Access Wireless

Access Wireless - Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Services

Access Wireless is a phone service provider that participates in both the Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity programs. As such, they offer discounted Internet service to eligible households. The monthly discount varies depending on the recipient’s eligibility. For qualifying non-Tribal Land households, the discount could be as much as $30. If the qualifying household is located on eligible Tribal Lands, the discount can go as high as $75 a month.

Some companies participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provide free or deeply discounted devices such as tablets, desktops, or laptops. Access Wireless, however, does not offer such free or discounted devices. Instead, they offer discounted monthly service.

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Access Wireless Plans

In addition to the monthly discount, Access Wireless offers several wireless service plans. For those households enrolled in both the Lifeline and ACP programs, Access Wireless offers unlimited talk minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited high-speed data (up to 15GB) plus hotspot data.

If, however, a household is only participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program, Access Wireless offers 1,000 minutes of talk, unlimited texting, and unlimited high-speed data up to 10 GB plus hotspots.

For households that are only enrolled in the Lifeline program, Access Wireless offers 1,000 talk minutes, unlimited text, and 4.5 GB of high-speed data.

Coverage Area and Eligible States

Access wireless has nationwide service but is authorized to offer its program only in the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Jersey*, New Mexico*, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin

*New Jersey and New Mexico may only apply for ACP. Access Wireless does not offer free government phone plans in those states.

How to Receive Discounted Benefits

If you are interested in receiving the above discounts you must first sign up for Lifeline. Once you are enrolled in Lifeline, you automatically qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program. Although eligible, enrollment in the ACP is not automatic. You must request ACP benefits from your phone provider. Residents in every state except for California, Oregon, and Texas must be enrolled in Lifeline before applying to Access Wireless.

To be eligible for Lifeline your household must meet at least one of the following criteria:

For Lifeline, a household income of at least 135% or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines. ACP, however, has a higher household income threshold. To qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program through household income, it must be 200% or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Be a recipient of at least one federal government assistance program. Programs such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Stamps/Food Assistance, and Veterans or Survivors Pension Benefits. This is not a full list of qualifying programs. *

Be a resident living on eligible Tribal Lands and participate in one of the government assistance programs mentioned.*

*For a complete listing of the federal government assistance programs, visit Lifeline Support - Do I Qualify.

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If you do meet the eligibility requirements, you must have documented proof of such participation before submitting your application. In addition to proof of eligibility, you'll need an acceptable form of ID to prove you are who you say you are. A government issued ID is acceptable.

Sign up for Lifeline

Go to the Lifeline National Verification website and create an application. After you are enrolled in the Lifeline program, go to the Access Wireless website to apply for service.

If you have any questions regarding the application process or the status of your application, or whether or not your device was shipped, log into your account on the Access Wireless website or call them at 1–888–900–5899.

Things to Note

You must be 18 years of age or older to apply for the ACP discount

Only one Lifeline/ ACP discount per household

You may participate in both Lifeline's free government phone program and the ACP discount.

Access Wireless - Lifeline/ACP FAQs

Whether you're a new customer or thinking about becoming a new customer, some of the questions/answers below may help you navigate a smooth transition in becoming an Access Wireless customer. The FAQs below will not answer all of your questions, but it's a good start.

If you cannot find an answer to a question here, you can always contact an Access Wireless customer service agent to assist you.

Does Access Wireless offer Lifeline/ACP plans in my state?

Access Wireless provides service in most states. You can find a listing of states in which they operate here. Or, you can visit their site, and insert your zip code to find out the answer

I'm only enrolled in Lifeline, not ACP. What does Access Wireless offer?

Access Wireless offers three plans. One for households enrolled in Lifeline and ACP, one for those enrolled in ACP only and the third plan for those enrolled in Lifeline only. You can find their plan offerings here. However, if you qualify for Lifeline, it makes sense to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Plan also. You'll get a more comprehensive phone plan

Can I bring my own phone?

Yes. Make sure it's unlocked and GSM LTE 4G/5G compatible. You can check to see if your phone is compatible by visiting the Check My Phone page.

How can I find the status of my application?

Log into your Access Wireless account

I'd like to choose my phone. Can I?

No. The phones distributed by AccessWireless vary depending on availability and inventory.

When are the free Lifeline benefits applied to the phone?

Your monthly allotment will be added on the same day each month. The date depends on the date you activated your phone. For example, if you activated your phone on the 10th of the month, your allotment will be automatically added on the 10th of each month.

What if I lose my phone, or it's stolen?

Contact Access Wireless immediately. Call Customer Care at 1-866-594-3644. Your account will be suspended from further use.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: This site was created to help people find information about free government phones. We do not mail, activate or repair free government phones nor do we provide service. If you have questions about phone service we suggest you contact the phone service provider directly.

Last Modified: 18 November 2022