Mobile phone technology has shrunk the world! You are always just a call away from your near and dear ones with the power of cellular technology. From simple phone calls to video calling, the physical distance between dear ones seems to have vanished.

A mobile phone is not just the best way to stay in touch with friends, but the best and fastest way to reach out to someone during emergencies. But can the financially weak afford the luxury of owning a mobile phone? That is where the government of the country steps in. Free government phone plans are available for those who need a cell phone but cannot afford one.

The Government of USA has introduced a program that would empower low-income families with the power of mobile connectivity. They have partnered with top cell phone companies such as TracFone, Virgin Mobile, and Verizon to provide free government mobile phone plans to families that fall under the low-income category.

Lifeline Assistance, an FCC-mandated government-sponsored program awards free mobile phones and plans to those who cannot afford one. Under this scheme, recipients can avail free phones and up to 250 minutes per month. Additional minutes can be purchased as per need. Currently, 58 cell phone companies (LifeLine Assistance Providers) are registered under this scheme offering free units.

You qualify for this scheme if you are a citizen of the country or a Resident; you require a cell phone for school, work or family; and you are living on government assistance. Here is a list of top LifeLine Assistance providers:

• Access Wireless
  They provide a free smart mobile handset, 750 minutes of free calls, unlimited texts and up to 200Mb of free data. Their service is available in select states.
• American Assistance
  They provide up to 500 free voice minutes and 500 free texts per month. The subscribers also get free caller ID, call waiting, voicemail and three-way calling features.
• Assurance Wireless
  They provide a free smart mobile, 350 minutes of free calls, unlimited texts and up to 500MB of free data on the Assurance Wireless network. You can also top up the minutes at discounted rates through Virgin Mobile Top-up cards.
• Blue Jay Wireless
  They provide a free mobile phone with 500 minutes and 100 texts free per month on the enTouch Wireless network. They provide service in 20 states. Their subscribers also get 10MB of data along with this plan.
• Infiniti Mobile
  This service provider offers free mobile phones, unlimited talk time and text messages, and 2.5GB of data at $1 per month in Oklahoma only.
• SafeLink Wireless
  They provide free cell phones, 350 minutes and unlimited text, along with 500MB of data with SafeLink wireless. You can check the details on the states covered by this service provider on their website.

Currently, around 12 to 15 million citizens are enjoying the benefits of free government phone plans. However, free government phone plans vary in different states due to FTC regulations.