Myths and Facts about Free Phones
Published on 12 July 13
Lilly0
There’s a lot of disinformation out on the Internet about free phones and services. The important thing is that you look at what these programs are actually about, instead of just taking the various things said about them on the Internet at face value. The free phone service is absolutely real, but not everything that’s said about it is.
Obama Phone
Since 2008, many rumors have circulated on the Net about the so-called “Obama Phone.†Many people were up in arms about vast redistribution rumors about how Obama was stealing people’s money to give free phones to the poor. It’s true that there is a free phone assistance program supported by the government, but it wasn’t started by President Obama. It was actually started under President Bush.
An Old Program
The program to offer free service to the poor was actually started in the 1980s and 90s, though it was for phonelines. It didn’t update to include wireless phone service until 2005, and the program for distributing phones for free started more recently. The program is called “Lifeline†and it’s meant to help disadvantaged families get back on their feet since phone service is so critical for so many people.
Who’s Getting These Phones?
In order to get into the program, you have to be within at least around 150% of the Federal guidelines for poverty. So basically, the phones are being used by the poor. The same people who are also getting food stamps, welfare, Medicare, and so on will also qualify for phones. If a family’s income rises above the line, they may lose their right to free phone service from that phone, however, just like they would lose foodstamps under the same conditions, and so on.
Why Is It Necessary?
The idea behind the free phone program LifeLink is that it’s dangerous for the poor to try going without a phone. If an emergency leapt up, they would have no means of getting help whatsoever. And this wouldn’t just be for emergencies that affect only them. The government depends on people calling in when they see fires, accidents, and so on. Giving people simple phones at low or no cost only helps with this issue. And even beyond that, if poor people spend money on phones that they would otherwise spend on food, medicine, or other necessities, it only makes their dependency on the government that much greater. Many people recognize how important phone communication is and will get into even deeper financial straits as a result. So, many have argued that the program makes a lot of sense on this basis as well.
Who is the Government Pairing with for Providers?
There are a few different providers the government has authorized to provide these free phones and free service. Examples include Safelink Wireless, Assurance Wireless and Reachout Wireless. These companies actually branched out from previous companies that focus on prepaid cellphones specifically to adapt to the LifeLink program for helping the poor stay connected to the world.
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