An awareness campaign using television and
online media outlets in Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina launches this week about Assurance
Wireless, a new cellphone service that makes wireless calling available at
no cost to more than one million eligible lower-income households
throughout Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina.
Assurance Wireless, from Virgin Mobile USA, provides
more free wireless minutes per month than other similar prepaid programs. To quality your household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines.
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. They also have a program in New York State.
With more people needing assistance in this difficult economy, Assurance Wireless is providing additional relief to those who need it most. Qualifying Assurance Wireless customers in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Vriginia will be eligible to receive a free handset and 200 minutes of free wireless local and long-distance calling within the United States every month.
Customers eligible for Assurance Wireless include those eligible for or receiving Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps or SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) or Section 8, Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP), or the National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program. Customers may also qualify based on household income.(2)
"Most of us take cellphone 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, Sprint Prepaid Group President. "The government estimates that more than 360,000 additional households in Tennessee became eligible for income-based assistance programs like food stamps from 2008 to 2009. We are proud to offer this valuable service, particularly in these tough times, which disproportionately affect lower income customers."
Assurance Wireless 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 at competitive rates, 15-cent text, email or instant messages, mobile Web access, and more.
Community organizations that wish to partner with Assurance Wireless in helping their constituents learn more about the free service should contact pr@virginmobileusa.com. Assurance Wireless and Virgin Mobile USA are part of the Sprint Prepaid Group.
About Assurance Wireless
Assurance Wireless is supported by the Lifeline Assistance program, part of the Low Income Program of the federal Universal Service Fund (USF), which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), and designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at reasonable and affordable rates.
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