Going for a cell phone plan can be expensive, especially when you are at an age where you have no income source, and you’re under social security. A cell phone plan includes tax, activation fees, device costs, and other expenses, making switching for a cell phone plan tricky for aged people.
However, several providers have tailored free cell phone plans for senior citizens regarding needs, price range, and other aspects. Most senior citizens need cell phone plans for emergencies.
Are you a senior citizen aged 55 to 60? If so, then several cell phone providers offer affordable cell phone plans for seniors with unlimited talk, text, and data.
You can even get a free cell phone for seniors if you qualify for the Lifeline, EBB, or any FCC-approved assistance programs. Below, we’ve enlisted the ten best providers offering free cell phones and service for senior citizens. Let’s proceed.
10 (Provider) Free Cell Phone Plans For Senior Citizens 2023
There are hardly any carriers available that offer free cell phone service to seniors. We have picked ten wireless providers that cover free phone plans for seniors under Lifeline benefits.
1. SafeLink Wireless
If you qualify for the low-income criteria, you can get cell phone services from SafeLink Wireless as a senior citizen. TracFone operates SafeLink Wireless which is a Lifeline aid provider in particular states of the US. They offer free cell phone plans for senior citizens in more than 42 states around the country.
The parent of SafeLink (TracFone) covers their services to more than 20 million residents across the nation, and they are one of the largest Lifeline providers. SafeLink covers senior cell phone plans with free phones in two sections. They offer tailored plans for California and a far less generous plan for the citizens of other areas.
Plan Details: If you are a LifeLine qualified senior citizen, you can benefit from Lifeline and EBB programs. Emergency Broadcasting Benefit Program is mainly designed for offering data access to low-income senior citizens. This plan offers-
- Get a free government smartphone from the latest brands
- Provides voicemail facility and Caller ID visibility as well
- Delivers free calling access to 411 and 911
- Offers unlimited 4G LTE data access across the country
- Get unlimited talk and text with international calling accessibility
- Provides up to 10 GB of hotspot tethering access
The Universal Service Administrative Company funds the SafeLink Wireless Lifeline assistance program. After enrollment into the Lifeline program for seniors, you can receive free airtime minutes each month for the first year. You may need to recertify or renew the services after one year, as a Lifeline subscription lasts for one year only.
2. Assurance Wireless
If you want to have tremendous senior citizen cell phone plans free of cost, you can undoubtedly check the services of Assurance Wireless. They mainly run on the network towers of T-Mobile, which is a great one for stable network coverage countrywide. Under their Federal Lifeline Aid for low-income seniors, you can get free cell phone plans for sure.
Previously Assurance Wireless was operated under Nextel and Sprint networks, but now both are owned by T-Mobile, so as Assurance Wireless. You can expect quality network coverages since they use the country’s best network, T-Mobile. Let’s discuss the features of Assurance Wireless free cell phone plans for senior citizens.
Plan Benefits: Eligible seniors with a low-income profile based on FPG terms can get free cell phone plans from Assurance. Their plan includes-
You can get free smartphones from the latest brands
- Provides access for keeping your existing phone number
- Get unlimited vocal minutes(for Freedom Plan)
- Offers up to 2 GB of 4G LTE data
- Send unlimited texts to all the coverage areas
Unlike other California lifeline cell phone providers that charge fees for providing government cell phones, Assurance Wireless offers them free of cost. If all the added free perks are not enough for the whole month, you can add extras through top-ups at affordable rates.
For Assurance Wireless free cell phone plans, you need to qualify to the federal Lifeline guidelines first. You can be eligible if you qualify for any federal programs or by showing your income status.
3. Access Wireless
Does applying for a free cell phone for senior citizens seem complicated to you? Access Wireless is by your side with the most straightforward and reliable low income senior cell phone plans under the Federal Lifeline program. If you switch to Access wireless, you can get better coverages, as they are merging with T-Mobile soon.
For applying to free senior plans from Access Wireless, you need to visit their site. Find out their set of required criteria for eligibility, and fill-up the form if you want to proceed. You can add extra minutes, text, and data through your credit refills, which is known as a top-up.
Plan details: Access Wireless offers incredible perks for low-income senior citizens in the Lifeline Aid Program. You can get senior citizen cell phone plans free, opening the door for your EBB benefits. The plan benefits are-
- Get great & brand new smartphones from the latest brands
- Provides unlimited talk, text, and up to 500 MB of data
- With International calling compatibility, contact with your loved ones
- Offers nationwide coverage under a stable network
- Free long-distance domestic calling is also available.
If you qualify for their Lifeline aid, you can get their Emergency Broadcast Benefits as well. They offer unlimited minutes, messages, and up to 25 GB of high-speed data in EBB. Speeds may slow down for the rest of the month if you use 25 GB of data. You can use the included data for mobile hotspot tethering also.
4. enTouch Wireless
enTouch Wireless is an MVNO previously owned by Boomerang Wireless. But now, they are operated under the Verizon network. It is a leading one in providing free cell phone plans for senior citizens with excellent 4G LTE coverage and hassle-free. For qualified low-income seniors and families, they provide free Lifeline phone plans.
Before applying for their senior cell phone plans with free phones, you need to be eligible first for the Lifeline program. Similar to other Lifeline service providers, you need to have a low-income profile. Which means you need to stay under the Federal Poverty Line requirement. You can also qualify if you have eligibility for FCC programs like Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, etc.
Plan details: In enTouch Wireless plans, you can get more excellent benefits if you reside in California. The basic features for tribal and non-tribal states are as follows-
- Includes unlimited talk and text to eligible users
- Eligible participants can get EBB benefits as well
- Provides stable LTE coverage in more than 34 states
- You can get up to 1.5 GB of data on a monthly basis(4 GB for California)
- It offers to brand new smartphones from the latest brands
- New users can get unlimited data for a limited time only
If you go for the non-tribal plan, you can also get a chance to win Free smartphones. If you qualify, you can enjoy unlimited talk and text only plans access under the EBB program benefits. You can be eligible in two ways, through FCC programs and your income status.
5. FeelSafe WIreless
Based in Mississippi, FeelSafe Wireless is a Lifeline assistance provider which is offered by AirVoice Wireless. They provide free cell phone plans for senior citizens, and their GSM network coverage is pretty stable and widespread.
FeelSafe Wireless cell phone services are available in California, Michigan, Mississippi, Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other states of the US.
FeelSafe Wireless is a branding name of the AirVoice Wireless Lifeline assistance services. AirVoice Wireless runs under the network coverage of AT&T, which is one of the most extensive carriers of the USA.
Get in touch safely with your family in the last periods of your life through FeelSafe free cell phone services for senior citizens. Below are the LifeLine offerings for qualified US senior citizens.
Plan details: The GSM network standard is transcendent for those who don’t have cellular access, especially for seniors. You can get free cell phones and monthly cellular network coverages through FeelSafe Wireless if you are a low-income senior resident. The LifelIne advantages of FeelSafe Wireless are-
- Provides great free government smartphones from leading brands
- Send unlimited texts to your loved ones
- Get unlimited nationwide vocal minutes
- Offers 911 calling services for California
- Get up to 2 GB of accessible data bundle
- You can add extra minutes, text, and data through top-ups starting at just $5 per month.
Even if you run out of free perks before the end of the month, you can add extra perks with your credits. They cost just 10 cents per minute, 10 cents per text message, 10 cents per MB of data as well.
6. Assist Wireless
Assist Wireless is a branding broadband internet seller of two underlying carriers, Sprint & T-Mobile. One great thing about the underlying carriers is, when your current providers’ data finishes, it gets transferred to the underlying carriers into the public network. Assist Wireless delivers free cell phone plans for seniors with talk, text, and data, starting at just $0 per month.
They deliver free government phone plans in five states, and they are- Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Maryland. The programs and offerings vary based on the state. If you qualify for their senior Lifeline coverages, you can get unlimited monthly cellular features at little to no cost. Let’s discuss their state-based plans and their details.
Plan details: Assist Wireless has three plans under the Lifeline benefit program for the coverage states. All these plans are for Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Maryland.
Plan 1-
- It starts at just 0 dollars per month
- Get unlimited domestic talk and text access
- Adds 4 GB of 4G LTE data access
Plan 2-
- It starts at just 1 dollar per month
- Get unlimited domestic talk and text access
- Adds 4.5 GB of 4G LTE data access
Plan 3-
- It starts at just 5 dollars per month
- Get unlimited domestic talk and text access
- Adds 5 GB of 4G LTE data access
Refill or Top Up: With a vast range of refilling options at affordable prices, you don’t have to hassle even if you run out of the plan before the end of the month. They have separate data, talk, and text refilling options that you can pick.
Talk Refill-
- For just 4 dollars, you can get 100 minutes
- For just 8 dollars, you can get 400 minutes
- For just 15 dollars, you can get 1000 minutes
Data Refill-
- For just 4 dollars, you can get 100 MB
- For just 12 dollars, you can get 500 MB
- For just 15 dollars, you can get 1 GB
Text Refill-
- Get 1000 texts for just 5 dollars
- Get 2000 texts for just 8 dollars
- Get 4000 texts for just 12 dollars
If you are in any state assistance programs or your annual income is at or below 135% to 150% of the FPG, you can qualify for this senior lifeline benefit from Access Wireless.
7. American Assistance
Most of the time, you may find this one named American Broadband and Telecommunications. Basically, American Assistance is a Lifeline benefit program offered by the American Broadband and Telecommunications. Now, we expect you are pretty obvious about this confusing matter. They provide free cell phone plans for senior citizens in more than 15 states of the US.
Their coverage states are- California, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Minnesota, Utah, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Islands. To see if you qualify for their senior Lifeline assistance program, visit their site. They offer premium plans for California, Kentucky and non-premium plans for other states.
Plan Details: Below, we will discuss the Lifeline Premium(California) and non-premium plans in detail.
California Premium Lifeline– This plan is mainly based on the residents of California who qualify for the Lifeline aid program. The features of this plan are-
- Offers unlimited nationwide talk
- Get unlimited texts across the US
- Get up to 6 GB of 4G LTE data access
Non-California Lifeline Program: This Lifeline plan includes all the other states in their coverage areas. Though this plan is not totally free, you have to copay about 14.95 dollars for activation. The features of this plan are-
- Get Unlimited domestic voice minutes
- Unlimited Nationwide Text Messages
- Get up to 4.5 GB of 4G LTE internet
- Get a free smartphone from the latest brands
They also have affordable top-up options when you reach your monthly limits. For 100 minutes and 100 texts, you have to pay just 4.49 dollars. You can add up to 100 MB for just 4.49 dollars. They also have premium talk, text, and data refill options available for up to 50 dollars.
8. QLink Wireless
Have you retired from your job and facing trouble managing cellular service because of unemployment or retirement? If so, you can trust QLink WIreless as they offer free phone plans for seniors under the Lifeline aid.
QLink Wireless is a major Lifeline cellular service provider which offers service in more than 35 states. They deliver free unlimited minutes, data, and messages for eligible seniors.
You can qualify for their Lifeline benefit program if you lost your job(unemployed) or have participated in any FCC programs. They recognize the SNAP(food stamp), Medicaid, Housing Assistance, SSI, and Veterans Pension eligibility. Moreover, you can get the EBB benefits of free data if you qualify for the Lifeline program. Let’s discuss their plans in detail.
Plan detail: QLink Wireless offers free cell phone services for seniors with the country’s best 4G LTE and 5G coverage. One of the greatest things about QLink is that they allow you to keep your own phone and existing number for the Lifeline benefits. The advantages of their plans are-
- Get free unlimited data access
- Offers free unlimited nationwide talk and text
- Get a new tablet if you qualify
- Bring your existing phone & number
You can have Caller ID service, Voicemail, three-way calling, and call waiting facilities in the extra perks. QLink has a set of requirements for eligibility, and you can visit their site to participate.
9. TruConnect Wireless
Powered by both Sprint and T-Mobile, TruConnect is one of the most influential providers that offer free cell phone plans for senior citizens. As a senior, you can participate in their free government cell phone services funded by the Federal Government. For availing you of the benefits, you need to meet specific eligibility criteria of the Lifeline Assistance program.
TruConnect renders free cell phone services to more than seven states of the United States. Their coverage states include California, Nevada, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, and other stateside. If you qualify for the senior’s Lifeline program, you can also get the EBB benefits of the pandemic. Like most providers, they also focus mainly on California residents.
Plan Details: You can switch to TruConnect Wireless without any hassles. Since they require no activation fees, credit checks, no charges for shifting into their services. The advantages are-
- Get a free government cell phone
- Up to 12 GB of 4G LTE data(14 GB for EBB eligibles)
- Get unlimited nationwide talk and text
- Free international calling if you qualify for EBB
- Offers smartphones from the top-rated brands
If you don’t qualify for EBB, you may need to pay a nominal fee when you use an international calling plan. But TruConnect also has specific destinations where international calling is free for the Lifeline eligibles. Coverage countries are- Canada, Mexico, South Korea, China, and Vietnam.
10. Life Wireless
Life Wireless is a provider of free cell phones and service for senior citizens, which is run by the funds of Universal Service Administrative Company. Under the network coverages of AT&T, they provide a comprehensive cellular service around the USA. They offer Lifeline coverage for seniors in California, Kansas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Nevada, South Carolina, Maryland, Vermont, and other US states.
Besides the Lifeline benefits, Life Wireless also offers domestic cell phone plans in more than 30 states. But their Lifeline assistance for seniors and unemployed low-income families is available in nine states and some tribal lands. They have specific state-based offerings, but their primary coverage is divided into two segments- tribal & non-tribal.
Plan details: California has two plans with unlimited talk and text benefits, but the difference is visible in terms of data and MMS offering. Plan 1 offers unlimited MMS and 3 GB of data. But plan 2 offers 100 MMS and 3 GB of free data. The benefits of Life Wireless are-
- Offers free domestic long-distance calls
- Unlimited Text Messaging
- International calling is available at no extra roaming costs
- You can get a chance to win free government cell phones
- Offers Caller ID and Call Waiting services
- Three-way calling and Voicemail service is available
Life Wireless also provides specific Oklahoma benefits, where eligible participants can get unlimited talk, text, and 1.5 GB of data along with a free smartphone. You can add extra values by refilling from your credit card, known as a top-up. They start at just $4 for 100 minutes and 1 GB of data.
Final Verdict
Now you can switch to free cell phone plans for senior citizens by selecting the providers we have mentioned above. We have explained the procedures, rates, and coverage areas of each provider in detail.
Pick one that goes well with your states’ coverage. Before proceeding into the action, mix and match your eligibility requirements and see if you are eligible or not.
