattle, Wa.
    Have no income, went to welfare and got some food stamp
    and got medical.

    Reply

    • Janice Dalessandro says

      I am low income, and I get food stamps and medical. Medical is through Group Health. My yearly SSDI income is $10,404.00. I really need the phone. Please let me know. Janice

      Reply

      • Free Government Cell Phones says

        You definitely qualify for a Lifeline phone in Washington. Give one of the phone providers above a call, or apply on their website.

        Reply

  134. Nadine E. Connolly says

    I am trying to get a new cell phone from the state since I stopped the service a few months ago but have been told that I can’t get one. I am still receiving food stamps for my son so whats up?

    Reply