Kimball said it comes from the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which amended the Communications Act of 1934 to require low-income assistance. Though the exact details of the benefit vary from state to state, cell phone providers typically provide low-income consumers with some form of a monthly discount, whether it be free minutes or a reduced rate, she said.Īnd here's a key detail: The program is more than decade old. She said consumers can qualify for a cell phone plan if they don't have access to a land-line. We spoke with Rosemary Kimball, an FCC spokeswoman, to get more details. In some cases, states administer their own programs. Eligible participants must have an income that is at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty level or use Medicaid, food stamps, federal public housing assistance, or supplemental security income, among other things. Specifically, Lifeline, which TracPhone participates in, provides discounts on basic monthly phone service, and Link-Up America helps those who qualify get telephone service by paying one-half of the startup fee, according to the FCC Web site. Depending on where participants live, free phones and free minutes are available participants in Washington, D.C., for example, can get 55 free minutes per month, while consumers in Florida can get 68 free minutes a month.ĪT&T and Verizon provide similar services.Īll those perks are the result of Federal Communications Commission programs to help low-income people get phone service.

The e-mail included a link to the TracPhone Web site, a prepaid cell phone company, and its SafeLink Wireless program to help low-income people get cellular coverage.

Safelink wireless affiliate program