Where can people living on low incomes get free Lifeline cell phones in person?
Jones Community Solutions can sign people up for Budget Mobile phones (with 350 free minutes and 350 free texts per month) and provide Budget Mobile customer service (additional minutes and recertification). They cannot provide replacement phones; call the national office about replacements: 888.777.4007.
Their offices are at 5623 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 and their phone number is 206.258.1441. Their office hours are Monday-Friday 11am – 2pm. Typical wait time is about one week; they cannot usually provide phones same day. They also have a presence at the Auburn Food Bank (930 18th Pl NE) on Fridays.
Total Call Mobile is signing people up for free Lifeline phones in Seattle & Tacoma, and they are looking for a storefront somewhere in between. Jesse (jesse@mpslv.com) can be reached at 253.777.6844 and currently comes to Seattle at the Millionaire’s Club (1525 Western Ave) on Wednesdays from 11am to 2pm. He gives out free phones with 500 free minutes on-the-spot to DSHS recipients (starting April 1).
Call or email Barbara Bennum (blondgrandma@comcast.net) at 253.347.1187 if you’d like to try SafeLink Wireless, which now offers 500 minutes. Apply in person, not over the phone.
Other options:
- Access Wireless: 888.900.5899 accesswireless.com
- Assurance Wireless: 888.898.4888 assurancewireless.com
- Budget Mobile: 888.777.4007 budgetmobile.com
- EnTouch Wireless: 866.488.8719 entouchwireless.com
- Life Wireless: 888.543.3620 lifewireless.com
- SafeLink Wireless: 800.977.3768; 253.347.1187 safelinkwireless.com
- Total Call Mobile: 800.661.7391; 253.652.8873 totalcallmobile.com/lifeline
- YourTel Wireless: 855.299.9991 yourtelwireless.com
What about voicemail? If you have a credit card or Paypal account, for $5/month and no contracts (cancel at anytime), check out Copycall. They provide local, stand-alone numbers with voicemail, personalized greetings and your own PIN number, similar to Community Voice Mail.
james says
Where can I buy my own replacement phone I have had 2 sent to me from company but battery is no good
Mike Buchman says
Hi James:
1. you might try replacing the battery
2. Best Buy or Radio Shack can sell you a new phone
3. Call the company you got it from, could possibly be replaced for free.
It all depends on which company you got it from.
There is another number for Assurance which should get you to a person, not a recorded menu: 1.888.321.5880.