Qualified US residents get a free cell phone and up to 250 minutes per month.
If you receive benefits from a government assistance program like food stamps or Section 8 housing,
you are qualified for free government cell phone service.
Free goverment cell phone service is provided by the Federal benefit program called Lifeline.
Check to see if you qualify for Lifeline.
With the Lifeline subsidy, you get a cell phone and 100 - 250
wireless service minutes every month
depending on your state. You can make local and long distance calls, send
text and receive text messages, and
access voicemail.
We currently provide free government cell phone service to
Arizona,
Arkansas,
Colorado,
Louisiana,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Kentucky,
Maine,
Maryland,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
Nevada,
Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
Texas,
Washington,
West Virginia,
and Wisconsin residents only but soon
will expand to other states.
We won't be billing you because the service is free*. There is no contract! Your minutes renew automatically each month! Need more than the plan minutes? You can purchase more minutes at our low rates.
The service, which is sometimes referred to as the "Obama Phone", gives qualified households a monthly subsidy towards their communications expense. This subsidy can be used toward a home phone or mobile phone service, but not both. The amount of the subsidy can vary slightly among the different states but is $9.25 on average. With this money, you receive minutes of cellular usage. The number of minutes depends on the amount of subsidy available in your state and to cost of wireless in that area.
* Oklahoma residents will be billed $1 per month for the 1000 minute plan.
Just fill out the simple application form and submit it with any required proof of income or program participation, and your phone will be sent to you right away!
You'll never receive a bill!*
The Lifeline program has been available to home phone (wire line) service since the 1980's but was made available to wireless service in the late 90's under the Bush presidency.
* Oklahoma residents will be billed $1 per month for the Unlimited plan.