Assurance Wireless is one of the lifeline providers to consider for a free cell phone service from the government. You even get a free smartphone when applying for the first time. But the question we’re covering today is, are Virgin Mobile phones compatible with Assurance Wireless?
When you visit online stores like Amazon and Walmart, they have pretty amazing deals on Virgin Mobile phones, including Android and Apple iPhones. The phones, of course, are the older models that manufacturers still have left after Virgin Mobile exited the market. But they do support 4G LTE, which is in use on many networks across the country.
The Virgin Mobile…Assurance Wireless Relationship
Assurance Wireless is seemingly an independent company, with its own management. However, the lifeline carrier used to be a brand of Virgin Mobile USA. Virgin Mobile was a no-contract prepaid phone provider, specifically a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).
An MVNO is typically a carrier that resells a network from Major Provider as it doesn’t have its own infrastructure. Virgin Mobile was a brand of Sprint Corporation, which means it would also run off its (Sprints) cellular towers.
From the parenthood bond, Assurance Wireless also used to run off Sprint towers. And as you may know, Sprint utilized CDMA protocol for the 3G and old 4G networks. It’s the reason the free government phone still requires you to activate phones with your SIM card.
If a keen follower of mobile tech, I’m sure you know MVNOs can flawlessly work on the phones of their parent company. Hence, why all Virgin Mobile PayLo phones were naturally compatible with Assurance Wireless service even before unlocking.
The End of Virgin Mobile… New Owners of Assurance Wireless
Sadly, the last years to 2020 were not so great for Virgin Mobile. For instance, in 2018, Target Stores removed Virgin Mobile products (phones and recharge cards) from its shelves. In 2019, Best Buy, Meijer, and Walmart followed suit, marking the end of the subcarrier.
We could say Virgin Mobile was lost in the shuffle after Sprint and T-Mobile shared their intent to merge. It was actually one of the things Sprint killed after finalizing the merger in the first quarter of 2020. Then they moved the customers of the prepaid MVNO to Boost Mobile, whereas the Assurance Wireless lifeline program joined the T-Mobile family.
So, T-Mobile is now both the owner and carrier network of Assurance Wireless. All the consumers that had registered for the free government phone before 2020 had to switch to phones compatible with T-Mobile.
Fortunately, you would get a replacement Assurance Wireless phone free of charge, albeit still the crappy, entry-level model they usually offer.
Assurance Wireless is still Limited to Select Devices
T-Mobile has one of the most lenient policies on device compatibility. It’s the only main carrier compatible with almost all phones, thanks to its adoption of GSM protocol.
Unlike the likes of AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobile is even compatible with various international phones. YES, many options will only be partially compatible (have access to only some functions). But some may have all the voice, SMS, and data functions needed.
You may also like:
Conversely, Assurance Wireless is kind of the strictest lifeline operator on device compatibility. Whereas others like SafeLink vs Qlink let you bring your own phone, Assurance does not support the feature. Many of us thought the T-Mobile takeover would improve such areas. But after more than a year since the transition to the T-Mobile network, you still can’t activate phones from other carriers on Assurance.
In other words, you can only use Assurance Wireless service on phones and SIM cards the carrier has issued. Not even factory-unlocked phones will work, as “they are not programmed for it (Assurance Wireless service)”, an agent recently replied.
To make matters even worse, the Assurance Wireless online store has been down since 2020 (after the merger). If you want to replace your device, you’ll have to call customer care, then explain your situation. And this is inconvenient since upgrading a phone even from your pocket is tricky.
Alternatively, you can grab one of those Assurance Wireless phones individual resellers hawk on eBay. The drawback is that these phones are usually used, which has no guarantee of quality.
Are Virgin Mobile Phones Compatible with Assurance Wireless?
Back before Sprint killed its brands, select Virgin Mobile phones could work with Assurance Wireless SIM cards. They had only limited the benefit to the Virgin Mobile PayLo phones, which the company had launched for low-cost prepaid service.
In doing this, Sprint company was typically trying to push the sales of its Virgin Mobile brand. The featured phones at the time were on the old 3G (CDMA) protocol, as you can see in the examples below:
| Type of input Interface | Network Support | Internet/ Email | |
| Virgin Mobile Samsung Montage Black | Dual keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Samsung Entro Flip Phone | Normal Keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Kyocera Jax Slim Phone | Normal Keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Kyocera 2300 PayLo Phone | Qwerty | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Kyocera Oystr Flip Phone | Normal Keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Kyocera Contact Black Phone | Dual keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Kyocera Kona Black Flip | Normal Keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile Kyocera Marbl K127 | Normal Keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | |
| Virgin Mobile LG Aspire T40C 3.2-inch Touchscreen | Touchscreen | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
| Virgin Mobile LG LG200 Bluetooth Qwerty | Qwerty keyboard | 3G (CDMA) | YES |
Virgin Mobile Samsung Montage Black
Key Features:
- It has a bright 2.4-inch, QVGA LCD
- Has a normal and slide-out Qwerty keyword
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) networks
- Supports SMS, MMS, and Email messaging
- Has both a built-in 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth
- You could access the Web via the WAP browser
- It has a built-in MicroSD slot to expand local storage
Virgin Mobile Samsung Entro Flip Phone
Key Features:
- It has a 1.8” internal & external TFT display
- You can browse the web via WAP
- Includes up to 600 phonebook capacity
- Has a normal Keyboard with large buttons
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) network
- Supports up to M3 and T3 hearing aid models
- It also supports picture messaging (MMS) and Email
Virgin Mobile Kyocera Jax Slim Phone
Key Features:
- It has a slim profile with big buttons
- Has a 1.8-inch full-color TFT display
- Includes a phone book capacity of 250
- Supports web access via WAP protocol
- You can use M3 and T4 hearing aids
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) networks
- It includes GPS (A-GPS to be specific) for mapping
Virgin Mobile Kyocera 2300 PayLo Phone
Key Features:
- It has a 2.2-inch QVGA LCD
- Has an easy-to-use Qwerty keyword
- Offers a phone capacity of up to 500
- Supports up to M4 and T4 hearing aids
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) network
- You can share content wirelessly via Bluetooth
- It supports various data services (browsing/ MMS/ email)
Virgin Mobile Kyocera Oystr Flip Phone
Key Features:
- It has a compact, (flip) foldable design
- Utilizes a 1.8-inch, color LCD
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) networks
- Supports M3 hearing aids and TTY feature
- Has a built-in A-GPS sensor for navigation
- It also has a built-in 2.5mm headset jack (on top)
- You can access the internet via the WAP protocol
Virgin Mobile Kyocera Contact Black Phone
Key Features:
- It has a 2.4-inch, QVGA LCD
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) network
- Support up to M4 & T3 hearing aid devices
- You can browse the Web via the WAP protocol
- Uses both normal and slide-out qwerty keyboard
- Supports Instant, picture, and Email messaging
- It also supports both Bluetooth & USB connectivity
Virgin Mobile Kyocera Kona Black Flip
Key Features:
- It has a sleek, (flip) foldable design
- Has a 2.4” internal/ 1.44” external display
- Supports up to M4 and T4 hearing aid devices
- Includes both Bluetooth and USB connectivity
- You can browse the Web via the WAP protocol
- Allows messaging via SMS, Flash Message & Email
- It also has a built-in A-GPS sensor for navigation
Virgin Mobile Kyocera Marbl K127
Key Features:
- It has a 1.5-inch, Full-color display
- Has a rugged, compact, Flip design
- Offers up to 200 phonebook capacity
- Allows web access via WAP protocol
- Includes A-GPS sensor for navigation
- You can use SMS as an Enterprise Messaging
- It’s compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) networks
Virgin Mobile LG Aspire T40C 3.2-inch Touchscreen
Key Features:
- It has a clear 3.2-inch, QVGA display
- Utilizes capacitive (touch) controls
- Has a MicroSD slot to expand storage
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) networks
- Supports WiFi 3 (802.11g) WLAN protocol
- Includes preinstalled “Social Networking” apps
- It also has both Bluetooth and USB connectivity
Virgin Mobile LG LG200 Bluetooth Qwerty
Key Features:
- It has a 2.2-inch, color TFT display
- Has up to 1000 phone book capacity
- Support web browsing via the WAP protocol
- Utilizes a neat four-row Qwerty keyboard
- Support SMS, Instant, and e-mail messaging
- Compatible with up to 3G (CDMA) network
- You can pair with M4 and T4 hearing aid devices
Key Takeaway: Retirement of Sprint Network Frequencies
In the ten selections above, you can see all the brands supports up to 3G (CDMA) network. But T-Mobile decommissioned the 3G Sprint Legacy bands in 2022. Thus, our Virgin Mobile phones are now not compatible with Assurance Wireless.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, there are LTE Virgin Mobile phones still on the shelves of Amazon, Walmart, and other retail dealers. The issue, though, is that only the Virgin Mobile Paylo phones would work with the lifeline service. And considering the company has barred phones from other carriers and unlocked variants, don’t get tricked into buying them (Virgin Mobile LTE phones).
Again, Assurance Wireless requires you to contact them if you need to replace your current device. Then the upgrade program is unavailable since they no longer stock phones online, and they don’t have physical stores.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the best phones compatible with Assurance Wireless?
Unlike other carriers (prepaid/ postpaid/ lifeline), Assurance Wireless still doesn’t allows you to bring your phone. Yes, you could activate your line on branded Assurance phone. But for now, the carrier doesn’t allow using phones from other carriers or factory unlocked.
What this means is that the best phones compatible with Assurance Wireless are the ones the operator sends you. They are even yet to announce the support for T-Mobile phones.
Can I use Virgin Mobile phones with Assurance Wireless?
In 2020/ 2021, you could use Virgin Mobile phones with Assurance Wireless even before unlocking. The perk was only limited to the Virgin Mobile Paylo phones, which were predominantly 3G (CDMA). Thus, after T-Mobile decommissioned the Sprint 3G CDMA network (and recently 4G LTE), Virgin Mobile phones can no longer work with Assurance Wireless.
Will my unlocked phone work with the Assurance Wireless service?
Unfortunately, No. Assurance Wireless is still yet to update its policy on BYOP (bring your own phone). And upon an inquiry online, a representative of the lifeline brand said you can only use the service on the phones programmed to have it.
Is Assurance Wireless a good free government cell phone service?
Basically, there’s no straight answer here since we all have different needs and preferences. However, Assurance Wireless is a decent free cell phone service from the government, as you will get:
A free smartphone when you join
Access to the ID caller feature for free
Free calls to the customer support team
Free monthly phone service, with unlimited talk, text, and data
The option to make international calls and text at affordable rates
Still A Lot of Areas to Improve
Although it has been over two years since T-Mobile/ Sprint merged, things are yet to improve in Assurance Wireless service. It’s easy to say the situation is worse as the new owners are yet to bring back the online store where you can buy your preferred device.
Furthermore, the Virgin Mobile phones compatible with Assurance Wireless ceased to work last year after the end of the 3G network. Then you can’t bring even unlocked or T-Mobile Branded devices since the carrier is yet to introduce a BYOP policy.
So, the phone Assurance Wireless gives you is what you’ll have to use on your service. And like most lifeline providers, these free handsets are usually entry-level models without the latest tech.
For instance, the kind of phone Assurance Wireless give you at the moment is the UNIMAX UMX/ Wiko Life, or if lucky a T-Mobile Revvl 4 (TCL). The specs on all these phones are very lacking, which may be tricky to make the most of your free service.
