Do you need a phone to keep in touch with friends and family but you just can’t afford a cellular telephone, even with the cheapest types of pay as you go plans? Then why not apply for free government cell phones? You’ll find that the US government actually provides for phones that you can use under certain circumstances, so long as you qualify for one of the free phone programs. You’re going to find that there are actually plenty of options out there, and you can qualify for a free phone in a few different ways. But you will find that the plans can be a bit more limited, so you can’t expect something like what a standard type of cell phone plan would provide.
You’re going to find with free government cell phones that you end up actually getting them typically because of low income standards as set by your local government. However, that can fluctuate depending upon where you live, as well as what the standards of the local government are. This is a federal program, but how the funds for free government cell phones are used is decided at the state level more than anything else. So be prepared for changes from the federal standards where you live, as they can be subject to change just about anywhere.
1) Determining if you qualify for free government cell phones.
So the first thing that you want to do obviously is figure out if you even qualify for any types of government phone plans. Most typically if you qualify for other government programs like food stamps, disability as well as just if you fall below a certain percentage of the federal poverty line, typically you’re going to qualify. But what you will also find is that anybody in the area of a designated national disaster also qualifies to be able to use an emergency government phone.
2) Investigating whether or not you actually qualify.
But of course, the list of standards is going to be quite a bit more complicated that that, so you have to really look into what makes you qualify or what can restrict you from getting the type of phone that you want. Checking out the Lifeline.gov website is where you want to go so that you can see a bit more about what’s available where you live. This can give you an idea for whether or not you qualify in your state, as well as what you can do to get your phone if you find that you do qualify at the same time.
3) Limitations of the program.
However you’re going to find that even though you are getting access to free government cell phones, there are some pretty severe regulations on how much you can use them. You’re going to find that they are all prepaid phones, so you have to ration out the minutes that you have. This means you want to schedule your calls, or you just want to be sure that you save them up so that they can be used in the event of an emergency. That way, you can be sure that you always have your phone when you really need it, as you don’t want to run out of minutes when you need to make a call.
4) You can also submit applications online or over the phone.
After utilizing the website to find out the local standards in your area, you’re also going to find that here you can learn a bit more about where you can actually get a phone where you live. Usually this is going to point you in the direction of a particular website that you can use to find out more about the program, and that will allow you to apply for Lifeline cell phones right from your own home. This way, you don’t even have to go anywhere and they will send the phone right to your door.
5) Just make sure you don’t abuse the program.
There are a limited number of free government cell phones available, and if you can afford your own phone you should really buy your own, because a lot of people really need the service. Plus it’s the taxpayers that are floating the bill, and that means people just like you are paying for the free government cell phones that everybody uses. So make sure that you only use the minutes you need, and only apply for Lifeline cell phones if you really have to have them.