Assurance Wireless is a telephone service subsidized by the federal Lifeline assistance program. The company provides mobile services and discounted Lifeline and EBB plans for eligible customers.
Lifeline-eligible and EBB-eligible households can get free monthly mobile phone service with unlimited data, talk, texts, and 10 GB of hotspot data, plus a free Lifeline smartphone. EBB-eligible households may also get a one-time discount of up to $100 on a connected device, such as a tablet.
In this article, you will find out all there is to know about Assurance Wireless.
In Which States Does Assurance Provide Wireless Phone Service?
Assurance Wireless is a nationwide Lifeline provider. The company offers its Lifeline and temporary EBB services all over the country. Assurance Wireless provides wireless phone service in 42 U.S. states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Assurance Lifeline and EBB Free Phone Service
As mentioned before, Assurance Wireless is both a Lifeline and an Emergency Broadband Benefit provider.
Lifeline is a permanent government assistance program by the FCC designed to help make communication services more affordable for low-income customers. Lifeline providers offer discounts on monthly cell phone service and some of them even offer free smartphones for eligible low-income households.
Emergency Broadband Benefit or EBB, on the other hand, is a temporary government assistance program by the FCC designed to help households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. EBB providers offer either free tablet or mobile or fixed service and also discounts on broadband internet service.
How to Qualify
To qualify for the Assurance Lifeline program or the Assurance EBB program, you must be eligible.
To be Lifeline-eligible you must meet at least one of the following criteria:
Income-based eligibility:
A household has a gross annual household income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Consumers can also participate in EBB if their household has experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020. Households that experienced a job loss or furlough and reported a 2020 household income at or less than $99,000 for single filers or $198,000 for joint filers are eligible to participate.
You may also qualify if you meet the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
What Documents Required
Assurance Wireless will try to verify all of your provided information automatically. However, if they fail to do so, they may ask you to provide some documents that will prove your income (such as prior year’s state, federal, or Tribal tax return, current income statement from your employer or a paycheck stub, etc.) or your program participation (such as an approval letter, benefit award letter, statement of benefits, benefit verification letter), depending on your eligibility criteria.
You may also be asked to provide an official document verifying your identity, address, and age (such as your passport, state ID, Tribal ID, or another government-issued ID, U.S. Driver’s License, etc.) in case the provider is unable to verify it automatically.
As only adults older than 18 years and emancipated minors can participate, emancipated minors must also provide proof of emancipation (such as a certificate or a court document).
How to Apply
To apply for the Assurance Wireless Lifeline program, make sure you are Lifeline-eligible (check eligibility criteria above). Afterward, go to https://www.assurancewireless.com/lifeline-services/how-qualify, scroll down, and press ‘Apply now’. When you do so, a pop-up window will appear asking you to enter your ZIP code in the search box. Do so and you will get your state offer. Then, press ‘Apply Now’ and an online application form will appear. Simply fill out the information, attach any required documents if necessary, and submit your form. Once you submit your application, allow a couple of days for the company to get back at you.
To apply for the Assurance Wireless EBB program, make sure you are EBB-eligible (check eligibility criteria above). In case you are EBB-eligible, simply visit https://www.assurancewireless.com/ebb/ebb-benefits and press ‘Apply Now’. You will be redirected to an online application form, where you will be required to provide some personal information and possibly, certain documents that may prove your eligibility. Once you submit your application, allow a couple of days for the company to get back at you.
Assurance Wireless Plans
Assurance Wireless offers a permanent Lifeline plan for eligible low-income households and a temporary EBB plan for qualifying households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Does Assurance Wireless Offer Free Tablets?
Assurance Wireless is both a Lifeline and EBB provider and they do offer a discount on connected devices. Different EBB providers offer different connected devices. Assurance Wireless, for example, offers free smartphones for eligible customers.
While they may offer EBB free tablets in the future, currently, Assurance Wireless doesn’t offer any free government tablets. Instead, they offer free phone service and free smartphones.
Nevertheless, there are some other Lifeline providers that offer Government free tablets under the EBB program, such as Q Link Wireless and StandUp Wireless.
Best Free Phones at Assurance Wireless
Both Lifeline and EBB program participants at Assurance Wireless can get a smartphone when they apply for monthly service discounts.
This offer depends on phone availability, however, you may receive a basic phone or an Android smartphone. New customers will get an Android smartphone. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Keep in mind that shipping charges may apply.
Currently, Assurance Wireless offers several different free phones to qualifying customers, depending on availability.
