Free Cell Phones 4 Low-Income Households in FL from TracFone

By Contributor Wireless and Mobile News on September 23, 2008 12:13 PM

TracFone Wireless is now offering SafeLink Wireless in Florida. SafeLink Wireless will serve as the company's distribution of Lifeline - a U.S. government supported program for income eligible households that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for eligible low income households
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The SafeLink Wireless service will provide eligible low-income households a free cell phone, mobile access to emergency services and free 68 minutes of air time, monthly, for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, call waiting, international calling to over 60 destinations and caller ID.

TracFone also offers free low-income services in TN. In Februrary 2009, SafeLink began offering free cell phones to low-income households in Georgia.

To learn more about SafeLink Wireless, including eligibility requirements, please call 1-800-977-3768 or visit safelinkwireless.com. You can get refill your Tracfone Wireless Airtime here.

Typically, families living below the poverty line struggle to pay their monthly bills, experience credit issues, and cannot afford traditional home phone and wireless services. Using public pay phones regularly pose problems and cell phone contracts often are difficult to maintain due to costly usage charges over long-term agreements. As a result, regular communications is a major dilemma for these families

Program Eligibility

Lifeline program eligibility varies by state but generally families may qualify for SafeLink Wireless service if their household income is not above 135 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines, or if they receive any of the following government assistance programs:

-- Medicaid

-- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

-- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

-- National School Lunch Program

-- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)

-- Food Stamps

-- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

Families wanting to participate in the SafeLink Wireless service will need to provide proof of low-income qualification such as:

-- 2007 state or federal tax return

-- Three consecutive months of payroll statements, or paycheck stubs for 2008

-- A Social Security statement of benefits

-- A Veterans Administration statement of benefits

-- A retirement/pension statement of benefits

-- An Unemployment/Workmen's Compensation state of benefits

-- A federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance

-- A divorce decree, child support, or other official document that proves your income

The SafeLink Wireless service will be provided to low-income families for up to one year. Participants may renew service and will be required to re-submit eligibility documentation upon their year completion. If the participant no longer qualifies for this free service, they will be notified and will be able to keep the cell phone to continue enjoying the benefits as a regular TracFone customer. Unused minutes will never expire and will automatically rollover. When recipients surpass their allocated 68 airtime minutes, they will be able to purchase prepaid SafeLink Wireless airtime cards or TracFone airtime cards, including double minute cards. Existing TracFone customers qualifying for the SafeLink Wireless service may keep their current cell phone, and receive bonus minutes (one-time bonus only) for choosing to keep their current cell phone.

To learn more about the SafeLink Wireless service, including eligibility requirements, please call 1-800-977-3768, or visit www.safelinkwireless.com.