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The government’s Lifeline Program gives free cell phone service to Americans that need help staying connected.
Millions of people have already signed up for lifeline.
Sometimes referred as the “Obama Phone”, the Federal Lifeline Assistance Program is actually a decades-long program. Lifeline was created in the 1980s by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Reagan administration. Lifeline first gave qualified individuals access to landline phone communications. As times changed, the program was eventually updated during the Bush Presidency in 2005 to include wireless phones and services.
Even though the free Lifeline service is a program run by the government, eligible participants sign up for the service through verified Lifeline providers. There are several companies that provide Lifeline. Keep in mind that not every provider will offer the same type of free government cell phone service. Some providers may not even offer the service in your state. So you should do proper research before signing up for service.
Lifeline is a government benefit program that helps low-income families. Communication services are no longer considered a commodity – it is now a necessity. However, low-income households often cannot afford such necessities. With the Lifeline program, all households can have access to cell phone services so they can easily stay connected to family, friends, work, 911 services, healthcare services, and job opportunities. The Lifeline program helps those who qualify far more than what we list here.
