Tempo Wireless Free Phone – Ready to Upgrade

Tempo Communications is a cell phone company that provides free phone services, as well as monthly and prepaid options. Benefit recipients and families earning over 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines might qualify for the free plan. Lifeline assistance is there to help low-income families and individuals have fair access to phone services. These free phone plans from Tempo Wireless can be the difference between feeling alone and staying connected with friends and family. 

free government tempo wireless phone program

Tempo Wireless offers free government phone services to those who qualify financially and live in certain states, including  Ohio, Rhode Island,  Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Colorado, West Virginia, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Utah, and Wyoming.

Free Government Phone Program

The U.S. government wants to help families with low incomes by giving them electronic devices. They provide free phones, iPhones, tablets, laptops, and computers to families who qualify. To make this possible, the government has started two programs with big companies like Tempo Wireless to give free phones. These programs are:

  1. Lifeline Assistance Program
  2. Affordable Connectivity Program

Lifeline Assistance Program

The Lifeline program is a government help program that wants to make phone services cheaper for families with lower incomes. It was started in 1985 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and now includes wireless phone service for low-income families.

Tempo Wireless and ACP Free Phone Service In 2024

Tempo Wireless is a leading telecommunications provider in the country that offers the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). With Tempo Wireless ACP’s free phone program, you can talk and text for unlimited minutes, plus use mobile data to browse the Internet. ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) is a government program designed to give people with low incomes discounts on broadband services.

Although Tempo doesn’t clearly mention it on its website, data from the FCC, which lists ACP program providers, includes Tempo as one of the participants.

Tempo Wireless As An Eligible Telecommunication Carrier:

Temp Wireless, formerly Tempo Telecom, is an eligible telecommunication carrier (ETC). It means they can give free cell phone service and get money back from the Universal Service Fund. Even though only a few people know, Tempo Wireless has been offering free government cell phone service since 1996, back when they were called Now Communications, LLC.

They changed their name to Tempo Telecom, LLC in 2013 because they believed “Tempo” better represented how they served their prepaid and lifeline customers. Yes, Tempo also provides prepaid phone service, but the prices may be better than other prepaid providers. Most people using Tempo are on the free government phone program. However, it’s important to note that Tempo Telecom doesn’t have its cell towers but uses another carrier’s network. It makes it an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator).

Tempo Wireless as an MVNO

An MVNO, which stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator, is a carrier that sells the services of a Big Carrier. Tempo Telecom, as an MVNO, currently uses the T-Mobile (GSM) network. Before, they used to use the Sprint (CDMA) service too. However, when Sprint and T-Mobile merged in 2020, the GSM network became the main one, and they stopped using the CDMA network bands. Furthermore, Tempo is like a friend of T-Mobile, and both use the same network frequencies for 4G LTE/5G connections. 

The main difference is that T-Mobile gets a faster connection during busy times because they have a higher priority, while Tempo Telecom has a lower priority. So, when lots of people are using the network, T-Mobile customers (especially those on postpaid and some prepaid plans) will have faster data speeds compared to Tempo Lifeline/ACP/prepaid customers.

Tempo Wireless as an ACP Provider:

As I mentioned before, Tempo Telecom needs to clearly say they are part of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The only way I could confirm this was by checking an ACP data sheet on the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) page. Because Tempo Telecom is an eligible telecommunication carrier (ETC), it automatically qualifies for the ACP program. However, their automatic participation is only for the areas where they have a SAC (Study Area Code) number to offer lifeline service.

Right now, Tempo provides free phone service through Lifeline and ACP programs, but only in twenty-one states. These are different states where Terracom Wireless offers the free phone program, at least not all of them. Even though Tempo Wireless is part of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), it doesn’t give free tablets to low-income families. Instead, it provides a discount on monthly phone service. This discount covers free talk minutes, text messages, and mobile data.

States

ColoradoHawaiiIndiana IowaGeorgia
Kansas KentuckyNebraska NevadaNorth DakotaOhio Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri
Rhode IslandUtahWest Virginia, Wisconsin, WyomingSouth Carolina

Tempo Wireless ACP Free Phone Plans:

Once again, Tempo Telecom talks little about its Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) plans on its website. The free cell phone plans you see there are mainly for their Lifeline program. Speaking about their plans, Tempo used to have some problems following the rules set by the FCC for the Universal Service Fund Lifeline beneficiaries. But now, it looks like they have fixed things and meet the minimum requirements.

In their Lifeline phone plans, Tempo gives you unlimited talk minutes and text messages, along with 4.5GB of data each month. You can also use these talk minutes and texts to talk with your family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else across the country. Please note that you are not able to use your free talk minutes or texts to make international calls. There is no international calling feature on Tempo; sending an international message could result in deactivation.

However, their mobile data allows you to access social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat. Additionally, these social media apps connect you not just within the US but also internationally.

What Kind of Tempo Wireless ACP Free Phone Will I Get?

The ACP program doesn’t only give a discount on broadband; some providers might also offer up to a $100 discount on connected devices. These devices could be a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. Unfortunately, Tempo Telecom takes part in the ACP program but doesn’t provide the connected device discount. So, you won’t get a free tablet, which is something many Lifeline carriers offer through this program.

The good news, though, is that Tempo does give free touch screen government phones in its Lifeline program. Even though the company doesn’t tell you the phone’s brand in their ads, after doing some research, I found out they provide a Blu C5L. While it’s not as fancy as a free iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, it still has features for basic use, including:

  • A 5.0-inch VGA display
  • Supports up to 4G LTE network
  • 16GB internal storage & 1GB RAM
  • A MicroSD slot to add more storage
  • WiFi 4 (802.11n) & Bluetooth connectivity

Tempo Wireless Bring Your Phone Number:

  1. Once you’ve signed up and qualified for the free government phone from Tempo Telecom, they’ll send it to you by mail. The package will also include a free cell phone and a SIM card for your service.
  1. If it’s a new service, the SIM card will have a new Tempo phone number for you to activate. This number is assigned to you and stays with you permanently, even if you switch locations.
  1. But if you want to keep your old phone number, you can bring it to Tempo Telecom. It is a good idea if you want people who already have your number to be still able to reach you on Tempo.
  1. Just wait for your new device order to arrive in order to take advantage of Tempo Wireless’s free phone service. Then, contact Tempo customer support at 1-888-565-1011 to start the process of transferring/porting your number.
  1. You’ll also need to have some details from your previous carrier, like your account number and PIN, full name, physical address, and so on, to initiate the number porting. After that, a Tempo customer representative will contact your old carrier on your behalf and start the number porting process.

How To Get Tempo Wireless Free Phone & Service?

We’ve been talking about how Tempo takes part in the government program for free phones and what they provide. Let’s discuss how you can actually get a free phone and service from Tempo.

  • In simple terms, the way to get a free phone from Tempo Wireless is to apply and meet the qualifications. 
  • Before you apply, make sure you qualify. You will need to register with the National Verifier and obtain an approved application ID in order to do this.
  • A low-income family must qualify for Lifeline or ACP eligibility, according to the National Verifier. 
  • To be recognized as coming from a low-income family, your income must be below a certain level, or you should be participating in a government-funded assistance program.
how to get tempo wireless free phone & service

Are You on a Low Income or Assistance Program?

Tempo Telecom offers free phones to low-income people who earn less than 135% of federal poverty guidelines. If you want to apply using a government assistance benefit, you can choose from accepted options like:

  • Medicaid
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
  • Veterans & Veteran’s Survivors Pension
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Food Stamps
  • Head Start, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, and other Tribal-administered assistance programs.

Once the National Verifier approves your application and provides you with an application ID, go to https://lifeline.mytempo.com/ to finish the enrollment process. The enrollment starts with checking Tempo’s coverage in your area, which requires entering your home ZIP code. Alternatively, you can also apply by calling customer care at 1-833-998-3676.

Documents Necessary To Apply for Tempo Wireless 

To join the Lifeline program, you need to show that you qualify by providing documents to confirm your identity, income, or government assistance. When you apply, please include:

  1. A statement from the following: Department of Social Services Medicaid, SNAP Benefits, Veteran’s
  2. Benefits from the Administration, Social Security.
  3. Current Federal Tax Return
  4. Letter from Unemployment/Workman’s Compensation
  5. A payroll statement or current check stubs from your job
  6. Notice letter of participation in a qualifying federal or Tribal program.

Application Process For Tempo Wireless:

If you want a free phone from Tag Mobile, just follow these easy steps for a successful application:

  • First, go to the ACP or Lifeline Assistance official website to check if you qualify for the program.
  • Choose Tag Mobile as your phone provider and get the application form from their website.
  • Fill out the application form by following the instructions they give you.
  • Attach all the documents they ask for and submit them with your application.
  • You’ll get a notification about whether your application is approved a few days after you submit it.
  • Your provider might call you to confirm some details. Once confirmed, you’ll get a new government phone.
  • Activate the phone to start using its cool features.

Key Takeaway: What are Tempo Wireless APN Settings?

Once you get and set up your Tempo cell phone, you should be able to make calls, send texts, and use mobile data without any problems. If you can make calls and send texts but can’t browse the internet or use other data features, your monthly data limit is likely used up, or your internet settings need to be corrected.

However, to fix the internet settings, you need to make sure the Tempo Telecom APN settings are correct:

APN Parameters

Name:PPWG Mobile
APN:pwg
Proxy:(Leave Blank)
Port:(Leave Blank)
Username:(Leave Blank)
Password:(Leave Blank)
Server:(Leave Blank)
MMSC: http://pwg.mmsmvno.com/mms/wapenc
MMS Proxy:(Leave blank)
MMS Port:(Leave blank)
MCC: 310
MNC: 260
APN Type: Default,supl,mms
APN Protocol: Select > IPv4/IPv6
APN Roaming Protocol:(Leave blank or keep the same) 

Advantages Of Tempo Wireless Phone Service:

Tempo Wireless is a great choice for phone service. It provides many benefits that suit different needs. Let’s look at why Tempo Wireless is a good option for users.

1. Free Wireless Phone Service

A mobile phone plan can be expensive, especially if you need to work or have a fixed income. This program is designed to help reduce the stress of high phone bills. The Tempo Wireless plan provides unlimited talk, text, and 3 GB of data. Additionally, they include features like voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, and nationwide calling. Tempo Wireless Lifeline phone plans meet all the FCC’s basic requirements for voice and data services.

2. A Trustworthy Provider

For the last 20 years, this company has been a top choice for prepaid phone services in the telecom world. They offer services to people who may need better credit or want shorter contracts or credit checks for regular cell phone services. In addition, they believe that everyone should have access to good phone service, which is why they focus on prepaid phones. However, if you don’t qualify for a free government phone and services, this might be the right plan for you.

  • Monthly Plan – $9.95
  • Carry over any minutes you don’t use.
  • Only used top-up minutes will be carried over.

3. Home Phone Plans

Many people, especially seniors, prefer having a home phone instead of a wireless one. Tempo Wireless’ landline plan is not free, but it offers a $5 discount each month and half off your first month’s bill for the first month. It is only available to one person per household at a time. A family member must notify the company if one of them stops using the service before another can apply for a phone. 

It is also available to people who qualify for benefits like SSI, Section 8, SNAP, Medicaid, or Veterans or Survivors Pensions. However, check the Government Poverty Guidelines above to see if you qualify.

Conclusion:

Tempo Wireless is like a bright light because it offers affordable and reliable mobile services. They care about making sure everyone, no matter where they come from, can easily connect with their friends and family. Besides other advantages, they provide clear instructions, and if you need help, their customer support is quick to respond. It makes the application process a positive and easy experience for everyone.

In short, as technology improves, Tempo Wireless keeps working hard to give affordable and dependable mobile services, ensuring everyone stays connected in today’s world.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I qualify for a free phone with Tempo Wireless?
To qualify for a free phone with Tempo Wireless, you need to be eligible for government assistance programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, or SSI.

What type of free phones does Tempo Wireless offer?
Tempo Wireless offers a variety of free phones that are typically basic smartphones or feature phones that can be used on their network.

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