It is unthinkable not to have a mobile in today’s world, where this device has become a basic need. A smartphone is the most consistent way to contact your friends and family. In addition, it’s a method of receiving medical help when necessary. Unfortunately, it may not always be easy for citizens on a budget to afford the costly phone plan that conveys moderate usage. Luckily for you, some providers offer senior citizen cell phone plans free at affordable prices. If that feels too expensive, request your service provider if they give free phones with limited call and text minutes monthly.
The Federal government authorized cell phone providers to give free cell phones to individuals who can’t afford to have one. Even the low-income and a financially deprived person can now own and use a cell phone. If you want a cell phone for senior citizens but you are anxious about the monthly charges, a government-backed program is the most excellent solution to your problem.
If you are looking for methods to get a free cell phone, you came to the right place. This article will take a closer look at various methods that can get you free cell phones without contract. We will detail various ways to enable you to see which of those are applicable for you and how to proceed to attain a free cell phone with no deposit or activation fee.
The best ways to get senior citizen cell phone plans free
There are several ways to get senior citizens cell phone plans free nowadays. Below you can read about the most common methods.
i) Free Cell Phones from Lifeline Assistance
The most ultimate senior Citizen cell phone plans free attaining method is the one offered by the government. These are so-called Obama phones that are provided via the Lifeline Assistance program. Of course, these free phones and free plans are not accessible to everyone.
A household must meet specific requirements to be eligible for Lifeline Assistance. There are two ways to qualify – either based on a low income or participating in a specific government-supported program. Below are additional details regarding eligibility:
1. Qualify based on income: You can receive Lifeline assistance if your income is 135% or below the federal poverty guidelines. The guideline is centered on your household size and state.
2. You can get Lifeline if you or a person in your household participates in one of the following federal assistance programs:
- Supplemental Security Income
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Medicaid
- Tribal Programs:Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Head Start, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Whether you are applying based on low-income or participation, you need to provide sufficient proof and copies of an identity document. When you apply for Lifeline, show proof of income, like three consecutive pay stubs or a tax return. Show a card, letter, or other documents as proof that you participate in one of these programs when applying for Lifeline.
ii) Senior citizen Cell Phone plan free by Switching Phone Carriers
Since Lifeline is not accessible to the general public and many households do not qualify, there must be optional ways to get a free phone. Many carriers offer free cell phones (specific models) to their new clients. So, switching over is the prerequisite for these types of deals.
Most reputable carriers have these types of offers set in place. However, whether there is a contract related to that kind of deal or not is another question. It usually depends on the type of phone that is being offered. For entry-level phone models, contracts are not required; however, if you get the latest Samsung or iPhone as part of that deal, you should expect to be asked to sign a 24-month contract.
10 Best Senior citizen cell phone plans for free
The Senior citizens of the United States are fortunate to find various picks for a free cell phone plan. If you are looking for a free cell phone plan for senior citizens, here are your top picks:
1) SafeLink Wireless cell phone plans for Senior citizens
You will receive free government cell phones for low income, 350 minutes for calls, unlimited texts, and 500MB of data per month with this Lifeline service provider. SafeLink is the innovative Lifeline service provider serving 40 states in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
SafeLink offers two programs for all states except California. One of the programs will need you to bring a SafeLink compatible phone to obtain a free SIM card. The SIM card comes with unlimited texts and 350-minute calls per month and free data for three months. You will additionally get 500MB of mobile data for the following months. The other program is a free phone plan that offers you a free phone with unlimited texts, 350 minutes calls, and 500MB of free data per month.
2) American Assistance cell phone plans
With American Assistance, you will receive 500 voice calls and 500 free texts per month. Also called the American Broadband & Telecommunications, offers just half of its competitors’ call-minute allowance and texts. However, the provider makes up by providing free features, including a free caller ID, 3-way calling, voice mail, and call waiting.
All the above perks are available to subscribers in more than ten states like Colorado and Hawaii. However, American Assistance doesn’t provide free data, which can be unsatisfactory for citizens who need to surf the internet.
3) Assist Wireless cell phone plans
The company operates in states like Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Assist Wireless provides special deals for the non-tribal and tribal locals of Oklahoma. It carries several senior citizen cell phone plans for free.
In addition, Assist Wireless accepts applications for individuals who need free phones. The provider lets the customers bring an old device. This deal offers users $15 credit to their account and free data of up to 1GB. Besides, the provider offers prepaid plans for citizens on a tight budget.
4) Assurance Wireless cell phone plans for Senior citizens
This is one of the best free cell phones for seniors and disabled Lifeline Assistance providers. The company offers an unlimited text with 500MB of data, a free smartphone, and 350-minute calls. All qualified subscribers who are residents of California get unlimited talk and texts together with 500MB of internet access.
Assurance originates from Spring/Nextel and serves forty American states, including Alabama and California. In summary, Assurance Wireless is a network provider with wider national coverages, making its services more accessible to many US residents.
The company plans to add more states, so those not on this list should stay tuned for more updates. In addition, the provider stands out from other Lifeline Assistance providers because it offers a free smartphone and never an old basic phone. If you are not satisfied with the offered 350 minutes for calls, you can request more using the Virgin Mobile Top-Up Cards.
5) Blue Jay Wireless cell phone plans
Blue Jay Wireless will offer you free mobile phones having unlimited texts and 250-500 minutes for calls. The residents of California will receive unlimited calls and texts. Unfortunately, the provider does not offer free data plans. If you want access to the internet, you should pay $26/month for the additional 5GB of data. If you’re from California, you will pay $3.60/month and receive another 500MB of data if you are from other states.
Blue Jay Wireless offers its services to 17 American states, including North Dakota and Oklahoma. It serves Puerto Rico, which is not common in most providers. You can visit the Blue Jay official website for more details.
6) EnTouch Wireless cell phone plans
With EnTouch Wireless, you will receive a free Boomerang or enTouch cell phone with 100 texts and 500 minutes for calls per month. The service provider is now available in 20 states like Hawaii and Arizona. The provider is even expanding so that it can cover more states.
When it comes to free data, the non-tribal residents of California will get 500MB of data per month apart from the unlimited calls and text. Consumers will get 500 minutes, 100 texts, and 100MB of data per month in the other states. The 500MB plan will get 100 talk and text units and 500MB data monthly. For tribal locals not originally from California, enTouch Wireless offers 750MB of data and unlimited texts.
7) Feelsafe Wireless cell phone plans
Feelsafe Wireless offers eligible low-income households free phones for seniors on social security and free monthly phone service. The residents of the nine American states, including Michigan and Ohio, enjoy the services and benefits of Feelsafe Wireless. You can visit their official website for more details and apply for the free services.
8) Infiniti Mobile cell phone plans
If you select the senior citizen cell phone plans free from Infiniti Mobile, you can receive free mobile phones, unlimited text, talk, and 2.5GB of data for only $1/month. You must be in Oklahoma to use and enjoy the services of this Lifeline service provider.
The service has two types of plans. One of the plans is the Oklahoma Lifeline 1000 Plus Plan. The plan gives you 1500 minutes for calls, 1700 texts, and 500MB of data monthly. You will receive the plan for only $1, including taxes and other fees. The other plan is the Oklahoma Lifeline Unlimited Plan having unlimited calls and text and 2.5GB of data every month. You can receive the plan for only $1, including taxes and fees.
9) QLink Wireless cell phone plans
With the Lifeline service provider, you will get a free Qlink wireless upgrade mobile phone with unlimited texts and 500 minutes for calls. You can also get a plan that offers you a chance to roll over the unused minutes every month.
The availability of the deal may depend on the state. You can check if you are eligible for their service by checking your zip code location through the provider’s official website. QLink Wireless currently offers quality services to senior citizens in more than 20 states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, and Nevada.
They will also offer you additional perks by recommending its services to your relatives and friends. The company runs a QLink Bonus Program to receive benefits when you refer the provider. You can earn 100 free extra minutes for each friend you refer. At the same time, you will get a phone from QLink Wireless. You will need to visit Qlink Wireless’s official website to learn more about its services.
10) Access Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
The provider will offer you an Access Wireless compatible device for free with a maximum of 200MB of data, unlimited texts, and up to 750 minutes for calls per month. They offer free government smartphones and cell phone services in more than thirty US states like Florida, California, and Georgia.
If you reside in one of these states and are eligible for the program, you will get a free mobile phone and free minutes for local calls. You can also receive unlimited texts to domestic numbers. If you live in California, you’re fortunate as you will receive free texts, 1,000 minutes for calls, and 200MB of mobile data. You can visit the Access Wireless official website for more details.
Final Words
If you’ve read the article, you now know that senior citizen cell phone plans are free to exist in general since you can get them through an income-based program, which is the program that can get you a free government phone. However, you’ve also learned that seniors can still apply for the Lifeline support along the standard eligibility lines and thus obtain a free phone.
As an option to Lifeline-based free phones, you can obtain senior Citizen cell phone plans free through special deals offered by many wireless carriers.