The internet is making the vast continent look like a small village. For example, if you are in the US you can speak with other individuals in the Philippines via video call. One of the providers in the US offering call, texting, and seamless access to the internet is Cricket Wireless. It has also stepped up by partnering with the government to offer its monthly phone plan to low-income earners via the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Not everybody qualifies for this program and today, this article gives insights on how to get a free month of cricket service. If you do not meet the requirements, you may have to set aside a few coins at the end of every month to purchase Cricket’s phone plans.
Cricket Wireless: Overview
Cricket Wireless was brought to life in 1999 by Leapless Wireless International. In 2014, Leapless was acquired by AT&T and due to this acquisition, Cricket Wireless was later merged with Aio Wireless. Currently, it is among the largest providers in the US and has very wide coverage with a few dead spots on the west coast.
Monthly Plans
Cricket’s monthly phone plans range from $30 to $60 and below is a detailed description of each plan.
5GB plan– As its name implies, this plan features 5GB of data and unlimited talk, text, and picture messages. It comes with a monthly price of $30 per month and will best suit you if you are not such a heavy internet user. If you qualify for the ACP’s $30 monthly discount you will not be needed to pay anything for this plan.
10 GB plan– This plan consists of unlimited talk, texts, and 10 GB data which will cost you about $40 per month per line. With the ACP discount, you will only be required to pay the balance of $10.
Unlimited plan– Nothing gets better when everything gets unlimited and since there is no data cap, it will best suit you if you are a heavy internet user. This Cricket plan comprises unlimited internet, text, and talk. Monthly charges sum up to $50 per line and if you qualify for the ACP, you will only need to pay $25 per month.
Unlimited + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot plan– This plan features everything in the Unlimited plan and an additional 15GB of hotspot data, HD voice and Wi-Fi calling. The price per line per month for this plan is $60 and if you qualify for ACP’s $75 discount on Tribal Lands it will be absolutely free.
Documents Required While Applying For A Free Month Of Cricket Service
Before getting deep into the steps of how to get a free month of cricket service, you may have to gather some documents to prove your eligibility. These documents can be divided into three i.e. one to prove your income, identity, and address, and finally, one to prove participation in government-aided programs.
Documents To Prove Your Income
To qualify for the ACP program, your income should be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The documents should clearly indicate employer information, payment amounts, method of payment, and dates of income. These documents include:
- Earnings statement
- Prior year tax returns
- Veterans Administration benefits summary
- Unemployment benefits statement
- Pension plan statement
Documents To Prove Identity And Address.
Another requirement is you will be required to be within the states in which Cricket offers the ACP program. As proof of identity, the documents will need to have your full legal name, document number, date of birth, date of issuance, and the name of the issuing agency. Some of these documents include:
- A valid passport
- Green Card or Permanent Resident Card
- A Birth certificate
- Certificate of Naturalization or U.S. Citizenship
- A valid driver’s license
- The most recent utility bill
Documents To Prove Participation In Government-Aided Programs
The final ACP requirement is participation in government-aided programs and one of the most popular programs includes:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance Program
- National School Lunch Programs
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
To prove that you have benefitted from the above programs, you will have to submit any of the following documents:
- Benefits award letter.
- Benefits approval letter
- Statement of benefits.
- Benefits verification letter.
How To Apply For A Free Month Of Cricket Service
Regarding how to get a free month of cricket service, you will need to apply for the ACP. If you qualify, ACP will pay $30 off your monthly plan or $75 if you are on Tribal land.
- On your device, open your browser then visit the Affordable Connectivity Program’s official website.
- Hit Apply now and once redirected to the next page, correctly fill out your personal information in the provided fields.
- Tap Next then attach the required personal and eligibility documents.
- Click Submit then hang in tight as your application is being processed by the National Verifier.
- Once the application has been approved, visit your provider’s (Cricket Wireless) official site.
- Navigate to the bottom of the page then in the About Us section, tap Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Alternatively, you can access this page through this link (cricketwireless.com/affordable-connectivity-program/form.html).
- Click Apply now, enter your details in the respective fields, and before hitting the Submit now button, crosscheck the information you provided.
- Once your application has been reviewed, and approved, you will get word from Cricket Wireless.
Why Your Application May Be Rejected
It is not always guaranteed that Cricket will accept your application. Some of the reasons your application may get rejected include:
- One of the members of your household is already benefiting from the program. Regardless of the provider you applied from, ACP is only available per household and if one of your household members has already applied, yours will be automatically rejected.
- You do not meet the eligibility requirements e.g. your income is over 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and you have never participated in government assistance programs.
- The personal information provided during the application was wrong.
- You submitted invalid or expired eligibility documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Bring My Own Phone To Cricket Wireless?
If you love your current phone and your provider seems to be a bit pricey, you can opt for Cricket’s phone plans. Your phone should however be unlocked, and compatible with Cricket’s network. You can do all these in 3 simple steps i.e. check device compatibility, select customer type then choose your plan.
- On your mobile device, dial *#06# then note down your IMEI number.
- Visit Cricket’s official site, tap Shop then go to Bring Your Phone.
- In the Check, your device’s compatibility section, input the 15-digit IMEI code in the provided field then hit Check.
- If it is compatible, go to the Get a Cricket SIM section then select if you are a new or existing customer.
- Click Choose Plan, select your preferred plan then follow the onscreen prompts to complete your purchase. Once done, you should receive your SIM within two days from the checkout day.
After bringing your own phone to Cricket, it may fail to work and this is a common issue. All you need to do to manually update your carrier settings and if things get a bit hard, seek help from the support team.
Can I pay my Cricket Wireless Bill Online?
Yes, Cricket Wireless has made paying off your phone bill easier i.e. you can pay in the comfort of your home via their website or app. To pay via the website:
- Connect your phone to the internet then visit the provider’s pay your phone bill page (https://www.payyourphonebill.com/cricket-wireless-refill).
- Input the phone number you want to refill then confirm the number by inputting the number again.
- Enter the amount you want to refill then hit Checkout. Note: The amount should be equal to the plan that is currently active.
- On the next page, enter your card details then follow all the onscreen prompts to complete the purchase.
The online refill accepts a wide variety of cards and is available any time of the day and your account should be instantly refilled. The website is encrypted so you should not be worried when submitting your card details. If you wish to make your payments via the app, head to the Play Store, download the myCricket app then log into your account.
Final Thoughts
Whenever thoughts about how to get a free month of cricket service come to your mind, you may have to first apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program. From here, the monthly amount allocated to you will cover your phone plans. It is important to note that when applying for ACP you will need to submit documents to prove your identity, income, and so forth. Individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements will however have to make an agonizing decision of getting into their pockets. After all, if your income is good, raising $60 every month to get the Unlimited + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot plan is like a walk into the park.
See here: Are you Qualify for an Assurance Wireless Free Phone
