Obama Phone FAQs

Obama Phone is a popular name for the Lifeline Program, which provides one free cell phone and/or broadband service per low income household. Let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about Obama Phone.

15 Common Questions About the Obama Phone

1. What is the Obama Phone?
2. Did President Obama create the Obama Phone program?
3. Why is it named after President Obama?
4. Where can I get an Obama Phone?
5. How do I apply for an Obama Phone?
6. How long will I be able to use my Obama Phone?
7. Are Obama Phones free?
8. How do I change providers?
9. Who pays for Obama Phones?
10. Can a family get more than one Obama Phone?
11. Are all Obama Phone providers the same?
12. Can I get the internet with an Obama Phone?
13. Will the Obama Program last forever?
14. Do you need to be a US Citizen to get an Obama Phone?
15. Do you need to provide a home address to get an Obama Phone?

What is the Obama Phone?

The Obama Phone is (as mentioned) just a popular name for a free cell phone and phone service and/or internet service. These phones and phone plans are subsidized by the Lifeline Program, which was created by the FCC to provide all Americans access to telephone communication for safety, well-being, and closing opportunity gaps.

Did President Obama create the Obama Phone program?

There is a popular misconception that the Obama Phone was started by President Barack Obama and provides every low income American with a free government cell phone at taxpayer expense. But actually, the Obama Phone program, or the Lifeline Program as it is really called, was started in the 1980s to subsidize landlines. During the Bush Administration, the first free cell phone was given by Safelink Wireless in 2008 to a low income consumer in Tennessee—three months before Obama took office.

Why is it named after President Obama?

During the Obama Administration, cell phone usage rapidly increased among American consumers, and the Lifeline Program continued to offer more and more cell phones to low income consumers. This is most likely why the name stuck.

Obama is also associated with the health care reform created by the Affordable Care Act, which provided more Americans with health insurance coverage. His work to extend basic services like health coverage to the underserved made Obama’s name synonymous with government programs to assist low income Americans, one of which was the already extant Lifeline Assistance program.

Where can I get an Obama Phone?

You can get an Obama Phone in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The biggest Obama Phone providers are Safelink Wireless, ReachOut Wireless, and Assurance Wireless, but there are dozens of other companies offering low income households the opportunity to get a free cell phone and cell phone service in every state. Many of these companies only operate in select states, so you will have to search to see who offers Obama Phone near you.

For example, if you live in California, you will need to locate a California Lifeline administrator. In some cases, certain vendors have retail locations where you can apply in person and walk out of the store with a free Obama phone and lifeline service. Others may set up booths at community fairs or farmers markets. And all of them have websites where you can locate an application form for enrollment in the Lifeline benefit.

How do I apply for an Obama Phone?

You can apply with the cell phone company that would be providing your Obama Phone and phone service. In some cases, you can bring a phone you already own into the plan, while other phone service providers will give you a free cell phone. You will need to answer some basic personal information questions and verify your income either by showing that you receive benefits (like Medicaid, SNAP benefits, or SSI) or that your household income is within 135% of the Federal Poverty Line—which you can show with a tax return or recent paystubs.

If you are attempting to secure Lifeline eligibility through membership in a government assistance program, you will need to show paperwork with your name on it, the name of the agency issuing benefits, and a statement of what the benefits are—such as an approval letter from the Social Security Administration.

How long will I be able to use my Obama Phone?

You can use your Obama Phone as long as you meet the conditions you met to obtain it in the first place—that is, either by income or participation in a benefits program. You will be asked to recertify on an annual basis, usually by responding to a text message, phone call, or letter.

Though you will not need to resubmit proof of income or benefits enrollment, you will be asked a few check-in questions such as your current address, SSN, and income or what benefits you are enrolled in.

Are Obama Phones free?

Yes, Obama Phones are absolutely free. These phones generally come with some limits on talking minutes, texting, and data usage. If you want to add minutes, texting, or more data, you will usually have the option of doing so for a very nominal fee. There is no contract associated with an Obama Phone, so you will never have to be locked into paying for something you don’t want later. And there is no special enrollment period, so you can get one at any time.

How do I change providers?

You can change Obama Phone providers, with some time based limitations. You can change phone providers once every 60 days, and internet providers once every 12 months. All you need to do is contact your new intended service provider and give them your name, date of birth, address, phone number, the last four numbers of your Social Security number, and your verbal or written consent to switch.

You can switch providers sooner if you moved, the company no longer provides service, or they charged you late fees greater than your out of pocket costs for service (that is, any payment you made for extra minutes or data not provided by the free plan). In most cases, extra minutes or data is a prepaid feature with Obama Phone providers, so this last reason will most likely not be applicable for most Obama Phone users.

Who pays for Obama Phones?

The Obama Phone is paid for by something called the Universal Service Fund. This fund was set up in 1997 by the FCC as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Every American who pays their own phone bill contributes a few pennies to a few dollars (depending on how many lines they have) to the fund, which in turn is used to subsidize phones for low-income households. To that end, Obama Phone is not a free government cell phone provided by the Federal Government or even funded by taxpayer contributions. Rather, they are phones provided by independent carriers and subsidized by consumer contributions. It is actually the phone companies like Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T that have the responsibility to contribute 21-25% of their profits to the Universal Service Fund, but they always pass these costs on to their own paying consumers.

Can a family get more than one Obama Phone?

Each economically independent household can only obtain one Obama Phone. An economically independent household is defined as a group of people who live together and share financial resources. That would exclude roommates who manage their own money, but it would include even two unrelated individuals who share a bank account or financial resources. Typically, this will refer to a family unit, spouses, or a caretaker and their charge.

Are all Obama Phone providers the same?

No, all the Obama Phone service providers are different. They offer different phones and different phone plans. Some of these plans have unlimited talking minutes, while others have internet service, and others offer international calling. It’s a good idea to compare the different service providers near you to see which plan makes the most sense based on your needs.

Can I get the internet with an Obama Phone?

That depends on where you live, what Obama Phone provider you choose, and what services you select. At this time, you can get fixed (landline) or mobile (cell phone) plans for calling only, broadband only, and a package of broadband and calling. There is a plan in the works to phase out the calling only options in most places by 2021.

Will the Obama Program last forever?

They say that there are only two guarantees in life: death and taxes. But even so, there is a good chance that the Obama Phone program will be around for a while. In fact, the Lifeline Program has been around since the Reagan Administration in the 1980s. You could even make a case that its roots began as far back as 1913 during the Wilson Administration. That’s when telecom companies and the US government first made an agreement based on the idea of a national network providing phone service to every American.

With recent events like the economic disruption of COVID-19 putting many Americans out of work, there has been an upsurge in Obama Phone plan enrollees, and it’s more than likely that need will only solidify the importance of the plan.

Do you need to be a US Citizen to get an Obama Phone?

No, you do not. Certain non-Citizens have eligibility to obtain a free Obama Phone. If you can provide a tax return or show enrollment in government assistance—for instance, as a permanent resident with a green card—you will most likely be able to get an Obama Phone in your state. Additionally, if you fall into any of the special categories of protected non-Citizen individuals, you are most certainly able to get an Obama Phone: political asylees and refugees, victims of trafficking, conditional entrants, immigrant spouses, and victims of child abuse.

Do you need to provide a home address to get an Obama Phone?

In most cases, yes. However, since one of the goals of the Lifeline Program is to empower disenfranchised individuals and lift them out of adverse circumstances, it is not possible for individuals living in a shelter or a group home to get their own free Obama Phone. The assurance wireless phone company specifically states, for example: “separate households that live at the same address are eligible, including residents of homeless shelters and nursing homes. Residents with temporary addresses are also eligible.” Don’t rule out the possibility of participating in the lifeline assistance program even if you don’t have a permanent address!

Understanding the Obama Phone

Now that we’ve answered all these questions about how to get an Obama Phone and who pays for the program, you might have a lingering bigger picture question in your mind: What is the purpose of the Obama Phone program?

You might be surprised to learn that even though cell phone and internet use have proliferated in America, there is still a great digital divide creating many opportunity gaps. Low income individuals and families who cannot afford cell phone or broadband service have a harder time placing emergency calls, securing medical treatment, finding and retaining equitable employment, keeping up with homework assignments, and even enjoying the improved quality of life offered by being able to make plans and stay in touch with family members they can’t see on a regular basis.