Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone: How Do I Get

Unlike other carriers participating in the Lifeline program, this one does not offer free government phones directly. Instead, this carrier offers Lifeline plans for Fios Home Internet, wireless, and home phone service to all eligible customers. This will greatly help you reduce your monthly cell phone bills. On the other hand, the carrier offers free phones under other carriers such as TracFone, Safelink Wireless, and Walmart Family Mobile.

After all, Verizon bought TracFone and its family brands, such as Walmart Family Mobile and Safelink Wireless. Therefore, you can get a Verizon free government phone via these carriers. In this article, we shall discuss how you can get a free government phone from Verizon Wireless, the application process, and the available models, among other details.

Eligible Requirements For Getting Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone In 2024

To be eligible to get a free government phone from Verizon Wireless, there are certain requirements that you must meet. For instance, you must either have a low income or be a participant in a government assistance program. In the subsequent sections, we shall discuss the eligibility criteria for a free government phone from Verizon so you can know what is expected of you.

1. You have a low income

Your income must stand at or be below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines so that you can eligible for a government phone from this carrier. Therefore, you can check what the Federal Poverty Guidelines of your state stipulate so that you can establish whether you meet the threshold or not.

2. You are a participant in a government-assistance program

If you do not qualify under the low-income criteria as stipulated above, you can now be eligible for a free government phone from Verizon in case you are a participant of a government assistance program offered in the US. Some of these programs include:

• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income(SSI)
• Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program(SNAP)
• Veteran’s and Survivors’ pension benefits
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program(LIHEAP)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance(FPHA) or Section 8

In case you reside in the Tribal lands in the US, you qualify to get a free government phone from this carrier if you participate in any of these programs:

• Head Start
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations(FDPIR)
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or Tribally Administered(TANF)
• Other programs in North Carolina or in the state one resides in.

Documents You Need to Apply For Verizon Free Government Phone

When applying for a free government phone from Verizon, there is an array of documents that you must present so that your application can be approved. In most cases, these are copies of your identity documents and eligibility documents. By doing so, you will be able to prove your identity and your eligibility status on the go. Here is a breakdown of these documents for a better understanding.

1. Personal documents

As far as the personal documents are concerned, you should submit a copy of an official document that bears your official name, date of birth, and place of residence. This way, you will be able to prove your identity on the go. Some of the documents that contain these finer details include:

• Your Government, state, military, or Tribal ID
• Your birth certificate
• Your U.S driver’s license
• A copy of your certificate of naturalization or U.S citizenship
• A copy of your Green card or permanent resident card.

2. Eligibility documents

Besides the personal documents outlined above, you need to present copies of your eligibility documents so that your application can see the light of day. Here, you are at liberty to either prove that your income stands at or is below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or are a participant of a government assistance program. If you want to prove that you have a low income, as stated above, here are the documents that you should submit:

• A copy of your pension or retirement statement of benefits
• A copy of your prior year’s federal, state, or Tribal tax return
• A copy of your current income statement from your employer
• A copy of your paycheck stub
• A copy of your Social statement of benefits

If you are a participant in a government assistance program, consider submitting any of the following documents:

• A copy of your benefit award letter
• A copy of the statement of benefits
• A copy of your approval letter
• A copy of your benefit verification letter
• A copy of your Tribal notification letter of interest in the agency of Indian Affairs General help
• A copy of an official document showing that you are a beneficiary of a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
• A copy of an official document stating that you benefit from the free and reduced-price school breakfast or lunch program.

Now Steps to Apply For Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone

If you have all the documents mentioned above, you can now go ahead and apply for a free government phone from this carrier. As we previously mentioned, this carrier does not offer free phones directly. Instead, you have to apply for a free model from either Walmart Family Mobile, TracFone, or Safelink, as these service providers now operate under Verizon Wireless.

To obtain a free model from this carrier, you should first ensure that you are eligible for the Lifeline program. Here, your income must stand at or be below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines of your state. If you do not qualify via the income criteria and are a participant of a government assistance program, be sure that you qualify for a free model from Verizon.

After establishing your eligibility for this program, check and determine if Verizon is available in your state. Here, you can visit Verizon’s website and check its coverage map. Ideally, this carrier should feature on the free phone provider list of your country. In case this carrier is one of the main participants of Lifeline providers in your state, you can now go ahead and start your application.

However, since this carrier does not offer free phones directly, you have to get one from one of its subsidiary cell phone service providers. Here, you can choose to apply for a free model from either TracFone, Safelink or Walmart Family Mobile. After choosing any of these carriers, proceed to the application process.

During the application process, you will be required to enter vital details such as your name in full, your address, last 4 digits of your SSN, your date of birth, and so forth. Key in these details correctly and then upload copies of the eligibility documents. Once you are done, tap on the ‘Submit’ button.

After submitting your application form, it will be reviewed by your carrier of choice and you will be able to get a response from them in due course. If you meet all the requirements of your preferred carrier, be sure that you will get a free model within a few days. Thereafter, you can activate the device and start enjoying Verizon services.

List of Latest Free Phones You May Get From Verizon In 2024

Once you apply for a free government phone under Verizon’s Lifeline program, be sure that you can get a number of models that will meet your communication needs. However, the model one will get is not always guaranteed as these phones are issued depending on their availability. Thankfully, they come with tons of incredible features that will mesmerize you. Some of the models you can get from this carrier include:

1. TracFone Carrier-Locked LG Stylo 4 4G LTE Prepaid Smartphone

The model mentioned above is one of the best phones that you can get from Verizon. To start with, the phone is locked and thus can only be used on this carrier’s network only. Besides this, it comes with a 6.2 inch HD screen that is large enough to watch movies, play mobile games, surf the internet, etc. Here are other features that make this model great:

• It is powered by a 1.8 GHz Octa-Core processor
• The model runs on Android 8.1 Oreo
• When it comes to the camera section, the model boasts of having a 13MP camera at the back and 5MP camera at the front. With these cameras in place, you will be able to take high-quality photos and selfies anytime you, please.
• As far as the storage section is concerned, the model does not disappoint as it has 16GB ROM and 2GB RAM. Thankfully, you can expand its current ROM using an external micro SD card up to 2TB.
• The phone allows you to connect to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G network.

2. Samsung Galaxy S9+      

Released on February 25th 2018, Samsung Galaxy 9+ is one of the best flagship phones that you can get from Verizon via its Lifeline program. Unlike other models, this one comes with 6.2 inch Super AMOLED screen display that is large enough to allow you to play mobile games, stream content online, surf the internet, and so forth. The model runs on Android 8.0 (Oreo), which can be upgraded to Android 10. Here are the other features that set this model apart from its peers:

• It has a storage capacity of 64GB and a 4GB RAM. With this capacity in place, you will have ample space to store your favorite photos, videos, movies, documents and so much more.
• When it comes to the camera section, the model does not disappoint as it comes with a dual camera at the back, whose capacity is 12MP each. There is also an LED flash feature that allows you to take high quality photos even at night. At the front, the model boasts of having 2 cameras whose capacity is 8MP and 2MP respectively.
• The phone comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities
• The model comes with a long lasting battery whose capacity is 3500 mAh.

3. Samsung Galaxy S7

Apart from the two models mentioned above, you can get the Samsung Galaxy S7 free of charge once you qualify for its Lifeline program. Thankfully, this flagship model comes with a plethora of features that make it worth consideration.

First and foremost, the model comes with a 5.1 Super AMOLED screen display. With this screen in place, you will be able to watch movies, play mobile games, stream online content, and so forth on a larger interface. Here are the other features that come with this model:

• The model runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), which can be upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo.
• When it comes to the storage section, the model comes with a 32GB ROM and a 4GB RAM. With this storage in place, you will be able to have ample space to store your favorite movies, photos, videos, documents and so on. In addition, your phone will hardly get slow anytime you opt to multitask.
• As far as the camera section is concerned, the model hardly disappoints as it comes with a 12 MP camera at the back. Besides this, it comes with LED flash feature that allows you to take great photos even in places with low light intensities. At the front, the model comes with a 5MP camera that allows you to take decent selfies anytime you, please.
• The phone comes with a number of sensors such as the accelerometer, fingerprint (mounted on the front side of the phone), compass, accelerometer, heart rate, barometer, among others.
• To enable you remain connected for longer hours, the model comes with a long-lasting battery whose capacity is 3000 mAh.
• The phone comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities

4. NUU Mobile A5L

To start with, the above-mentioned model comes with a 5.5-screen display which is relatively large enough to allow you watch movies, play mobile games and even surf the internet more conveniently.

Apart from this, the model comes with an 8MP camera at the back at 2MP camera at the front. With these cameras in place, you will be able to take decent photos, videos and so on. Here are the other features that set this model apart from its peers:

• The phone comes with a 1GB RAM and a 16GB ROM
• It is powered by a Quad-core 1.3. GHz Mediatek MT6739W.
• The model runs on Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition)
• When it comes to the battery section, the model comes with a reliable battery whose capacity is 2650 mAh.
• The model comes with a fingerprint scanner located at the rear section of the phone.
• The phone comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities.

5. Apple iPhone 8

Have you ever desired to own an Apple iPhone 8? Be certain that you can now get one free of charge if you qualify for this carrier’s Lifeline program. The above-mentioned model comes with a number of features that will impress you. Some of these features include:

• The model comes with a 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD screen display
• It runs on iOS 11, which can be upgraded to Ios 15.6 or even iOS 16.
• The phone is powered by an Apple A11 Bionic (10 nm) processor
• Although the model does not come with a micro SDcard slot, it comes with a 64GB ROM and 2GB RAM.
• At the back, the model boasts of having a 12MP camera and Quad-LED dual-tone flash feature that allows you to take decent photos even at night. Besides this, the model allows you to take high quality selfies, thanks to its 7MP front camera.
• The model comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities
• When it comes to sensors, the model does not disappoint as it comes with a number of them, such as gyro, accelerometer, compass, fingerprint, barometer, proximity and so forth.
• To enable you to remain connected for several hours, the model comes with a long-lasting battery whose capacity is 1821 mAh.

6. Nokia G10 | Android 11 | Unlocked Smartphone

As the name suggests, the above-mentioned model is unlocked. Besides this, it runs on Android 11, which can be upgraded to Android 12. Here are the other features that make this different from its counterparts.

• The model is powered by a MediaTek MT6762 Helio G25 processor
• It comes with internal storage of 32GB and a 3GB RAM. With this storage in place, you will have ample space to store your favorite photos, videos, documents, and other files. Apart from this, the phone will hardly hang anytime you choose to multitask using it.
• Unlike other models this one comes with a triple camera, whose capacity is 13MP, 2MP and 2MP respectively. Besides this the model comes with a LED flash feature that allows you to take high quality photos even at night. At the front, the model comes with an 8MP camera that allows you to take high quality selfies.
• The model comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities
• When it comes to the battery section, the model does not disappoint as it comes with a long lasting Li-Po battery whose capacity is 5050 mAh.
• The phone comes with sensors such as fingerprint, proximity, accelerometer, among others.

7. BLU Advance L5

Apart from the models that we have mentioned above, you can now apply for the Blue Advance L5 and get the most out of your phone. Although the model is not large in size, it comes with tons of features that make it better than its peer models. Some of these features include:

• The phone comes with a 4.0 inch IPS LCD screen display
• It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition)
• The model is powered by a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 processor
• When it comes to the storage section, the model boasts of having 16GB ROM and 512MB RAM
• At the front, the phone comes with a 2MP camera that allows you to take fairly decent selfies. To enable you capture decent photos and videos, the phone comes with a 5MP camera and a LED flash feature.
• The phone comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities.
• To enable you remain connected for longer hours, the model comes with a reliable Li-Po battery whose capacity is 1300 mAh.

8. Nokia 6300 4G

Unlike other models, this one is usually operated using buttons. Therefore, it is ideal for those who want a simple model to communicate with their loved ones and so forth. Whether you want to make a call or browse the internet, the model allows you to do so with utmost precision. However, its screen is relatively smaller than the models we have discussed above. Here are the features that distinguish this model from the rest:

• The phone comes with a 2.4-inch TFT LCD screen display
• It runs on KaiOS operating system
• The model comes with a 4GB ROM and 512 RAM. Thankfully, it allows you to expand its internal storage using a micro SD card.
• Since this is a simple model, it comes with a VGA camera at the back and does not have a selfie camera.
• It comes with a removable Li-Ion battery whose capacity is 1500 mAh.
• The model allows you to connect to 4G network.

Frequently Ask Questions

Does Verizon Wireless offer Free Government Phones?

Verizon Wireless offers a Lifeline Assistance program that provides free or discounted government phones to eligible low-income customers. The program is available in select states and has specific eligibility requirements based on income or participation in certain government assistance programs.

Are there any additional Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone program fees?

No, there are no additional fees for the phone or monthly service. However, if you exceed the monthly allotted data, minutes, or texts, you may incur overage fees.

How long can I participate in the Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone program?

The length of participation varies by state and program, but it is typically 12 months. After 12 months, you may need to reapply to continue receiving benefits.

What Other Benefits Do I Get If I Got Free Government Phone

Besides getting a free phone, be sure that you will enjoy the following benefits:

• Discounted monthly cell phone plans
• Reasonable one-time activation fee
• Unlimited local mobile-to-mobile calling
• Unlimited text messaging
• You will be allowed to make domestic long-distance calls
• Free 1000 monthly minutes
• After your plan minutes have lapsed, you will only need to pay 45 cents per minute.

What should I do if I lose my Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone?

If you lose your phone, contact Verizon Wireless customer service immediately to report the loss and request a replacement.

What type of phone do I receive with the Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone program?

The type of phone varies, but it is typically a basic smartphone with calling, texting, and internet capabilities.

Can I Upgrade Free Government Phone?

Yes. If you feel that you are not getting the most out of your current free government phone, you can now upgrade it at a budget-friendly fee and enjoy more convenience. If you had received one from Safelink, Walmart Family Mobile, or TracFone, you can visit the site of your respective carrier’s website and look out for the current models available. Remember that the availability of these models differs and thus, you must keep an eye on your preferred model every now and then.

Does Verizon Offer Affordable Connectivity Program?

Yes. Apart from being a Lifeline provider, this carrier is one of the main participants of the Affordable Connectivity Program. As long as your income stands at or is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or are a participant of a government assistance program such as SSI, Medicaid, SNAP or WIC, be sure that you will qualify for this program on the go.

How Do I Contact With Verizon Wireless?

When it comes to the methods one can use to reach this carrier’s customer service team, there are many ideas that can help you get started. To start with, you can dial 888-294-6804 on your phone and reach out to an agent of this carrier. You can also dial 888-262-1999, which is essential to the national accessibility number, and address your issue from that end.

Besides these methods, you can visit “verizonwireless.com/support/contact-us” and address your concerns on the go. Finally, you can mail this carrier’s customer support using the following address:

Verizon Wireless
Correspondence
P.O. Box 408
Newark, NJ 07101-0408

What Lifeline Discount does Verizon Offer?

Apart from allowing you to get a free smartphone, Verizon’s Lifeline program allows you to enjoy some discounts that will mesmerize you. For instance, you are eligible to enjoy a discount of $9.25 on your monthly cell phone bill if you reside on Non-Tribal lands. If you have subscribed on the Verizon Lifeline plan $25.00 per month, you will only need to part with $15.75. On the other hand, if you had subscribed to the Home Phone Connect plan that goes for $19.99, you will only be needed to part with $10.74 per month. If you live on Tribal lands, you will enjoy discounts of up to $25 on your monthly cell phone bill. For instance, if you have subscribed to the $25.00 plan, you will be able to save almost 100% as you will not have to pay anything.