Virgin Mobile announced its launch of Assurance Wireless,
a new cell phone service that makes wireless calling available at no
cost to more than a million eligible lower-income households throughout
New York. The wireless company is partnering with non-profit
organization HeartShare Human Services in New York City to introduce
this new service that provides more free minutes per month than other
similar prepaid programs.
Qualifying Assurance Wireless customers in New York State can now
receive a free Kyocera Jax handset and 200 minutes of free wireless
local and long-distance calling within the United States every month.
To learn more about Assurance Wireless, including eligibility requirements, please call 1-888-898-4888, or visit www.assurancewireless.com. Information is available in English and Spanish. Services are available in North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia. You can use your Virgin Mobile phone for Assurance Wireless if you're a current Virgin Mobile customer.
Assurance Wireless also provides customers with free voicemail, call
waiting, caller ID, and access to 911 in case of emergency. Beyond the
free 200 minutes, customers can choose to pay for additional 20-cent
per minute domestic calling, international calling, 15-cent text, email
or instant messages, mobile Web access, and more.(3)
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps/SNAP
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- emporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
F - ederal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) or Section 8
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
- National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program
"Most of us take cell phone service for granted. Mobile phones allow
us to stay connected with friends, family and employers and provide
critical support in case of emergency," said Dan Schulman, president of
Sprint's Prepaid group which includes Virgin Mobile USA. "The
government estimates that more than 1 million households in New York
State are eligible for income-based assistance programs. We are proud
to offer this valuable service, particularly in these tough times,
which disproportionately affect lower income customers.""This is a special situation in which the public and private sectors
are working together to meet the needs of the community. We are excited
to work with Virgin Mobile and local organizations to provide these
much-needed cell phones to lower-income individuals who may use the
phone to obtain employment, schedule medical appointments or be in
contact with their childrens' schools," said William R. Guarinello,
president and chief executive officer, HeartShare Human Services of New
York. HeartShare is helping to get the word out about Assurance
Wireless through outreach to individuals and families likely to be
eligible as well as other community service groups.
"Individuals given the opportunity to have wireless connections at
no cost are offered accessibility and convenience; I applaud Virgin
Mobile and HeartShare for their commitment to improve local
communities," said New York State Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera, 76th
District. An outreach training program was hosted today at the
Assemblyman's office in the Bronx.
What is the point of this Virgin mobile users? Since when does a private corporation worry so much about social welfare? I mean, its one thing to donate to a foundation or help out customers, but I am sure that current Virgin mobile users are the ones who are paying the bill for this service. Why doesn't VIrgin just give its current customers discounts or a free month of service or something? Please don't take this as me being someone who does not care about society, but I just don't think its fair that we have to pay the bill for this service.