Ron Schenone

SafeLink Wireless Offers Free Phone And Minutes For Those Who Qualify

Posted by on Feb 26, 2010 | 22 Comments

SafeLink Wireless offers free cell phones and free air time minutes for those who qualify. The minutes are limited to only 68 minutes a month and are basically meant to be used in emergency situations. This is a government supported program introduced back in 1984 when Reagan was President to make phone service available to those who could not afford a phone. The program was expanded in 1998 and now SafeLink is bringing lifeline phones to cell phone users.

On their web site SafeLink states the following:

Thanks to SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline — a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense. Instead of receiving a subsidized monthly telephone bill for Lifeline service, SafeLink converts the total amount of discounted service into minutes each month for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, three-way calling, call waiting, caller ID and access to 911.

SafeLink phones are not paid for by taxpayers or the federal government. TracFone Wireless pays for the phones and also the cost of promoting its SafeLink program to make sure that eligible consumers know about the program.

If you qualify, which varies from state to state, you or someone you know may qualify for a free phone and free minutes. Here are a list of states who participate in the program:

Alabama, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Comments welcome.

Source

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  • http://googl mike

    i love safe link

  • http://AOL blake alston

    Would like to become a membrer of safelink

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      blake,
      Click on the source link and you will be taken to the web site.

  • emma wade

    it a very nice phone for people who cant afford one it come in handy for my sister she rides the bus she can call and say she on her way home

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  • Jessica

    I had a free safelink phone, but in January, 2010, My son and I moved and lost the phone. I called Safelink customer service and reported the phone lost and gave them my new address. As of this date, I have spent countless hours on the phone with them being transferred from one person to another until I was in tears. I have given up on it. Now when I am at work, my son is home with no phone. We still have not got a replacement phone and their customer service sucks!

  • GINA MARCIL

    i am a single mother and dont have employment, when i have a cell phone this no during for much time, because i dont cant pay the bill. always stay incomunicated with my family and when my kids are sick i can to walk to come to the hospital.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Pineapplehead.Wally?ref=profile Wally Daniel

    I had a free safelink phone, but in January, 2010, The phone I had quit holding a charge I called Safelink customer service and reported the phone was inoperable, I was instructed to purchase a new tracfone and then to call safelink at 1-800-378-1684, I started Tuesday 5-04-2010 and during the entire day would reach a recording saying due to the extreme amount of calls on their system the operators are busy and to try my call another time. This continued all day same response, then Wednesday 5-05-2010 at 8:00AM EST I called and got another recording saying to call this number 1-800-867-7183 so I immediately called and after jumping thru all their hoops and giving out my information for countless hours on the phone with them being transferred from one person to another until I was thoroughly pissed off I think I talked to the entire network of Indian workers there was, at one point I was disconnected while on hold after waiting 1 hour for a Supervisor. I gave up and waited until Thursday 5-06-2010 and went thru the same mess of hoops and endless transfers of operators and enduring the language barrier, I finally get the replacement phone hooked up (9 hours later), later today I purchased a Safelink Wireless 60 minute card and tried to activate it via the cellphone to no avail so I called the number on the card 1-800-977-3768 and once again had to go through the same troubles as before except this time was unsuccessful getting the problem resolved I have given up on it. God forbid someone else who has better things to do with their time, goes through what I have endured with their customer service and their Technical Support. Whoever is employing these people needs to make sure they speak English clearly before placing them in charge. The Customer Service there sucks so hard a watermelon could pass through a garden hose in one piece.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Heh Wally,
      YIPES! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Totally unbelievable!

  • http://safelink jane

    It;s sad, all the problem safelink customers have to go threw just to get a replaced phone or service, I just hope its never a life situation accure. These phone were designed for people in case of emergency . this is why they need not to have a recording when someone calls and train these customer service wokers theril like there life depended on it (like a 911 operators) or just give me a job as a customer service rep. and I’ll get to the problem asap.

  • HeavensEydie

    WoW, Wally…sounds like what happened to me…I never got my minutes (68 per month) for two consecutive months. One person would say that they see in the system that I never received them while another would say that I in fact did receive them. I “fought” with these very rude, heavy accented people (who are nearly impossible to understand) for over two weeks and was never given my minutes they owed me. Also was cut off the line while on hold for a Supervisor. One Supervisor told the clerk that she did not need to speak with me that in 20 minutes I’d be getting the minutes then the clerk hung up the phone but I never got the minutes. This happened in January. Now I keep receiving some texts from a phone number which appears to be some workers code or something as it is not a phone number but a code. It costs me minutes to read this to see it is absolutely garbage. I want (need) to change my number but fear the STRESS I will have to go through in order to achieve what it needed. Not sure what I’ll do. Either way this program is designed for people that need and are entitled to be in it but yet are treated as if they were trying to get something they are not entitled to. I don’t get it. The program needs to be looked at and revamped as far as hiring people that are willing to help and do their job.

  • http://yahoo larry dumas

    I HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY MONTHLY MINUTES, AND I HAD THE PHONE ON EVERYDAY

  • RedSoxFan67

    O.M.G. I recieved my Safelink phone(cool) not cool was after I charged it for 5 hours,got the 125 free minutes (cool) used it twice,for total of 5 mintues …but kept getting a stupid # like a code every friggin hour for 4 days(not cool!) I ignored this # did’nt reconize it,then on day 5 (low battery) I tried to charge it after 6 hours it did’nt charge,and read” Out of battery” I called Safelink got a person (thick accent) who said I need to buy new charger…or new phone!! The hell with this crap. It figures if you want something for nothing…nothing is what you get!!!!Anyone else have this problem???

  • ChibiChula

    I applied for the Safelink phone for my mother and the Assurance Wireless phone for myself. Both have worked perfectly in the month we’ve had them so far, barring the typical troubles you get in certain areas. That’s normal with all cell phones though. It’s a great solution for keeping track of my 65 year old mom who always seems to be out visiting friends. My own phone helps me out mostly in asking my mother if she wants me to bring anything back on the way home, lol. Despite our somewhat frivolous use so far, it’s a great relief to know we can contact each other in case of emergency and there really was no other way we could afford it. I’d say that peace of mind is priceless. :D

  • http://yahoo.com Rebecca Roller

    I really depend on my phone for emergencies. I am raising my 6 yr old grandaughter and this is how her school would have to call me in case of an emergency. I did NOT receive my minutes for Oct.2010. I have tried to call, but was told there is a high call volume and try again. I’ve tried everyday for two weeks. When I thought I was getting some where, I was disconnected. What’s up with not being able to get any assistance ? HELP !!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://safelink john slivka

    have no job have sieures and anger and bi polar problems

  • Sharen Bradford

    I’ve been trying to get a SAFELINK phone for over a year.
    Apparently, one of my son’s friends used our address so that she could get one mailed to her. Althought, I’ve spoken to customer assistance in India on the phone and explained that I’ve never had a phone. Also, told them I don’t think she uses her phone anymore…I still get letters saying they refuse to send me phone, so have given up. I filled out another application with my new address and waited months and never received my phone. Just now, since I’ve filled out my online application with my new address and just received my SAFELINK phone today. .

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Thanks Sharen for the info.

  • Jared G

    Since first receiving my safelink phone it has been called by bill collectors, political advertisments and even school closing notices from the local school disricts, I have spent many of the free monthly minutes unsuccessfull trying to get those people off of my back. After contacting safelink 4 times, and spending several hours speaking to tech support, customer support supervisors and searching online forums, I have come to the conclusion that not only is changing the assigned safelink number impossible, but they are incappable of admitting it is.