Low-income Missourians can get free cell service

Friday, March 22, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A mobile carrier is offering free cellphones and wireless service to low-income Missourians.

Assurance Wireless, an arm of Sprint, is offering 250 free voice minutes and 250 free text messages to eligible residents.

The company says 900,000 Missourians may be eligible if they meet income guidelines.

A family of four would need an income of no more than $31,793. Residents also can qualify if they’re on certain public assistance programs, such as Medicaid, food stamps or government-subsidized school meals.

Assurance Wireless will receive reimbursement from the Federal Communication Commission’s Lifeline program to cover the cost of services.

The Missouri Public Service Commission recently approved the program. Assurance Wireless offers a similar service in 39 other states.

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Online:

Assurance Wireless: http://www.assurancewireless.com

More like this story

JCLifer 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Wonder how many state employees with college degrees will qualify for free cell phones?

rodinman 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Its not free, the bill is paid by other people.

JCLifer 1 month, 4 weeks ago

No, the guvmint pays for it. Call em and axe for yourself.

usmc007 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Smh!

usmc007 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Are we going to be supplying Automobiles as well? We are making it way to easy for people not to be Self-sufficient in society today!

3blindmice 1 month, 4 weeks ago

On the contrary, the goverment has made it easier for businesses to no longer pay a living wage. I have a neighbor here in jc that told me he recently applied for a job that is now paying half of what the same job was paying 10 years ago

JCLifer 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Yep, and these stagnant/declining wages are reasons why tax revenues are down, and why no new taxes will be able to be passed. People are really hurting out here in the real world, and the government fat cats and business executives don't see how bad it is.

Discrectionary income and buying power are a fraction of what they were even 10 years ago.

Until we can get wages up and get some good-paying jobs around here, this town is going to continue to decay and die.

melbrooks 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Wages have not been stagnant or declining. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, wages in Cole County are up 27% since 2001--and that's with very few raises from state government during that time.

JCLifer 1 month, 4 weeks ago

So what is your point?

According to GasBuddy.com, gasoline prices have risen 71.6% since 2005.

According to the USDA, milk prices have risen 32% since 2003.

According to the US Census median home prices have risen 27% since 2001.

According to the Washington Post, healthcare prices have risen 58.7% since 2001.

Want me to look at insurance, utilities, childcare, groceries?

JCLifer 1 month, 4 weeks ago

According to Pew Research, 56% of Americans said they were better off in 2001 than they were 5 years prior; as compared to only 41% of Americans now believe they are better off than they were 5 years ago.

The numbers clearly indicate that our country (including our local area) are going backwards and getting worse than they were a decade ago. If you think passing a tax was hard ten years ago, you are about to see how impossible it will be now.

People are really hurting and struggling to make ends meet. how many people in this town have to work two or more jobs just to pay their bills and feed their families? The 27% increase of median wages you quote may be due in a large part to all the folks working 2 or more jobs.

Your life may be great, and you may be living a Banker's Life, but you are in the minority around here. Most folks are barely getting by. Get out and talk to some folks. Talk to pastors at churches. Talk to the Salvation Army and Samaritan Center. Poverty is growing every month in this town. More and more folks are getting worse and worse off.

24% of the students at JCHS receive a free or reduced price lunch, as compared to only 8% at Blair Oaks High School.

wyriontair 1 month, 4 weeks ago

I say contact the company and ask how much they're tacking on to "paying" customers to pay for this "free" service? If they get enough complaints they might just stop it. What has happened to this country?

kentheco 1 month, 4 weeks ago

It's included in the taxes on your bill. Now they can have both, internet and cell service at our expense. Makes me wonder why I worked!

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