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Free Means of Communication

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By Andrea Hollands


In the year 1984, a program was started for benefiting senior citizens as well as low income groups by giving them a means of communication to use during times of emergencies. This was started by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and with the telecommunication act of 1996 this program was further enhanced to become known as the Lifeline program.

A telecommunications company by the name of TracFone Wireless then started the program Safelink and they started giving free cell phones with a free airtime allowance. This was funded by the private sector telecommunication company and the taxpayer was by no means part of the funding plan. It was a senior cell phone plan and applicants who needed a free phone could either opt for Lifeline or Safelink whichever was available in their state or which they liked.

Unemployment has swelled drastically in the last few months and the Safelink program has to its credit over two million users in the year 2009. It is available in 31 states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts and Michigan. Other states where the service is available include DC, Delaware, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and a few others.

There are around 1700 companies that provide this service of senior cell phones out of which TracFone is acclaimed to be a leader with its Safelink program. For those who are wondering about the source of funding for the program, it is a fact that all the expenses are being borne by the telecommunication organization with the government only playing a supportive and endorsing role. Yet, the program is being regularly scrutinized and criticized by many as a free benefit being paid by the government.

There are many rumors floating around that it is a new federal program. The federal Lifeline program was created during the Reagan period about twenty five years ago. The program is aimed to guarantee that value telecommunication services be made available to everyone especially the older and weaker sections such as the low income groups and the senior citizens. TracFone makes sure that telecommunications is a reality for all Americans with its senior cell phone plans.




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