Is It Possible to Get a Free Cell Phone Service With Life Unlimited Everything?
‘Free cell phone service for life with unlimited everything’ is the trendiest catchphrase in the world of telecommunication services. Nowadays, many providers seem to offer just that. But do they really offer free plans with unlimited talk, text, and data for the entire lifetime?
Unfortunately, the answer is ‘not quite’. ‘Unlimited’, ‘free’, and ‘for life’ are carefully constructed phrases designed to entice a consumer to subscribe to a service and thus pay a provider certain expenses – either some initial upfront costs, activation fees, additional minutes, texts, and data, or other expenses. If a provider would actually offer you cell phone service completely free of charge with unlimited everything and do so for life, it wouldn’t be able to earn any money whatsoever, which simply doesn’t make sense or add up, does it?
However, if you only leave out the ‘for life’ part of the catchy phrase, things get more realistic. Indeed, some commercial wireless providers offer unlimited free services for a limited amount of time as part of their promotion. Afterward, however, the provider will charge you a fee for their services.
In addition, there is another great way to receive free cell phone service and perhaps even a free phone for low-income people – via Lifeline assistance. Lifeline is a government-supported assistance program through which some wireless providers are funded to offer eligible low-income clients free monthly service and in certain cases also a free government phone. Many of the free Lifeline plans offer unlimited talk minutes and texts, however, they generally do not offer unlimited data, but a limited amount of monthly data instead.
As such, Lifeline is a great option. Nevertheless, Lifeline assistance is only available to certain low-income households or those who participate in another government assistance program. Moreover, even Lifeline assistance is never for life. In fact, you can only get Lifeline benefits for one year and after each year, you have to re-enroll, which gives the provider the opportunity to make sure that you still qualify for the program.
Why Do Phone Companies Offer Free Phones and Life Unlimited Everything Services?
As mentioned above, there are no service providers that offer free cell phone service for life with unlimited everything. However, there are:
- Commercial telecommunication providers that offer unlimited free services for a limited amount of time as a part of a promotion. They sometimes also offer free phones as a part of a promotion.
- Government-supported Lifeline assistance providers that offer eligible low-income people free cell phone service with unlimited talk and text (and a limited amount of monthly data) for one year at a time. Some Lifeline providers also offer free phones to eligible low-income customers.
Now, you may wonder why any of these providers offer free cell phone service and free phones. Commercial and Lifeline providers do so for very different reasons.
Commercial wireless providers offer free phone service and cell phones as a part of a promotion that attracts clients to subscribe to their services. While these promotions may start off free of charge (although often the customer must pay an activation fee, taxes, and perhaps trade in an old eligible cell phone), the promotion period only lasts for a while. Afterward, the customer must pay for their (often rather pricey) services.
Lifeline providers, on the other hand, offer free services and cell phones through the financial aid of the government, which wants to make sure that every U.S. citizen, even the poorest ones, has a phone and cell phone service. Why? Well, because nowadays having a phone and phone service is a necessity, rather than a luxury. Nowadays, we all rely on phones to get and maintain jobs, for education, to contact medical and emergency services, to pay the bills, and to stay in touch with our loved ones.
How to Get Free Cell Phone Service From The Government
Currently, there are two ways to get free cell phone service from the government – through the permanent Lifeline assistance program and the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit program, which was designed in response to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency.
In this chapter, we will take a closer look at these two programs and the providers.
Lifeline Process
Have you ever heard of the so-called ‘Obamaphone’ program? Well, that’s a popular, yet incorrect nickname for the Lifeline program.
Why is it incorrect? Well, because the program started way before Obama became president (although Obama did expand the program). Lifeline has its roots in the 1930s when the government recognized the need for universal phone service and it has been established as a program in 1985.
Lifeline is a federal program designed to help make communication services more affordable for low-income consumers. The program supports certain cell phone service providers (Lifeline providers) by funding their services and sometimes phones, which they can offer to eligible low-income people. Lifeline providers offer subscribers a discount on qualifying monthly telephone service, broadband internet service, or bundled voice-broadband packages. The program is designed to make sure that low-income people can afford telephone and broadband services and that they can contact their jobs, educational resources, healthcare, and more.
Only one Lifeline discount is available per household and the benefit is non-transferable. You can either use the benefit to receive a discount on your home phone service, cell phone service, or high-speed broadband internet service. You can, however, transfer your benefit between providers.
In addition, only Lifeline-eligible people can get this benefit. Lifeline is available to eligible low-income consumers in every state, commonwealth, territory, and on Tribal lands. A household is Lifeline-eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:
Income-based eligibility
You can get Lifeline if your annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. The guideline is based on your household size and state.
When you apply, you may have to provide proof of income, such as a tax return or three consecutive pays stubs to prove your income-based eligibility.
Government assistance program-based eligibility
You can get Lifeline if you or any of your household members participate in one of the following federal assistance programs:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
If you live on Tribal lands, you can get Lifeline if your household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines or if you or any of your household members participate in one of the following Tribal assistance programs:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Head Start (only households meeting the income qualifying standard)
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Any of the federal assistance programs listed above
When you apply, you may have to show proof of participation, such as a benefit letter to prove your program-based eligibility.
You can also get Lifeline if your child or dependent participates in any of the programs listed above.
To apply, you must find a Lifeline provider that offers its services in your state of residence and apply for the Lifeline benefit by filling out an application form on their official website. While doing so, you will be required to provide some personal information and perhaps some documentation that proves your Lifeline eligibility.
Emergency Broadband Benefit Process
Unlike Lifeline, the Emergency Broadband Benefit or EBB is a temporary government assistance program by the FCC designed to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on Tribal lands. An eligible customer may (depending on the provider) also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to buy a desktop computer, a laptop, or a tablet from a participating provider under the condition that they pay a co-pay of more than $10 and less than $50.
As the program was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is temporary and will end once the program funds are exhausted or 6 months after the end of the pandemic has been declared by the Department of Health and Human Services – whichever comes sooner.
The EBB is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per eligible household.
In addition, only EBB-eligible people can qualify for the Emergency Broadband Benefit. A household is EBB-eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:
Income-based eligibility
You can get EBB if your annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. The guideline is based on your household size and state.
When you apply, you may have to provide proof of income, such as a tax return or three consecutive pays stubs to prove your income-based eligibility.
Government assistance program-based eligibility
You can get EBB if you or any of your household members participate in a federal assistance program, such as:
- Lifeline
- Medicaid
- SNAP, etc.
You may also get the EBB discount if you or any of your family members:
- Were approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year.
- Have received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
When you apply, you may have to show proof of participation, such as a benefit letter to prove your program-based eligibility.
Loss of income-based eligibility
You can get the EBB if you have experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020, and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers.
To apply, you must find an EBB provider that offers its services in your state of residence and apply for the EBB benefit by filling out an application form on their official website. While doing so, you will be required to provide some personal information and perhaps some documentation that proves your EBB eligibility.
Best Lifeline and EBB Providers for Free Cell Phone Service
Access Wireless
Access Wireless is one of the largest and most popular Lifeline providers in the country. The company offers both Lifeline and Emergency Broadband Benefits. They provide mobile phone service to income-eligible customers.
Through their Lifeline program, they offer:
- 250 monthly talk minutes (California residents get unlimited minutes)
- Free unlimited texts
- 3GB of monthly data
Through their EBB program, they offer:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- 25GB of high-speed data
- Hotspot data
They offer the Lifeline program in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at accesswireless.com/lifeline/Availability.
Assist Wireless
Assist Wireless offers both Lifeline and EBB discounts to eligible customers.
Through their Lifeline and EBB program and for a limited time only, Assist Wireless offers:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- Free unlimited data
- A free 5.5-inch phone (depending on availability)
They offer government assistance in Arkansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at assistwireless.com/lifeline-plans.
Assurance Wireless
Assurance Wireless combines their Lifeline program with the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit to provide eligible customers with:
- Free unlimited minutes
- Free unlimited texts
- Free unlimited data
- Free 10 GB monthly hotspot data
- A free Android smartphone (depending on availability)
This provider offers its benefits in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at assurancewireless.com.
Cintex Wireless
Cintex Wireless is a proud Lifeline and EBB provider. Through their combined Lifeline and EBB program you can apply for:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- Free unlimited data
- A 4G LTE/5G free smartphone (depending on availability you may get an Apple iPhone 6s, a Samsung Galaxy S7, or another similar device)
They offer their services in Arkansas, Maine, Maryland, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at cintexwireless.com.
enTouch Wireless
enTouch Wireless offers both Lifeline and EBB programs and through these programs, they offer free plans and free phones to eligible low-income customers. The provider offers:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- Free unlimited data (limited time only)
- A free Android smartphone from a reputable brand (depending on availability)
The provider offers free service and cell phones in 34 states – Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at entouch wireless free phone.
FeelSafe Wireless
FeelSafe Wireless offers both Lifeline and EBB benefits. They offer eligible customers both free government-assisted cell phones and free monthly phone service. When their EBB program ends, you will revert to receiving their standard free Lifeline plan (which includes free monthly service and a free cell phone), however, while the EBB program lasts, eligible customers may receive:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- Free unlimited MMS
- Free unlimited data (22GB at 3G and 4G speeds, remainder at reduced speed)
They offer their services in California, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at feelsafewireless.com.
Life Wireless
Life Wireless is a free cell phone and service provider that offers both a Lifeline and EBB discount. Eligible customers may receive:
- Free monthly cell phone service (plans vary by state)
- Free smartphone
The Life Wireless EBB plan includes:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- 30 GB of 4G/LTE data
Life Wireless offers its benefits in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at lifewireless.com.
Q Link Wireless
Q Link Wireless is a Lifeline provider, which also offers temporary EBB discounts. Through their government benefit program you can get:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- Free unlimited data
- Access to 10 million free Wi-Fi locations
- A free new tablet (instead of a smartphone)
This provider serves in the states of Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at qlink wireless free phone
SafeLink Wireless
SafeLink Wireless is a service provider owned by TracFone. The provider offers both a permanent Lifeline program, as well as a temporary EBB benefit. Eligible customers may apply for:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- Free unlimited data
- International Calling
- 10GB hotspot
- A free smartphone
They provide services to customers from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at safelinkwireless.com/Enrollment/Safelink/en/Web/www/default/index.html#!/newHome.
StandUp Wireless
StandUp Wireless is a popular Lifeline and EBB provider. Through a combined Lifeline and EBB program, customers may receive free monthly wireless service with:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- 10GB of data
- A free smartphone.
Through their EBB program, customers may also receive a one-time discount on a new tablet.
StandUp Wireless provides its benefits in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at standup wireless free phone
TruConnect
TruConnect is a Lifeline and EBB provider that offers eligible clients who sign up for free wireless internet service, as well as a free device. By signing up you can get:
- Free unlimited talk
- Free unlimited text
- 14GB of monthly data
- Free international calling to select countries
- A free Android phone or Wi-Fi hotspot
The provider serves Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at truconnect.com.
True Wireless
True Wireless is a lesser-known Lifeline provider. The provider offers free or discounted cell phone service with their Lifeline program to qualifying low-income families. The plans vary by state. For example, in Oklahoma, you can get:
- 1000 talk minutes
- 1000 texts
- 4.5GB data
In addition, True Wireless may sometimes also provide a free or discounted government smartphone from a reputable brand, but this offer depends on state and availability.
True Wireless is a smaller five-state provider that offers its services in Arkansas, Maryland, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Texas.
Check out their assistance program and apply for the benefits at gotruewireless.com or True Wireless free phone
How to Get Free Cell Phone Service From Nationwide Providers
The following companies offer free cell phone service nationwide, or at least in several U.S. states.
Access Wireless
Access Wireless offers free cell phone service with unlimited talk, text, data (25GB high-speed), and hotspot data through their Lifeline and EBB program. To get it, you must be Lifeline-eligible. Apply for the free service at accesswireless.com/lifeline or check out more info Access Wireless free phone
American Assistance
American Assistance is a Lifeline provider that provides Lifeline-eligible customers with a free smartphone and a free monthly plan with unlimited talk, text, and data. Customers can get these benefits through the provider’s Lifeline program. Apply for the benefits at americanassistance.com.
Assurance Wireless
Assurance Wireless offers both free phones and monthly services to low-income customers through their Lifeline program. They provide free unlimited minutes, texts, data, 10 GB monthly hotspot data, and a free Android smartphone. Learn more about Assurance Wireless free phone and apply at assurancewireless.com.
FeelSafe Wireless
This is another Lifeline provider that offers free unlimited talk, text, MMS, and data (22GB at 3G and 4G speeds, remainder at reduced speed) through their EBB program. Through their Lifeline program, on the other hand, eligible customers may receive a more basic monthly service with a free cell phone. You can apply at feelsafewireless.com.
Infiniti Mobile
By combining the Emergency Broadband Program with the Lifeline assistance program, Infiniti Mobile offers truly free unlimited mobile and broadband service. With it, you can get free unlimited talk, text, and data. Apply at infinitimobile.com.
Life Wireless
At Life Wireless, Lifeline-eligible customers can receive free monthly cell phone service (plans vary by state) and a free smartphone. The Life Wireless EBB plan includes free unlimited talk, text, and 30 GB of 4G/LTE data. Apply at lifewireless.com.
Q Link Wireless
To get free cell phone service through Q Link Wireless, you must be Lifeline-eligible. Their free Lifeline plans include free unlimited talk, text, data, access to 10 million free Wi-Fi locations, and a free new tablet (instead of a smartphone). Enroll to get their free government cell phone service at qlinkwireless.com.
SafeLink Wireless
This is a Lifeline provider by TracFone that offers free unlimited talk, text, data, international calling, 10GB of hotspot, and a free smartphone. Only Lifeline-eligible customers may get the free phone service and device. You can apply at safelinkwireless.com/Enrollment/Safelink/en/Web/www/default/index.html#!/newHome.
SafetyNet Wireless
This Lifeline provider offers free monthly plans with free talk, text, and data (the amount and cost of data vary by state), as well as a free mobile device. However, only Lifeline-eligible customers may receive these benefits. You can learn more and apply at safetynetwireless.com.
Sprint
This large carrier that is now owned by T-Mobile offers a free third line. To get this free cell phone service, however, you must already have and pay for two lines, which means that it is a promotional deal. Learn more at sprint.com/en/landings/free-line-on-us.html.
StandUp Wireless
StandUp Wireless is another Lifeline and EBB provider. At StandUp, eligible customers may receive free unlimited talk, text, 10GB of data, and a free smartphone through their Lifeline program. Through their EBB program, qualifying clients may also get a discount on a tablet. Get the free cell phone service at standupwireless.com.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile offers discounted cell phone services for people in need through their Lifeline program. The provider offers discounts on its generally available consumer rate plans, particularly its Basic Rate Plan that includes unlimited talk and text for $20. Read more T-Mobile Lifeline government discounts and enroll at t-mobile.com/offers/lifeline-program. T-Mobile also offers affordable plans for first responders, military, veterans, and senior citizens.
TAG Mobile
Tag Mobile is a Lifeline provider that offers free cell phone service to Lifeline-eligible customers in 19 U.S. states. The plans vary between states, however, in California, for example, you can get unlimited monthly talk and text, and 8GB of free LTE data. Learn more and apply at tagmobile.com.
Tempo Wireless
Tempo is also a Lifeline provider that offers free cell phone service through its Lifeline program. Their basic free Lifeline plan comes with unlimited monthly minutes and texts, as well as 4.5GB of data. However, by paying an extra fee, you can purchase additional minutes and data. Lifeline-eligible customers can apply at mytempo.com/lifeline-wireless.
TerraCom Wireless
TerraCom Wireless is a Lifeline provider that offers free cell phone service in various U.S. states. Their Lifeline plans depend on the state of your residence. To see how much talk, text, and data you may expect to receive according to your state, visit terracomwireless.com/lifeline-free-plans.php.
TruConnect
TruConnect offers free cell phone service through their Lifeline program. The service comes with free unlimited talk, text, 14GB of monthly data, international calling to select countries, and a free Android phone or Wi-Fi hotspot. Enroll for the Lifeline benefit at truconnect.com.
In addition to these nationwide cell phone service providers that offer free plans, there are also some commercial providers that offer affordable (but not free) cell phone service, including:
- FreedomPop (cheapest plans start at $2.99 – first month only)
- Tello (cheapest plans start at $10 a month)
- Republic Wireless (cheapest plans start at $15 a month)
- Virgin Mobile (cheapest plans start at $15 a month)
- Airvoice Wireless (cheapest plans start at $20 a month, $18 with autopay)
- Mint Mobile (cheapest plans start at $20 a month)
- Lyca Mobile (cheapest plans start at $35 a month)
How to Get Free Cell Phone Service From State Providers
Depending on your state of residence, you may receive a free cell phone service from one of the following state providers.
Alabama: In addition to nationwide providers, Alabama residents can also get a discounted or free cell phone service from several state providers, including CSpire, Pine Belt Communications, Southern Linc, and TWire. The discounts are only available for Lifeline or EBB-eligible customers.
Alaska: In Alaska, low-income people have various state options. They can get a discount on their cell phone service from Copper Valley Telecom, Cordova Telecom Cooperative, GCI, and TelAlaska (all Lifeline providers).
Arizona: CellularOne provides a free smartphone and a Lifeline cellular plan, while Choice Wireless offers standard and tribal Lifeline plans.
Arkansas: Low-income Arkansas residents may get a discount on cell phone service at Easy and True Wireless.
Colorado: In the state of Colorado, Lifeline-eligible households can get a discounted or free cell phone service from Choice Wireless and Viaero Wireless.
Georgia: Southern Linc provides a discounted Lifeline plan in Georgia.
Hawaii: In Hawaii, Sandwich Isles Communications Inc. offers a Lifeline program.
Idaho: In Idaho, Inland Cellular offers a discount on cell phone service for Lifeline-eligible Idaho residents.
Illinois: IV Cellular has a Lifeline program in the state of Illinois.
Kentucky: Bluegrass Wireless offers discounts on monthly cell phone service in Kentucky.
Louisiana: Louisiana residents can get a Lifeline benefit at New Phone Wireless, which offers free service and phones.
Maryland: True Wireless has a Lifeline program in Maryland.
Michigan: ThumbCellular offers a Lifeline discount for Michigan residents.
Mississippi: In Mississippi, CSpire and Southern Linc offer a Lifeline program.
Missouri: Northwest Missouri Cellular has a Lifeline discount for qualifying customers.
Nebraska: Viaero Wireless offers a Lifeline program in Nebraska.
Nevada: In Nevada, Choice Wireless provides both standard and tribal Lifeline plans.
New Mexico: Choice Wireless offers Lifeline plans in New Mexico.
North Dakota: Lifeline clients in North Dakota can get a discount from Red Rock Telecom.
Oklahoma: In Oklahoma, there are two state Lifeline providers – Panhandle Telecommunications Systems and Pine Cellular.
South Dakota: Lifeline customers can get a discount at Red Rock Telecom.
Texas: In Texas, Lifeline members can get a discount at Panhandle Telecommunications Systems and West Central Wireless.
Utah: Choice Wireless offers Lifeline plans in Utah.
Washington: Here, Lifeline members can get a discount at Inland Cellular.
Wisconsin: Cellcom offers a Lifeline discount for Wisconsin residents.
Wyoming: In Wyoming, Union Wireless offers a discount for Lifeline members.
Can I Get Free Cell Phones From Websites
In addition to free cell phone service for life unlimited everything, the government-funded and commercial nationwide and state providers listed in previous sections also often offer free cell phones. They either offer government-supported smartphones for low-income (Lifeline or EBB-eligible) people or promotional free phones in exchange for switching to their services, for adding a new line, for subscribing to a more expensive plan, or for trading in an old eligible device. As such, nowadays, there are plenty of ways to get a free cell phone.
Moreover, there is another way to get a free cell phone – that is by signing up to one of the following websites:
- Craiglist
- Buy Nothing Groups
- OfferUp
- NextDoor
Most of these are platforms, where people can buy and sell items. Most users expect subscribers to pay for their used phones, however, sometimes it is possible to get a used phone completely free of charge.
What Are The Advantages of Free Cell Phone Service for Life Unlimited Everything?
As we have mentioned before, the phrase ‘free cell phone service for life unlimited everything’ is mostly an unrealistic catchphrase designed to attract customers without actually delivering what is mentioned in the phrase. However, there are similar contracts and deals, which come with a list of advantages and disadvantages. In this section, we will review the advantages of unlimited cell phone service.
- These types of offers and deals often come with plans that cost little to no money.
- These services allow a customer to pay an upfront cost without having to worry about monthly costs.
- Lifeline and/or EBB-eligible customers may in fact get free cell phone service for free.
- Lifeline and EBB providers, as well as commercial providers often also provide free smartphones for low-income customers or for those who in one way or another commit to their services.
What Are The Disadvantages of Free Cell Phone Service for Life Unlimited Everything?
In this section, we will take a closer look at the disadvantages around the ‘free cell phone service for life unlimited everything’ types of contracts and deals.
- These types of offers are never for life.
- These types of offers rarely offer unlimited everything, especially if they are for free.
- The free smartphones that may also be available are usually mid-range Android smartphones or older Android or Apple models. Yet, some people may need a more recent phone with more advanced features for work.
- Some deals seem to offer free phones, however, you would actually have to pay for it in smaller monthly installments and commit to their (oftentimes costly) services.
- Some free phones are only for lease.
What Else Do You Need to Know About Free Cell Phone Service for Life Unlimited Everything?
Are There Any Additional Restrictions for Lifeline?
Lifeline discounts on service and cell phones are only available to Lifeline-eligible customers. Only one Lifeline discount is available per household and the benefit is non-transferable. You can either use the benefit to receive a discount on your home phone service, cell phone service, or high-speed broadband internet service.
Are the Free Phones and Free Cell Phone Service Plans Any Good?
It depends on the provider, however, many free cell phone service plans (especially Lifeline plans) are great, as they offer unlimited everything on a reliable nationwide network.
All Free Cell Phone Service Plans Are Held to a Minimum Standard – What is it?
Under the FCC’s Lifeline program, all Lifeline providers must meet a minimum standard. Currently, this standard means they must offer at least 1000 minutes, 3GB of data, and 3G phones. However, many providers offer much more.
What Are Lifeline Benefits?
Lifeline benefits depend on each Lifeline provider. Read all there is to know about Lifeline in the ‘Lifeline process’ section.
What Are EBB Benefits?
EBB benefits depend on each EBB provider. Read all there is to know about EBB in the ‘EBB process’ section.
