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Have you heard that you could receive a free phone from the government? It’s absolutely true, and if you’re wondering how, you can learn more by keep reading this post. We will review everything you should know about the Free Government Phone Program.

What Is A Free Government Phone?

A free government phone is given as one of the benefits for qualifying individuals who participate in the Lifeline program. That means if you have everything it takes to get service discount from the government, you may also get a cost-free phone from the provider that connects you with the federal initiative.

The Lifeline Program’s goal is to ensure that all Americans have affordable access to communication services as they are necessary for employment, education, and other aspects of daily life. This program is funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide eligible low-income people with discounted phone plan, free internet connection, and more.

Previously, another campaign called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) functioned simultaneously alongside Lifeline and also offered a similar service. However, the program winded down due to a lack of additional funding from Congress.

Lifeline currently remains as the only program that offers free phone and tablet service.

Who Can Qualify For A Free Government Phone?

For those who have not known, depending on the service provider you choose to apply for the program through, you may **get **a free smartphone beside all the free wireless phone services like free data, unlimited texting, and free monthly minutes.

And before getting started, it’s important to check whether you are under any of these categories.

Low-income individuals may receive free government phone

Individuals can qualify for the Lifeline Program by participating in one of the following federal benefit programs:

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
  • Medicaid
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
  • Veterans Pension and Survivor’s Benefit
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
  • Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
  • Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

In addition, if you are trying to qualify for the Lifeline Program based on your income, it must be at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

For example, if you and your spouse live in Hawaii and have six kids, your household income must be less than $48,210 per year to qualify for a free phone.

Do note that Lifeline benefits are limited to one person per household and cannot be combined with any other Lifeline offer. In case you haven’t known, for the purposes of the Lifeline program, a household is any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses.

How To Apply and Get Free Phone from Government

So, how does the free government phone work? In fact, the Government doesn’t directly provide a free cell phone service as part of the Lifeline programs. Free phones are provided by the service providers who offer Lifeline to qualifying individuals.

In other words, instead of receiving this benefit directly from the US Government, you will get a free phone through the Government Benefit Service Provider if you qualify.

Each provider will offer different benefits, depending on which provider you choose.

The first steps of the process are:

  • If you qualify, you will have 90 days to choose a participating phone or internet company and sign up for qualifying service. You can search for participating service providers by visiting the Companies Near Me Tool.
  • If you have a preferred service provider that joins the Lifeline program, you can also apply directly with that service provider.

Where can i get a free government phone today? Scroll to find out!

How to get a free government phone today? Let’s wait no further and follow these simple steps:

#1. Confirm your eligibility

To qualify for the Lifeline, first, you must make sure you check all the boxes in the list of eligibility. Just imagine it is a checkpoint where you display your **participation in certain federal assistance programs **or your income.

Individuals who qualify this section are those who are already getting benefits from the below programs:

  • Medicaid
  • Federal Public Housing (Section 8)
  • SNAP
  • SSI
  • Veterans Pension

New applicants must provide their proof of participation in these programs. Sometimes, the requirements may request documents covering the past year. However, if you have more recent proof, such as pay stubs, you can provide three months’ worth from the last twelve months instead.

If you are clueless about how to submit the documents, don’t worry because our system has clear instructions to guide you through this.

Income-wise, your household’s total income should be **at or below 135% of the **Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Whether it is income or program participation, you always have the chance to be eligible for some bill-reducing welfare from Lifeline.

#2: Find the best provider

The next step is to opt for the best provider who will give your desired phone. The carrier pool is quite vast, but the important thing is to find one near your location and offer the device type you want.

You may make some comparisons by making calls, reading customer reviews, or self-searching for the plans each provider has up for grabs.

***»> Also read: ***How to Choose the Best Free Phone Service Providers: A 2024 Guide

#3: Complete the application process

  • Step 3: Select the new device that you wish to get.
  • For those who want to keep their current device and only get free monthly mobile data and unlimited text from the program, you can select the Bring Your Own Device section. Please note that in this case, you need to check if it’s compatible with the provider’s network.
  • Step 4: Read and verify if you accept the terms and conditions before continuing.
  • Step 5: Simply enter the required details, such as your name, date of birth, social security number, phone number, etc., and upload clear copies of your supporting documents.

After submitting online, you just need to wait for National Verifier’s virtual thumbs up. All you need to make the process seamless is to make sure every document and information uploaded is accurate.

#4: Activation and setup

The shipping time will range from 7-10 days after you receive the news of getting a new phone.

To activate and set up your free government phone, you need to ensure the phone is charged. After that, typically you will insert the SIM card offered by the Lifeline provider, or activate the eSIM, to connect to their phone service.

#5: Contact Customer Support when needed

Even the most tech-savvy people can hit some bumps as they navigate a new phone.

Free Government Phone and Tablet Combo

In fact, you are also just one click away from getting a bundle of a phone and a tablet or a laptop.

You can take a look at some of our exclusive phone and tablet combo here.

Are Government Phones Really Free?

FAQs About Free Phone By Government

Does the US government give free cell phones?

The US government designed the Lifeline Assistance program to help those who are financially struggling. This government-funded program gives its qualified participants free phones, free tablets, and discounted phone plans to help them overcome digital divide in the modern days.

What is the best free phone government program?

The best free government phone program right now is the Lifeline Program. The most widely known free phone by government program used to consist of the Lifeline Program and Affordable Connectivity Program. However, ACP has been winded down since June 1, 2024, due to a lack of funding.

Can you get both Lifeline and ACP?

Participants could previously qualify for both ACP and Lifeline. Both benefits could be applied to the same qualifying service or separately with the same or different providers.

However, after the winding down of ACP in mid 2024, some policies have changed for those who still want to have a free phone from the government.

How many free government phones can one family get?

Each household can only get one government phone for free. As aforementioned, a household means any group of people that live together and share expenses, money, etc.

Who has the best free government phone iPhone?

Depending on each area, the available iPhones will vary.

Some iPhones you can look into are:

  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone SE
  • iPhone SE 2, etc.