Obama Phone

Helping Americans with free Lifeline cell phones

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Sprint charges government for inactive Lifeline customers, FCC fines them $200 million for fraud

September 1, 2021 | | Filed Under: General, legal Tagged With: Sprint

Sprint just got busted for fraud and fined $200 million by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC said it is the largest single penalty ever assessed to resolve an investigation and the money will go to the United States Treasury.

USAC’s port freeze rule eliminated, ObamaPhone customers can now switch companies at any time

The FCC and USAC just eliminated their annoying “port freeze” rule — the regulation that required ObamaPhone users to stay with their service provider for up to one year even if they had really good reasons to switch to a different company.

Obama is gone, and now his enemies want to kill the Obama Phone program

We live in dangerous times. Enemies of the Obama Phone program make no secret of the fact that they want to kill this valuable, important program that helps millions of needy Americans.

Tired of high prices, poor service, awful customer service: Americans want municipal broadband service

Pew surveyed more than 4,000 people and 70% of them said their local governments should be allowed to build their own high-speed networks if their other choices are “too expensive or not good enough.”

FCC changes Lifeline eligibility rules: Who are the winners? And who are the losers?

The FCC has eliminated a number of ways needy Americans have always used to qualify and introduced one very important new way to qualify. Of course there are winners, and there are losers.

Earthquake in Oklahoma: FCC slashes $25 per month subsidies. Unlimited plans to end?

In a ruling certain to cause major metaphorical earthquakes in Oklahoma, the Federal Communications Commission has slashed subsidies paid to Lifeline Assistance companies in the Sooner State.

FCC cracks down on Obama Phone fraud, fines eleven companies $90 million

The Federal Communications Commission has taken another major step in its efforts to reduce fraud and abuse in the Obama Phone program by assessing $90 million in fines against eleven companies that participate in the program across the country.

Georgia’s new $5 per month Obama Phone fee challenged by CTIA

Georgia has begun charging each Obama Phone user a $5 fee each month for what is supposed to be a free service. The CTIA has sued the state.

Important Pages

  • A guide to Obama Phone providers in your state
  • Obama Phone News & Updates
  • What is the Obama Phone?
  • Who qualifies for an Obama Phone?
    • Tribal Head Start
    • Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension Eligibility for an Obama Phone
  • How to Get an Obama Phone?
  • Obamaphone Providers
  • Who Started the Obama Phone?
  • Lifeline Facts
  • Obama Phone FAQs
  • Discussion Forum / Q&A

Subsidized Internet Too

The FCC has also encouraged major internet providers to provide high-speed broadband to the very same people that qualify for the Obama Phone. Only $9.95 a month. There are cheap internet plans for both cable and DSL. To learn more please go to CheapInternet.com.

Recent News

  • Dropping like a rock: ObamaPhone enrollment falls by two million in three years
  • $7 Billion Bonanza: The new FCC Broadband Connectivity Fund
  • Sprint charges government for inactive Lifeline customers, FCC fines them $200 million for fraud
  • More than 1,000,000 have already signed up for government’s new $50 per month internet discount
  • Universal broadband for everyone who needs it! Free government cell phones for everyone who needs them! Mark Lowenstein for FCC Commissioner!
  • Could your ObamaPhone arrive with malware installed?
  • Assist Wireless exposes tens of thousands of customer IDs in five states
  • Is it the BidenPhone? Free unlimited talk, unlimited text AND unlimited data for a limited time
  • USAC’s port freeze rule eliminated, ObamaPhone customers can now switch companies at any time
  • Obama is gone, and now his enemies want to kill the Obama Phone program

Some Facts

#1 The Lifeline Assistance program started in Tennessee in mid-2008 and is now available in 49 states, DC and Puerto Rico.

#2 You qualify for a phone simply by accepting other government assistance -- Medicaid, food stamps, SSI, National School Lunch, Section 8 Housing, Home Energy assistance and others.

#3 The FCC is currently wrapping up a large pilot program that's testing ways to expand the ObamaPhone program to include broadband internet access.

Read More:
Lifeline Facts

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