Free government phone in Connecticut
Connecticut 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.
- Connecticut also has its own program, Connecticut LifeLine.
- Apply at getinternet.gov, the FCC's National Verifier site, or through a Lifeline company. Both lead to the same check.
- In May 2026, 3 companies gave Lifeline cell phone service in Connecticut. The most customers were with Assurance Wireless, SafeLink Wireless and Access Wireless.
Who qualifies in Connecticut
Under the federal rules, either one of these is enough:
- Someone in your household gets one of these benefits:
- SNAP (food stamps)
- Medicaid (called HUSKY A, HUSKY C or HUSKY D in Connecticut)
- 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 Connecticut
- For Connecticut LifeLine, the FAQ from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) lists more programs than the federal list.
- They are Medical/Medi-CT, Healthy Families Category A, TANF, Tribal TANF, WIC, LIHEAP (energy bill help) and free lunch from the National School Lunch Program.
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance and Head Start (Tribal only) also count.
- You can also qualify with household income under set limits.
- Customers enrolled in Connecticut LifeLine cannot be charged a deposit.
Check if you qualify with our quick tool, or read the full rules.
Connecticut LifeLine
- PURA's telecom FAQ was revised in July 2020.
- It describes Connecticut LifeLine as discounted basic landline phone service for households that qualify.
- More programs qualify than under the federal rules.
- No separate state dollar amount is published. The FAQ points to lifelinesupport.org for details.
Official Connecticut LifeLine page
How to apply in Connecticut
In Connecticut, 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 Connecticut
In May 2026, 3 companies gave Lifeline cell phone service in Connecticut. Here they are, with the most customers first. The counts come from USAC, which runs Lifeline. They show who serves Connecticut, not who is best.
| Company | Lifeline customers | Free plan data |
|---|---|---|
| Assurance Wireless | 18,915 | 10GB |
| SafeLink Wireless | 12,789* | Not stated |
| Access Wireless | 943 | Not stated |
* 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 Connecticut, 1 company did this, with 1,097 customers in all.
Not every company serves every part of Connecticut. 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 Connecticut
Phone companies claimed Lifeline for 33,744 subscribers in Connecticut in May 2026, down 21.9% since May 2025 (USAC). That is the 34th highest count among the 50 states and DC. Lifeline enrollment in every state.
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