You may or may not have heard of the Lifeline Assistance program before; well it is a governmental program offering discounts for phone or internet services to those who have either low income (135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) or take part in one of the governmental programs (Medicaid, Food Stamps or SNAP, SSI, Section 8, BIA, Tribal TANF, FDPIR).
If your household qualifies, you may get a free plan and free government phone in Tennessee as well.
Free Government Phone Lifeline Program In Tennessee
There are two ways to qualify for Lifeline assistance program:
If your household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or
If someone from your household is enrolled in one or more of the following government-supported programs:
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pensions and Survivors Benefit Programs
- Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
For those of you who live on tribal lands, enhanced Lifeline benefits are available.
In order to have a chance of getting your hands on one of the free touch screen government phones, you will have to comply with the above prerequisites.
What Document Need For Tennessee Lifeline
- Previous year’s state, federal or tribal tax return
- Pension benefits papers
- Social security benefits papers
- Divorce latter of child support papers
- Veterans Organization benefits papers
- Joblessness restitution benefits statement
- Current salary proclamation from employer
- Tribal notification letter of interest in the agency of Indian Affairs General help
Note: Never send your original document Couse they will not return your documents.
Tennessee Free Government Phone General Application Procedure
The application procedure to apply for a free government phone in Tennessee is no different than in any other state. If your household meets the low-income threshold or one of the household’s members takes part in a governmentally supported program, you are eligible to apply.
There are several ways how you can apply, but the simplest way is to select a wireless provider that takes part in the Lifeline Assistance program (we will list them for you below) and do so online. Most of them have a very visible section where you can apply online. Look for the “Apply Now” button on their site. Click on it and follow the instructions.
Another option is to send filled out Lifeline application to wireless provider’s physical address. In either case, you will need to have copies of proof of identity and proof of income/being part of a governmental program.
Free Government Phone Companies in Tennessee
In this section, we will take a look at the companies that provide Lifeline assistance. We will first consider those that can provide you with a free Tennessee government phone.
Wireless Providers That Offer FREE Phones and FREE Deals
As we’ve mentioned above, in general, the Lifeline program includes a monthly discount applied to your telecommunication services, however, there are companies who decided to offer additional free support – better deals and even free devices.
Access Wireless
Access Wireless has a very good nationwide coverage, offers free long-distance calls, and offers international calling availability.
Lifeline Plan:
Access Wireless provides customers with a free monthly allotment of 250 minutes, unlimited text messages, and 3GB free data each month.
The free package includes Free voicemail, Caller ID & Call Waiting, Free domestic long distance, Nationwide coverage, and Exclusive Wireless Rewards program.
You may also receive a mobile phone free of charge. Once you are an approved customer, you have the option to upgrade your phone and add it to your plan.
Customer care:
If you have any additional questions about Access Wireless Lifeline plan or regarding their devices use the online form (link below) or call the phone number that applies to your position (new or existing customer).
- Online contact form: https://www.accesswireless.com/contact-us
- Phone support (available during working hours: Monday – Friday: 8am – Midnight EST, Saturday: 9am – Midnight EST, Sunday: 10am – 7pm EST):
- New Customers: 1-888-900-5899
- Existing Customers: 1-866-594-3644
- Address: Access Wireless / i-Wireless LLC, 1 Levee Way Newport, Kentucky 41071 United States
- Find a local store: https://www.accesswireless.com/buy-cards
Phones:
You may also receive a mobile phone free of charge. Once you are an approved customer, you have the option to upgrade your phone and add to your plan, of course at an additional charge.
There is no exact info available on what type of phones come for free. Some of the phones available include ZTE Flash, Samsung Transform (Ultra), Coolpad Quato II, ZTE Force, and Alcatel Revolve.
Assurance Wireless
Assurance Wireless is a federal Lifeline Assistance program brought to you by Virgin Mobile. They offer great coverage and offer very generous deals to those who qualify. You can visit to find out more about Assurance Wireless Free Phone
Lifeline Plan:
Assurance Wireless offers FREE 3GB of data, FREE UNLIMITED texts, and FREE 350 voice minutes each month.
Assurance Wireless plan also includes:
- No Annual Contract
- Nationwide Sprint® Network Coverage
- Voicemail Account, Call Waiting, and Caller ID
- 911 Access
- FREE Unlimited Calling to 211
- Calls to Customer Care are FREE
- Low International Rates to over 200 Countries
On top of that, you will also get a free android smartphone. You cannot choose a device yourself, you get the one selected by the wireless provider based on their policy and current availability.
The fastest way to get your free plan and a free Tennessee government phone is by visiting https://www.assurancewireless.com/lifeline-services/states/tennessee-lifeline-free-government-phone-service and enroll now.
Customer care:
If you have any additional questions about Assurance Wireless, you can get in touch with their customer support by phone or by email.
If you decide to apply by standard mail, use the address below or find a local Assurance Wireless provider and address your application there.
Phone: 1-888-321-5880
Email: [email protected]
Address: Assurance Wireless, P.O. Box 5040, Charleston, IL 61920-9907
Phones:
As mentioned above, Assurance Wireless doesn’t allow you to choose the phone yourself. It is highly possible that you will receive one of the following models. For those of you, who want a more performing device, you can always upgrade. Call 1-888-321-5880 for more information.
- ZTE PrestigeTM 2
- Coolpad Illumnia
- ANS WikoTM Life
- ZTE QuestTM Plus
- ALCATEL ONETOUCH CinchTM
MobileNation (ClearAssist)
MobileNation provides discounted mobile phone services and it is called ClearAssist, which is not a part of the government program, it is completely supported by MobileNation. However, do also offer a Lifeline Federal Benefit program. You can choose which option you prefer. The advantage of ClearAssist is that you can use it even if you already have Lifeline support someplace else.
Since we focus on Lifeline herein, we will go into detail regarding the Lifeline Federal Benefit Program. To apply, follow the link: https://www.mobilenationlifeline.com/home.
Lifeline Plan:
Their free plan includes 1000 minutes, unlimited texts, and nationwide coverage. No FREE date is provided.
In addition to their FREE plan, they offer 3 discounted option:
- $10.75: unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, 250MB of data
- $20.75: unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, 1GB of data
- $25: unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, 2GB of data
Customer care:
They have made a transition to so-called self-support. They provide you with an app that serves as customer support. Here are all the details: https://www.mymobilenation.com/apps/.
If you want to talk to a real person, it is best to locate a local MobileNation store and call them.
Phones:
MobileNation’s Lifeline program doesn’t offer free phones. Nor does their ClearAssist program. That said, they do offer a wide range of phones that you can get at discounted rates. They offer both smartphones and basic phones. To see the exact availability visit https://www.mobilenationlifeline.com/page/phone or a local MobileNation dealer.
Safelink Wireless
SafeLink Wireless is provided by TracFone Wireless, Inc. It is solely intended to those eligible for Lifeline Assistance. Using the same coverage as the TracFone, they really offer top-notch service nationwide. You can visit to find out more about Safelink Wireless Free Phone
Lifeline Plan:
SafeLink Wireless Lifeline FREE plan includes 350 minutes, unlimited texts, and 3GB of data within Use your Own Phone program.
The free plan also includes:
- Nationwide Calling
- Voicemail
- Ability to Connect to Wi-Fi
- Caller ID
- 3 Way Calling
- Free Domestic Roaming
- Free 911
- 411 Directory Assistance
Customer care:
- Customer Support Hours: Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. EST, Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 7 p.m. EST
- Phone support: 1-800-723-3546
- Address: SafeLink Wireless PO Box 220009, Milwaukie, OR 97269-0009
Find a local dealer: https://www.safelink.com/wps/portal/home/retailers
Phones:
SafeLink Currently doesn’t offer a government free phone to any Lifeline applicant within the state of Tennesse, as they only offer a so-called Use your own Phone plan.
You do have the option of upgrading/purchasing a mobile phone of any rank.
Lifeline Discount Companies in Tennessee
Herein we will take a look at the companies that follow the general Lifeline Assistance program, which means they only offer the Lifeline general discount ($9.25 per month for monthly telephone service – wireline or wireless – or broadband or bundled service).
U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular has been voted #1 in network quality performance Among Wireless Cell Phone Users in the North Central Region. They connect over 5.1 million people, businesses and government operations.
Lifeline Plan
As the title of this section suggests, U.S. Cellular doesn’t offer FREE lifeline services, however, they do offer the following discounted Lifeline deals:
- $34.25 (Postpaid): Nationwide Unlimited Voice, Messaging and 1GB Data
- Additional Data: 250MB for $5 per month.
- Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Three-Way Calling
- $39.25 (Postpaid): Nationwide Unlimited Voice, Messaging and 2GB Data
- Additional Data: 250MB for $5 per month.
- Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Three-Way Calling
- $36 (Prepaid Tribal Only): Nationwide Unlimited Voice, Messaging and 1GB Data
- Additional Data: 1GB for $10 per month.
- Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Three-Way Calling
Call 1-800-447-1339 for more details about U.S. Cellular’s Lifeline calling plans and to place an order.
Customer care:
- Chat: https://www.uscellular.com/support
- Online form: https://www.uscellular.com/contactus
- Phone: 1-888-944-9400
Locate a local store: https://www.uscellular.com/store-locator
Phones:
U.S. Cellular doesn’t offer free government phones. That said, they do have basically a full range of basic phones and smartphones for you to choose from.
You can search for their devices and view prices here: https://www.uscellular.com/devicelist.
Final Thoughts
There might not be as many Lifeline Assistance program providers in Tennessee as there are in some other states, however, the information above should be sufficient to help you chose among the ones available.
