Many people say that Lifeline Assistance is one of the most successful government programs ever.
So it’s not surprising that so many people are signing up all across the country. Estimates
range from 12 – 15 million Americans who already have a free cell phone. Those are people who
now have a phone to help them find work, to keep in contact with their families, and to have for
all the various things that require communications these days.
There are dozens of regional and national companies that are approved in each state who
specialize in providing you with these free phones and service, compliments of the
government’s Lifeline Assistance program. At this point, 49 states, plus Washington, D.C.
and Puerto Rico are participating. Nearly all these states have several companies to choose
from, some with more than a dozen.
Step One: The first thing to do is find out who provides the phones in your state, and
that state’s specific eligibility requirements. To find out, go to this page: http://www.lifelinesupport.org/ls/companies/companies.aspx". Then,
click on your state. The resulting page will list the mobile phone companies who will be
able to provide you with your cell phone and service.
Step Two: Find out more about each of the participating companies by clicking on the links
you’ll find on your state page. On each of these resulting provider pages, you’ll find
comprehensive information on their specific availability, their plans, and on how to contact
them. We cannot stress enough that you should review every provider we list on your state
page. While the federal Lifeline program provides parameters the companies must follow,
plans and phone choices often vary substantially between providers. You owe it to yourself
to look at them all.
Step Two: Find out more about each of the participating companies by clicking on the
links you’ll find on your state page. On each of these resulting provider pages, you’ll find
comprehensive information on their specific availability, their plans, and on how to contact
them. We cannot stress enough that you should review every provider we list on your state
page. While the federal Lifeline program provides parameters the companies must follow,
plans and phone choices often vary substantially between providers. You owe it to yourself
to look at them all.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices of providers, go to each company’s website and take a
look at the phones and programs they have to offer. Or give them a call and talk to them.
You’ll be with this company for a minimum of one year, so choose the one that best meets
your needs.
Step Three: Once you’ve determined which company is right for you, enroll either by
phone or on the company’s website. It’s probably best to enroll online if you can, so you
won’t have to spend time waiting for an available operator. Enrolling online most often
allows you to easily upload any documentation they might require. By the way, if you qualify
via the government program participation method rather than by your income level (most
people do), be sure to select that method income qualification requires more documentation
to gather up and send. Eligibility by program participation is a breeze.
Once enrolled, you now just have to wait for your phone to arrive in the mail. We hear that
delivery times vary quite a bit between the different Lifeline cell phone companies, from a
week to several weeks. So please be patient.