The Lifeline and Link-Up programs came into being during the Reagan administration. Understanding how important it is for Americans to have home phone access, the Lifeline program assists those who would otherwise have a difficult time affording home phone service. When this program was first enacted, the Lifeline program applied to home landlines only. However, as technology advanced and wireless cell phone's progress, the Lifeline program was extended to apply to free wireless phones.
Free versus Discounted Phone Service
Currently there are three wireless service providers offering free government cell phones along with free airtime. These carriers are ReachOut Wireless, SafeLink Wireless and Assurance Wireless. The three phone carriers are not currently approved in all states, but the list of approved states is constantly changing and growing. Therefore, if free cell phone services are not currently available in your state, check the carrier's website periodically as new states are added to the approved list.
Discounted Phone Service
For residents in states that do not offer free cell phone service, Lifeline provides discounted phone service. The amount of the discount will vary depending upon the state and cell phone service provider.
There are nine states as indicated on Lifeline.gov that only offer the federally mandated discounts as required by the Lifeline program. The nine states are Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The rest of the states offer additional discounts on top of what Lifeline offers. As a result, some states provide deeper discounts than others.
Just for clarification, all states offer a phone discounts through the Lifeline program, but not all states are approved to provide free cell phones as offered by Assurance Wireless, ReachOut Wireless and SafeLink Wireless.
Phone Connection Fees and Charges
Through the sister program Link-Up, qualified individuals can defray some of the cost for installing a new phone line. The Link-Up program can cut as much as 50% of the installation cost and fees associated with it up to a maximum of $30.
Qualifying for Free and/or Discounted Phone Service
As mentioned earlier, the reason for these programs is to help low income individuals or families pay for their telephone service. Therefore, in order to qualify applicants must participate in one of the government assistance programs. The qualifying programs vary from state to state but participants of the following programs are approved in most states:
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
Check with the Public Utilities Commission to see if there are additional programs that qualify.
Applying for Free Phone Service
There is no central application for applying for free phone services. Each phone service provider has its own application. For help in finding the right application, visit the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) website and select the appropriate state.
Once you obtain, complete and submit the application along with the necessary documentation proving that you qualify, it will take several weeks for the application to be reviewed and approved. In the meanwhile, do your best to keep your current phone bills paid and up-to-date.
Caveat to Free/Discount Government Phones
In order to qualify for the free phone, you must have a permanent residence. They will not send the phone to a temporary facility such as a rehab or nursing home nor will they send it to a post office box. Additionally, for those opting to partake of the home phone line discounts, the person whose name appears on the qualified program must be the same person whose name is on the telephone bill.
Felicia A. Williams - Felicia A. Williams is a full time freelance writer with over 20 years of business writing experience.
