In California, it is estimated that around 5 million people live below the poverty level. These people lack access to many things like shelter food education and in the long run, it affects they are living standards and those of their generations. The government tries to help such people by providing benefit programs like food stamps Medicaid and other services to ensure that their needs are met. The government has also partnered with free cell phone service providers who issue free phones and plans based on merit to such people. If you live in California, you may be wondering how to get free phones for seniors in California and luckily this article has all the insights you need to get started.
seniors play an important role in our society since they are people with experience and they have also brought in generations of young people. Despite seniors being people of high status some of them live below poverty lines and one thing they lack most is access to a phone. The free government cell phones for seniors give them a chance to get a free phone and plan which ensures they can communicate with their friends and family and do other activities through the Internet which enhances their literacy in the current digital era.
The service providers designated to offer these free phones ensure that seniors get access to a smartphone or a keypad phone depending on their level of literacy when it comes to technology. This article aims to talk about what are the qualifications needed for you to get a free phone in California. Will also cover a complete guide on how to get a free phone in California, how you can switch service providers, and whether you can get free phone plans.
Who qualifies for free phones in California?
For you to get a free phone for seniors, Certain eligibility terms must be met. The eligibility terms are based on.
a) Income
for income, it should be 135% below the federal poverty income level. If your income ranges around this area you will also be required to submit tax documents as proof of income payslips to your chosen free cell phone service provider.
b) Participation in federal assistant programs
the government offers several assistance programs for people of low income or of poor living standards these programs aid them with services like shelter food education and health. if you have participated in any of these programs will be required to carry your certificate of participation or submitted it during the application process to be approved. The programs include:
- Veterans Pension and Survivor’s benefit
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Veterans Pension and Survivor’s benefit
- Food Distribution Program on Indian reservations
- Tribal Head Start- For households that meet income-qualifying standards
c) Disabilities
If you are a disabled senior, you can easily qualify for a free cell phone from the government. However, during the submission process, you may be required to attach images to show your disability or any certificate of disability programs you have benefited from. The service provider may also be in touch for any other inquiries related to your case.
How to get a free phone in California: a complete guide
Here is a complete guide on how you can get a free phone in California:
Step 1: Choose a service provider
Before you start any application process you are required to choose a free cell phone service provider. In California, there are more than 30 reliable service providers to choose from. You can choose a service provider based on the amount of talk text in data units offered, quality of phones offered, network coverage, customer support, community support, and any other relevant information to filter out the service providers.
Step 2: Check if you qualify
Once you have found the right service provider you will need to check if you meet the eligibility terms. Early in the article, we talked of the eligibility terms based on income, disability, and participation in federal assistance programs.
If the service provider offers an application process in which your eligibility terms are available then you can apply to that service provider. The eligibility terms may shift from time to time so ensure to check the service providers FAQ section to stay updated.
Step 3: Start Application
You may start the application process by visiting the service provider’s website and creating an account. The next step will be to fill in the application form where you will be required to give information about your address, the eligibility term used, and any other relevant information. Each service provider has a different application form, but they all tend to have some similarities.
Will also be required to attach certificates to show that you are eligible for the program. The certificates can be scanned or take a good quality picture and attach to the application.
You also have the choice to apply via mail and this will require you to download the application form, feel it and send it to the service provider’s mail. Ensure to also attach the documents that prove you meet the eligibility terms.
Step 4: Approval
once you submit your application, it will take 2-3 business days to get approval from the service provider. If you’re approved the free phone for seniors will be shipped to your mail or you can collect it at the service provider’s physical store. However, if you are not approved it may be due to an error committed during the application process or you do not meet the eligibility requirements.
Step 5: Activation
The device can be activated via the service provider’s website upon completing the whole process. You can also contact the service provider’s customer support to get assistance.
How to switch to a free phone provider?
If you are currently using a paid cell phone plan, you can switch to a free cell phone service provider and get a free phone plan for seniors. The process to switch is somehow similar is the one for applying for free government phones for seniors. However, the only difference may come about if you wish to bring your cell phone number to the network or to bring your old device.
To bring your own cell phone number and she was at your service with the previous provider is not deactivated otherwise you will lose your number. From there feel free to contact them and inform them that you wish to put your number. They will get you through the whole process and one or two businesses please the putting process will be complete.
Which are the best free phone providers in California?
In California, there are many free phone providers for seniors. However, before you choose the right one here are some things to consider:
i) Network coverage
The service provider should offer nationwide coverage via a standard service provider. you can check on each service provider’s network coverage by doing their FAQ pages or checking the network coverage offered by their standard service providers.
ii) Customer support
choose a cell phone provider with reliable customer support via various channels. Ensure that you can contact them via online chat, social media pages, emails, and telephone. They should also have a physical store in which you can visit to get the device or simply for inquiries.
iii) Quality of devices
ensure the service provider of us high-quality devices. You can evaluate this by reading reviews about the company or simply asking friends or family who have benefited from the program. If it is a refurbished phone, ensure it’s of high quality.
Some of the best service providers include the following:
Assurance Wireless, American Assistance, Assist Wireless Syntax Wireless, Entouch Wireless, Feel Safe Wireless, GCI, Life Wireless, Qlink Wireless, Safelink Wireless, Tag Mobile, Terracom Wireless, Through Alice, TruConnect, and StandUp Wireless.
To get started you can choose to visit the website of your service provider and see if you can apply for a free phone for seniors depending on the fact as we mentioned earlier.
Bottom line
From this article, we have covered all the information required by seniors to get a free phone. I hope the step-by-step guides will go a long way towards getting seniors through the application process. This process may differ with each service provider but if you meet the standard eligibility terms you can easily navigate your way through the process.
Most phones offered for free are of high quality and if you find any technical issue you can always return it to the service provider and get a free cell phone replacement. So, to get started, first choose a service provider you consider the best in California and follow through with the application process.
