Is SafeLink the Cheapest Cellphone Service?
Not everyone will be eligible for available lower-minute phone plans and these plans may not meet your needs. However, people who qualify often see free phones as a genuine lifesaver, and you can't put a price on peace of mind.
In this day and age, it's become commonplace and a necessity to carry cellphones, especially since phones and plans are more affordable than ever. However, some people require assistance paying for phones. Enter eSafelink Wireless or Safelink for short. This company is run by Tracfone and provides eligible low-income consumers with free phones and plans. It even allows its participants to bring their own compatible phones. Read on to learn the good and bad about these programs.
Positives
Safelink offers free phones and plans for those who qualify, and if you bring your own phone into the program, you receive the same benefits. You receive a free phone that has 30 service days, unlimited text and an average of 350 talk minutes. Your plan renews automatically each month and you receive an alert when your new minutes are loaded. You also receive 4.5 GB of data which is generous if you compare it to other plans that cost $20. For example, Tracfone provides 1 GB of data in its $20 plan, but in order to receive 3 GB, you'd need to spend $30. If you want to know more, please call Safelink's customer service representatives, available 7 days a week.
A Few Drawbacks
You can't always choose your free phone unless you have a compatible phone to use for the program. The free phones may be discontinued models and only provide basic service.
Some more expensive phones come with larger GB of internal memory, however; with Safelink's free phone you'll more than likely receive a phone with 8 GB of internal memory and half of any phone's memory is reserved for the pre-installed apps. This will leave you with 4 GB to use for your own apps. However, smartphones require 1 to 2 GB of internal memory. This is to ensure there is enough memory for updates for apps and the operating system.
Another disadvantage is that Safelink may not be available in every state and the states that do have it may not provide enough minutes for everyone's needs. This free service is good for the basics but nothing more. The unused balance also will not roll over from month to month. The free plans are pretty basic and will help give some people peace of mind but anyone else who wants the latest phones will have to keep looking.
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