Assurance Wireless is a federal Lifeline Assistance program that offers free cell phones to low-income individuals in Buncombe County, North Carolina. To qualify, individuals may need to meet certain criteria, such as:

• Having a low household income
• Participating in certain public assistance programs, such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, or SSI
• Providing proof of income or program participation 

Assurance Wireless offers a monthly plan that includes:

• Free scam protection tools
• A free smartphone
• Free unlimited text
• Free talk minutes
• Free data
• No credit checks, annual contracts or activation fees

All Buncombe County libraries offer free Wi-Fi access, including in the parking lots. The password is posted publicly.

Buncombe County Public Library (BCPL) offers free, portable hotspots that can be checked out with a library card. These hotspots have unlimited data and can be used to connect computers, phones, or tablets to the internet. To check out a hotspot, you must be 18 or older and sign a user agreement. Hotspots can be checked out for two weeks and must be returned to the library.

Lifeline is a federal program dedicated to making phone and internet service more affordable for low-income households. This benefit provides eligible consumers with a monthly discount of up to $9.25. Consumers living on Tribal lands are eligible for an enhanced discount of up to $34.25 per month.

Lifeline can help pay for your landline, cell (wireless) phone, or internet service. You may be eligible for Lifeline based on your income and household size or if you receive benefits from a federal assistance program.

You can get Lifeline if you (or someone in your household) participate in one of these programs:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit

You may have to show proof of participation, like a benefit letter or official document, when you apply for Lifeline.

Click HERE to determine if you are eligible.

Too many families can’t afford high-speed Internet service. Monthly Internet bills, installation fees, and computer costs add up. When high-speed Internet is available, it’s not always accessible. 

The Affordable Connectivity Program tackles this problem. It helps low-income families pay for Internet service. Families can get up to $30 per month, or $75 per month if they live on qualifying Tribal Lands. And they can get $100 to help pay for a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer. 

Nearly 40% of Americans can qualify for free high-speed Internet through this program.

This program is part of the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity. The CAB program aims to expand high-speed internet access to underserved and unserved homes and businesses. 

Efforts are continuing to bring high-speed internet access to communities across North Carolina. The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity today posted Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program scopes of work to expand high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved homes and businesses in the following counties:

• Buncombe County (approximately 2,500 eligible locations)