Assurance Wireless is a mobile phone service provider subsidized by the Lifeline Assistance program, a federal government benefit program that receives support from the federal Universal Service Fund. The assistance program provides a free phone, monthly data, unlimited texting, and monthly minutes to low-income eligible people. One must qualify and apply for the service to benefit. However, you can still benefit from the service with your own phone. You will learn about Assurance Wireless bring your own phone shortly.
Bringing your phone allows you to enjoy what you love. The free phones from the government may not meet requirements of everybody. Again, bringing your phone lets you avoid the hectic data transfers to the new phone. When switching to another phone, you may need to transfer your contacts, music files, videos, documents, and much more to the new device.
When bringing a phone to Assurance Wireless, you must ensure that the phone supports the carrier. The service provider uses the T-Mobile networks that support GSM network technology. Therefore, your phone must be GSM-compatible. Most modern phones can support GSM and CDMA networks, and thus you do not have to strain a lot looking for a compatible phone. You can check on the Assurance network portal and see the listed compatible phones.
Terms Of Bring Your phone to Assurance Wireless
Despite Assurance giving free phones to Lifeline applicants, the company also allows you to bring your own phone to use with your free Lifeline cell phone plan. However, there are various terms you should abide by when bringing your phone to the company. They include the following.
1. The phone should be unlocked
You must ensure that you bring an unlocked phone to the company. A locked phone is tied to a particular carrier, making it impossible to use on another network SIM card. You can request your current service provider to unlock it if you have met all the requirements. Alternatively, you can buy an unlocked device from electronic shops around you. You may also consider buying unlocking codes online to unlock the device.
2. The device should be compatible with Assurance Wireless
It is crucial to ensure that your device is compatible with the service provider. As I mentioned earlier, Assurance Wireless works with GSM phones. That means you should confirm if your phone supports GSM SIM cards, or else it will not work.
3. It should never be reported as stolen or lost
You should bring a phone that has never been reported as stolen or lost. Phones reported as lost or stolen can bring legal constraints when applying for your Assurance Wireless cell phone plan. You can confirm whether your phone has any criminal records from your local police. The process is necessary if you are holding a second-hand device. If you bought it when new, then your phone will probably have clean records.
Eligibility for Assurance Wireless bring your own phone
The carrier does not allow you to bring your phone for Lifeline cell phone plans if you do not qualify for the service. There are various ways you can be eligible for the BYOP program. These include the following.
A. Income
You can qualify for the service if your household’s income is 135% or below the Federal Poverty level. To prove that you qualify by income, you may need to submit a supporting document to the carrier.
B. Participation in Assistance programs
Another way you can qualify for the Assurance Wireless bring your own phone for Lifeline program is to participate in an assistance program. There are various benefits programs that you can use to qualify for Lifeline. They include the following.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Head Start
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Tribal TANF
You should also bring a document to prove that you participate in a particular benefits program. One program is enough to qualify for Lifeline. Examples of documents you can bring to certify that you benefit from a program include; Benefit award letter, Approval letter, Statement of benefits, or Benefit verification letter.
Well Known Steps to Assurance Wireless Bring Your Own Phone
You should follow various steps when bringing your phone to Assurance Wireless. These include the following.
1. Check phone requirements
First, you should check if your phone meets the requirements. Remember that it should not be reported as lost or stolen. If it is locked to a carrier, ensure you unlock it.
2. Check device compatibility
If your phone passes the above test, you can check if the device is compatible with the network. As I said, it should be a GSM-supporting phone since Assurance Wireless uses T-Mobile’s GSM network. If unsure, you can use the IMEI checker from the Assurance Wireless website.
3. Meet the eligibility requirements
After confirming your phone’s compatibility with the service provider, you should check if you qualify for Lifeline. Whether you bring a phone or not, you must qualify for the free Lifeline cell phone service.
4. Create an account online
After qualifying, you can then create an account online at Assurance Wireless. The process is easy since you can do it with a smartphone, tablet, or computer. The account will allow you to complete your Lifeline application.
5. Fill out the Application form.
You should fill out an application form online or download a copy and fill it out. Also, you should attach other necessary documents in the process. The more documents you provide, the more chances of approval.
6. Get Approved
The final stage of bringing your own phone to Lifeline is approval. Once the concerned team approves your application, you will receive a notification in your email address. After that, you will get a SIM card tool kit via your physical address. Once you receive it, you should insert into your phone and activate it.
Assurance Wireless IMEI Checker
You can check compatibility online to confirm that your device works with Assurance Wireless. You require your phone’s IMEI number, which you can obtain under your battery. Also, you can get your IMEI number by dialing *#06# on your phone. After that, you should visit the carrier’s website and locate the device compatibility test section. You then enter your device’s IMEI number and run the tests. It should take a few seconds to run the checks.
Bottom line
Assurance Wireless is a mobile phone service provider subsidized by the Lifeline Assistance program. The benefit program provides a free phone, monthly data, unlimited texting, and monthly minutes to low-income eligible people. Assurance Wireless also allows you to bring your phone to enjoy the free government cell phone plan. However, you should ensure that your device is unlocked and compatible with the carrier.