iPhone is one of the best (if not the best) touchscreen phone brands out there. It’s also one of the most expensive cell phones, which has resulted in many people only having it on the wishlist. But as I write this piece today, there’s an easy way how to get a free iPhone from government.
I know some are now thinking, “Here’s another scam of the year”. But the free iPhone offer I’m sharing with you here is no scam. It also comes to you free of charge, with no strings attached. You won’t even need to worry about a credit check or signing up for any kind of contract.
Is the Free iPhone from Government Any Good?
First, you should know the free iPhone from the government is the device you get from eligible telecommunication carriers (ETC). And as I’ve explained in previous posts, an ETC is a phone carrier that has the license to offer a lifeline program.
As we shall see shortly, though, not everyone on the Lifeline program will get the free iPhone. It’s also not everyone who receives the free iPhone is usually happy. Why is that?
When you apply for a free smartphone from the government, the device you get mostly varies with stock availability. If in this case, the iPhone you hoped to receive is unavailable, the ETC will end up sending a different equivalent model.
The other thing you should know is that the free iPhone from government is not iPhone 12 or other later series, as I’ve seen some Facebook pages claim. Your free iPhone will be a relatively older series- such as the iPhone 8 Plus.
But a phone like iPhone 8 series is no longer in production at Apple facilities. So, the device you get on the free deal is a certified refurbished model.
“Certified refurbished” means the phone is like new, albeit may have undergone a bit of restoration to make sure it performs as intended.
Far Better than the “New” Android from Most ETCs
On the list of Providers With Free Touch Screen Government Phones, we saw the majority offer entry-level brands. Many of these brands are names you’ll hardly find in the local market or hear high recommendations.
As for the Apple products, however, we still have hundreds of people lining up to buy the older iPhones 8 and 7 series. Some don’t even seem to mind getting the older iPhone 6s. And the reason for this is that Apple products outrun entry-level Androids by a huge margin.
For example, an iPhone with 2GB RAM can handle heavy tasks an entry-level Android with 3GB or 4GB can’t. After all, Apple’s iOS is only for iPhones, which enables the creators to provide better optimizations with ease. (On Android vs iOS comparisons out there, some geeks places Apple tech two-year lead over the best Android phones).
Besides the performance part, iPhones, including the free options from the government have cool features still lacking on many latest Androids. For instance:
- The free iPhones have a rugged, weather-resistant build- with up to IP67 protection
- The free iPhones have a camera you can record videos in up to 4K and Slo-Mo mode
- The free iPhones are upgradeable to the latest iOS, something the low-end Androids may not have
- The free iPhones include a WiFi 5 (802.11ac) protocol, which has better performance than the WiFi 4 (802.11n) on low-end Androids
- The free iPhones have a built-in NFC (Near Field Communication) chip for contactless payments, electronic traveling tickets, and sharing digital content
How to Get Free iPhone from Government
You already know the free iPhone from the government is only available through the lifeline providers. And what this means is that only people from a low-income household get to qualify.
As per the “low-income” requirement, you can apply for the free iPhone with a low income from your current employment or participate in an assistance benefit.
But again, not everyone from a low-income household gets to qualify for the phone offer. There are policies you must meet, which are specific to either the low-income-based or program-based eligibility requirement.
Before we look at these policies, you should know many ETCs no longer give you a free phone on the Lifeline-only services. The carriers require you to participate in the affordable connectivity program (ACP).
When it now comes to Lifeline vs ACP eligibility policies, you’ll notice some slight changes:
Get the Free iPhone from Government with Lifeline
To get the free iPhone from the government with Lifeline on a low income, the rule is that your gross income must be at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. The “gross income” is the total annual amount of your household.
If you prefer to apply for the free iPhone from the government with an assistance program, it must be either of the qualifying options, including:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit Program
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)- called Food Stamps in some states
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and some other tribal-based programs
Get a Free iPhone from Government with ACP Program
The second way how to get a free iPhone from the government is by applying the ACP program. If you use this approach using a low income, your gross income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
On the other hand, to get the free government iPhone with ACP through the assistance program, you’ll need to participate either in the:
- Medicaid
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Students on Federal Pell Grant in the current year
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit Program
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)- called Food Stamps in some states
Tip: As you can see, the eligibility for the ACP on income is at a slightly higher cap of the poverty guidelines than Lifeline. Then the program-based eligibility has an addition of WIC, student pell grant, and a national school lunch program.
Get the Free iPhone from Government with Lifeline + ACP Combo
The third way how to get the free iPhone from government is to apply for the Lifeline + ACP service. In a nutshell, this service bundle is what most ETCs have with the free smartphone benefit.
But since we’re talking about a combination of two programs here, the eligibility may vary. Some carriers use the eligibility requirement of Lifeline, while others will go for the ACP policies.
Important Note:
After you’ve enrolled for the free government phone with either of the three options above, the ECTs will submit your information to the National Verifier. If they don’t submit your information directly to the National Verifier, the ETCs will redirect you to the USAC database page.
After the National Verifier approves your enrollment, the ETC will start processing your order for the free phone. And this is where the few decent carriers participating in the benefit will send you a free iPhone.
The Lifelines Carriers You Can Get Free iPhone From Government
Overall, we have over a dozen eligible telecommunication carriers you can get a free smartphone from the government. However, only a small portion- two carriers to be exact, has the free iPhone option. They include:
AirTalk Wireless
AirTalk Wireless has been one of the most sought-after Lifeline providers in the past year. It’s a new name in the industry, created in 2022.
In the AirTalk Wireless free phone review, though, I did tell you the brand is a renewed Feelsafe Wireless. The name of the Lifeline provider changed after HTH Communications acquired Airvoice Wireless.
Fast forward, AirTalk Wireless is one of the companies you can get a free iPhone from the government. All this is possible from the new acquisition, as HTH Communications is one of the largest phone refurbishment companies in the country.
How to: AirTalk Wireless only gives you a free iPhone on the Lifeline + ACP combo plan. The AirTalk Lifeline-only plan doesn’t give a free phone, unfortunately. Then the AirTalk ACP-only plan qualifies for just a basic flip phone.
Newphone Wireless
Newphone Wireless is the other company you can get a free iPhone from the government. It’s yet another brand HTH Communications owns, making it the sister of AirTalk.
However, HTH Communications also acquired Newphone Wireless not long ago- in 2017. But Newphone has been in the Lifeline business since 2011.
How to: You can only get a free iPhone with Newphone Wireless on the Lifeline + ACP combo plan. Similar to AirTalk, the Newphone Lifeline-only plan doesn’t give any free phones, and the ACP-only plan offers basic flip phones.
Key Takeaway: What Kind of Free iPhone Do I Get from AirTalk/ NewPhone Wireless
As already mentioned, don’t expect the free iPhone that AirTalk or NewPhone Wireless gives you to be from the latest series. While the carriers have better offerings than competitors, the devices are still a few years old.
More specifically, the kind of free iPhone AirTalk or Newphone Wireless gives you is either of the eight options below:
| Release Year | Size of Display | ROM vs RAM | |
| Apple iPhone 8 | Sept. 2017 | 4.7-inch, HD+ | 62GB, 2GB |
| Apple iPhone 7 Plus | Sept. 2016 | 5.5-inch, Full HD | 32GB, 3GB |
| Apple iPhone 7 | Sept. 2016 | 4.7-inch, HD+ | 32GB, 2GB |
| Apple iPhone 6 Plus | Sept. 2016 | 5.5-inch, Full HD | 16GB, 1GB |
| Apple iPhone SE | March 2016 | 4.0-inch, HD | 16GB, 2GB |
| Apple iPhone 6s Plus | Sept. 2015 | 5.5-inch, Full HD | 32GB, 2GB |
| Apple iPhone 6s | Sept. 2015 | 4.7-inch, HD+ | 16GB, 2GB |
| Apple iPhone 6 | Sept. 2014 | 4.7-inch, HD+ | 16GB, 1GB |
Final Thoughts:
If you have a low income or are on government assistance benefits, that’s everything relevant you should know on how to get free iphone from government.
However, I’m still finding the two carriers with the offer, AirTalk and Newphone Wireless, a little inconvenient. They have pushed the free smartphone (iPhone and other brands) offer to the Lifeline + ACP plan.
The reason this is inconvenient is for not everyone will want to combine the Lifeline and ACP plans. Some people may prefer to get the Lifeline benefit with an ETC, then apply the ACP with a fixed internet service provider.
In any case, the word out there is each to their own. If you won’t mind the capped high-speed data on the Lifeline + ACP plan with AirTalk or Newphone Wireless, then the free iPhone could be yours.
