Lifeline program by American Assistance (which is American Broadband and Telecommunications project) currently is available in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Like most of the other free phone programs, it is supported by the Life Assistance (Federal Universal Service Fund) and is aimed at helping low-income U.S. residents with modern ways of communication, specifically, with a free government cell phone and an open monthly AT&T Wireless service plan. As of today, 250 minutes plus 250 texts are given to American Assistance Wireless Lifeline program subscribers at no cost whatsoever.
Before you download the American Assistance Wireless application online at the official program webpage, www.americanassistance.com, you will be asked to fill out a presale lookup form. It includes several general questions regarding a prospective subscriber, such as name, home address, contact details, and the desired subscription type a subscriber wishes to activate. What the company means by the subscription type is that applicants have three choices when they sign up for the service:
- Ask for a new device (government free phone) plus airtime that will be shipped to them;
- Ask for a new phone and free airtime that will be given to them now;
- Ask for free airtime to use their phone or smartphone (it seems like it can be any device, even if you have bought it; it does not have to be a free government smartphone or cell phone you have previously received from any other carrier).
American Assistance Wireless Lifeline Program Eligibility
Please, remember that you can apply for the American Assistance program only if you meet their specific eligibility criteria. These are similar to many LifeLine companies. To enroll in AmericanAssistance Wireless, an applicant has to be either a receiver of Federal assistance help (Medicaid, Food Stamps / SNAP, General Assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), TANF / Work First, Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), Home Energy Assistance Programs (HEAP, LIHEAP&E-HEAP), National School Lunch Program, Supplemental Security Inc-Blind & Disabled) or qualify by the size of one’s yearly household income amount. This amount varies depending on the number of household’s adult members and is a derivative from Federal Poverty Guidelines for the specific year. As of 2014, for example, the qualifying income for a home with two residing adults is $22,065.00. To learn more information on the application process or to ask specific questions about your situation, you can call American Assistance customer support at 1- 866-966-2628 or check-in at www.americanassistance.com. Also, do not forget every company’s customer has to recertify for assistance every year. If your situation changes and you no longer meet the qualifying standards, the service will be discontinued.
If 250 free voice minutes are not enough for you, it is easy to top-up using a PayPal account, buying an AB&T Wireless Top-up card at any retail location, or by making a payment at their authorized centers.
To sum up, American Wireless provides an excellent Lifeline package consisting of a free phone and free airtime with no monthly bills, no money down, no contracts, and no necessary purchases. Besides, for every referral, it gives away another 100 minutes or 300 texts.