Gone are the days when phones were primarily used for calling. From paying utility bills to carrying out various financial transactions; from booking a movie ticket to making flight reservations; and from reaching out to doctors to online clinical consultations – a smart mobile is a basis for all these transactions.

Affordability of smart mobiles is not within everyone’s budget. The financially disadvantaged people are not in a position to afford mobile phones, and are hence, unable to communicate during emergencies.

If you are unable to pay for a mobile or a data plan, the government-backed LifeLine Assistance scheme is here to help. This is FCC-mandated program that provides free government cell phones to people in the low-income group or is living on government assistance. The government has partnered with a number of cell phone companies, to come up with a free mobile scheme that includes free talking and texting minutes.

Here is how you can own free government phones:

Determine your eligibility
The eligibility criteria for owning free government phones are:

State of residence – The LifeLine Assistance program is available only in select states. You need to determine if your state is covered by this scheme. The coverage details are available on the LifeLineSupport.org website. Only citizens or Residents of the country qualify for this program. People already living on government assistance are eligible for free government phones. Those living in areas of natural disasters or displaced families are also eligible for LifeLine Support.

Enroll for LifeLine assistance
Once eligibility criteria are fulfilled, you need to apply for LifeLine assistance using the tools available on their website. You may need to enter residence details and other specific information to enroll for support.

Complete and submit your application
Once all details are filled, you can submit the application along with the documents supporting eligibility criteria. Now you have completed your order for free government phone.

Once you submit the application for a free mobile, the next step is to choose an appropriate plan. The majority of the mobile usage plans tied with the LifeLine assistance program offer unlimited talk and text, and variable data components. The plan offers varies in each state and province.

While choosing the mobile plan, you need to first determine availability near you by choosing the state from the drop-down list on the website. If the plan is available in your locality, the next step is to find the plan and provider that suits your usage requirements. Finally, submit the application for the chosen plan.

Once the application is approved, you will be mailed the free phone or you may have to collect it from the nearest location. Upon receiving the phone, you can start using it.

Over 10 million citizens have benefitted from the LifeLine Assistance program. To avail this service, all you need to do is check the service provider and the plans available in your area, and ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria.