Millions of US residents are eligible for free mobile phones: how to get them

Millions of people are entitled to free mobile phones with monthly service, writes KTLA... What if you are one of them?

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There is a government program that offers free cellular service and mobile hotspot. Here's how it works and who can get it.

“Nobody knows about this program,” said Matthew Johnson, co-founder and co-director of TruConnect, a wireless service provider.

“Currently, about 30-40 million people do not have access to high-speed internet, and this number has only increased recently due to the problems caused by COVID-19,” Johnson explained.

He has a task to connect them through a program called Lifeline.

“This is an amazing program, it has been around since the days of Ronald Reagan; it was he who started the program in the 1980s and it was hugely successful, but the vast majority of the United States is unaware of it, ”Johnson further explained.

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Lifeline started out as a way to offer low-income Americans a landline phone line at a significant discount, but in recent years the focus has shifted towards wireless phone connectivity and monthly free on-demand service.

TruConnect is the 4th largest Lifeline supplier in the United States. They sign clients, and in exchange, the government pays them a service management allowance.

Lifeline's core offering is a low-cost Android phone, plus minutes of calls and text messages plus 3 gigabytes of data per month. California has the most generous terms with unlimited talk and text minutes, other states mostly offer 1000 minutes of calls and SMS.

The only condition is that for the service to remain active, you must use the phone at least once a month.

There are other companies doing this as well. These are Assurance Wireless, Q Link Wireless and SafeLink Wireless. TruConnect prides itself on including value-added services and even manufactures its own smartphones so that they can better control quality and performance.

“All of our products, including hotspots, are 4G LTE compatible,” said Johnson, who explained that they operate on the T-Mobile network.

Calls to other countries are also included.

“Unlike other carriers, we offer free unlimited calls to Mexico, Canada, China, Vietnam and Korea,” Johnson said.

The phones also include software that allows them to seamlessly connect to free public WiFi hotspots nearby to keep your mobile data safe. Customers can also purchase additional minutes or gigabytes as needed.

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Are you the right fit?

“Across the United States, the two main programs that automatically make you eligible are Medicaid and Snap, so if you're in either of those two programs, you're automatically eligible,” Johnson says. There are also income qualifications. In addition, many unemployed people who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic are eligible for emergency assistance.

Toll-free phones are basic models, but they'll get the job done. There are even useful details such as an SOS button on the clamshell phone and a headphone jack that lets you listen to FM radio on the air without using data.

“I think it would be very difficult for [us] to work today without a smartphone. Imagine that you are one of those people who did not have money, access and connections. You are in serious danger from the lack of communication, ”concluded Johnson.

It is very easy to apply for a free mobile phone service, usually done online on the website Tru Connect, and in many cases the approval is instantaneous.

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