Have you ever heard of the UMX government phone? If so, do you know what it means? Is it possible to get one? Is the phone any good? To find out this and more, we invite you to review the article below.
What Is UMX?
UMX is the popular abbreviation for the smartphone brand called Unimax. Unimax is a Chinese company that produces low-end Android smartphones for the well-known American wireless company called Assurance Wireless, owned by Virgin Mobile. Assurance Wireless is a cell phone service provider that offers several different Unimax phone models, including Unimax U673c, Unimax U683CL, Unimax693, and Unimax696CL.
Is It Possible to Get a UMX Government Phone? If So, Where?
Unimax or UMX is a Chinese phone manufacturer. As such, the company does not participate in any government assistance programs and it does not provide customers with free phones or services.
Nevertheless, as the company manufactures the devices for Assurance Wireless, an American wireless provider that does participate in both Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program, it is possible to get a UMX government phone.
The only company that offers UMX government phones is Assurance Wireless. Assurance Wireless is a telephone service subsidized by the federal Lifeline Assistance program – a government assistance program supported by the federal Universal Service Fund and designed to make communications services more affordable for low-income people by providing discounts on monthly phone, wireless, or internet services and phones. Assurance Wireless also recently began to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, a brand new government benefit program that provides discounts on monthly broadband services and in certain cases, on internet-connected devices.
Eligible customers can only receive a UMX government phone from Assurance Wireless. However, in order to receive a UMX government phone from Assurance Wireless, you must meet certain government-determined requirements. Read more about how to receive a UMX government phone from Assurance in the next section.
What Is the Process of Getting a UMX Government Phone?
Receiving a smartphone completely free of charge may sound tempting. However, unfortunately, not everyone can receive a free device from the government. In fact, only customers who qualify and complete the application process described below may be able to receive a UMX government phone.
So, what is the process of getting a UMX government phone?
- First, you must make sure that you qualify for Assurance Wireless’s Lifeline and ACP programs. See the eligibility criteria below.
- Secondly, you must be able to prove your eligibility. See how to do so below.
- Lastly, you must apply for the Assurance Wireless government assistance program. If your application gets approved, you will be able to enjoy the free phone and other benefits.
How to Qualify for the UMX Government Phone?
Enrollment is available to households who qualify based on low income or participation in a qualifying government assistance program.
Lifeline Eligibility
- A household qualifies for the Lifeline program if the annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, which depend on the state and household size.
- A household is also Lifeline-eligible if a member participates in a qualifying government assistance program, such as Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, FPHA, Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, or certain Tribal assistance programs.
ACP Eligibility
- On the other hand, a household is ACP-eligible if the annual household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, which depends on the state and the household size.
- A household can also receive ACP benefits if a household member participates in Lifeline, any of the Lifeline-qualifying programs listed above, WIC, Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, or if the household has received a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year.
In order to qualify for the UMX government phone, you must also:
- Be at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor.
- Be a resident of one of the states where Assurance Wireless offers its services. Assurance Wireless offers its services to the residents of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Be able to prove your Assurance Wireless government assistance program (Lifeline and ACP) eligibility.
How to Prove Your Eligibility?
In order to prove your Assurance Wireless Lifeline and ACP eligibility, you must provide copies of certain valid official documents that include all the required information and verify your eligibility claims. During the application process you will have to provide copies (physical or digital, depending on how you are planning to submit them) of the following documents:
- An official document that verifies your identity, such as a passport, a valid government, military, state, or Tribal ID, birth certificate, U.S. driver’s license, permanent residence card or Green Card, or another valid document that includes your full name and date of birth.
- An official document that verifies your address, such as a valid government, state, or Tribal ID, driver’s license, utility bill, mortgage or lease statement, or another valid document that includes your full name and physical address.
- An official document that proves your low income, such as your current income statement from your employer or a paycheck stub, prior year’s state, federal, or Tribal tax return, a social security statement of benefits, Unemployment or Worker’s Compensation statement of benefits, divorce decree, child support award, or another valid document that includes your full name and annual household income.
- An official document that proves your government assistance program participation, such as an approval letter, benefit award letter, statement of benefits, benefit verification letter, or another valid document that includes your full name, the name of the program, the name of the establishment that issued the document, and an issue date within the last year or a future expiration date.
You may also be required to provide a duplicate address, proof of life, your Social Security Number or Tribal ID Number, and proof of emancipation (in case you are an emancipated minor, of course).
How to Apply for a UMX Government Phone?
In order to apply for the Assurance Wireless Lifeline and ACP program and thus potentially receive a UMX government phone, you must follow these simple steps:
- Visit Assurance Wireless’s official website at assurancewireless.com.
- Enter your ZIP code in the provided search box above and press enter.
- If the company offers its benefits in your area, you will be redirected to your state’s Lifeline and ACP offer page. Review the offer and press ‘Apply Now’.
- You will then be redirected to the company’s online application form. Fill it out by providing all the required personal information, eligibility information, disclosures, proof documentation, etc.
- Submit your application. If your application gets approved you will be notified via email.
Before you apply directly through Assurance Wireless, you may also be required to apply through the National Verifier or the Lifeline/ACP Support Center. You can do so online or via mail.
You can apply for Lifeline/ACP online by visiting nv.fcc.gov/lifeline for Lifeline and fcc.gov/lifeline/?id=nv_flow&ebbp=true for ACP. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the application form, and submit it at the end.
To apply via mail, print out a Lifeline application at lifelinesupport.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/get-lifeline/LI_Application_NVstates.pdf and an ACP application at affordableconnectivity.gov/wp-content/uploads/ACP-Application-Form-English.pdf. When applying for the ACP, consider adding a completed Household Worksheet, which is available at affordableconnectivity.gov/wp-content/uploads/lifeline/images/ACP-Household-Worksheet-English.pdf. Fill out the forms, add copies of the proof documents, and send the package to Lifeline/ACP Support Center, PO Box 7081, London, KY 40742.
UMX Government Phone Specifications
Assurance Wireless currently offers the following UMX government phone models:
Unimax U673c
The device has the following features and specifications:
- 4.0-inch Touchscreen Display (WVGA 480×800)
- 1.1GHz Quad-Core Processor
- 8GB ROM/1GB RAM
- Dual Camera (VGA + 2 Mega Pixel with flash)
- Removable 1650mAh Battery (up to 4 hours talk time)
- M3/T3 HAC Rating for the hearing impaired
- Bluetooth 4.0, Speakerphone, Calculator, Calendar, Access Public Wi-Fi, up to 32GB MicroSD Card Compatible
Unimax U683CL
- 5-inch Touchscreen Display (854×480) TFT
- Android Go Operating System
- 8GB ROM/1GB RAM
- 2MP Rear Facing Camera
- Removable Li-ion 2000mAh Battery (up to 5 hours talk time)
- M4/T3 HAC Rating for the hearing impaired
- Bluetooth 4.1, Speakerphone, Calculator, Calendar, Access Public Wi-Fi, up to 64GB microSD Card Compatible
Unimax693
- 5.0-inch Screen; FWVGA(854×480)
- Android™ 9; Google Assistant
- 16GB ROM/2GB RAM
- External memory: Supports up to 128GB MicroSD
- 2MP Rear, VGA Front Camera
- Removable Li-ion 2000mAh Battery
- M4/T3 HAC Rating for the hearing impaired
Unimax696CL
- 5.45-inch FWVGA+ TFT LCD Display
- Android™ 11 Go
- 16GB ROM/2GB RAM
- External memory: Supports up to 256GB MicroSD
- 5MP Rear, 2MP Front Camera
- Li-ion 2300mAh Battery
- 4G LTE & VoLTE
- HAC rating of M4/T3
UMX Government Phone Review
According to customer reviews, Assurance Wireless’s UMX government phones are physically solid devices that tend to run smoothly. As the UMX phones are considered low-end Android devices, they are not the fastest nor do they offer the most advanced technologies and features. Nonetheless, they are considered fully capable smartphones.
Still, there are certain factors that customers tend to particularly dislike, including:
- Poor camera quality
- Sometimes there is pre-loaded malware, which is difficult to remove
- Lagging or freezing
- Generally low-end specifications
What Other Phones and Benefits Does Assurance Wireless Offer?
In addition to UMX government phones, Assurance Wireless also offers a number of other government free phones and additional benefits.
Depending on your state of residence, plan, and phone availability, you may expect to receive a UMX device or one of the following phone models:
- Alcatel OneTouch Cinch
- Alcatel Dawn
- ANS Rapidz
- ANS UL40
- ANS Wiko Life
- Wiko Life 2
- Wiko Life 3
- Coolpad Avail
- Coolpad Belleza
- Coolpad Haylo
- Coolpad Illumina
- Coolpad Legacy Go
- Coolpad Legacy SR
- Kyocera JAX S1360
- Kyocera Hydro Reach
- L51
- Moto G Pure
- Moxee m2160
- REVVL 4
- REVVL 4 Plus
- Schok Volt SV55
- ZTE Prestige 2
- ZTE Quest
- ZTE Quest Plus
- ZTE Tempo X
See the selection of Assurance Wireless government phones at assurancewireless.com/help-center/phone-guides.
In addition to the free phone, eligible customers can also receive a free phone plan. The exact list of benefits depends on the state and plan itself, however, a household can receive:
- Free unlimited monthly text
- Free unlimited monthly minutes
- Free unlimited monthly data
- Free 10 GB of mobile hotspot data
Note: Unlimited minutes and data are only available with Lifeline & ACP combo plans. If you apply for a Lifeline-only or an ACP-only plan, you will receive limited amounts of monthly minutes (approximately 1000) and data (approximately 4.5GB).
