Although food, shelter and clothes are deemed to be the most basic things in life, a mobile phone has also become as essential as the 3 items mentioned above. With a mobile phone, you will be able to remain connected with those whom you love, learn online, work from home and even do business online. This is the reason why most people are investing in high-end cell phones nearly on a daily basis. However, these devices come at a price that might make some to strain their budget. Since these individuals have to remain connected, the government is now offering free 5G phones to all eligible individuals, thanks to its lifeline Assistance program. Besides this, the ACP program is also offering free 5G government phones. In this article, we shall take a closer look at how one can get these phones, the various phone models offered by the government, and so much more.
Does Government Provide Free 5G Phones
Yes. The good news is that the government is now offering free 5G phones to all eligible individuals. Unlike other devices, 5G phones can connect to the internet faster and thus enable you to do a number of things.
From learning online to working from home, there are a plethora of activities you can do with this device. However, for you to get this phone, you have to either apply for the Lifeline Assistance program or the ACP program.
The good news is that there are many carriers that participate in the Lifeline Assistance program and now offer free 5G phones. Some of these carriers include Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and so forth. Also, carriers such as Cintex Wireless offer 5G phones through its ACP program.
Remember that the ACP program is a limited-time program that is aimed at offering all eligible individuals get free phone and discounted cell phone plans so as to save on communication costs during this pandemic. You can apply for either of these programs and see if you will get a free 5G government phone.
Qualifying Requirements For Getting A Free Government Phone
First and foremost, not everyone qualifies to get a free government phone. Therefore, for you to qualify for one, there are a number of requirements you have to meet. If you meet any of these qualifications, you are eligible to get a free government phone. These include:
- If your income stands at or is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
- You are a participant of a government assistant program such as Lifeline Assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Food Distribution on Indian Reservations, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Federal Public Housing Assistance Program, and so forth
- You experienced a substantial loss of income due to a job or income loss since 29th February 2020. In addition, if your household’s total income in 2020 was at or below $198000 for joint filers and $99000 for single filers.
- You received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
- You meet the eligibility criteria of your preferred participating provider. Note that these eligibility terms usually vary from one service provider to another. If you want to know these eligibility terms, visit your preferred service provider’s site and check the FAQ section in order to learn more.
Providers, That Offer Free Government Phone Service
As we speak, there are many cell phone companies that offer free 5G government phones. Depending on the state that you live in, you should check and see if any of these carriers have enough coverage in your state. This is because some carriers operate in one state while others operate in multiple states. Some of the carriers that you should keep an eye on include:
1. Verizon
Although Verizon is a participant of the Lifeline Assistance program, it does not offer free 5G phones per se. There is a catch for you to get this device. If you want to get a free 5G phone from this carrier, you have to either trade in any phone you have, and you will be able to get an iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy Note 20 or Samsung Galaxy S21.
To put it into perspective, these customers will be able to get an equivalent of $800 off a new Android phone or $700 off a new iPhone. If this deal does not please you, you can consider activating a new line of data on Verizon’s unlimited plan and be eligible to get a free Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Here, you can sign up for any of these unlimited data plans and be ready to part with $70 to $80 per month.
The move is aimed at luring new customers to try Verizon cell phone service and become lifetime subscribers. It is also important to note that Verizon is enticing customers to switch from other carriers and join Verizon and be able to get the free 5G phones deal sweetener as well as a $300 prepaid credit card.
2. T-Mobile
Apart from Verizon, T-Mobile is another carrier that offers free 5G phones. Unlike Verizon, T-Mobile offers a more straightforward deal that allows you to take home a free 5G phone. To start with, you can get a free Revv V+ 5G or OnePlus Nord N200 5G when you trade in any functioning mobile device. Better still, you stand to get a free Galaxy S21 or iPhone 12 when you trade in a phone and also sign up for the Magenta Plus unlimited plan.
3. AT&T
Besides Verizon and T-Mobile, you can also get a free 5g phone deal from AT&T. Here, you are eligible to get an iPhone12 mini or Galaxy S21 whenever you trade in a mobile phone that is working optimally. Also, you have to sign up for unlimited data. If you have a much older device, be sure that you will get either the iPhone 12 mini or Samsung S21 at a reduced rate and not free as you would wish.
For instance, if you have an iPhone 8 or a higher model, you can be assured that you will enjoy the full trade-in value. Anything older than that will just allow you to get a discount of $350 or thereabout. Better still, if you have a Samsung Galaxy S9 or a slightly recent model, be sure that you will get the full rebate.
4. Cintex Wireless
It is imperative to note that Cintex Wireless is one of the participants of the ACP program stands for the Affordable Connectivity program. If you are eligible for this program, you will be able to get a free 5G phone alongside other cell phone services for free. For instance, you will get unlimited data, unlimited talk and text, and so forth.
Some of the devices you can get through Cintex Wireless include the iPhone 6s, Samsung Galaxy S7, and so forth. For more information, you can visit “apply.cintexwireless.com” and make your application today.
5. Safelink Wireless
Safelink Wireless is another service provider that participates in the Lifeline Assistance program and offers free 5G phones to all eligible individuals. As long as you qualify for the program, be sure that you will get this device. A good example is the OnePlus 8 5G which goes for $749 in the market. The other one is Nokia 8.3 5G which goes for $549 in the market.
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Best Free 5G Government Phones 2023
The following are some of the best free 5G government phones that you should consider applying for today:
1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The phone mentioned above comes with a screen display of 6.8 inches. With a screen display of this size, you will be able to have a larger interface to watch videos, play games online, read blogs, and so forth.
Besides this, the phone is powered by a Snapdragon 888 processor and a 12GB RAM. With these features in place, be sure that you will have an easy time browsing the internet, doing basic phone operations, and so forth. When it comes to the internal storage, the phone boasts of having a 128GB ROM.
As far as the camera section is concerned, this device has 4 cameras on the rear side. The main one is 108 MP, and the rest are 10MP, 10MP, and 12 MP respectively. On the front side, the phone has a 40 MP camera that allows you to take high-quality selfies. Finally, the device comes with a 5000mAh battery that allows you to use the phone for many hours without necessarily having to charge it every now and then.
2. OnePlus Nord 200 5G
When it comes to the screen size, the phone mentioned above does not disappoint as it comes with a 6.52-inch screen. Besides this, the device comes with 3 cameras at the back that allows you to take high definition photos.
The capacities for these cameras are 13 MP, 2MP, and 2 MP, respectively. It also boasts of having an 8 MP front camera that allows you to take decent selfies anytime you please. The hone comes with a 4GB RAM and an internal storage of 64 GB. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G processor that allows the phone to be fast enough during operations. It supports 3G, 4G, and 5G network connectivity and has a battery whose capacity is 5000 mAh.
3. TCL Revvl 5G
This phone has a screen size of 6.53 inches and runs on Android 10.It is powered by a 2.4 GHz Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765 5G processor and 6GB RAM. It also has an internal storage of 128 GB.
With these features in place, be sure that you will have an easy time browsing the internet, doing basic phone operations, and even saving files. The 128GB ROM allows you to store photos, videos, documents, and other files you may please.
When it comes to the camera section, the phone has 3 cameras at the back whose capacity is 48MP, 8MP, and 5MP. The phone also comes with a front camera whose capacity is 16 MP. Finally, it comes with a 4500mAh battery that can store charge for many hours without getting depleted.
4. Motorola G Stylus 5G
To start with, this device runs on Android 11 and has a screen size of 6.8 inches. Compared to its peer models, this screen is large enough to allow you to play games, watch videos and even read documents more comfortably.
The device also boasts of having a 6GB RAM and an internal storage of 256 GB. The latter allows you to store as many files as possible. From photos to documents, there is plenty of files you can store in this device. There is also a microSD slot where you may insert a microSD card if you want to expand the device’s memory.
As far as the camera section is concerned, this one comes with 4 cameras whose capacity is 48 MP, 8MP, 5MP, and 2 MP. There is also a LED flashlight to allow you take high-quality photos even at night. In addition, there is a selfie camera whose capacity is 16 MP. When it comes to the battery section, the device boasts of having a 5000 mAh battery that can store charge for many hours.
5. Apple iPhone 12 Mini
The above-mentioned device boasts of having a 5.4-inch screen display and runs on iOS 14.1, which is upgradable to iOS 15.1 if one pleases. Unlike other devices, this one does not come with a memory card slot, but it comes with an internal storage of 128 GB. With this storage capacity in place, be sure that you will be able to store a myriad of files. It also comes with a 4GB RAM that makes the phone operate fast.
When it comes to the camera section, the phone has a dual rear camera whose capacity is 12MP each and a LED flashlight that allows you to capture high-quality photos even in environments of low light intensities. On the front part, the phone has a 12 MP camera. Finally, the device comes with a 2227 mAh battery that is reliable enough to store charge for many hours before you recharge it.
List Of Other 5G Government Phones in 2023
Apart from the 5G government phones we have mentioned above, the following are other phones that you should consider:
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- OnePlus 9 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro
- Google Pixel 5a
- iPhone 13 mini
- Samsung Galaxy A32
- Samsung Galaxy A52
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
Is My Device Compatible With 5G?
If you want to check whether your device is compatible with 5G, you should go to the ‘Setting’ section and then tap the ‘Wi-Fi & Network’ option. After that, tap on the ‘SIM & Network’ option, and you will be able to see a list of network technologies that are supported by your device under the ‘Preferred network type’ option.
Can Existing 4G Phones Be Upgraded To 5G?
Technically, your current or existing 4G will continue working on the 5G network as usual. However, they will not get the coveted blazing speed 5G phones usually have as far as internet speed is concerned. Remember that 5G is not a new network. It is just that 5G network allows devices to be faster when accessing the internet while lowing the latency and increasing the bandwidth.
Your 4G device will work just fine, even on a 5G network. However, if you want to get optimal results in terms of latency, bandwidth, and internet speeds, purchasing a 5G device might be the ultimate solution for you.
Final Words
With a 5G cell phone, be sure that you will enjoy faster internet speeds and low latency. With these features in place, you will be able to work online, do business online, learn online and access health services faster than ever. If you want to apply for a free 5G government phone, you can consider any of the carriers mentioned above, and you will be good to go. As long as you are eligible to get a free 5G government phone, go ahead and make your application and enjoy the convenience and seamlessness that comes with 5G phones.