Free Government Cell Phone Program
Instructions

Step 1: Finish an application with the service provider:

The service provider below is currently offering a free smartphone with unlimited data, talk and text and up to 10 GB of high-speed hotspot.

If you have not done that, you need to do that now. Make sure you finish the application all the way to the end through this link, and be sure to not close the window of the application until you finish it: START APPLICATION

Step 2: Submit your proof of qualification documents:

When you finish the application above, after a few seconds you will be automatically sent to the government website where you will submit the documents that prove your qualification for the program (for example, a picture of your Medicaid card, or proof of income. )

If you finished the application before, but you did not submit your documents yet, you can login to your application and submit the documents now.

I am ready to login and submit my documents. I do not need instructions:

I am ready to submit my documents, but I need instructions: HOW TO SUBMIT

Make sure you are logged in to your application (see the section above to login).

Once you are logged in, click on one of the 2 options at the top of the page: “MY LIFELINE BENEFIT” or “MY AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM (ACP)". (To see the difference between these two, click here. You most likely applied for both programs, so make sure you do the following steps for each if necessary. You can click both tabs at the top to see on the screen what is required for either program.)

Then, click “ACCOUNT DETAILS”, with the picture of a little man next to it.

If you see a message that says “Attention, your National Verifier eligibility validation is pending,” This means you need to submit your documents. Click the blue button “PROVIDE PROOF.” This will send you to the website where you will provide your proof of qualification documents.

That website is called the “National Verifier”. (Verify means “to check or prove that something is true or correct”. So that is what they do on this website, they check that each applicant is qualified based on the documents they submit.).

Go through the steps of that website. You will send your ID, and then you will submit your proof of qualification like Medicaid.

After you submit all your documents, you can login when you want to and check the status of your application and also see the shipping tracking information.

Remember to check both “MY LIFELINE BENEFIT” and “MY AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM (ACP)" tabs at the top of the screen after you login, to make sure you did the necessary steps for both programs.

This means you finished an application, but you did not submit your documents. Or you submitted your documents but there was some error and you need to resubmit the documents.

In other words, when it says your application was "approved" but also "pending", it actually means your application was received, but you were not approved into the program yet. Your application is pending until you submit your documents successfully.

If your login screen says this, you need to follow the steps here to submit your proof of qualification documents.

Make sure that you click both tabs at the top. One that says “MY LIFELINE BENEFIT” and another that says “MY AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM (ACP)”. Each screen may show you different information. And you may have submitted documents for one but not the other.
(To see the difference between these two, click here. You most likely applied for both programs, so make sure you do the following steps for each if necessary. You can click both tabs at the top to see on the screen what is required for either program.)

You can login to your application and see the status of your application or the tracking number for your shipment (if your application was approved).

If your application was not approved, follow the instructions on the screen after you login so you can finish.

LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS

For problems with your existing account with your service provider, or problems with your phone or service, please contact your phone service provider directly through chat or call them. We can help guide you through the application process, but we do not have access to your account.

You can also login to your existing application and see the status of your application, or get shipping tracking information on your phone:

LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS

For anything else, you can email us at apply@governmentcellphone.org. We may also email you soon to ask if you need help.

Please describe in detail the problem you are having. Keep in mind that the majority of problems are handled above. So if you are having a problem that is addressed on this page, we will refer you back to these steps, because they are the complete step-by-step instructions.

Note: The most common application difficulties are because the applicant did not submit their documents that prove they qualifiy for the program. Follow these steps to submit your documents: Documents Instructions

Please remember that we are not the service provider and are an independent organization that helps guide applicants through the application process. Do not send us any personal information or documents. We will help walk you through the process generally, such as what steps you need to take based on what you have or have not done on the application process.

For problems with your existing account with your service provider, or problems with your phone, please contact your service provider directly such as through chat or call them.

Lifeline: The Lifeline program is a government aid program that helps eligible Americans with the cost of phone service. It was created by the US government in 1985. It originally helped cover the cost of landline phone service, but extended to cell phone service as cell phones became commonplace. The program began to be known widely as the "free government phone program" or "free government smartphone program."

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP): The ACP is similar to Lifeline and was started around the time of the COVID-19 situation. The goal of the program is to provide Americans in need with access to the internet. It helps by covering some of the cost of mobile service (up to $30). By combining both your Lifeline and ACP benefits, you may be eligible to receive FREE UNLIMITED DATA, Talk, Text, and up to 10GB of Hotspot Data.

So as part of the application process, you may need to provide documents for both programs. (see step 2 above).