Free phones and assistance paying cell phone bills in Alabama.
Learn how to get a free cell phone from the government and/or financial assistance to pay for the service. There are two main programs in Alabama that will help a low-income household with paying their phone bills or that give a free cell phone (includign iPhone or Samsug), tablet, or wireless device. Low income families, seniors, the disabled and struggling households will get help from Lifeline as well as Link up, and find how to apply for free phones or service in AL below.
Assistance is for people on benefits, such as Medicaid, SNAP food stamps, section 8 or that have an EBT card. A combination of free government phones, tablets or devices are given as well as discounts or even direct financial aid to pay a past due bill.
Both of these assistance programs are required to be offered in the state by federal government law. The resources, including free smart homes in Alabama, are aimed at low income families or those that receive some form of public assistance. Examples of what qualifies for phone bill help includes food stamps, LIHEAP, Medicare, Medicaid, section 8 or other aid.
The goal of these Alabama low income telephone programs is to ensure that every homeowner or renter in the state has some form of access to emergency communication, such as a free government phone, regardless of their income. For example, if someone, such as a senior or a person with a disability, lives on a fixed income or maybe an individual lost their job, by using this program they may be able to get help for their bills. No matter the situation, Lifeline can help make that monthly telephone expense a little more affordable.
Assistance with paying phone bills in Alabama
Lifeline can provide discounts and/or financial aid. When applying for a discount, one of two conditions need to be met. First, Lifeline is for families with a very low income, and that is usually based around 100 to 150% of the federal poverty levels for a household. So applicants may qualify based on that condition.
Or, assistance with phone bills or free cellular service is also provided for individuals that receive some type of federal or state of Alabama government benefits. Examples of what may qualify a family include they receive low income energy assistance from LIHEAP, Medicaid, SNAP Food Stamps, TANF, SSI disability or Section 8 voucher. There may be others though, and the phone company can provide more advice on this. In many cases, when applying for any form of public aid, the client will be automatically enrolled into Lifeline.
Free government phones or help paying for fees
Link-Up is the second assistance program in Alabama, and this provides free cell or smart phones or a home unit. This one will provide a discount for the installation of a new phone, or maybe even for the activation costs for a wireless service. In some cases the savings may be up to 50% of the costs that a household would normally need to pay for this expense.
When seeking help, all applications need to go through the phone company that is used. While a local community action agency or social service department can provide referrals to Lifeline, they do not process the applications themselves. All phone companies in Alabama participate, including, but not limited too Assurance, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, Frontier, Global Connection of America, and many others. Call them for more information of getting a free Apple iPhone, Google Pixel, a tablet or Samsung Galaxy in Alabama,
The exact dollar amount of any discount provided will vary, based on the company, applicants income and other criteria. However, it will normally be about $10 per month. It also applies only for basic service and not any special features, such as call waiting. So if a customer asks for other features on their phone, they will need to pay those costs out of their own pocket.
Only one telephone per home or apartment is able to be enrolled as well or can be given the unit for free. So it can be a home phone or cellular line, tablet or computers, but not both. Also, it does not matter how many people reside at a the address in Alabama, there is still a limit of one unit.
Applying for phone bill help or free cell service
As noted above, the applicant needs to call a telecommunication provider. All companies, including AT&T, Verizon, T Mobile, Safelink and others need to offer assistance. When requesting help from your provider, note that some will call it “Regular” Lifeline. The reason they do this is there may be an enhanced plan provided by some companies, and when that is available, it will offer an individual even greater savings. So always ask this of your phone company.
The agency that regulates it across the state is the Alabama Public Service Commission. Consumers that are being denied the discount or a free government phone, or that have issues with their phone company can call the commission at 1-800-392-8050. However they will only help resolve disputes, or maybe answer some technical questions.
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