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In March 2009 we did a story about a wireless phone plan that provides free cell phones for the poor through Safelink Wireless. Much to our surprise, it’s generated more controversy and more comments than any other story we’ve ever done (you really should read some of the thousands of comments. Frankly, it’s astonishing).
TracFone Wireless follows Safelink Wireless in giving free cell phones to the poor
Now Colorado is thinking about enrolling its poor in the same program.
The Denver Post reports:
“If approved, the plan by TracFone Wireless in Miami would make Colorado the 17th state it has settled into with free cell service for the indigent, a form of wireless welfare that proponents say taps into one of the last untapped markets for the telecom technology.
“Our hope is to have it up and running by September,” said Jose Fuentes, TracFone’s director of government relations. “Historically, it’s a very underutilized service, and we’d like that to change.”
In Colorado, it’s called LITAP — the Low Income Telephone Assistance Program — and is available to anyone receiving aid from any of six welfare funds…
The bad news is that you’re paying for this via the Universal Service Fund, one of those mysterious line item taxes listed on your monthly phone bill.
The good news is that you soon won’t have any money left and you’ll qualify for a free cell phone.
Congratulations!
Source: DenverPost.com
This post was last modified on October 18, 2023
View Comments (115)
My understanding is that while they do give the phones away for free. They give very few talk seconds a month and you pay a lot of money for extra time. An economic "money sink" if you will. I know someone who said they got one and it costed them over 20 dollars to buy a few extra minutes. They ended up spending over a hundred dollars a month. That was more than they had been spending before with their 50 dollar monthly bill contract phone that they "couldn't afford."
Isn't this just the company profiteering off something the government is investing in for them to profit off of? Is the cell company so needy that it has to have the government pay for it's own profits, instead of just offering these free phones to people who qualify because it still makes money?
Most of the phones it gives away for free seem to be ones it.
1. Can't sell otherwise.
Or.
2. You could find for almost nothing online.
I'm guessing the postage costs them more, and the government is also likely paying a lot more for these free phones than the company could otherwise obtain.
The company isn't losing any money on talk time either. Cell phone towers in any country automatically give priority to contracted customers over non contract customers, and automatically give non contracted customers priority over subsidized partner company customers, and they get priority over subsidized partner company non contracted customers. If there's an area wide emergency (where these people really need to use their phones) or event and a lot of people are using their phones, the non contract customers are the ones who can't get their calls connected. This is because towers only handle so many people. The free phones when they work are simply using up the "free" space on the bottom of this totem pole that no one would be using up otherwise. Hence it isn't costing the company one dollar.
It's like your government is paying for people to be addicted. If people who got them for free were instead only elderly, disabled, totally unable to work, and or couldn't buy extra minutes. Then that might have been a better plan.
I'm willing to bet some politicians got some nice contributions from the cell companies to their campaign funds. No wonder more are jumping on board.
How do you report someone for fraud? I know someone who has one of these free phones with a house hold income of more than 50000.00 a year.
That isn't actually much, depending on where you live. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080215094449AAeZ8ku
What a useless drain on society you are, Dark Dildo. If and when you grow up, and get a job, you're welcome to buy all the cellphones you want and give them to people who make fifty grand. Until then, shut your pedophile mouth.
SafeLink Wireless is NOT the only company using the USAC subsidy to give phones to the poor! ALL large companies offer the Lifeline and Linkup programs. The only difference is that SafeLink Wireless is the only one that bundles everything for free! The large companies give discounts with their subsidy so that they can lock people into expensive contracts for those fancy phones. SafeLink phones are VERY basic! NO CAMERAS, NO INTERNET, NO MUSIC, OR RINGTONES. So, as you will see, it is NOT fair to portray SafeLink Wireless as some anomaly in this market. Carlos Slim did not create this program; the federal government did and all states are on board!!!
AT&T: http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/community-support/lifeline-link-up.jsp
VERIZON: http://www22.verizon.com/residentialhelp/phone/billing/special+billing+services/information+about+your+service/95830.htm
SPRINT: http://shop2.sprint.com/en/services/calling/universal_lifeline_program.shtml
LIST OF COMPANIES IN ILLINOIS ALONE!!!: http://www.icc.illinois.gov/Consumer/LifelineAndLinkUp.pdf
LIST OF COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA ALONE!!!: http://www.consumer-action.org/downloads/english/Lifeline_Wireless_Plans_v2.pdf
LIST OF COMPANIES IN NORTH CAROLINA ALONE!!!: http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/ei-35/man/FSISs503f3.pdf
This is starting to resemble spam.
no spam, just trying to set the record straight!
Let me guess.... You have a safelink phone.
Nope. I have good job and pay for my own. And guess what? I pay the USAC fee just like everybody else.
I have no problem with people opposing the program; there are many government programs I oppose. However, I wish these articles weren't so misleading in the stuff it claims about one company!
Illegals??? No way! You need a real social security number. Mexican billionaire taking American taxpayers money??? You know how many government contracts (tax money) goes to foreign-owned companies? Why SafeLink? If people don't like it, take it to your elected officials. If you don't trust them, the shut up cause the program IS the law! period.
*If you don’t trust them, the shut up cause the program IS the law! period.*
Kinda my fault... I forgot its every Americans duty to blindly follow every law our masters hand down to us.... Good call
Misleading? You realize this site is for humor right? I dont think any of the posters get their news specifically from this site... You gotta get off your high horse and pay attention for 5 mins before you start posting the same crap on every article... And no problm with people who oppose the programs? coulda fooled me.
Before you respond please scroll to the top of the page and look at the Top left and read to yourself what it says under "I Hate The Media"
- if no one else has said this, I will; Egypt's ex-ruler, likely wished the 'poor' had not had as many cellphones as they did, - should the US fall victim to similar 'riots' [due to high inflation, higher food, fuel, goods, services, higher taxes, social program 'cut-backs' etc.], they'll be led by the 'great unwashed' -w/ their free cellphones.
- if no one else has said this, I will; Egypt's ex-ruler, likely wished the 'poor' had not had as many cellphones as they did, - should the US fall victim to similar 'riots' [due to high inflation, higher-food-fuel-goods-services, higher taxes, social program 'cut-backs' etc.], they'll be led by the 'great unwashed' -w/ their free cellphones.
i have food stamps and a food card need the food stamp free cell phone can be reached at 954-266-9909
Hello there, Jason.
My name is Barrister Cowabunga Obongo,
Recently I heard sad news that your dear cousin, Dumbass Still passed away, without leaving a will. The only relation we could find here in Kenya was Moonshine Still, and he will need $40,000 in cash in order to claim the millions that your cousin Dumbass left. Moonshine says that he will share all of these millions with you if you post your personal details and provide an affadavit that you are a true Dumbass.
I HAVE A FOOD STAMP CARD WOULD LIKE TO GET THE FREE FOOD STAMP PHONE YOU CAN REACH ME AT 954-xxx-xxxx
-- redacted by admin. We are not Safelink.
I HAVE FOOD STAMPS YOU CAN REACH ME AT 954-266-9909 MY MOMS PHONE # REALLY NEED THE TELEPHONE
Good news Jason! We have tracked your number and will be bringing your phone over today. Please wait in the front yard so we can easily find you. Even better if you can make a sign that says "I wants my free phone" and sit out on the curb with it. We look forward to bringing over your phone!
What is wrong with our country,oh so we can give to other country's but heaven forbid if we give to our on!!!I was raised up poor ,but came from a family of hard workers not lazy.poor does not mean lazy!!! some people deserve what they get,food stamps housing,i raiesed 3 children without child support becouse of a dead beat dad,i worked but couldnt make ends meat hardly,couldn afford a phone to even dial 911 if needed i would have much aprechiated the phone back then.so i understand anout our taxes but if we can give to other countrys why not help our own.im all for the safelink phones!!
I dont believe in given to other countries who do not pay back
The problem here is that these services I am sure 70%-85% of the time are not provided to legal residents/citizens, nor to people who actually need it. Most of the services go to people who are not legal and to people who could afford their own but choose to be dependent on the program. This program is ripe for abuse and waste. I bet you anything that an illegal (regardless of they being able to afford their own service or not) would be considered first and foremost for the service over a poor citizen. The program is even advertised FOR illegal and undocumented people. That more than anything else is the main problem.
Illegals should not be eligible for ANY kind of public assistance--other than the bus ride back to where they came from. We would have NO illegal problem here if they didn't get welfare, food stamps, medicaid, section 8 and free education for their kids. NO SOCIAL SERVICES TO NON-CITIZENS. PERIOD. KICK THEM OUT!
is this all you people have to do is talk about people that cant afford cell phones? I think its a wonderful idea and its great to see the country helping the poor for once! do you people really think people can live off of $500.00 a month here in MA? NOOOOO a one bedroom in the boston area is 1000.00 to 1500.00....goodness GET A LIFE!!!!!