Are you looking for a free cell phone for seniors ?  

Or perhaps free cell phone service?  There are several potential of free cell phones for seniors, in particular free government cell phones.

I will take you through those options, plus explore a few senior cell phones that…although not free…certainly have the features and benefits that seniors are looking for.

Not everyone will qualify, but I list below the 3 national sources, as well as the local and regional sources, plus the requirements for each…

Video Overview of Free Cell Phones For Seniors

National Sources of Free Cell Phones For Seniors

and Senior Cell Phone Plans

Assurance Wireless-I have a thorough review of Assurance wireless and you can visit the Assurance Wireless page provided by StuffSeniorCitizensNeed.com for more information.

SafeLink Wireless-The best known of the government-sponsored free cell phone services is offered by SafeLink Wireless.  For those who qualify, you can receive a free cell phone as well as 250 free anytime minutes per month to use at your discretion.

You also have the opportunity with SafeLink to purchase additional minutes, either 250 additional minutes for $5 for 750 additional minutes plus 1,000 texts for $20.

There are income requirements so you will definitely need to fill out an application to see if you qualify.  You can visit SafeLink Wireless for information regarding enrollment.

ReachOut Wireless-ReachOut provides the same features as SafeLink and Assurance. 

The one thing that was very interesting is that ReachOut gives you the option, if you choose, to get more advanced phones such as smart phones that operate Google Android platform. 

It should be noted, however, that these are NOT cell phones for senior citizens.  They can be complicated to use and you will have to pay for them.

You will, however, be provided with a simple phone for free.

All three companies, because they support a federal government program, offer similar benefits and eligibility requirements. 

Nonetheless, because the difference obviously is customer service and the selection of phones available, you should contact all of them to determine which is the best for you.

Consumer Cellular…The Next Best Option

 Now, if you can’t qualify for free cell phone service, what are the other options available to you?  In my opinion, the next best option is through Consumer Cellular and their “Anywhere Casual” and “Anywhere 100″ plan.

With these, you would either get pay-as-you-go cell phone service for $10 a month.  You don’t receive any minutes for the $10 and only pay $.25 a minute for the time you use the phone.  It is ideally suited for those who were looking for free cell phone service but just don;t qualify for Safelink or Assurance Wireless.

Their other plan, the Anywhere 1o0, is perhaps more economical.  For $15 a month you receive 100 minutes with your cell phone service…once again, ideally suited for the low volume user. 

What To Look For In Free Cell Phone For Seniors

When you are looking for a cell phone for seniors, you are looking for simplicity.

This does not mean things that come attacked to the latest iPhone, like apps for everything, unlimited texting, internet and GPS.

Seniors want…as my Dad puts it…a “brick with an antenna.”

This means they are looking for the following…

• No bells and whistles…a phone that rings and makes calls.
• No fancy applications
• Internet is optional
• Simplicity…ease of use is the best
• Large buttons that are backlit
• A simple ‘911’ button to deal with emergencies
• A loud speaker for the hearing impaired…and the phone needs to be hearing aid compatible as well

Things like this.

Jitterbug Plus cell phone

Now, let me talk to you about the types of phones available.  (Note: The free phones for seniors were listed above.  The phones that I list below are not free, but I list them here because they have all of the features and benefits that I spoke about above, are economical and are idea for seniors.)

• GreatCall, which markets the Jitterbug cellphone, is a company specifically designed to provide not only cell phones for senior citizens but also applications like Jitterbug Live Nurse and Get help in any situation on your Jitterbug with the 5Star Urgent Response Application.

• You also have the option of using Consumer Cellular, which features cell phone plans that start at $0, you only pay for the minutes you use with their Anywhere Casual plan, which is ideal for senior citizens who only want a phone in emergencies.  They also are a distributor for the Doro cell phone.

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