Lifeline & ACP carriers — at a glance
Every carrier listed here is approved by USAC to issue Lifeline-supported wireless service. Compare networks, monthly data allowances, free phones offered, and the U.S. states each one actively serves.
| Carrier | Underlying Network | Monthly Data | Talk / Text | States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SafeLink Wireless TracFone Wireless (Verizon) |
Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T (multi-carrier) | 25 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 37 | Open guide |
| Assurance Wireless T-Mobile US |
T-Mobile | 25 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 49 | Open guide |
| Q Link Wireless Q Link Wireless LLC |
T-Mobile | 20 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 49 | Open guide |
| TruConnect TruConnect Communications |
T-Mobile | 14 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 31 | Open guide |
| Access Wireless i-wireless LLC |
T-Mobile | 15 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 31 | Open guide |
| StandUp Wireless AR Designs / Maxsip |
AT&T, T-Mobile (multi-carrier) | 14 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 35 | Open guide |
| Cintex Wireless KonaTel |
T-Mobile | 10 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 28 | Open guide |
| Life Wireless Telrite Holdings |
T-Mobile | 8 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 27 | Open guide |
| enTouch Wireless Boomerang Wireless |
T-Mobile | 6 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 19 | Open guide |
| AirTalk Wireless HTH Communications |
T-Mobile, Verizon | 25 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 31 | Open guide |
| easyWireless Easy Telcom |
T-Mobile | 10 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 29 | Open guide |
| Tag Mobile Tag Mobile LLC |
T-Mobile | 5 GB | Unlimited / Unlimited | 20 | Open guide |
Full USAC-verified national carrier count
The comparison table above features the 12 national brands with the widest reach. USAC's own "Lifeline Companies Near Me" dataset (public domain, Universal Service Administrative Company) lists every Eligible Telecommunications Carrier registered nationwide, including small regional and rural home-service providers not shown above. Data extracted 2026-07-25 (USAC last refreshed this dataset 2026-07-24): 1243 distinct carrier names across all 50 states, DC, and U.S. territories. Across the 51 state/DC pages on this site, that works out to 1908 state-level roster entries (a carrier is counted once per state it serves). See the state directory for the complete, USAC-verified carrier roster in any state, or the methodology page for the full sourcing pipeline.
Most carriers on file
| State | USAC-verified carriers |
|---|---|
| Iowa | 162 |
| Wisconsin | 95 |
| Minnesota | 82 |
| Texas | 74 |
| Oklahoma | 68 |
Fewest carriers on file
| State | USAC-verified carriers |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 4 |
| Delaware | 4 |
| Connecticut | 4 |
| Massachusetts | 9 |
| Hawaii | 9 |
How to pick a Lifeline carrier
The federal Lifeline benefit is portable — you can take it to whichever USAC-approved carrier you want, and you can switch carriers at any time. That makes the choice less about price (the monthly cost is $0 with virtually every Lifeline carrier) and more about three practical factors:
- Coverage. A free plan is only useful if you have signal where you live and work. The carrier table above shows which underlying network each provider uses; if Verizon barely reaches your home but T-Mobile is strong, you’ll want a T-Mobile-network carrier such as Assurance Wireless, Q Link or TruConnect rather than SafeLink on Verizon.
- Free phone. Most Lifeline carriers ship a free Android handset to first-time enrollees, but the model varies. Some carriers like AirTalk Wireless will let you pay a small co-pay to upgrade to a refurbished iPhone or a higher-end Galaxy.
- Customer service. Bilingual support, email turnaround, and the ability to recertify online vary widely between providers. We note these where they matter on the per-carrier guides.
If you’re not sure where to start, open the guide for your state and pick from the carriers we list there — every one of them has been verified as actively enrolling residents in that state during the most recent USAC update cycle.