SafeLink Wireless(R) Now Available to Over 711,937 Low-Income Citizens of Missouri
January 25 2010 - 10:22AM
PR Newswire (US)
Participants Receive 68 Minutes of Free Talk Time Monthly and Free
Wireless Cell Phone JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ --
TracFone Wireless, Inc., America's largest prepaid cell phone
provider, announced its Missouri launch of SafeLink Wireless®.
Introduced in August 2008, SafeLink is the leader in wireless
Lifeline service - a U.S. government supported program that ensures
telephone service is available and affordable for eligible
low-income households. SafeLink is the only offering of its kind
available in Missouri with nearly 712,000 residents who qualify for
Lifeline services in the Show Me State. Asserting that free does
mean free, SafeLink provides the cell phone at its own expense and
service comes without contracts, monthly bills, security deposits
or credit checks. "TracFone is proud to bring this valuable program
to the people of the great state of Missouri," said Jose Fuentes,
Director of Government Relations for TracFone. "SafeLink offers the
neediest families the same access and privileges many individuals
take for granted when it comes to using cell phones, including
contact with current or potential employers, children away from the
home, or relatives in other parts of the country, not to mention
vital emergency responders," added Fuentes. SafeLink Wireless
offers low-income families accessibility, freedom and the security
of knowing that should an emergency occur - wherever they are -
they will stay safe and stay connected. SafeLink provides eligible
low-income households 68 free monthly airtime minutes for one year,
unlimited access to 911 and the free cell phone. Any unused minutes
do not expire and automatically roll over. The cell phone offers
in-demand features: voicemail, text, call waiting, international
calling to over 60 destinations, and caller ID. The federal
"Lifeline" program was created during the Reagan Administration.
Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan-era Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. The program was enhanced
under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was supported on a
broadly bipartisan basis in Congress. The FCC's Low Income Program
of the Universal Service Fund (USF), which is administered by the
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), is designed to
ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to
low-income customers at just, reasonable and affordable rates.
Lifeline support reduces eligible low-income consumers' monthly
charges for basic telephone service. With SafeLink, TracFone was
the first to modernize Lifeline for how people communicate today.
The prepaid feature gives customers the freedom to control the cost
of their monthly telephone expense without any surprises. SafeLink
customers wishing to use additional minutes beyond their free
allotment can add minutes by purchasing TracFone airtime cards at
local retailers. As an exclusive benefit for SafeLink customers,
SafeLink phones will automatically add bonus minutes on TracFone's
60, 90 and 120 minute airtime cards. To qualify for Lifeline in the
state of Missouri, a household must participate in one of the
following: Federal Public Housing Assistance/Section 8; Federal
Social Security Disability; Low Income Home Energy Assistance
(LIHEAP); MO HealthNet (Medicaid); National School Lunch Program
(NSL); Payments Administered by the Family Support Division; State
Aid to Blind Persons; State Blind Pension; State Supplemental
Disability Assistance; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(Food Stamps); Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); Veteran Administration
Disability Benefits. In Missouri, qualified applicants must submit
documentation to verify eligibility. SAFELINK WIRELESS® SERVICE
ELIGIBILITY OVERVIEW BY COUNTY Top 10 Missouri counties with the
most eligible Lifeline participants: Counties Low Income Population
-------- --------------------- St. Louis 90,013 Jackson 79,482 St.
Louis City 58,381 Greene 34,948 Jasper 18,804 St. Charles 18,188
Boone 16,430 Clay 16,088 Jefferson 15,288 Buchanan 12,316 To learn
more about the SafeLink Wireless service, including eligibility
requirements and additional features and benefits, please call
1-800-SAFELINK (1-800-723-3546), or visit http://www.safelink.com/.
ABOUT TRACFONE WIRELESS, INC. TracFone Wireless, Inc. is America's
number one prepaid wireless service in the U.S. with more than 12
million cell phone subscribers. TracFone is a subsidiary of America
Movil, S.A.B. de C.V. ("AMX") (BMV: AMX; NYSE: AMX; Nasdaq: AMOV;
LATIBEX: XAMXL), the leading provider of wireless services in Latin
America with more than 194 million cell phone subscribers. For more
information, please visit: http://www.tracfone.com/. DATASOURCE:
TracFone Wireless, Inc. CONTACT: Callisto Griffith,
+1-210-930-3339, , for TracFone Wireless, Inc. Web Site:
http://www.tracfone.com/
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