So, you need a phone. Well there are two main options for a free phone that includes free service: Assurance or Safelink. Let’s take a look at both their services to see which one is best.
Assurance
Assurance Wireless seems to be the network that most people apply for first. It’s one of the more popular programs available for those that need a free phone and minutes. The great thing about Assurance is that you get a free phone from Virgin Mobile that operates on Virgin Mobile’s network. Since Virgin Mobile is a subsidiary of AT&T, it’s technically a Virgin Mobile phone that operates on the AT&T network. This means that, with your free smartphone from Assurance, you’re going to get great service and coverage that will keep you connected almost anywhere you go.
To be eligible, you’ll need to provide proof of income. The guidelines say that you need to make less than 137% of the federal poverty guidelines for your state. You also automatically qualify if you’re using a government program like Medicaid or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). All you need to do is provide proof of your enrollment in one or both of these programs for your application approval.
Once approved, Assurance will send you a free phone. You will get 500 minutes of talk time and unlimited texting per month. Data packages cost extra. This allows you to make all of the important calls you need to make, all while being able to stay in touch with friends and family.
Safelink
Safelink is your other option, which from the looks of it, offers much less service than what Assurance provides. Safelink has agreements with Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T to provide your free phone with cellular coverage; however, the coverage itself is pretty spotty in comparison to Assurance.
With Safelink, the approval process is similar. You enter your zip code, start filling out the application, and then you’ll need to provide your proof of income to make sure you’re eligible. Again, it’ll have to show that you’re making less than 137% of the federal poverty guideline for your state of residence. As an alternative, you can provide proof of your inclusion in one of the many federal programs to prove your eligibility — this can be for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or others that prove your poverty. The downside with Safelink is that it is one account per home, which means that your kids won’t be able to get a phone, which is actually important since it’s good to stay in touch with them as they get older and are off at school.
Safelink’s service is rather spotty in comparison to Assurance — you only get 68 minutes of free air time per month, and there’s no mention of any texting capabilities; however, Safelink does allow you to upgrade to a smartphone for as little as $50, and then they do offer discounted talk, text, and 1GB of data for just $15 per month.
It’s also not clear if Safelink provides you with a smartphone or if they just hook you up with a dumb phone, although it seems that it’s more likely the latter, as Safelink has done this all along and hasn’t upgraded the phones they provide.
Conclusion
So, which government wireless phone plan should you get? We recommend putting an application in for Assurance. If you get approved, you get a free Virgin Mobile smartphone with up to 500 minutes of talk time and unlimited texting. Not only that, but you’ll get great coverage because Virgin Mobile piggy back’s off of AT&T’s network. There’s supreme value here compared to what Safelink offers, and it’s all for free. If you can’t get approved for Assurance because of your location, unfortunately, one of your only options is going to be Safelink, although it’s still better than nothing.