Mobile phones are now among the essential items everybody should have. It allows you to keep in touch with the rest of the world in various ways, such as voice calling, texting, and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Nowadays, you do not need to walk to a place to deliver a message to a particular person; you need to call or text them via phone to inform them. But how to get free cell phone service without paying?
Phones are expensive, and thus not everyone can afford them. It is rare to get a quality smartphone costing below $100. Since not all people can afford phones, others stay in the dark without having a phone to communicate with their friends and relatives. This article explains how you can get a free phone without parting with money. Usually, families below the poverty line cannot afford quality phones.
One thing you need to note is that people do not just have difficulty accessing quality phones. We have people who find it challenging to access data. For instance, the government introduced the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) through the $14 billion Congress funds to help people affected by Covid’19 access affordable broadband. The eligible subscribers were getting increased allowance on their data plans to support those working or studying from home.
How can I get a free phone without paying
If you are looking for a free phone, then you have come to the right place where you will get the necessary details about where you can get a phone for free. You can get a free phone when you apply for the Lifeline Program.
The Lifeline program is a federal aid program that helps eligible households get free phones and affordable communication plans whereby the eligible people get a free smartphone, text messages, minutes of talk, and GBs of data. The government works with various service providers through the Federal Communication Commission to provide Lifeline services. The select wireless service providers receive funds from the federal government to offer free communication services to underprivileged Americans.
The best part about the program is that it offers a free cell phone with no credit check. Some people call the free phone from Lifeline, the Obama Phone. However, the program has been there for many years, and President Obama only enhanced service delivery through the program. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) started the service around 1985 and has since been reforming to suit the beneficiaries.
How do you qualify for Lifeline
You must qualify for Lifeline to receive the benefits from the government. There are various ways you can qualify for the program. To participate in the Lifeline program, you must either have an income of 135% or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Also, you can qualify if you participate in specific federal assistance programs. These include Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income, Federal Public Housing Assistance, the Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, and specific Tribal Programs.
Suppose you want to know whether you qualify for the benefit. In that case, you can review the details available at lifeline support and click “Do I Qualify?” to get further guidance. Once you qualify, you can then apply for the service. To apply for Lifeline, you must use the National Verifier application system, a centralized system created by the FCC and run by USAC. The system verifies Lifeline your eligibility and also recertifies subscriber eligibility annually.
Suppose you want assistance from a service provider during the application. In that case, you can use the “Companies Near Me” tool to find a Lifeline program service provider in your area. You may also finish your application on the portal and choose your preferred service provider. To curb fraud, the platform requires you to have valid documentation, such as a state agency letter, birth certificate, and tax return papers.
Which companies offer Lifeline services
Numerous Lifeline service companies vary from one state to the other. They include the following.
1) TAG Mobile
Tag Mobile is a leading Lifeline service provider company in the USA, offering free government phones, free minutes, and free texts for low-income households. The company’s headquarters are in Dallas, Texas, in the United States. It offers communication services in 19 states of the United States, and you can apply for the Lifeline service online using your computer or a smartphone. The company provides a free plan with 500 monthly domestic minutes of talk, international calling minutes, unlimited global messaging, and free mobile phones.
As a consumer, you can Bring Your Own Device to use the free services from the company. When bringing your own phone, you can choose a previously owned or purchased phone (as long as it is compatible with the TAG Mobile Network) or an upgraded smartphone from TAG Mobile. TAG Mobile is an MVNO. The carrier operates on Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint Networks. TAG Mobile Lifeline in Colorado uses the T-Mobile network. Above all, you do not need to sign a contract once you join the service.
2) TruConnect.
TruConnect, initially known as TruConnect Mobile, is an American MVNO (virtual network operator) selling mobile hotspots and smartphones. It also sells 3G/4G LTE mobile data plans plus prepaid cell phone talk and text plans on T-mobile’s network. TrueConnect also offers Lifeline services, whereby it offers unlimited talk & text, up to 14 GB monthly data, and free international calling. You can apply for the service online by entering your ZIP code and email and hitting the submit button.
3) Assurance Wireless
Assurance Wireless offers free smartphones, unlimited texts, voice minutes, and data (plus a 10GB mobile hotspot). The high-speed data is slowed after reaching 35GB. You can apply on the platform’s website and receive your free allocation. Assurance Wireless headquarters are in Warren, New Jersey, United States.
4) Safelink Wireless
You can get a free phone with unlimited talk, text, and data. The plan also comes with a 5GB mobile hotspot, slowing its high-speed data after reaching 25GB. Furthermore, Calling Canada and Mexico is free on the platform. You only need to apply for the service, and once you succeed, you get your SIM card, activate the service, and save on your monthly bill since you will get free communication services.
5) Access Wireless
Access Wireless is another reliable service provider you can opt for to get the Lifeline offers. You can get a free cell phone, unlimited voice minutes, texting, plus data. Also, the plan includes an uncapped mobile hotspot so that you can connect to other devices through a WiFi hotspot to stay connected to the world. The high-speed data slows after reaching 15GB.
How else can you get a free phone?
Apart from applying for the Lifeline service, you can also get a free phone from various companies as a welcome token. Numerous telecommunication companies allow you to join them as a new customer and enjoy services for free. For example, T-Mobile gives you a free cell phone via 24 monthly bill credits after switching or activating a new line on a T-Mobile plan.
Mint also has a test plan that includes 250-text messages, 250-talk minutes, and 250MB of high-speed data. The carrier also allows you to make free calls to Canada and Mexico. However, the trial plan is only valid for seven days. After that, the plan expires even if you have not used all your allowance. To apply for the Mint trial plan, you require a valid credit card to prevent you from applying twice since they don’t charge anything from it.
You can also get a free cell phone from your family member. If you are a kid, your parents may be willing to give you a free phone at no cost. Furthermore, they may be willing to count you inside a family plan and include your line at no cost. Various service providers have plans that allow you to include several lines to accommodate other family members.
Where else can you get free plans other than the Lifeline assistance program?
We have various companies that provide free cell phone service. They include the following.
i) FreedomPop
Once you apply for a free plan from the company., you get 500MB of 4G data, 200 minutes of talk-time, and 500 text messages. Such service plans are rare for free as most providers charge high fees on their cell phone plans.
ii) Project Fi by Google
You can get a free plan worth $20 in normal circumstances for unlimited talk & text. You can also get up to $10 per GB for up to 6GB of data. After that, the data is free with bill protection.
iii) CellNuvo
CellNuvo has a basic “Infinite Plan” plan that gives you 2500 credits. An SMS uses one credit, one minute call takes 10 credits, and 1MB of 4G LTE data consumes 10 credits.
Other companies that offer free plans to save on your monthly plan include FreeUP Mobile, Republic Wireless, Twigby, Ting, Consumer Cellular, Page Plus Cellular, and TracFone.
Bottom line
Phones are essential devices that allow you to communicate with the world. Modern phones, usually called smartphones, are not cheap. Therefore, most people find it challenging to acquire them. Nowadays, phones have become essential requirements and are crucial to staying up to date. Apart from free phones, you also require free plans to stay connected. They include minutes, voice call minutes, and data.
