Free government phone in New Hampshire

New Hampshire 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.

Who qualifies in New Hampshire

Under the federal rules, either one of these is enough:

• Someone in your household gets one of these benefits:
  • SNAP (food stamps)
  • Medicaid
  • 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 New Hampshire

• New Hampshire has no state Lifeline program.
• The New Hampshire Department of Energy runs utility consumer services in the state. It calls Lifeline "a federally funded program".
• It describes the federal benefit: up to $9.25 a month, the 135% income limit and the federal program list.
• One state law does touch Lifeline. It covers incumbent phone companies (the long-established local companies) under alternative regulation.
• They may raise basic-service rates for Lifeline customers by no more than 5 percent a year. For other customers the limit is 10 percent (RSA 374:22-p VIII and Public Utilities Commission (PUC) rule Puc 408.03).
• New Hampshire joined the National Verifier in the October 2018 group. That is the federal system that checks who qualifies.
• It checks Medicaid, public housing and the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit automatically. For SNAP, SSI, Tribal programs or income, you need to send documents.
• The Department sends residents to lifelinesupport.org, and then to their phone company.
• It names five participating landline providers: Bretton Woods Telephone, Consolidated Communications, Dunbarton Telephone, Granite State Communications and TDS Telecom.
• A 2025 law, RSA 374:22-p IX, took effect September 5, 2025. It lets the PUC approve wireless Lifeline carriers.
• The Department does not regulate wireless service. Its Consumer Services Division: 1-800-852-3793.

Check if you qualify with our quick tool, or read the full rules.

How to apply in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, 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 New Hampshire

In May 2026, 3 companies gave Lifeline cell phone service in New Hampshire. Here they are, with the most customers first. The counts come from USAC, which runs Lifeline. They show who serves New Hampshire, not who is best.

* 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 New Hampshire, 8 companies did this, with 317 customers in all.

Not every company serves every part of New Hampshire. 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 New Hampshire

Phone companies claimed Lifeline for 5,714 subscribers in New Hampshire in May 2026, down 15.0% since May 2025 (USAC). That is the 50th highest count among the 50 states and DC. Lifeline enrollment in every state.

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