All government phone companies receive subsidies so they can offer free cell phones and cheaper plans to qualified applicants. Each free cell phone plan for low-income account holders must meet the federal requirements. However, providers may choose to offer more mobile minutes, faster speeds, and higher usage. 

You may get to choose between a few options, or you may only have one provider in your area. You may not know some of the Lifeline government phone providers by name, but you are likely familiar with their parent companies. 

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The Most Popular Government Phone Providers and Mobile Plans
government mobile plan
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For example, Assurance Wireless is one of the popular Lifeline cell phone companies, but you may better know its parent company, T-Mobile. 

If you meet the program requirements, you could get a free smartphone. The company has several free mobile phones and affordable plans. Below are just a few of the free phones Assurance Wireless offers:

  • ANS phones like Rapidz, UL40, Wiko Life, Life 2, and Life 3 
  • ALCATEL phones like ONETOUCH Cinch and Dawn
  • Coolpad phones like Avail, Belleza, Haylo, Illumina, Legacy Go, and Legacy SR 
  • ZTE phones like Prestige 2, Quest, Quest Plus, and Tempo X

All government phone companies limit free phones and discounted plans to one per household. This means that you cannot apply for government phones for each member of your family.

The company combines the Lifeline discount with the Afford Connectivity Program benefits to offer a low-cost unlimited plan. The Assurance Wireless Unlimited plan includes unlimited data, texts, and minutes for only $20. 

You can also get 10 GB of mobile hotspot data up to 4G LTE speed on this plan. Hotspot allows you to connect your computer and other devices to the internet through your phone. 

If you do not qualify for the Assurance Wireless Unlimited plan, you can still apply for their Lifeline Only service. Unlimited talk and text plans start at $15 for 5 GB of data and go as high as $45 for 14.5 GB. You can purchase additional voice minutes and data for 30-day periods: 

  • $5 for 250 additional Voice Minutes 
  • 10¢ each additional Voice Minute
  • $1 for 100MB Data 
  • $3 for 500MB Data
  • $5 for 1GB Data
  • $10 for 2GB Data
  • $20 for 4GB Data
  • $30 for 5GB Data

The Assurance Wireless service is not available in Alaska or Hawaii, but it is provided in Washington D.C. and the following contiguous states: 

  • Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin

Safelink Wireless is another government-sponsored cell phone company, but you may know it by another name. Learn more about this alternative provider and how to keep your phone but get a cheaper plan. 

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