How to get senior citizen cell phone plans free? Not having a mobile is unthinkable in today’s world, where this gadget has become an extra necessity. A cell phone is the most effective way to contact your friends and family. Also, it’s a way of getting medical help when necessary.
It may not always be easy for seniors on a budget to afford the high price of a phone plan that delivers moderate usage. Fortunately for you, some providers offer cell phone plans for senior citizens at low prices. If this still feels too expensive, ask your provider if they offer free phones with limited call and text minutes per month.
The government authorized cell phone companies to offer free cell phones for people who can’t afford to have one. Even the financially disadvantaged person will now be able to own and use a mobile phone. If you want a cell phone for seniors but are worried about the monthly charges, a government-backed program is the best solution to your problem.
- 10 Best Senior Citizen Cell Phone Plans Free
- 1. Assurance Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
- 2. SafeLink Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
- 3. Access Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
- 4. American Assistance cell phone plans for senior
- 5. Assist Wireless cell phone plans for senior
- 6. Blue Jay Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizen
- 7. enTouch Wireless cell phone plans for senior
- 8. Feelsafe Wireless cell phone plans for senior
- 9. Infiniti Mobile cell phone plans for senior
- 10. Q Link Wireless cell phone plans for senior
- How Do Seniors Get Cell Phone Plans and Phones for Free?
- Super Cheap Mobile Phone Plans for Senior Citizens
Free Cell Phones from Lifeline Assistance
If you fall within or even under the poverty line, you will truly benefit from Lifeline Assistance. It is an FCC-mandated program supported by the government. It offers free cell phones and plans for financially disadvantaged people regardless of age. Hence, even seniors can take advantage of this program. Lifeline Assistance offers a wide array of plans ranging from 250 minutes to unlimited airtime and free texts that the beneficiaries will enjoy every month.
The Best Thing About Lifeline
About 12-15 million people in the United States are now using and enjoying free government cell phones. With the recent condition of the economy, it seems that more and more people will become eligible for this government-supported program.
More than 50 cellular phone companies are working together with Lifetime Assistance to offer free mobile phones for everyone but free cell phone plans, too. These companies do vary in both services and availability. The two biggest free mobile phone providers are Assurance Wireless and SafeLink Wireless. These two companies have bigger coverages compared to other companies included in this list.
To take advantage of the privilege, you have to find out which company exists in your location and if it offers plans suitable for your needs.
What is Lifeline?
This federal program is here mainly to provide mobile phones or free home phone service for anybody in emergencies. That will be truly beneficial, especially for senior citizens. The beneficiaries enjoy free cell phones and free minutes each month.
The nationally funded Lifeline program gives the participants a free capable device with a free monthly service. It often includes free minutes for calls, unlimited texts, and even data allowance for social media, internet browsing, email, and so on. Most people know that Lifeline Program offers free government phones.
Lifeline subsidizes wireless and even landline companies to provide free mobile phones and roughly 250 minutes of free calls and texts every month. Most plans are 100% free, but some offer more airtime minutes and texts for a small monthly charge.
As of now, there are roughly 15 million Americans who have free mobile phones through this federal program. Millions seem to be eligible, though. The companies working through Lifeline operate in two or more states. Young and senior citizens who qualify for the program will receive a free basic phone to send text messages, voice mail, caller ID registration, and call waiting.
How to Qualify?
Anybody who met the criteria for qualifications can send an application for this program. If you got assistance from the government, or if your monthly income falls under 135% of the national poverty guidelines, you will be eligible for this program. Your age does not matter. Both young and old who meet the qualifications will be accepted as beneficiaries.
Lifeline comes with several carriers that offer different mobile phone models and monthly call and text plans for senior citizens. While this service is not primarily for senior citizens, many of them can qualify.
A senior citizen qualifies on this program based on their monthly income or if they are already a beneficiary of one of these government programs:
- Food Stamps (EBT or SNAP)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income or SSI
- Veterans Pension Benefits
The list of government assistance programs that make senior citizens qualified may differ from state to state. Lifeline is also good for people who reside in the tribal regions recognized by the national government and even for those who join in tribal assistance programs.
If you are not a government program beneficiary, your income should fall within or even under the poverty guidelines, ranging from 135 to 150 percent. However, this may vary from one state to another.
The 135% poverty level is $15,754 for single individuals and $21,235 for married persons. For the 150% poverty level, it will be $17,505 for singles and $23,595 for couples.
Lifeline’s History
Lifeline has been around since the 1980s with a mission: to make telecommunication services accessible to everyone regardless of the social and financial statuses to improve access to jobs, education, and other crucial opportunities.
The original program aimed to provide free home phone services for the poorest of low-income families. However, the program changed in 2005. Today, it now includes a mobile phone and monthly mobile phone plans. The program got improvements and upgrades in 2012. With Lifeline, access to cell phone service quickly increased from 80% to 92% in 1985.
10 Best Senior Citizen Cell Phone Plans Free
The senior locals of the United States are lucky to find various choices for a free cell phone plan. If you are searching for a free cell phone plan for seniors, here are your top choices:
1. Assurance Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
This is one of the best Lifeline Assistance free mobile phone and plan services. Assurance Wireless offers you a free smartphone, 350 minutes calls, and unlimited text with 500MB of data.
Assurance Wireless is giving all qualified subscribers unlimited talk and texts together with 500MB of internet access for free for the residents of California. Assurance comes from Spring/Nextel and serves 40 American states like Alabama and California. In short, Assurance Wireless is one of the network companies with wider coverages, making their services more accessible to more Americans.
Assurance Wireless is planning to add more states, so those who are from the states excluded in this list should stay tuned for more updates. This company stands out from other Lifeline service providers because it offers a free smartphone and never an old basic phone. If you are not okay with the given 350 minutes for calls, you can ask for more using the Virgin Mobile Top-Up Cards.
2. SafeLink Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
With this Lifeline service provider, you will have a free cell phone, 350 minutes for calls, unlimited texts, and 500MB of data every month. SafeLink is the pioneer Lifeline service provider serving 40 states in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
For other states except for California, SafeLink offers two programs. One of these will require you to bring a SafeLink compatible phone to obtain a free SIM card. That comes with unlimited tests and 350-minute calls every month and free data for 3 months, and 500MB of mobile data for the next months. The other plan is a free phone plan that gives you a free device with 350 minutes calls, unlimited texts, and 500MB of free data each month.
3. Access Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizens
This company will give you an Access Wireless compatible phone for free with up to 750 minutes for calls, unlimited texts, and a maximum of 200MB of data every month. Access Wireless provides free mobile phones and cell phone services in more than 30 American states, such as Florida, California, and Georgia.
If you’re from one of these states and eligible for the program, you will get a free cell phone and free minutes for local calls. You can also get unlimited texts to domestic numbers. If you live in California, then you’re lucky. You will get free 1,000 minutes for calls, free texts, and free mobile data of as much as 200MB. Feel free to visit the official website of Access Wireless for more details.
4. American Assistance cell phone plans for senior
With American Assistance, you will get as many as 500 voice calls and 500 free texts every month. Also known as the American Broadband & Telecommunications, American Assistance offers just half of its competitors’ call-minute allowance and texts. However, the company makes up by providing free features. These include a free caller ID, 3-way calling, voice mail, and call waiting.
Unfortunately, the subscribers of American Assistance will get free call waiting, caller ID, 3-way calling, and voice mail. All these perks are available to all subscribers in more than 10 states, including Colorado and Hawaii.
However, American Assistance doesn’t offer free data, which can be disappointing for seniors who need to surf the internet.
5. Assist Wireless cell phone plans for senior
This company is operating in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Assist Wireless offers special deals for the non-tribal and tribal locals of Oklahoma. It carries different senior citizen cell phone plans for free.
On top of that, Assist Wireless accepts applications for those who want free phones. In fact, the company allows the customers to bring an old device. This deal is giving customers $15 credit to their account and free data of up to 1GB. Aside from that, this company provides prepaid plans intended for senior citizens on a tight budget.
6. Blue Jay Wireless cell phone plans for senior citizen
Blue Jay Wireless will give you free mobile phones with 250-500 minutes for calls and unlimited texts. The locals of California will get unlimited calls and texts. Sadly, the company does not offer free data plans. If you need access to the internet, you should pay $26/month for the extra 5GB of data. On the other hand, if you’re from California, you will be paying $3.60/month and getting another 500MB of data if you are from another state.
This Lifeline Assistance service provider offers its services to 17 American states, such as North Dakota and Oklahoma. It serves Puerto Rico as well, which is not common in most providers. For more details, kindly visit the official website of Blue Jay Wireless.
7. enTouch Wireless cell phone plans for senior
With this company, you will have a free Boomerang or enTouch cell phone with free 100 texts and 500 minutes for calls every month. This service is now available in 20 states, including Hawaii and Arizona. The company is even expanding so that it can offer more states.
When it comes to free data, the non-tribal locals of California will receive 500MB of data every month aside from the unlimited calls and text. The subscribers will receive 500 minutes, 100 texts, and 10MB data every month in other states.
The 500MB plan will get 100 talk and text units plus 500MB data every month. For tribal residents who are not originally from California, enTouch Wireless will give them 750MB of data and unlimited texts.
8. Feelsafe Wireless cell phone plans for senior
Feelsafe Wireless serves eligible low-income families with free mobile phones and free monthly phone service. The locals of the 9 American states like Michigan and Ohio enjoy the services and benefits of Feelsafe Wireless.
9. Infiniti Mobile cell phone plans for senior
If you choose the senior citizen cell phone plans free from Infiniti Mobile, you may be able to get free mobile phones, unlimited texts, and talk, plus 2.5GB of data for just $1/month. On the other hand, you must be in Oklahoma so that you can use and enjoy the services of this Lifeline service provider.
Infiniti Mobile offers two types of plans. One of these is the Oklahoma Lifeline 1000 Plus Plan. This plan offers you 1500 minutes for calls, 1700 texts, and 500MB of data every month. You’ll get all of them for just $1 plus taxes and other fees. The other option is the Oklahoma Lifeline Unlimited Plan with unlimited calls and text plus 2.5GB of data per month. You can avail of this plan for only $1 plus taxes and fees.
10. Q Link Wireless cell phone plans for senior
In this Lifeline service provider, you will receive a free Qlink wireless upgrade mobile phone with unlimited texts and 500 minutes for calls. You can also get a plan that gives you the privilege to roll over the unconsumed minutes every month.
The availability of the deal may depend on the area. You will find out if you are eligible for this service once you check the zip code in your location through the company’s official website.
Q Link Wireless is currently providing quality services to senior citizens living in more than 20 states. These include Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, and Nevada.
Q Link Wireless will also give you extra perks by recommending its services. The company runs a Q Link Bonus Program to gain benefits when you refer the company to your relatives or friends.
You can earn 100 free extra minutes for each friend you refer. At the same time, you will get a phone from Q Link Wireless. Just visit the company’s official website to know more about its services.
How Do Seniors Get Cell Phone Plans and Phones for Free?
Since Lifeline is a federally mandated program, each of the companies listed above will offer just the basics. With that, the plans may vary considerably from one company to another. Some of them may offer 500 to 1,000 minutes for voice calls, while others offer unlimited minutes. However, it would help if you found which plan is available in your state.
The qualifications for free cellphones and plans are almost the same for all states, but every state can add specific guidelines to qualify. You may qualify depending on your income, even when it’s a bit higher than the poverty line. Every senior citizen should find it easy to qualify for a free cell phone and plan.
Super Cheap Mobile Phone Plans for Senior Citizens
Don’t fret in case you can’t avail yourself of any of the free mobile phone plans listed above. You have other options. Perhaps, you can avail the pay-as-you-go plans from AT&T and T-Mobile. These plans are super affordable and perfect for senior citizens who don’t use a cell phone every day but want to have one for emergencies. For T-Mobile, you may pay only $3 every month or $2/day for AT&T.
You can also go for the flexible cell phone plans from US Mobile and Ting. The base cost is $6/ month for Ting, with data, texts, and minutes billed separately. For US Mobile, the base cost is $4/ month with text, minutes, and data billed separately.
If you love internet surfing, then you can avail yourself of the plans from T-mobile and Boost. The Boost Mobile Unlimited costs $50, which includes unlimited talk and text and high-speed data. The T-Mobile Unlimited 55+ also comes with the same of you can avail of for $80 (good for 2 lines) every month.
If you want to have a cell phone just for emergencies, then your best choice will be the GreatCall We talk 200 that costs $14.99/month and comes with only 200 minutes call.
