Yes, the Obama phone program still exists. Its real name is Lifeline, and it gives eligible low-income households a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on phone or internet service, or up to $34.25 on federally recognized Tribal lands.1Federal Communications Commission. Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications The nickname is misleading — Lifeline was created in 1985 and expanded to wireless in 2005, well before the Obama administration — but the benefit people associate with that name is still running in every state and territory.
One thing Lifeline is not: the Affordable Connectivity Program. That was a separate $30 monthly internet benefit that stopped enrolling new participants in February 2024 after Congress did not renew its funding. Lifeline runs on its own funding stream and was not affected.
What the Benefit Actually Covers
The standard discount is $9.25 a month on qualifying broadband or a bundled voice-and-internet plan. If you take standalone voice service without broadband, the discount is $5.25.2eCFR. 47 CFR 54.403 – Lifeline Support Amount The money goes to your carrier, which reduces your bill by that amount.
Some providers, especially those built around prepaid wireless plans for Lifeline subscribers, price their basic plans so the discount covers the full cost. In those cases you pay nothing out of pocket. Others charge a small amount above the discount. It’s worth comparing plans from participating carriers in your area before you sign up.
Residents of federally recognized Tribal lands get an extra $25 per month on top of the standard benefit, for a total of up to $34.25.2eCFR. 47 CFR 54.403 – Lifeline Support Amount That’s usually enough to cover the entire cost of a basic wireless plan.
Who Qualifies
You can qualify two ways, and you only need one.3eCFR. 47 CFR 54.409 – Consumer Qualification for Lifeline
The income path: your household income must be at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Under the 2026 guidelines, that’s $21,546 for a single-person household and $44,550 for a family of four, with the cutoff rising for each additional person. Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures.4HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
The program path: you automatically qualify if you or someone in your household participates in any of the following:
- Medicaid
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance, including Section 8 vouchers and public housing
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
On Tribal lands, participation in Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, Head Start (at the income qualifying standard), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations also qualifies you.5Universal Service Administrative Company. How to Qualify
The program path is usually faster because the system can often verify your enrollment electronically and skip income documentation.
One Benefit Per Household
Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household, and this trips people up. A household isn’t just an address. The FCC defines it as a group of people who live together and share income and expenses, even if they’re unrelated.6Universal Service Administrative Company. Lifeline Program Household Worksheet A married couple is always one household. A parent and child are always one household. Roommates who split rent but keep their finances separate can count as two households and each apply on their own.
So if your spouse already has Lifeline, you can’t also get it. But if you rent a room from someone and handle your own money, you may qualify independently despite sharing an address.
How to Apply
The fastest way is online through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org.7Universal Service Administrative Company. Lifeline Program The system checks your information against government databases in real time, and many applicants are approved within minutes. If the automated check can’t confirm your eligibility, you’ll be asked to upload documents for manual review. You can also apply on paper by mail, or through a participating phone or internet provider.
Oregon and Texas run their own processes. If you live in either state, apply through your state’s program website or through a participating carrier instead of the national portal.
Every applicant provides their full legal name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number.8Universal Service Administrative Company. Acceptable Documentation Guide – Lifeline Program You also need a residential address; people experiencing homelessness can provide a shelter address or a description of where they stay.
If documentation is required, the accepted proofs for income-based eligibility include your prior year’s federal, state, or Tribal tax return; three consecutive pay stubs from within the past 12 months; a Social Security, VA, retirement, pension, unemployment, or workers’ compensation statement; or a divorce decree or child support award that shows income.9eCFR. 47 CFR 54.410 – Lifeline Subscriber Eligibility Documentation For program-based eligibility, a current statement, letter, or notice showing you participate in a qualifying program will do. Names and addresses on your documents must match your application exactly.
Once approved, you pick a participating carrier in your area and sign up. If you already have service through a participating provider, you can ask them to apply the discount to your existing plan.
Keeping the Benefit
Approval isn’t permanent. Lifeline requires annual recertification, and you have 60 days to respond when your notice comes. Miss that window and your carrier must remove you from the program within five business days, at which point you’d have to start a new application from scratch.10eCFR. 47 CFR 54.405 – Carrier Obligation to Offer Lifeline
There’s also a usage rule that catches people off guard. On free plans where the carrier collects no monthly fee, 30 consecutive days without any calls, texts, or data triggers a warning. You then have 15 more days to use the service before your carrier terminates it.11eCFR. 47 CFR 54.405 – Carrier Obligation to Offer Lifeline A single text resets the clock.
Finally, don’t fudge your application. Providing false information will get you removed from the program at a minimum, and subscribers who knowingly submit false information can face civil or criminal liability under federal fraud statutes.12Department of Justice. The False Claims Act