enTouch Wireless Free Government Phones (Lifeline/ACP)

enTouch Wireless offers free smartphones along with unlimited talk, text, and data because they participate in the Federal Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs (ACP). While they offer free smartphones, they do not offer free tablets. Instead of a free tablet, eligible households receive the unlimited internet services.

While enTouch Wireless has nationwide coverage, they're only authorized to offer this program in the following 34 states:

enTouch Wireless currently offers (as of 2022) service in the following 34 states:

Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming

If they don’t offer service in your state, check out our State Listings to find other Lifeline phone providers that operate in your area.

enTouch Wireless Lifeline Plan

Currently, enTouch offers Lifeline services that come along with the free cellphone as follows:

California Tribal: Unlimited Talk, Unlimited Text, 8GB Data
California Non-Tribal: Unlimited Talk, Unlimited Text, 6GB Data
Hawaii Non-Tribal: 1000 Talk, 500 Text, 100MB Data
Kentucky Non-Tribal: Unlimited Talk, Unlimited Text, 1GB Data
Puerto Rico Non-Tribal: 1000 Talk, 500 Text, 100MB Data
All Other States Tribal: Unlimited Talk, Unlimited Text, 4.5GB Data
All Other States Non-Tribal: 1000 Talk, 500 Text, 100MB Data

enTouch Wireless Lifeline Plus ACP Plan

Currently, enTouch offers the following Lifeline + Affordable Connectivity Program services* in addition to the free cellphone:

Up to 18.5GB (depending on state of residence)
Unlimited Talk Time
Unlimited Text
Free International Calling

*Offers vary by state

Lifeline Eligibility Criteria (All states except Ca)

If you’re a non-California resident and participate in one of the following government assistance programs or have an income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you qualify for the enTouch Wireless free phone program:

Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance

Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Medicaid
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Tribally Administered TANF
Tribally Administered Head Start (meeting income-qualifying standards of Head Start)
Veterans Pension of Survivors Benefit

Lifeline Eligibility Criteria for California Residents

Below is a listing of qualifying assistance programs for California residents:

Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
Federal Public Housing Assistance / Section 8
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Greater avenues for Independence (GAIN)
Low-Income Heat & Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Medicaid (aka Medi-Cal)
National School Lunch Program (NSL) Free Program Only
Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (a.k.a. CalFresh, Food Stamps)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Tribally Administered Head Start (meeting the income qualifications of Head Start)
Tribally Administered TANF
Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit
Welfare-To-Work (WTW)
Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)

ACP Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility requirements for the Affordable Connectivity Program are very similar to the eligibility requirements for Lifeline. The major difference is the household income threshold is higher. Households that are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, are eligible to enroll in ACP.

How to Apply for enTouch Wireless Lifeline Program

With the rollout of the National Verification program, you must first enroll in the Lifeline program via the National Verifier website. Before starting your application on the National Verifier website, make sure to have the necessary documentation to prove that your household is eligible for the Lifeline/ACP benefits. Doing so makes the application process much easier.

Once approved through the National Verifier, then visit the enTouch website and click Apply Now. If you prefer a paper application instead of an online application, you can download and print a state-specific application. Once it’s completed, mail it and the necessary documentation to the address indicated in the application. Upon approval, your phone will be shipped via USPS. According to the enTouch website, delivery time may vary depending on location.

How to Receive ACP Benefits

Households enrolled in the Lifeline program may contact enTouch Wireless to request the service upgrade that ACP offers. It makes sense to enroll in both programs as the plan offering for both Lifeline and ACP are far superior than enrolling in Lifeline only.

How Long Before the Phone is Shipped

enTouch will send a confirmation email when the order is processed and shipped. According to their website, orders take 48 hours to process. Shipping can take as long as 3-5 days if you choose standard shipping, and much faster if you choose overnight shipping.

Things to Know

All documentation must be dated within 12 months of the application date.

If you have an existing phone and wish to keep your number, notify Customer Service. They should be able to transfer your number.

Use it or lose it. You must use the phone at least once every 30 days. If you don’t use it for 60 days, your Lifeline service will be deactivated.

Only one Lifeline account per household.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: This site was created to help people find information about free government phones. The ower of this site does not mail, activate or repair free government phones nor provide phone service. If you have questions about phone service it is suggested that you contact the phone service provider directly.

Last Modified: 27 December 2022