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Senator Claire McCaskill, who has an annual salary of nearly $200,000 US Dollars, was recently contacted about her eligibility for a free mobile phone.

Since then, Senator McCaskill has made it very public that she wishes to ban the free cell phone program, citing her own experience as proof that this program was out of control and rife with fraud opportunities.

The Lifeline Program was brought into existence by the Federal Communications Commission back during the Reagan Administration. The point of this program is to bring affordable access to telecommunications and broadband to those who otherwise could not afford it. Many consider this to be a luxury that is now being bestowed upon the poor at the expense of the taxpayers. However, these are not public tax funds that are being poured into this program. Every citizen who has a paid account for a telephone is charged a nominal monthly fee, which goes into the Universal Service Fund that then provides budgeting for the Lifeline Program.

Senator McCaskill has noted that there are billions of US dollars being poured into this free mobile phone program, and unfortunately, millions of US dollars in lost revenue due to waste and fraud in the program. With mistakes such as the one that she was privy to and free mobile phones being offered to those who do not need any financial breaks, money is not only being lost by loose eligibility criteria, but also by very lackadaisical monitoring of the system in general. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is working very hard in order to tighten the reins on the program, closing up any loopholes and reducing the amount of money being lost to waste.

Senator McCaskill joins the group of politicians and powers that be that have voiced their displeasure with the program. Arkansas Rep. Tim Griffin also recently publically denounced the Lifeline Program after several of his constituents received mobile phones for their deceased relatives. Another ridiculous oversight in this otherwise amazing program.

It is too bad that a program such as the Lifeline Program is suffering such losses. It is understandable that there are members of the public that are against this, given the amount of waste and fraud. However, to condemn the honest many for the crimes and mistakes of an ignorant few would be too harsh a punishment. The long-term gains of this program far outweigh any short-term headaches. We hope that Senator McCaskill will change her tune when she starts seeing the benefits of having this program in her state.

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Unemployment rates in the States do not just hurt those who are unemployed. They directly affect every citizen resulting in lost revenue. In fact, it is estimated that there is almost two thirds of a billion dollars in lost revenue amongst the unemployed all across the country. Those are billions of working hours that could be used towards moving the economy forward. Instead, they are lost amongst the unemployed and the disenfranchised that have very few options to get back into the workforce.

The Lifeline Program was designed in order to provide those who were at a financial disadvantage a better opportunity to get themselves out of their situation. For the elderly who are living solely on retirement funds, or the disabled who rely on federal assistance in order to make ends meet and pay for the myriad of medications they are on, a cell phone bill is the last thing they need to worry about. For the single mother who has mouths to feed, or the unemployed person who has no permanent address, this free mobile phone could provide immediate access to safety and security that should be a fundamental human right.

It is estimated that if every single eligible American were to take advantage of the Lifeline Program, it could potentially result in over three and a half billion US dollars in income for those in lower income brackets. These statistics were brought about by the Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) and the Sullivan Report.

There were other interesting findings in the Sullivan Report:

• 50% of clients of Safelink Wireless, a Lifeline participant, stated that they were able to find/keep jobs as a result of the free mobile phone they had received. 39% of retired citizens as well as 38% of disabled Americans reported improved financial status as a result of the free mobile phone.
• There is a correlation between the amount of financial gains per year and the length of time the client has had a free mobile phone. The longer the membership, the higher the financial gains.
• The expected national financial gains will be closer to the $5 billion US dollar mark if the criteria for eligibility widens to bring in a larger pool of participants.
• The reports also estimate that the Lifelines Program’s investment of $360 Billion US Dollars into the program will bring in $388 Billion US Dollars. That is a potential net profit of almost $30 Billion US Dollars.

These statistics are mere estimations of how positive an impact the Lifeline Program can have on the American economy. Nicholas P. Sullivan, the man who performed the research on providing free mobile phones to the needy in America, is a senior Fellow at the Center for Emerging Market Enterprises. He also wrote “You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World’s Poor to the Global Economy.” He concludes that providing even a minority of the American poor with free access to telecommunications could bring in a potential $2.9 Billion US Dollars in lost revenue.

Altruism aside, it would seem that not agreeing with the Lifeline Program makes one not only incredibly selfish, but short-sighted as well. Investing in the forgotten populations of the United States is not just for the sake of being philanthropic. It is economically justified and brings huge potential revenues to everyone living here in the United States.

The Lifeline Program is designed to help those living at or below the poverty line get a second chance. It is also making more productive use of underutilized resources here on our very soil.

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In case you were unaware, Safelink Wireless is a subsidiary of America Movil, the world’s fourth largest cell phone company that is based in Mexico. The owner, Carlos Slim, a Lebanese Mexican whose father had immigrated to Mexico from Lebanon back in the early 1900s, has built his empire on America Movil amongst other large conglomerations.

Carlos Slim is worth about $75 million US Dollars to date, with America Movil having provided him with nearly 50% of that worth. Recently, America Movil has been given a very hefty fine for nearly 1 billion US Dollars. Monopolistic Practices is the charge that they have been given, and the company, Telcel, another subsidiary of America Movil, is under scrutiny.

What does this mean for the future of Safelink Wireless? What kind of press is this going to bring to the reputation of this billion-dollar empire? Does this bring a stain to the Lifeline Program?

The Lifeline Program was started in the 1980s by the Federal Communications Commission. This program provides free mobile phones for those who are eligible, such as the disabled, the elderly and those living at or below the poverty level in the United States. This program recognizes the need for affordable access to telecommunications in order to increase the quality of life. Without it, millions of American families would be disconnected, without any access to safety services, healthcare, friends and family. Slim is a part of this movement, however his companies has been charged with similar issues in the past.

We hope that this does not overshadow the benefits of this program. We also hope that those who are to blame will be brought to justice, without any consequences on the innocent, such as the eligible citizens who would benefit so much from access to free mobile phones.

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The Lifeline Program offers free mobile phones to Americans in need. The term ‘’needy’’ may bring up a lot of stereotypes, most commonly the ideas that those who live at or below the poverty line are lazy and selfish and just want a free ride. There may be cases like that – in fact, that is a trait that is not only isolated to those living in the lower financial bracket. One could argue that selfishness and laziness is a trait found in many humans all around the world, regardless of race, creed, religion or social status. One could argue that the powers that are responsible for diverting billions of tax payers’ money for their own economic gain could be considered ‘’selfish’’ and ‘’wanting a free ride’’ as well.

The truth lies somewhere in between. There are millions of Americans living at or below the poverty line as a result of circumstances that were out of their control. Battered women escaping to safe havens in order to find a place they can feel secure. Millions of hard workers who have recently been laid off because of the economic crisis of 2008. Graduates who cannot find employment with their degree and are tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Single parents who lost their partner – the main breadwinner – to a tragedy and now find themselves raising children in a house they can no longer afford. The list goes on and the Lifeline Program was created with those people in mind.

There has been a lot of controversy with this program. Partially because there has been a lot of misinformation, and partially because programs like this end up becoming a political issue between those who are for social programs and helping Americans in need, and those who truly do believe that everyone creates their own fate and that poverty is a result of laziness.

Politicians have been making some noise, stating a waste of resources and fraudulent activity as the main reasons for the need to downgrade this program.

The FCC has followed suit with theories of placing a ceiling on the funding towards the Lifeline Program, although the arrival of this could not have come at a worse time. Since the credit crunch, almost 5 million Americans have now become eligible for this program simply by falling below the poverty line. That number just seems to keep increasing. Placing a cap on the budget would prevent millions of Americans from getting the help that they need in order to get back on their feet.

Let us hope that the FCC starts to realize how valuable this program truly is for the Americans that need it most – especially now. Let the local authorities in your area know how much you support the Lifeline free government mobile phone program and prevent the cut backs.

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The Lifeline Program is a free government cell phone program that was put in place by the Federal Communications Commission in order to provide affordable telecommunications access to those in need. With success in our modern world being largely dependent on access to mobile phones and the Internet, it is no wonder that having a mobile phone and broadband is considered to be a human right. Without it, one will definitely fall behind in society, unable to keep up with the fast-paced needs, unable to stay connected with emergency services and unable to pull oneself out of a bad situation.

According to the latest statistics, over 8 million Americans have qualified for and are now using the Lifeline free government phones. Everyday, more applicants are pouring in to find out if they are eligible. With the current state of the economy, more and more Americans are becoming eligible for social assistance, and therefore the free mobile phones.

However, there are over 22 million American citizens who do qualify for the Lifeline Program that have not yet signed up. There are over 22 million Americans who either do not know about the Lifeline Program, or are unable to get the appropriate information to find out if they qualify.

Criteria for eligibility vary slightly from state to state, but in general, if one is living near the poverty line or is eligible (or a participant in) for a state or federal social assistance program such as Food Stamps or social housing aid, then they are eligible for Lifeline as well.

Perhaps it is just a matter of getting the information out there in a manner that is accessible to those who do not have access to telecommunications. Websites advertising this program may not be effective if the target audience does not have a computer. Perhaps placing posters and flyers in areas frequented by those in lower financial brackets, such as food banks and charity shops, public community centers and job centers – perhaps that will reach those who have not yet been informed.

Three of the larger mobile carriers who are participants in the Lifeline Program, Assurance Wireless, Safelink Wireless and ReachOut Wireless are advertising these free mobile phones in two languages – English and Spanish.  Let us hope that their assertive advertising campaigns will reach those who need this program the most.

The free cell phone program will help millions of single parents, victims of domestic abuse, the unemployed, the elderly and the disabled to have access to emergency services and a chance at a better quality of life. Let us all do our part to get the word out there.

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Ohio State has just welcomed Cincinnati Bell as a Lifeline Program mobile carrier. Originally, Ohio was relying on the services of Assurance Wireless and Safelink Wireless in order to meet the needs of thousands of families. With the addition of Cincinnati Bell through their prepaid mobile service, i-wireless, the residents of Ohio now have more options.

The Lifeline Program is a social assistance program that offers free government phones to families in need. This could be either because they are living at 135% of the poverty level or they are participants (or qualify for) other state or federal assistance programs such as Food Stamps.

Rules do vary from state to state and different carriers have different monthly packages. The number of minutes per month or the number of free texts may be different, so please make sure to do your research. Call i-wireless, Assurance Wireless and Safelink Wireless in order to ask about their details.

We hope that more carriers will start to participate in the Lifeline Program.

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Residents of the states of Arkansas and Maryland may or may not be familiar with Conexion Wireless, a participant of the Lifeline free government mobile phone program.

Conexion Wireless provides prepaid mobile phones across most of the states, but has only been approved to participate in the Lifeline Program in Arkansas and Maryland. Perhaps the fact that they’ve only been approved in two states is a sign of what they are like as a company, or how reliable they truly are as a Lifeline partner.

One of the best ways to evaluate a company nowadays is through their website. As shallow as that may seem, websites provide the potential client information at the click of a button. A well thought out homepage with easy to navigate links and a template that is easy on the eyes is necessary in this day and age of stiff online competition. It is not just about search engine optimization – it’s about making yourself look great and providing excellent services as well.

Conexion Wireless’ website is anything but. They do not explain what the Lifeline Program is about, nor do they have any other information that gives the reader an option to learn more. In fact, the first thing they want you to do on their website is to choose a phone, put it in the shopping cart and then wait to see if you are approved for the Lifeline Program. Not very helpful.

If their attitude on the website is an indication of their customer service, then perhaps they will not be chosen as carriers in many other states after all.

In case you wanted more information, we can tell you this. The Lifeline Program is a social service that allows those living at 135% of the poverty line, access to a free mobile phone. What’s more, is that you get free minutes and free texts per month as well. If you can prove that you are a participant in any other state or federal assistance programs, such as Food Stamps or Free Lunches, then you are also eligible for a free mobile phone.

We hope that mobile carriers that are participating in this excellent program will take the time in order to make it more user friendly. Not only that, a little more enthusiasm for such a good cause wouldn’t be so hard, now would it?

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The Goodwill Shop in Charleston South Carolina is doing its part to help those in need to have access to a free mobile phone courtesy of the Lifeline Program.

Jamie Cook of Goodwill is now helping customers sign up for the Lifeline Program. Cook believes that the Lifeline Program, which provides free mobile phone services to those in need in the USA, is an important part of staying connected, safe and is a human right rather than a luxury.

Cook is right. In this modern world of fast-paced high tech Internet communities and online job applications, one is lost without affordable access to telecommunications. The needy, the elderly and the disabled who do not have the finances to afford mobile phones and internet access are being left behind at a much faster rate than ever before. Without Lifeline, millions of families living at or below the poverty level in the United States would suffer even more so with this widening Digital Divide.

The Lifeline Program provides free mobile phones with free minutes and texts per month to eligible clients. Many of the customers of Goodwill are eligible for Lifeline simply by being eligible for other social services in the state and country. Eligibility criteria varies slightly from state to state, however if you or someone you know is living at or around the poverty line or is a participant in a state or federal assistance program, such as Food Stamps or the Free Lunch Program, you are probably eligible for a free government mobile phone. Please check with your local state authorities to confirm.

Jamie Cook is acting in a way that is true to the Goodwill philosophy. By promoting Lifeline to employees and customers, they are doing their part to educate the public and make them aware of their options. What is even more interesting is that Goodwill is a great program providing low-cost second-hand clothing and furniture and is underutilized in many parts of the United States. Perhaps this link with Lifeline will bring Goodwill to the forefront of the public awareness as a great resource for those who are financially strapped.

Hopefully Cook is setting an example to other Goodwill shops around the country. It is great to see kind people doing their part to spread generosity and good will to their fellow human beings. Good for you, Jamie! We applaud you.

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Out of the largest mobile carriers, SafeLink has 3.8 million subscribers while Assurance Wireless has 1.8 million subscribers. Rounding up third place is Reach Out Wireless with three quarters of a million subscribers.

Although this may seem as though SafeLink has a good hard lead on everyone else, closer examination shows that SafeLink is growing at a much slower rate. They are the oldest and most established participants of the Lifeline free mobile phone program. Assurance Wireless, a subsidiary of Virgin Mobiles, is gaining speed and momentum very quickly; expanding to more states than SafeLink and it seems safe to say that Assurance Wireless is the one to look at for future dominance.

In terms of marketing, Assurance Wireless also seems to be in the lead. Virgin Mobile is notorious for its risqué marketing. Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Empire is very well known for his media-grabbing ways and it is no surprise that he wants any company associated with his name to have the same spotlight commanding presence. When an analysis was done in terms of which websites had the highest number of customer (or potential client) visits, Assurance Wireless came out at the top with 39% of the visits. Reach Out came in at 31% and in third place was Safelink Wireless at 30%.

In terms of using Google searches as an indication of marketing success, Assurance Wireless came out clearly on top, with an average of 74,000 people searching for them in a Google search per month. Safelink was searched 18,000 times in a month and Reach Out at a measly 4,400 times.

Is this clever marketing or do these statistics give a real indication of the quality of the services you will be receiving with these carriers? Unless you do your research and contact each carrier yourself, you probably will never know. However, if you are looking at it from an economic perspective, Assurance Wireless is probably the one to definitely keep an eye on from here on out.

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The Lifeline Program has been receiving many phone calls asking advice on situations that occur with various mobile carriers, questions about cost and eligibility and questions that are not on FAQ pages of the specific carriers. We all know that with new programs, there will always be unforeseen situations that require special attention from customer service representatives. However, sometimes it can be extremely difficult to get in touch with one.

The Lifeline Program has taken advantage of the ever growing popularity of Facebook. They have created a Lifeline Page that those with a Facebook account can join or like and find information from other customers and potential clients.

If you or someone you know has some unanswered questions about the Lifeline free government cell phone program, take a look at the Facebook page. Perhaps your questions have already been answered and are there in the news feed on the page. Or perhaps you could be helping out thousands of other by placing your experiences on the page so that everyone else can take advantage of your inside knowledge.

Facebook is an online community created to share ideas and communicate with one another. Lifeline is a program designed to provide affordable telecommunications for those who would otherwise not have access to the online community. This is a perfect partnership yet there remains a certain irony that those who really need the Lifeline program may not have access to the internet or Facebook.

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