Assurance Wireless Provides Cell Phones and Wireless Service to Aid Massachusetts Residents Facing Economic Hardship

<p class="bwalignc"><i>As it becomes available in its 29</i>^<i>th</i><i> state, <org>Assurance Wireless</org> can help more than 832,768 eligible <location value="LS/us.ma" idsrc="xmltag.org">Massachusetts</location> residents stay connected</i></p><p><location value="LU/us.nj.warren" idsrc="xmltag.org">WARREN, N.J.</location>--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assurancewireless.com%2FPublic%2FWelcome.aspx&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=Assurance+Wireless&index=1&md5=640fce7c7326191abaf70a621b103f70"><org>Assurance Wireless</org></a>, which provides eligible residents with a free cell phone and 250 free monthly voice minutes introduces its services to <location value="LS/us.ma" idsrc="xmltag.org">Massachusetts</location> residents. <org>Assurance Wireless</org> is a Lifeline Assistance program supported by the federal <org>Universal Service Fund</org>. </p><p> More than 247,500 <location value="LS/us.ma" idsrc="xmltag.org">Massachusetts</location> residents are currently without a job and more than 10.3 percent are living below the federal poverty line. <org>Assurance Wireless</org> gives eligible customers the ability to provide a contact number and return calls to a prospective employer, which, studies show, can improve the chances of securing employment. According to a nationwide survey from Assurance Wireless*, adults with an income of less than <money>$25,000</money> are as likely to use their mobile phone for employment searches as those with higher incomes. </p><p> “As we’ve become available in more and more states, Assurance is proud to help customers stay connected to potential employers, medical providers and child care-givers,” said <person>David Trimble</person>, vice president for <org>Assurance Wireless</org>. “We look forward to providing this same type of assistance to eligible Baystaters who need support and resources during, what continue to be, rough economic times for many.” </p><p> “I was unemployed for an extended amount of time due to layoffs,” stated Evan M., 37, a current <org>Assurance Wireless</org> customer. “The phone and service I received from <org>Assurance Wireless</org> were invaluable to my finding new employment and to my efforts to recover from this recession. It allowed me to contact potential employers and provide a way for them to respond to me, while also saving money. Assurance also gave me peace of mind that I had a way to stay connected to my kids while away from home.” </p><p><org>Assurance Wireless</org> is a Lifeline Assistance program funded through the <org>Universal Service Fund</org> designed to insure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income consumers at affordable rates. Customers eligible for <org>Assurance Wireless</org> include those who participate in MassHealth or <org>Medicaid</org>, Food Stamps/SNAP, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), <org>Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program</org> (LIHEAP), Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC). Additionally, individuals or families living in tribal lands who participate in <org>Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) General Assistance</org>, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start Program (under income qualifying eligibility provision only), National School Lunch Program (free meals program only) are also eligible. Eligibility varies by state. Supporting documentation is required to prove eligibility. </p><p> According to a recent report, “if all 28.5 million adults eligible for Lifeline Assistance were to take advantage of the program and earn at the same rate and level as [the study] sample, it would result in <money>$3.7 billion</money> in fresh income for the poor and near poor.”¹</p><p> In addition to a voice mail account² and call waiting, <org>Assurance Wireless</org> provides caller ID and access to 911 in case of emergency. Beyond the 250 free voice minutes each month, customers can choose from other options to pay for additional minutes, texting, international calling and more at competitive rates. </p><p> Eligible residents can apply for <org>Assurance Wireless</org> by calling (toll-free) 800-395-2171, or visiting <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assurancewireless.com&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=www.assurancewireless.com&index=2&md5=5796acd8b488073fc2e32ed7a6dac7bd">www.assurancewireless.com</a>. </p><p> Meanwhile, people who don’t quite qualify for <org>Assurance Wireless</org> but who are also struggling in the current economy and searching for value, can take advantage of payLo by <org>Virgin Mobile</org>. payLo was especially designed with value-conscious wireless consumers in mind, offering plans for as little as <money>$20</money>/month for 400 minutes or 90 days of service for <money>$20</money> at a rate of <money>$0.20</money>/minute. payLo is available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Best Buy, RadioShack and Target. </p><p> Prospective low income customers who find they are not eligible for <org>Assurance Wireless</org> may learn more about Virgin Mobile’s no contract payLo Plan options by visiting <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmobileusa.com%2Fcell-phone-plans%2Fpaylo-plans.jsp&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmobileusa.com%2Fcell-phone-plans%2Fpaylo-plans.jsp%23&index=3&md5=36b2721cda74b06dc7cef68f5ff09588">http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/paylo-plans.jsp#</a></p><p><org>Assurance Wireless</org> is currently available in <location value="LS/us.al" idsrc="xmltag.org">Alabama</location>, <location value="LS/us.ar" idsrc="xmltag.org">Arkansas</location>, <location value="LS/us.ct" idsrc="xmltag.org">Connecticut</location>, <location value="LS/us.de" idsrc="xmltag.org">Delaware</location>, <location value="LU/us.dc.wash" idsrc="xmltag.org">Washington D.C.</location>, <location value="LS/us.fl" idsrc="xmltag.org">Florida</location>, <location value="LS/us.ga" idsrc="xmltag.org">Georgia</location>, <location value="LS/us.in" idsrc="xmltag.org">Indiana</location>, <location value="LS/us.ia" idsrc="xmltag.org">Iowa</location>, <location value="LS/us.ky" idsrc="xmltag.org">Kentucky</location>, <location value="LS/us.la" idsrc="xmltag.org">Louisiana</location>, <location value="LS/us.me" idsrc="xmltag.org">Maine</location>, <location value="LS/us.md" idsrc="xmltag.org">Maryland</location>, <location value="LS/us.mi" idsrc="xmltag.org">Michigan</location>, <location value="LS/us.ms" idsrc="xmltag.org">Mississippi</location>, <location value="LS/us.nh" idsrc="xmltag.org">New Hampshire</location>, <location value="LS/us.nj" idsrc="xmltag.org">New Jersey</location>, New <location value="LU/us.nc.york" idsrc="xmltag.org">York, North Carolina</location>, <location value="LS/us.oh" idsrc="xmltag.org">Ohio</location>, <location value="LS/us.pa" idsrc="xmltag.org">Pennsylvania</location>, <location value="LS/us.sc" idsrc="xmltag.org">South Carolina</location>, <location value="LS/us.tn" idsrc="xmltag.org">Tennessee</location>, <location value="LS/us.tx" idsrc="xmltag.org">Texas</location>, <location value="LS/us.va" idsrc="xmltag.org">Virginia</location>, <location value="LS/us.ut" idsrc="xmltag.org">Utah</location>, <location value="LS/us.wa" idsrc="xmltag.org">Washington</location> and <location value="LS/us.wv" idsrc="xmltag.org">West Virginia</location>. This list of states continues to expand and can be found on the Assurance website. </p><p><b>About <org>Assurance Wireless</org></b></p><p><org>Assurance Wireless</org>, brought to you by <org>Virgin Mobile USA</org>, one of <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sprint.com%2Findex_p.html%3Fstate%3Dtrue%26ECID%3DSEM%3AGoogle%3AR%3ASprint%3ALocal%3AGeo%3ATargeted&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=Sprint%27s&index=4&md5=b570b77d600a8334e8b497ac876535f2">Sprint’s</a> prepaid brands, is supported by the Lifeline Assistance program, part of the Low Income Program of the federal <org>Universal Service Fund</org> (USF), which is administered by the <org>Universal Service Administrative Company</org> (USAC). <org>Assurance Wireless</org> uses the Nationwide Sprint Network which reaches more than 278 million people. </p><p><b>About <org value="NYSE:S" idsrc="xmltag.org">Sprint Nextel</org></b></p><p><org value="NYSE:S" idsrc="xmltag.org">Sprint Nextel</org> offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. <org value="NYSE:S" idsrc="xmltag.org">Sprint Nextel</org> served more than 52 million customers at the end of 2Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in <location value="LC/us" idsrc="xmltag.org">the United States</location>; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including <org>Virgin Mobile USA</org>, Boost Mobile, and <org>Assurance Wireless</org>; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit <org value="NYSE:S" idsrc="xmltag.org">Sprint</org> at <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sprint.com&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=www.sprint.com&index=5&md5=f219d64a2ff886d6826cadef61456a18">www.sprint.com</a> or <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsprint&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=www.facebook.com%2Fsprint&index=6&md5=a1f555b05ef0e1ab55c9566485b20f81">www.facebook.com/sprint</a> and <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2Fsprint&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=www.twitter.com%2Fsprint&index=7&md5=dfa955d5c676dcdfb0ddce84170ff10d">www.twitter.com/sprint</a>. </p><p> Follow Assurance news on <org value="ACORN:1289573027" idsrc="xmltag.org">Facebook</org><a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fassurancecell&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=www.facebook.com%2Fassurancecell&index=8&md5=831645fc47550622ee77cfda54ff914b">www.facebook.com/assurancecell</a>, Twitter <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2Fassurancecell&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=www.twitter.com%2Fassurancecell&index=9&md5=37a682fc6a6790d6a70dd747cca8e0fe">www.twitter.com/assurancecell</a> and <org value="ACORN:763783057" idsrc="xmltag.org">YouTube</org>, <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fassurancewireless&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fassurancewireless&index=10&md5=ff82ecbbfac37e0386562c3a6b136d04">http://www.youtube.com/assurancewireless</a>. </p><p><i>Note:</i><i>sources for all information and statistics are available upon request</i></p><p><i>*<org>PKS Research Partners</org> was commissioned by <org value="NYSE:S" idsrc="xmltag.org">Sprint/Nextel</org> (<org>Assurance Wireless</org>) to conduct a research project among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 25 years or older in order to determine their attitudes toward and usage of mobile phones.</i></p><p>¹<a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newmillenniumresearch.org%2Fnews%2FNMRC_Sullivan_Lifeline_study_news_release_021011.pdf&esheet=6865692&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newmillenniumresearch.org%2Fnews%2FNMRC_Sullivan_Lifeline_study_news_release_021011.pdf&index=11&md5=801098363ccb4987de47419799b4b188">http://www.newmillenniumresearch.org/news/NMRC_Sullivan_Lifeline_study_news_release_021011.pdf</a><br />²<org value="ACORN:346906529" idsrc="xmltag.org">Airtime</org> charges apply when accessing voice mail via an <org>Assurance Wireless</org> phone once free minutes have been depleted. </p><p></p><p><img alt="" src="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnews&sty=20110919005494r1&sid=acqr4&distro=nx" /><span class="bwct31415" /></p><p><b><org>Assurance Wireless</org></b><br /><b><person>Jack Pflanz</person>, 315-374-0693</b><br /><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><b>[email protected]</b></a><br /><b>or</b><br /><b><person>Melinda Tiemeyer</person>, 816-721-1000</b><br /><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><b>[email protected]</b></a></p><p></p><p>Source: <org>Assurance Wireless</org></p>