SSI recipients and other low income Americans may be eligible for free cell phone or landline service under a program called Lifeline Across America. Participants can expect to receive discounted or free service for a limited number of wireless minutes, but for those living alone or who want the security of a cell phone for emergencies, the Lifeline program can be very comforting.
In June of this year, the New York Times published an article about the Lifeline program entitled Providing Cell Phones for the Poor.
The program specifications vary from state to state – and associated programs may provide subsidies for electricity and other utilities. You can find out what is available in your state by a simple web search – I typed “Lifeline + cell phones + Georgia” into Google and the search result documented a number of carriers offering the service.
Another service that provides free or low cost cell phones to low income individuals is Assurance Wireless – click on the link to learn more.
Thanks to Wisconsin disability lawyer Don Chewning for blogging about this important benefit to SSI recipients.
If you are interested in learning more about how to get one of these free or low cost cell phones, please visit: