Cell phones: Fed program to give poor free phones
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) -- When 21-year-old Danny Chavez fills out a job application, he writes down his girlfriend's phone number as a contact. Chavez has no phone.
"I use her phone for the time being," said the unemployed Chavez.
Now Chavez and others in a similar position may have some help. Under a federal program called Lifeline, residents could get a free cell phone with 250 minutes and 250 text messages per month.
"That sounds like a good program, it would benefit a lot of people," Chavez said.
Established by the federal government in 1996, the Lifeline Assistance program provides land-line phone service for the poor. But up until now, it excluded cell phone service in California.
Last week, the California Public Utilities Commission expanded the program to include cell phones. Those who qualify are homeless people and other residents who can prove they earn less than $14,702 per year or California residents who receive Supplemental Social Security Income, food stamps, Medi-Cal and other types of public assistance.
"For the homeless, the advantage would be helping them stay connected," said Louis Medina, Homeless Project Manager with the Kern County Homeless Collaborative.
"It would be easier for a prospective employer to get ahold of them if they have a cell phone," said Medina.
The Lifeline Assistance program is funded through contributions by phone companies to the Universal Service Fund. Service providers charge a small fee added to most people's monthly phone bills called the Universal Service Fund fee.
But the program is also subsidized by the federal government, meaning taxpayers.
"I don't like it," said Bakersfield resident Kurt Frailey. "If it was only for emergencies that's something different. But letting them have free phones when we have to pay for ours, I'm not for that," he said.
Two phone companies are currently providing the cell phones. To apply for the Lifeline Assistance program, residents must first request a phone from either Assurance Wireless or Reach Out Wireless.
For more information contact one of the two companies offering the service:
Assurance Wireless: (800) 395-2171
Reach Out Wireless: (877) 777-1914
Hell no!!
I dont believe in givng the "free" cell phones. They arent really free....the American People are paying for them.
Maybe you could learn to spell someones name correctly if your going to use it. I think ive explained myself clearly, but apparently you didnt get it when you thought up your little rant. Maybe your the problem.
cell phones are stupid, think about how we lived before them, we certainly did it! besides landline, internet, and tv all for 125 a month probably cheaper then most cell phone bills
Jen Silvias......you are the problem. You say people that use the Oregon trail card should be able to buy all the same foods that a successful working person could. And that it is unfair if they can't. How fair is it that oregon trail users can have pizza, soda, any other junk food or luxury on successful oregon tax payers dollars???? That right there is BS! If you want those thinks WORK HARDER!....end of rant....
Hell no. I am sick of paying for everyone else.
How about more money for schools and other needs. No!
Olivia's comment should be used as the whole reason not to it makes 200% sense I'm a child of a mother who was in a simular situation while she was looking for work which made sense for her because her mom always helped with us kids but somehow cellphones just weren't necessary
No
No!
We already have a state subsidy its http://www.oregon.gov/puc/pages/rspf/otap.aspx It has been around for a long time. It gives a $13.50 discount on a phone. It's limited to one discount per address and can be applied to a landline or a cell phone. It's a great idea for emergencies or when looking for work. However, when I worked at a cell phone carrier 3 years ago I saw it being abused so badly. The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) manages the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP), also known as Lifeline. If you qualify, this federal and state government assistance program reduces your monthly phone bill by $12.75. You may qualify if you participate in one of the following programs: Food Stamps / Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) National School Lunch Program; Free Lunch Program Only (NSLP) Certain State Medical Programs or Certain Medicaid Programs at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Level
Regarding the comment at the top. Anyone who thinks a $120.00 a month cell phone is a necessity, does not know what true necessities are.
No! The govt. is taking enough of my taxes to a mismanaged program such as welfare. Did you know law enforcement aren't even doing anything to all the welfare fraud cases. Look it up in the Oregonian. The researched it. They get off Scott free. GrRrrrrrrr......
Hell no!!!!!
Nope.... Don't the people that get all these free services get enough already? If they were to get anything else for free perhaps it should be a drug test, if they don't pass they get nothing!
No
Hell No!!!!!
No there not free the taxpayers are paying for them. Mine isn't free, my granddaughters isn't free. Why should it be implemented for some and not all?
Hell no! We didn't have cell phones when we were growing up and we all survived. If you can not afford something.....you don't get to have it!!!!!!
No....
No!
ALREADY HAPPININ, GUYS.......
No
No
NO....I PAY TOOOOOOO MUCH IN TAXES! I AGREE, THEY ARE IDIOTS!
No, They get to much at my families expense. We need all our honest earnings to barely get by.
And California wonders why they are broke! Idiots!
HELL NO!!
NO NO
No
NO
if you go to safelink.com you can get one with 250 free minutes a month. I just registered for one.
Cell phones? - No... Land Lines? - Yes. And currently there is a program out there for Land Lines called OTAP (Oregon Telephone Assistance Program) through the PUC that provides a monthly credit of $12.75. I work for a local telecom and this program is great for those who need assistance. Cell Phones are a luxury.
When did a cell phone become a "necessity of life"? If I couldn't afford one, I wouldn't have one.
I think giving a phone to someone actively looking for work is ok but beyond that no... and it doesn't need to be a cell.
I have been on assistance in the past. I watched the amount I was allotted drop considerably. Once, after my food stamps had dropped by $250 a month, I went to the grocery store to buy milk. I also had taken in every can I could scrounge up to pay for diapers. This was before I received child support. As I stood in line with my handful of receipts for cash for diapers, wondering how I was going to make up for the $250 less food, a woman checked out in front of me. She had some junk food items. She swiped her EBT card. Then she brazenly pulled money off her card (she must have had TANF, cash assistance) and bought a 12 pack of beer. Tears stung my eyes, and I thought, "It's because of people like you!" I didn't make $250 more a month. I couldn't eat $250 less food. See the predicament? In no way, does the Foodstamps a family gets cover the food they eat. It just helps. We always paid cash for food at the end of the month. Day care is expensive. Sometimes, having two parents working isn't feasible. If I had worked, I would have broke even after paying for day care and gas for work. Why pay to have someone else raise your kid then? All this being said, after having walked in those shoes for a very long time, there were times when we had NO money, and the only thing we could do was pizza and ice cream and a sleep over. There was no present money. There was food stamps, and creative mommy. There was a candy bouquet for my daughter's birthday because I wasn't going to let the day go by without something for her. There are restrictions on what you can buy. People were buying Starbucks and energy drinks. Currently, that is not allowed. No ready made hot food. No alcohol. Do people need cell phones? I have never had assistance with this. I have always paid my own bill, or went without. If I was super hard pressed, I would leave my mother's number as a message number. What I'm saying, as someone who has been very hard pressed, is that I never had hand outs, I had hand ups. I used that to get out of the welfare system. That should be the goal. Straight Talk has a deal now where you can get a landline for $10 a month.
TANSTAAFL - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch! Nothing is "free." SOMEBODY has to pay for it. Frankly, I have enough trouble making ends meet without an additional bill for someone else's convenience.
Oh Hell NO!! My family works hard for ammenities..If you cant afford it u dont need it! Besides I know of quite a few finacially impaired who can seem to afford better phones than I have!n!
There is also a federal program for this started by that socialist George W Bush.
I can't say as though I agree with this this country is struggling already this is just another program that makes it easier for people to stay poor and stay reliant upon government programs we need to empower these people not hold their hand and stroke their hair saying don't worry everything will be ok we will make sure of it that just puts them in a I can fail and still be ok mind set how is that helping
I was born in Oregon and am currently stuck in California Don't turn Oregon into a trashy simpleton state like California. No!! To free cell phones for the poor
No!!!!!
No no no!
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hell No...
All cell bills have a tax placed on them. If you call the provider, they are quick to tell you it's a federal tax that they have no control over. We already pay it, I just don't wanna see it go up. :(
Amy I have not read into the law because if its to support all the poor then taxing only those who have cell phones wouldnt make sense not that any of it makes sense
I say no. It will most likely happen anyways though. I lay my head upon my pillow every night with the knowledge that I am not a drain on my fellow Americans. I pay for EVERYTHING I have, period. Who do you think sleeps better at night???
This program is paid for by taxes placed on cell phone bills of PAYING customers. I'm watching my budget... I got rid of sat tv. I've cut my expenses. You shouldn't have material items you can't afford.
California used to be in the worlds top five economies following countries like USA and China and I remember that time I also remember when jailers in california prisons couldnt cash their checks because the bank wouldnt take them not to say that there are not very succesful businesses in California Christy it means that our taxes go up and affects our phone bills 0