Tennessee Offers Limited Free Cell Phone Service to Low Income Families

This is so twisted....so many people here really deserve a way to comunicate with others, i mean, an appointment, a job interview, a doctor office and there is no so many good pay phones around these days, so, i think is right for the people that really deserve them, those who can't walk to a pay phone or have one close etc. But out of a 100 of this i'm sure will be for plain lazy people who wants freebies while staying home doing nothing and now with the luxury of a cell phone, and that's wrong....so...i do not really know if is right or wrong, there was a time when i came to this country i had to walk miles in the cold to get to a pay phone but i did it thinking " it's exercise " so i would do it easily, i'm young, i did not mind, but if a were sick or with unable to move around boy, another story....now i have a cell phone, i do not have a home line, i am always out working so i do not need two lines, and even i have money THANKS TO MY HARD WORK AND BLEESINGS FROM GOD it is a very simple one, without internet or all those crazy gadgets that are not necesary ( i have never need any of it ) i know your face i do not need to see it when you call me LOL and i don't judge people who spend $499 in an i-phone but i have been attacked LOL by people in my same economical class ( $150.000 + a year ) that make fun of me or call me cheap....none of that!!! i'm not cheap, it is just that some things are NOT NECESSARY unless certain cases....anyways...everybody wants more and more and they do not appreciatte what they have right now, and when people make fun of them like they do to me they fall into the trapp, people...be happy with who you are and what you have, and if you like it, SAY IT OUT LOUD! i will get a new phone the day this one brakes and it is not gonna be anytime soon becasue i do take care of it...like my car, 4 years saving money TO PAY CASH FOR IT and i got me a very nice almost new land rover 04 NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS and the 4 years i drove a 96 old saturn paid back....i do not care what people think, it is the way you carry yourself, and just so you know even with my so called broke ass ( sorry ) cell phone people believe ( since always ) i was rich ( or i am rich ) for the class, education and the way i carry myself...so....be modest.
Gabby =)

I am a middle-aged recent widow whom once upon a time was poorer than dirt and have never asked for nothing from anyone. My husband and I worked extremely hard to live a decent life. We did without and was still happy to just be alive. When he struggled with cancer and passed my world came to an end and i'm doing without again. But I will survive without a free phone. I also know my priorities and a cell phone is very low on that list! The comments of dumb Tennesseans is just so wrong and I hope these people will stop and re-think about it. After meeting alot of people in my travels, I happen to consider myself to be rather smart compared to some. We are the VOLUNTEER STATE! We help our neighbors and are proud of it! It is not our fault the government didn't ask us if we wanted our tax dollars to go to free phones! I would've said NO - the 2 million dollars belongs in daycare, job creation, education, etc. I consider myself handicapped but do not take advantage of it and do not want a free ride. I do get angry when perfectly capable people take advantage. If someone is struggling with illness or loss of work and no unemployment check and no family to help - then so be it if your situation truely justifies it! I see the abuse everyday and it makes myself and others angry to see it happening. There are alot of people not getting the necessities because of others receiving it that should be doing without the help. GOD IS WATCHING and those who do not do right by mankind or his creatures will suffer. I'm quite sure he wouldn't consider a cell phone to be a necessity! If our government would use the money to help with NECESSARY NEEDS we wouldn't be so upset and our great country wouldn't be in such financial crisis. Just because someone is low income or someone chose to have children doesn't give them the right to take advantage and to get a free ride. You just do without. Socialism will destroy us!

The great thing about the 68 minutes free per year is that welfare mothers will use that up in 68 minutes after the phone is charged. Then they can order one for each of their 12 kids.

I am a mother of a 5 and 11 year old. If it weren’t for my husband, I would probably lose them because I have several disabilities that occurred AFTER I had kids and I have been turned down for Social Security and Disability so many times that I have actually lost count. We are so dang poor...I mean POOR!! My husband works his butt off and makes just enough to cover my Dr. bills and our sons Dr. bills due to allergies (which aren't covered by insurance since we had pre existing conditions) and to cover electricity, water, and YES we even have to budget GAS for our car into our bills now.

Out of desperation for my family and myself, I applied for medicaid and food stamps. I am not LAZY as so many of you Kindhearted citizens of the U.S. so casually stated!! Think before you speak people..I never thought that I would be in this situation, not in a million years!! The way the economy is going, any one of all of you trash talkers could be in my shoes one day. I have an Associates Degree in Engineering and Technology, I also have several other certificates from college for so many other courses that I have taken and graduated with a 4.0 average every time so I am not a statistic either!! I worked VERY hard until I got sick!!

Now, we get $400.00 a month for food stamps for a family of 4. How many of you guys just spend $100.00 a week for groceries for a family of 4? That is $25.00 dollars for each of us a week!! And we are only covered for food stamps and by medicaid for 6 months out of every year...the other 6 months my husband makes close to $45.00 over the eligible limit ONE MONTH so we get kicked off Medicaid and food stamps and I have to reapply and go through the whole long, drawn out and VERY embarrassing process again to re-apply and get asked VERY personal questions about my life and then wait the remainder 4 or 5 months before we get accepted again. (Yes it takes them that long to approve you!!)

See, my point is, we are a family that is trying to get ahead in life. If I got excepted for Social Security (something I have paid in my whole working life to get anyway) I would not be asking the government for help, I would be getting money that was rightfully mine from the get go!! We are VERY thankful for the government gives us and believe me, my husband pays his taxes just as much as the next guy and if it came to help a family that was TRULY IN NEED as we are or getting nice new road signs or pretty roads to drive on...I would choose the needy family EVERY TIME.

I am aware of the no good jerks that buy large containers of peanut oil with the food stamps and then turn around and take it back to Wal-mart for the Gift card and then but cigarettes and gas with it, and the people who get toys for tots or other things like that and just go straight to Wal-mart exchange the new items to get gift cards. We need to come up with a better plan to monitor what our tax dollars are going for and what the food stamp money is being spent on or what medicaid is buying at the pharmacies...if they are buying nothing but narcotics...dig in and find out if that person really needs all those narcotics!! I get asked more questions and have to go through hell and back to get all my NON-Narcotic meds filled, but the one Narcotic that I do get, they fill it, no problem, no questions!! Something is wrong there!!

Now, on to the whole subject..cell phones...I know it is wrong but I get jealous of people who have cell phones. I will be going to the store or something like that and think of something I needed to ask my husband and think: “Man, if I just had a cell phone!!” But do I think I NEED one?? HELL NO!! I want one...but I certainly DO NOT NEED ONE. Tell all these people that say they “NEED” a cell phone for emergency purposes to go by the local thrift shop and I promise you that they will give you one free of charge. I have around 6 or 7 of them that I have from when we actually have money!! All they have to do is power them up and if they have an emergency, get the cell, dial 9-1-1 and there you go!! You DO NOT have to have service from a cell company to call 9-1-1..it works, I PROMISE!! I have had to use one before and it worked like a charm.

Food, Water, Shelter those are the nessesities!! What in the hell is this country coming to to where they think people NEED free Cell phones!! LOL

What we have forgotten in the country is that we all have a voice and if we stand up just like the baby boomers before us, we too could stop all of these B.S. nonsense!! Enough is enough people!! If I had one of those stupid cell phones offered to me, I would turn it down in a heart beat!! That is just wrong!!

I first would like to ask anyone no matter their economic station, if they really think the government can assist anyone?

The government does not have an income. The only way assistance can be made available from the government is for the government to tax those who are working.

Now I don't want to sound selfish, mean spirited, or uncaring but I have my own family that I assist as well as the taxes that are already coming out of my pay each week.

At what point will it become more advantageous for me to stop working and join the govenment assistance lines? When enough of those who are now working reach this point what will happen to the government assistance?

Most of us working don't mind assisting anyone who is truly in need but able bodied folks who are just enjoying the ride make us mad. I worked long hours, went to school to get in a position to better care for my own family. Now I get just about 50% of what I earn. Some of it goes to insurance which continues to rise, some of it goes to taxes, etc. Of the 50% I get to take home, I help my family, and support my own self.

I can understand anyone (able bodied or not) going through a rough patch and needing help. However, at some point you have to get back in the work line and out of the assistance line or you are milking the rest of us.

I will help anyone but think folks are you willing to do the same?

I don't work in a doctors office, but I have seen first hand, several people who have tenn care, who take thier healthy kids to the doctor at least weekly, if not more than once...when they get a sniffle they go...to the lady who her and her husband are sick...mam no one meant anything toward your situation...here is what people are talking about...for instance, during a toy drive, you will see the very same names every year, all but a very few that has a new hard situation that they are going through...other than that, same list, they come pick toys up, and drive straight to the local wal-mart for refunds! and get them even on winter coats that were just gave to them to keep thier children warm!, but here is the thing, if you have 100 cases, cell phones, food stamps, whatever it is, it all works the same, you probably have 10 that truly is in need, and has a good reason, medical, etc...a whole lot have been raised on the system, and that is where they are comfortable, But you take a hard working family, let them have a wreck,or cancer something devastating, and because they have been working, it is hard and they lose belongings before they can even get help...It is sad, and the system needs re-looked at, someone shouldn't have to die of cancer waiting on disability to go through, when some people can claim depression, gee that sounds so wrong of me to say that, I know depression is so serious, but I personally know a lady that her daughter is fine, party's all the time, but draws a check...thats what makes people hate the hand outs

I believe this is a way to help single mothers that can not afford a house phone or a monthly bill on a cell phone. For one thing everybody can not afford a house phone or cell phone if their on a fix income each month and also have u all looked lately their r a whole lot of people around the world that r losing their jobs. So everybody can't be rich in their life time. So I don't see nothing wrong with the government trying to help people out that needs the help just as long as they don't abuse the system. There still honest people out in the world.

A free phone is great for emergencies as stated.. But one thing not mentioned is that if you have a cell phone and even if you do not have a service provider. 911 still works and it is free already. I worked 5 years for a cell phone company and that is what I learned. 911 always works. That is why they have a program to donate old working cell phones to battered women. 911 works as long as the battery is charged. They are no fees not service provider and no cost. The thing is that 911 is all they can call and that should be good enough without allowing 60 minutes of time which the government takes from the working class to pay for. Wise up and think, if you have an extra old cell phone that works donate to low income families for 911 calls.

A free phone is great for emergencies as stated.. But one thing not mentioned is that if you have a cell phone and even if you do not have a service provider. 911 still works and it is free already. I worked 5 years for a cell phone company and that is what I learned. 911 always works. That is why they have a program to donate old working cell phones to battered women. 911 works as long as the battery is charged. They are no fees not service provider and no cost. The thing is that 911 is all they can call and that should be good enough without allowing 60 minutes of time which the government takes from the working class to pay for. Wise up and think, if you have an extra old cell phone that works donate to low income families for 911 calls.

I'm really shocked by some of the comments that I have read so far. Everything from people in TN are poor to people getting a cell phone are lazy. Why is it anybody's business first of all who gets a free cell phone. Apparently they are bitter because there still working and can't get one. Second of all people in TN aren't lazy but don't get paid alot over minimum wage for most jobs. Third, in regards to disabled people my father served in the Vietnam War and was disabled, but still managed to work when he got out and raised 3 kids on $248.oo a week. So in my opinion if my dad would qualify for anything free my flippin power to him or anyone else! I think that at night time we need to get down on our knees and pray for all the ingnorant people in our country today that think because they work 8 hours a day that there doing everybody a great justice. GROW UP!

It is only 68 minutes A YEAR people. This is not a vanity phone. Read the fine print

Which politicians enacted this program? We need to know their names so we can vote them out.

I do not live in tennessee but iwould like to comment.Frist of all i think there is enough of the working person,s paycheck going to keep up these high paid congress that sit on their bottoms thinking up another,soical program that we can pay for,but this one takes the cake, why dont they just give every household one that way no one is left out.Are we going to use the bail out money they just got to pay. This shows how out of touch our goverment is with the real working people of this country.'BUT OBAMA HAS PROMISED TO FIX EVERYTHING,HE IS SO FULL OF HIMSELF THAT OUR NEEDS WILL BE FORGOTTEN QUICKLY,I THINK MOST AMERICANS ARE A LITTLE SMARTER THAN HE GIVES THEM CREDIT FOR.IF YOUR FED UP WITH ALL THE FREE LOADERS YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO OBAMAS ADS AND YOU;LL SEE WE WILL HAVE A LOT MORE UNDER HIS WATCH SO THINK LONG AND HARD AND PRAYBEFOR YOU VOTE MAKE SURE YOU CAN LIVE WITH WHAT HE STANDS FOR.

I dont live in tennessee but i agree with the people who work and pay their own way.Been poor is no sin but when we expect others to pay for our wants then that is very wrong,the person that said christ was compassionate was right but he helped them with adaily need for food, spiritual and physical,so dont try to say he would expect others to pay for you to have convience.There are alot of people that have lost their homes .cars and lively hood because their jobs were done away with,it is these that need help.I grew up very poor and lost my mother at the age of nine so ilearned early in life that ihad to take care of my self and not expect some one else to keep me up or feel sorry for myself,i would have been ashamed to ask anyone for a handout,but today people do not have that kind of pride or self respect.There are real needs so let the people who need help get it instead of wasteing it on these bums that are to sorry to work.I cleaned houses for others and took my two kids with me, so yes you can help make life better for yourself and others by doing your share.

guess what?? another griping community wanting freebies from the system that tells them they are OWED freebies because they have some special situation. GET a LIFE GET a JOB PAY your way or sit your butt at your house that you have paid for by taxpayers and watch your cable tv that i pay for and eat your food that i pay for im sick of whinning people crying about people being demeaning when they gripe because someone has spent their tax dollars on something stupid i work hard to pay taxes and to all you whiners who think im a hater get a job and join the rest of us strugglers in the real world or if you need more money to buy your own cell phone just have another child or two that you can take to a doctor and say its slow and get a check each month for it yes this does happen seen it all to much. no not mentally challenged but just plain "slow" if every one got a check for being slow or disabled who would work to pay them we d all get one caus i must be pretty *%@* slow to allow you to get all this with my hard earned tax dollars

This is so rediculous. Working people pay more taxes to pay for more free things for people who leach off the system. Hey we could just get rid of the middle man. Why don't all the loosers just meet me after work when I get my paycheck and I'll pay your cell phone bill and your rent and give you money for food. Heck if you have kids let me write a check for you to pay for their lunches. I would like to save up for my children's college education or my retirement but your making it hard on me. I guess I'll just have to work harder. because the last thing I want is to become a dependant looser like you. I'm all for helping the trully needy people get on their feet again and helping them become self sufficient so they can prepare themselves for retirement so they arent the leaches of tommorrow as well as today.

I would like to get the information on what you have to have to qualify. Thanks

i would love to have a free fone.
i could call my girls, and my homiez
make my deals...stragt pinpin bra

I would like to know how to quilify for this please email me to thanks

I admit having a cell phone would be nice, but not nessesary. Excuse my spelling. A land line phone would make me happy. Im old, disabled from a stroke, and on fixed income. I find it hard to pay my bills, so things like cable, internet, and cell phones dont come my way, just not enough money to go around. I see kids all the time with cell phones, I hear about them causing health problems with long term use, and other issues, like how expensive they are, driving while talking, or heaven help us trying to text and drive. Why would our government want to give us something that alredy has so many issues. They could raise my Food Stamps so I could afford to eat good meals that would improve my health, find a way to help me pay the $75.00 fee to get a land line phone, more programs to help me get back and forth to doctors, groceries, church. We dont need a bandaide, we need a cure. We need something that will really help, and its not just a cell phone. And if I could afford all those other things I may even have my own cell phone.

I make very low income, but I can and do pay my bills. I can't afford a cell phone I don't have a cell, and I don't think anyone including myself should get one for free. I WORK to get what I have. Alot of the problems today are people getting stuff for free. Hell why work, when you can set around and do nothing and people give you what you want for free. That is alot of the problem with lazy people today. It's like this people, if you really want to achieve something in life you CAN. If you want to set around and get everything for free your a loser. Get off your lazy a** and get a job, don't say you can't, because there IS something out there you can do, it might not be your dream job but hey it's a job. I hate my job, it's not what I want to do but, hey it pays the bills.

And I don't think it's right making me and all the other taxpays pay for your phone because you wont work. I don't wanna here "I'm a single mom big deal, my mom like most of my friends moms, raised me by herself as a single mom". And hey guess what, she didn't have a free cell phone, or any type of phone for that matter, well you made it just fine without hand outs.

ALL THIS FREE CRAP IS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY LAZY LOSERS IN THE WORLD NOW. THIS IS A HANDYCAP OR JUST ANOTHER REASON FOR PEOPLE NOT TO WORK.. WHAT SOME B.S.

Someone who works for what they have and want,,

Wow, if this isn't socialism that what is. This makes me sick as a tax payer and I am disgusted that it is taking place in my state. POVERTY IS A MOTIVATOR!!!!
Having the government come in with the tax payers money is ridiculous. Now, why would anyone getting anything free be motivated to pay for this themselves. A cell phone is not a necessity. If YOU can't pay the bill, then you don't NEED it.!!! For those that are worried about their sick children or if there is any emergency, then did you know that any old cell phone has the ability to call 911 in a real emergency? I can understand if you need it for that, I am sorry if you have a sick child or something, But for those of you that "think" you NEED a cell phone to get a job, make a doctors appt, or whatever, you don't. Go walk to a job, walk to make an appt, or get a bike. This country was founded on PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY please start taking responsibility for your life and fix your own problems. THE REST OF US ARE TIERED OF PAYING FOR YOU. Feel free to respond... I'll make sure to visit this site.
God Bless You, and I pray that you will take this to heart.

I find it hard to believe that TN. Out of the kindness of there heart and with no hidden agenda suddenly wants to supply the poor with something that most people, up until recently, have survived just fine without. People have found jobs. Found the bus routes etc... You know they do like to listen in on our conversations and can now legally do that.
THOSE Prisons are not going to fill themselves up.
Thanks Patriot Act. Who needs all those rights anyway?

I have a 68 year old mother who lives by her self and on a fixed income so the cell phone would help her out alot . if you could please tell me how she could sign up for this please and thank you

how can i sign up for this free phone? please email me back! thank you

i was just wondering how i can sign up for the free cell phone? Can u please email me on how to sign up... thank you

There is already a federal LifeLine program that subsidizes land line phones for the same group of people who meet this criteria. If they get the cell phone, they will no longer get the land line subsidy. If anyone qualifies for any of the listed services (SSI, food stamps, Medicaid, etc), then you are eligible for this program. Even if you work and are a teacher, if you are really making that small amount of money, you should qualify for food stamps and would also be eligible for this. Call your current phone company, they should be able to tell you about the LifeLine program and how to access it. It's hard to find a job if you don't have a phone for someone to reach you. It's hard to get a ride to work if you don't have a car and don't have a phone to arrange public transportation. It's hard to make doctor's appointments and keep yourself healthy enough to go to work if you don't have a phone. If you're homeless with no phone it's hard to do anything.

WHY DONT TAX PAYERS AND VOTERS JUST CLEAN-UP TENNESSEE OF THE POOR AND THE HOMELESS, SO YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT MONEY YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE POOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO WAY OF CALLING HOME OR CALLING FOR HELP!!!
WOW I'M SURE THOSE 68 MINUTES THEY WILL GET EACH YEAR WILL PUT A BIG HOLE IN YOUR POCKETS!

GOD IS WATCHING.

I think this is what I need, even deserve. How do I sign up for a free phone & service. I'm on SSI & current carrier is getting too high for me. I'd like details on any fees including how many minutes, for 9-1-1 only?, or can I call family, how many minutes a month? etc What kind of income or family size etc. KG

I would think that more important matters such as homeless families would take precedence over getting a cellphone! Or maybe people that dont have enough food or medical care?
But, once again, the state of TN doesnt put these nifty ideas of there's up to the public vote.

I am also a single parent and my husband died when they were 13 and 14. Unfortunately we lived in Fl. where they only care about the old people and what they need. We did not get much help from Anyone because as a new teacher the government thought I made enough money. Even the SS the girls got went down every year because I got a "step raise". Somehow this country HAS to assist us taxpayers that bust our tails in a low paying profession. I would love someone to pay my cell phone bill for me!!! Anyone out there that would like to assist teachers in paying some of their bills while we get underpaid to teach the next generation of lawers and government workers we would love the help. Just drop off your check to any PUBLIC school in your area.

I think this is wonderful. I am a single mother of 2 children going to school full time studying to be a Paralegal and just got fired from my job just because they could do it and if you don't believe me you can ask the goverment because they decided to give me 1/4 of my $800 a month pay because I was wrongly let go. If it wasn't for the help that the goverment offers I wouldn't be able to pay for anything but food for my 2 children. I would not have my car and I would have lost my apartment and not been able to go to school. If you want to hear about what I think its this if all the jobs were not going to illegal aliens then we could all have better jobs and like could go back to the way it used to when kids worked fast food and grown people can work in a factor and have a decent paying jobs. I think we should worry about the low income family but in a different way we should give them jobs not free money, cellphones, or ect. We should put that money toward giving a place for people to work. I think if we would stop trying to give a fast fix like duck tape we could actually make peoples lives better instead of leaving them in a bigger hole then they where in before. And here is one solution only buy things coming from the United States. If the stores didn't buy other counties products or even if there was a limit on the amount more jobs would come to America which would be more jobs for the American people. But what do I know I am just a low income single mother that is trying to go to school so I can find a decent job if I am luck.

My son has schizophrenia. I am in West Virginia. He has decided to move back to Tennessee because that is home. He is going back to school and for the first time in 6 years he has hope. Because of having to be on a list to get help that could take up to a year , he is paying $360.00 for an apartment and $50 for electricity. His income is SSI. He gets $621 a month. Would you like to trade places with him to get the "free status symbol?" Last year he took off and I did not know where he was for 3 days. A free cell phone could be the difference of life and death for people like him, who incidently are more or less invisible to people like you.
a mom

How did this slide in under the radar? What wil be the cumulative cost of this program to the taxpayers of Tennessee? I work hard and pay a premium for my cell phone service and never once did I think it was a "right" for me to have one provided for me. I think this sets a dangerous precident and the people of Tennessee should have been allowed a voice in the matter.

Translation: Tennessee's tax dollars diverted to fund status symbols for those who can't afford them outright.