A quick intro to SafeLink phones

SafeLink is a subsidiary of TracFone Wireless carrier, a world leader in the no-contract phones’ industry. TracFone is owned by America Movil, the fifth largest wireless cellphone company in the world. SafeLink is known for providing free cellphone service to wireless services to below poverty income eligible households and to individuals who are enrolled in certain specified government support programs. SafeLink Wireless was one of the first few companies in the wireless services that forms a part of the Lifeline Support Service which was introduced by the Reagan administration. This federal program aims at providing quality phone services to low-income households.

The SafeLink Wireless plan:
– This carrier offers a no-contract plan with free minutes every month to each of its wireless customers. These minutes can be used makes local calls, long distance calls, and to send text messages.
– This plan has no credit check requirements and no hidden fees.
– The services will be immediately disabled when the free minutes are exhausted to avoid overage fees.
– If required, these customers can purchase additional minutes online, through a retail store or through a top-up card. Additional purchases are only on a need basis and there are no compulsions to do so.
– There are plans where the unused minutes may end within the same month or get carried over depending on the customers’ preferences.
– If the free cellphone offered by SafeLink is not of a customers’ choice, one may choose to get his own cellphone or buy one from their online store itself to use the SafeLink services.
– A customer can change the plan once a month before the free minutes of the next month are credited to him.
– Calls made from a SafeLink phone to a toll-free SafeLink or TracFone customer service numbers consume the free minutes.

Eligibility to avail the SafeLink services:
A customer must either have a household income below the state’s poverty guidelines or be a part of a federally assisted program to qualify for a free SafeLink cellphone and wireless service. The list of Federal assisted programs are Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance (under section 8), and Veterans and Survivors’ Pension Benefit. There may be a few additional requirements for some states.

Guidelines to enroll for a SafeLink Plan:
The applicant must be a resident of the USA and provide a valid address proof that is physically available for verification. Post Office box numbers are not accepted.
Applicants must submit supporting documents that provide information on their income or federal affiliation along with the application.
The free cellphone will be sent to the applicant through mail once the application is verified and processed successfully. One can enroll for the free government cellphone plan either through the carrier’s website or by calling their customer service number.