The LifeLine Program was implemented prior to Obama being elected or taking office.
There ya go again. One-liners and no links.
Is the government giving out free cell phones?
Yes. This part is true. They fund low end cell phones plans, and offset some of the cost of landline phones. The programs that authorize the phone distribution program are called Lifeline Assistance and Lifeline Link-Up. Lifeline Assistance helps pay monthly phone bills and Lifeline Link-Up helps pay the initial outlay for the phone and installation. The two programs are often lumped together and simply called Lifeline.
These Lifeline cell phones are delivered through relatively new, government-approved cell phone companies like Safelink Wireless, Assurance Wireless and Reachout Wireless, among others. These companies were spun of off larger prepaid cell phone companies to specialize in the Lifeline program.
".............the whole thing began back in 1996 when the Federal Communications Commission authorized the programs for landline phones. At that time it provided discounts on landline phones only, for obvious reasons. ....."
LANDLINE PHONE - NOT CELL PHONES, INITIALLY.
So, the subsidization of phones began under President Clinton, and has continued under Presidents Bush and Obama.
So, in 2008 the first application of this program for mobile phones began when a company called Tracfone started their Safelink Wireless service in Tennessee.
Aha, some say, that’s the same year Obama was elected! Well, that’s true.
Who pays for the phones?
There’s another running argument about if the phones are or are not paid for by taxpayers. Yes and no, it depends how you look at it.
The money actually comes from a small fee added to most people’s monthly phone bills, called the Universal Service Fund fee.
"..........it’s important to note that it does not cost any more to provide cell phones to people than it does landline. The government subsidizes both equally. ..."
http://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/obama-phone
I HAD TO GO TO THE LEFT-LEANING URBAN LEGENDS TO FIND THIS INFORMATION.
KILLTHECAT............TRY LINKS OR INFO, INSTEAD OF YOUR ONE-LINERS.
IT MAKES YOU LOOK LAZY, IMO.
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
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