Access Wireless Lifeline plan
Access Wireless, part of i-wireless LLC, offers a $0 Lifeline plan on the T-Mobile network. This page sums up what its own website says you get, and what to check before you apply. We have not tested the service ourselves.
What network does Access Wireless use?
Access Wireless uses the T-Mobile network. Access Wireless's own pages do not name it. Its company, i-wireless, says so in a June 2026 filing with Utah's utility commission. Its California page still says Sprint, which has since merged into T-Mobile.
What the free plan includes
| Minutes | Unlimited (headline claim; offerings vary by state) |
|---|---|
| Texts | Unlimited (headline claim; offerings vary by state) |
| Data | Free high-speed data and hotspot use (sharing your phone's data with other devices); amount not stated (headline says unlimited; offerings vary by state) |
| Free phone included | Not stated |
| Network | T-Mobile |
The site's title still says "Free Government Smartphone", and its sign-up form asks if you need a phone. But its terms say only that you "may be eligible" for a free phone. If you are not, you get a free SIM card, the small card that connects a phone to the network. In Oregon, the state's Lifeline page says Access Wireless "no longer offers free phones". There it gives a free SIM card for an unlocked phone instead. You can bring your own phone if it is unlocked (not tied to one phone company), works with GSM networks (one kind of cell network) and supports 4G LTE or 5G. Access Wireless checks this with the phone's IMEI, a serial number unique to each phone.
Where Access Wireless serves
USAC runs Lifeline. Its data shows Access Wireless had Lifeline customers in 40 states in May 2026. The places with the most customers come first.
- California (76,924)
- Oregon (17,366)
- North Carolina (4,256)
- Indiana (2,890)
- Ohio (2,753)
- Illinois (2,247)
- Georgia (2,146)
- New York (1,788)
- Michigan (1,772)
- Florida (1,698)
- Washington (1,693)
- Virginia (1,416)
- Arizona (1,398)
- Tennessee (1,070)
- Kentucky (1,033)
- Colorado (966)
- Connecticut (943)
- Wisconsin (863)
- Nevada (795)
- Pennsylvania (752)
- District of Columbia (625)
- Minnesota (585)
- Alabama (492)
- Louisiana (478)
- Mississippi (471)
- Missouri (453)
- South Carolina (433)
- Maryland (387)
- Delaware (273)
- Kansas (231)
- New Hampshire (187)
- Arkansas (176)
- Texas (157)
- Iowa (145)
- West Virginia (137)
- Utah (134)
- Rhode Island (86)
- Nebraska (82)
- Idaho (56)
- Oklahoma (49)
Not every company serves every part of a state. Check your ZIP code on Access Wireless's site, or in the official company finder.
How to apply with Access Wireless
- Check if you qualify with our quick tool.
- Start the application on the provider's site at www.accesswireless.com. It sends you through the National Verifier. In Oregon and Texas, the state checks instead.
- Upload proof of who you are, and proof of your income or your benefit.
- Once approved, the provider ships a phone or SIM. Use the service at least once every 30 days to keep it.
Compare
See how Access Wireless stacks up in our provider comparison, or look at plans that are free without Lifeline.