SafeLink Wireless(R) Now Available to 572,292 Low-Income Citizens of Louisiana
January 27 2010 - 12:35PM
PR Newswire (US)
Participants Receive 68 Minutes of Free Talk Time Monthly and Free
Wireless Cell Phone NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- TracFone
Wireless, Inc., America's largest prepaid cell phone provider,
announced its Louisiana 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 Louisiana
with over 572,000 residents who qualify for Lifeline services in
the Bayou 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 has a long record of serving the communications
needs of the people of the great state of Louisiana," said Jose
Fuentes, Director of Government Relations for TracFone. "We are
proud to be able to now bring SafeLink Wireless to those most in
need, offering them 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 Louisiana, a household must participate in one of the
following: Medicaid; Food Stamps (SNAP); Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF); Federal Public Housing Assistance/ Section
8; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP); National School Lunch (free program
only); or participants may qualify if the total household income is
at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. SAFELINK
WIRELESS® SERVICE ELIGIBILITY OVERVIEW BY COUNTY Top 10 Louisiana
parishes with the most eligible Lifeline participants: Parishes Low
Income Population -------- --------------------- East Baton Rouge
47,184 Jefferson 45,663 Orleans 41,277 Caddo 39,081 Calcasieu
25,800 Lafayette 24,433 Ouachita 20,230 Rapides 19,451 Saint Landry
17,700 Saint Tammany 17,685 While currently available through most
of the state, SafeLink will not be available in the following
parishes until February 3rd: Acadia, Claiborne, Evangeline,
Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Madison, Rapides, Richland, St. Landry,
and St. Martin Parish. 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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