The Emergency Broadband Benefit or EBB was an emergency initiative by the government for the Covid 19. The program offered discounts on monthly Internet access services and a few devices. However, it ended on March 1, 2022, and was succeeded by the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Today, I will tell you how to get a free iPhone EBB program, aka ACP program.
When the pandemic first hit, people couldn’t go out to work, and most jobs shifted online. It became hard for low-income families to afford the internet cost. Thus, the federal government brought this program to help during the pandemic.
The program offered monthly $50 for regulars and $75 on qualifying Tribal lands discount on broadband service. Besides, it also offered a $100 single-time discount on purchasing selecting electronic devices.
But, as it was only a temporary program, it ended after fulfilling its purpose. After March 1, the eligible members continued to receive the benefits of the EBB program for 60 days.
Then, if they were still qualified, they were shifted to the ACP program. Today our topic is also if you can get an iPhone with this program.
Does The EBB Program Offer An iPhone?
Before getting an EBB free iPhone, you need to know if the EBB/ ACP program offers iPhones to qualified individuals. To clear that question, EBB/ ACP doesn’t offer anything free. It offers discounts. That means, with the discount, you can purchase any device, including an iPhone. Here’s what the EBB/ ACP program offers –
- Eligible individuals and households will receive a discount of up to $30 each month on their internet service, and if you are from Tribal lands, you can get up to a $75 monthly discount.
- Besides, the qualified customers will also receive a single-time discount of up to $100 on selected laptops, desktops, computers, tablets, or other devices. But, you at least need to contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchasing device.
How To Qualify For The EBB Program?
You can’t enjoy EBB benefits without being eligible. ACP has a slightly different requirement. Qualifying for ACP has become somewhat easier. Here’s the prerequisite for the EBB program –
- Your household income is below or at 135% of the federal poverty standards. Or,
- A member of your household is a participant in the other government program, like – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) used to be known as food stamps, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or specific Tribal Programs.
- A member of your household gets a federal Pell Grant award for the current award year.
- A member of your household gets approval for benefits of the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program.
- Someone in your household faced a substantial loss of income or lost their job after February 29, 2020, and the annual come is at or less than $99,000 for single filers or $198,000 for joint filers in 2020.
ACP has a slightly easier requirement for income-based eligibility. Here are all the prerequisites for the program –
- Your household income is at or less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. So, it will be at or less than $27,180 for most states (Few states have different requirements). Or,
- A member of your household is a participant in one or more selected government assistance programs, like – SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, SSI, FPHA, Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, and so on.
- Your household is enjoying the benefits of the lifeline program.
If you meet any of the requirements, you will be able to apply for the program. After you qualify, now it’s time to get the discount on your iPhone.
How To Get A Free iPhone Via The EBB Program
If you know how lifeline works, you must also know that the government doesn’t distribute those free phones or discounts directly.
They fund different providers, and the providers will distribute those benefits. So, first, you need to choose a provider and apply for the program.
Instead of applying only to one provider, I would recommend applying to different providers. You will proceed with the provider that approves your request first. To get an EBB program free iPhone, follow the instructions below –
Step 1: Make sure the provider you are applying has iPhones under the selected phones. (You can only discount on the qualifying devices).
Step 2: Apply to a provider that offers service to your area. ( A provider doesn’t offer to the whole America.)
Step 3: Visit the provider’s website. You can start applying by tapping on the ‘Apply Now’ button or calling them. If you decide to take the online approach, fill out the form with the necessary information.
You can also send your information directly at acpbenefit.org. But, I recommend applying from a provider; other ways are more time-consuming.
When you are approved for the program, you will receive a confirmation email or receive a call. Then, you can visit their website and purchase an iPhone at a discount rate. But, keep in mind, you at least need to contribute $10 and up to $50 to the purchase. So, you won’t be able to go for the expensive models.
Free iPhone EBB Program – Which Provider Offers?
Who offers free phones with the ebb program? Several providers participated in the EBB program to offer their services at affordable prices to qualified users.
Unfortunately, most of them offer laptop plans for the students. Very few have a free iPhone with EBB program. Here’re the ones currently available –
1. Cintex wireless
Cintex Wireless is a popular provider of EBB/ACP programs. The provider isn’t as vast as the providers in the Lifeline program. It is currently offering its service in more than five states in the USA (Maryland, Arkansas, Maine, Rhode Island, and West Virginia).
Beside monthly discounts, qualifying customers can also get monthly free minutes, text, and data. This phone offers the iPhone among the available phone options. Moreover, if you are qualified for the lifeline program, there is a chance to get an iPhone complete free of cost.
Without iPhones, the provider offers entry-level to mid-range Android smartphones. Their network is also excellent as they use T-Mobile’s network. Anyways, the provider doesn’t have any top-up plans. All they offer are free of cost.
Different state has different qualification requirements. So, before you apply, check what the eligibility rules for your state are.
Signing up for the EBB program in Cintex wireless is quite simple. You need to visit their website, provide your ZIP code, and click on the ‘Apply Now button.
An application will show up; fill it out, attach all the necessary documents, and your application process will end.
You have to be patient for approval. After the end of the EBB program, the quota for ACP is reduced a lot, so if the current quota is full, wait for the next arrival.
What Other Phones Cintex Wireless Offers
With Cintex Wireless, you can expect you to get an iPhone 6 (CDMA or GSM), an Apple iPhone 6S GSM. Besides, they also offer several android phones, like Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S8, LG Stylo 4, LG M150, Motorola E5, and so on.
2. SFone Wireless
SFone Wireless comes with vast network coverage in the United States. During the covid-19, this company has helped a large number of the population by offering a discount or free internet. The provider offers a free emergency broadband benefit program. The provider also provides free data, talk, and text.
The provider currently offers service in quite a few states, including Arkansas, Maine, Maryland, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
Also, they are under heavy expansion. Also, they partnered with Cintex wireless to offer free internet on iPhone to eligible customers.
SFone Wireless uses the network of the CDMA. Although that’s not the best, it is workable. Visit their website to sign up or call them directly. The application process is the same as the previous provider.
What Other Phones SFone Wireless Wireless Offers
SFone Wireless has a vast selection of phones for EBB-eligible customers. You can choose – iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, SAMSUNG Galaxy S7 Edge, iPhone 7, iPhone 8, Galaxy Note8, Motorola, and many others.
3. NewPhone Wireless
NewPhone Wireless is another MVNO that operates under the T-Mobile network. The provider participates in the EBB/ ACP program and lifeline program and offers free mobile data, text, talk, and discounts on phones and tablets. You can get an iPhone anywhere in the US.
Besides free service, you will also get top-up plans if you want more monthly services. NewPhone Wireless offers T-Mobile’s 4G LTE internet at a cheap price for top-up plans.
To get a free iPhone from the government, you can directly apply from their website. The company has extra requirements, so keep that in mind while applying. Also, your requirements may differ depending on the state you are in.
The application process doesn’t take more than 20 minutes. And, you will get a decision within 4 days. If you are approved, you will receive the benefits.
What Other Phones NewPhone Wireless Offers
So, you get all the same phones you get can get from Cintex Wireless. No matter which provider you apply for, all the applications went to the same parental company – HTH communications.
Alternative Ways To Get Free iPhones
Besides getting a free phone from the lifeline program, you can get a free phone alternatively.
One is the lifeline program, which I mentioned in this program several times. The lifeline program is also a federal assistance program that offers low-income families free phones and phone services. This program is specifically for phones and phone services.
The qualification for the program is similar to the EBB program. You can qualify in two ways – through income or participation in other federal programs. And you also get free cell phone services through different providers. But, the number of participant carriers is way more than in EBB programs. The available phones are also many.
If you qualify for the program, you may be able to get a free iPhone. But, like the ACP program, there isn’t any certainty that you will get an iPhone.
So, if you sure want a free iPhone for sure, you can switch to any of the large carriers and sign up for their unlimited plan.
This way, you will be able to purchase the latest models of any brand, including the iPhone. But, keep in mind that you will be bound by contract, and the plans from large carriers are expensive. If you participate in a giveaway contest where iPhone is gifted, you can win an iPhone without it.
FAQs About Of Free iPhone EBB Program
How to get a free iPhone from T Mobile?
You can get a free iPhone from T Mobile. The large carriers, including T Mobile, offer free phones to their new customers for subscribing to unlimited 5G plans. But, you need to sign a two-year contract if you want a free phone. Also, you need to be strict with the unlimited plan. So, only go with this option if you are sure you need an unlimited plan and have faith in T Mobile.
Is Spectrum giving away free phones?
Spectrum will soon have a giveaway contest, where they will give away several phones as rewards, including iPhones. The contest will begin on August 1, 2021, at 12:00 am and is ongoing until stated otherwise.
Where can I get a free iPhone when I switch?
All the large carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) offer iPhones to their new customers. All you need to do is subscribe to an unlimited plan, and you will be able to purchase an iPhone without any cost. However, the plans are contract-based, so before finalizing, decide whether you can stay with the provider for a long time. If you terminate the contract before time, there will be a huge fee.
Final Verdict
To sum everything up, you can get a free iPhone EBB program from a few selected providers. First, you need to check if you meet the criteria.
Then apply for the program to a provider. The provider will approve it some time, and you may get a free iPhone EBB program. But, there isn’t any certainty that you will be able to get an iPhone Specifically.
