Low-income program to provide free cellular phones

Cellular phone users all know that familiar feeling of dread when popping open the bill each month and pulling out the checkbook.

For those unable to bear the weight of monthly charges, good news is in store — free phones will become available to some students and low-income Michigan residents this spring.

Assurance Wireless, the latest low-income wireless program, began providing cell phones with 200 monthly minutes in March. The pre-paid phone service offered by Sprint was approved in March by the Federal Communications Commission.

“If they’re not eating because they have to pay for their telephone bill, they should be involved in this program,” said Dan Petersen, vice president for community action services at EightCAP Inc., the Michigan Community Action Association for Isabella, Gratiot, Montcalm and Ionia counties.

To qualify for the program, Petersen said residents need to meet certain criteria.

If someone already participates in an assistance program such as food stamps, medicare or medicaid, they automatically qualify.

“Food stamps is number two on our list, if they live in income based housing, one of these things would qualify them for our service,” said Mary Schneider, EightCAP community services coordinator. “They’re automatically eligible nine out of 10 times when they come in.”

If someone is not receiving those services, they may still qualify, Petersen said. Michigan residents who make less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level also qualify.

Jack Pflanz, Sprint communications manager, said the phone will be available to elderly people who may need it for emergencies and military families who live on a lower income.

Each year, participants will reapply and, once they have a job and are back on their feet, they will no longer qualify, Pflanz said.

States that have participated in the program include New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Sprint collaborated with local nonprofits to spread the word to people who may use the service, Pflanz said.

“We have this available because so many of our families spend a huge amount on a cell phone,” Schneider said. “I probably referred someone there several times a week.” Schneider said she often referred people to Safelink Wireless, another provider of wireless phones and minutes to low-income people.

But one of the drawbacks is the limited number of minutes — just 58 per month, she said.

Another program available to low income families is Lifeline Assistance, Petersen said. Lifeline Assistance gives a discount on the primary phone, generally a land line, for a residence.

“If I lost my job, I would qualify for (the Assurance Wireless) program,” Pflanz said. “The money that I would be using to pay my cell phone bill — I can use those dollars to buy food for my children or pay my mortgage.”

Assurance Wireless is funded by the Universal Services Fund, which every carrier contributes $1 to $3 to support.

“The Universal Services Fund was created for hard wire lines for low income families during the Reagan administration,” Pflanz said. “All wireless carriers are required to contribute to the Universal Services Fund, carriers can then create programs to help folks who are in economic need.”