Free government phone in Colorado
Colorado residents who qualify for Lifeline can get free or discounted phone service. Here is who qualifies, where to apply, and which companies serve the state.
In short
- Lifeline takes up to $9.25 a month off internet or a phone plan with data, or up to $5.25 off phone-only service. On Tribal lands it is up to $34.25. Colorado has no extra state program.
- Apply at getinternet.gov, the FCC's National Verifier site, or through a Lifeline company. Both lead to the same check.
- In May 2026, 15 companies gave Lifeline cell phone service in Colorado. The most customers were with Infiniti Mobile, AirTalk Wireless and TAG Mobile.
Who qualifies in Colorado
Under the federal rules, either one of these is enough:
- Someone in your household gets one of these benefits:
- SNAP (food stamps)
- Medicaid (called Health First Colorado in Colorado)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (including Section 8)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
- a qualifying Tribal program
- Your household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. These are the government's yearly income levels by household size.
Each household can get only one Lifeline benefit.
What to know in Colorado
- Colorado has no state Lifeline add-on today.
- The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) repealed its Low-Income Telephone Assistance Program rules. The repeal took effect December 15, 2013.
- The PUC's telecom page for consumers now calls Lifeline a federal program.
- The state's High Cost Support Mechanism helps pay for basic phone service in high-cost areas. It is not for low-income households.
- No state income limit or extra qualifying program is stated.
- Colorado was in the first National Verifier group, in June 2018. That is the federal system that checks who qualifies. It checks SNAP, Medicaid, public housing and the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit automatically.
- The PUC certifies the phone companies that offer Lifeline in Colorado. These are called eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs).
- Apply through the National Verifier or a participating provider.
- For Lifeline questions, call the PUC Consumer Affairs Office: 303-894-2070, or 800-456-0858 outside Denver.
- In September 2025 the PUC said about 94,435 Coloradans were enrolled. It said more than 575,000 qualify.
Check if you qualify with our quick tool, or read the full rules.
How to apply in Colorado
In Colorado, the National Verifier checks who qualifies. It is the federal system for Lifeline. You can apply on your own, or through a provider. Both lead to the same check.
Apply at getinternet.gov. This is the FCC's official National Verifier site. Have proof of who you are ready, and proof of your income or your benefit.
Companies that give Lifeline service in Colorado
In May 2026, 15 companies gave Lifeline cell phone service in Colorado. These are the 8 with the most customers. The counts come from USAC, which runs Lifeline. They show who serves Colorado, not who is best.
| Company | Lifeline customers | Free plan data |
|---|---|---|
| Infiniti Mobile | 21,057 | |
| AirTalk Wireless | 20,726 | 5GB |
| TAG Mobile | 10,379 | Up to 16GB |
| Assurance Wireless | 8,906 | 10GB |
| SafeLink Wireless | 4,447* | Not stated |
| StandUp Wireless | 4,197 | 5GB |
| Gen Mobile | 4,035 | |
| TruConnect | 3,132 | At least 4.5GB |
* SafeLink Wireless: This count also includes Lifeline customers of Straight Talk, Total Wireless, Simple Mobile, Walmart Family Mobile and TracFone. USAC counts them together with SafeLink.
Free plan data is from each company's own site. We show it for the companies we have a page on.
Some local phone companies give Lifeline on a home phone instead. In Colorado, 27 companies did this, with 1,236 customers in all.
Not every company serves every part of Colorado. To see who serves your address, enter your ZIP code in the official company finder.
If you don't qualify
Lifeline is only for households that get one of the benefits above or have a low enough income. If yours doesn't, you can still get a phone line for little or nothing. These are this month's picks from our plans page:
- Best free plan: TextNow Free, $0 a month (550 MB, select apps)
- Best under $15: Red Pocket Essentials, $10 a month (3 GB)
- Best free trial: Visible Free Trial, $0 for 15 days (Unlimited)
Each one has a catch, and the plans page says what it is. Our guides compare more options: plans that are genuinely free and free trials. The plans page also lists every plan at $15 or less.
If you applied and were turned down, read why Lifeline applications are denied first. It covers each reason and the document that fixes it.
How many people use Lifeline in Colorado
Phone companies claimed Lifeline for 82,350 subscribers in Colorado in May 2026, down 0.7% since May 2025 (USAC). That is the 27th highest count among the 50 states and DC. Lifeline enrollment in every state.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming