If you are in California and haven’t heard of the California Telephone Access Program, you could be missing out on a free and specialized landline phone.
Funded by the small surcharge on every phone bill in CA, CTAP provides free phones for people who live in California, have telephone service, and are deaf or hard of hearing, low vision or blind, or have a mobility, speech or cognitive disability. There is no income or age requirement and the specialized equipment they provide includes:
- Amplifiers
Sample Accessible CTAP Phone - Ring Signal Devices
- Speech Devices
- Switches
- Specialized Telephones
- Mobile Telephones
- Braille TTYs
- Headsets
- TTYs
- Fax Machines
- Accessories
To apply, all you need is a professional certifying agent to sign your application form.
Furthermore, CTAP Centers are now also offering free hearing screenings to the public on the third Wednesday of each month, as well as hosting Community Resource Fairs at all CTAP Locations. Find your local service center or call CTAP for more information at 1-800-806-1191.
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| Free Basic Cell Phone for Qualified Individuals |
Another exciting and new program that the AT Network recently learned about is a free cell phone program for qualified individuals in CA. Assurance Wireless is a federal Lifeline Assistance program that is run through the company Virgin Mobile. California residents who receive Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, Medicaid/Medi-Cal or other public assistance (see complete list here) or who earn less than $15,000 per year can get a basic cell phone with 250 minutes and 250 text messages per month. You must provide proof of program participation or proof of income to qualify. Each household qualifies for one line, but separate households that live at the same address are eligible, including residents of shelters or nursing homes. To apply for this program, please visit assurancewireless.com or call Assurance Wireless at 1-800-395-2171.
