At TruConnect, we are always looking for ways to improve our wireless service and provide affordable, cost-friendly mobile data and 4g lte smartphone plans to all. We offer a government subsidized phone service called the California LifeLine program. Working hand-in-hand with the CA LifeLine program, we are able to provide discounted wireless cell phone and mobile data service to those who qualify. Let's see if you meet the requirements! And if not, then maybe someone you know could benefit from this service. Heard about free government phones and want to learn more? So let's continue, keep reading to see if you could reduce your monthly phone bill or even get a free phone!

Why California LifeLine?
We adopted the California LifeLine service in January 2014 through the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), implementing LifeLine services to meet the shifting communication needs of underserved households. Special thanks to former President Ronald Reagan & administration for creating the Lifeline program to help consumers lower the cost of their phone bills. You’re the man, Ron! 

 

But, Why?
Why adopt the CA LifeLine program? Because we believe everyone deserves access to affordable communication services, particularly with so much of modern life dependent on WiFi access, and to help the community of Los Angeles - of course. With help from the CPUC and our hard efforts, eligible households have the option to subscribe for discounted wireless service plans that include talk and text. Cut-price wireless plans, here we come! 

In partnership with the CPUC, eligible households in California are able to stay connected to family and friends, access vital services such as online banking and oneline medical and health resources, participate in online educational services, or use online job services to search for jobs. California Lifeline service can be particualrly helpful in today's gig economy where more and more workers are employed on a temporary or contract basis and constantly need to be chasing down that next opportunity!

Connectivity is key
One day I overheard our Chairman and Co-CEO Nathan Johnson on a call with the Los Angeles Business Journal when I heard him say, “Connectivity is key,” and ever since then his words have stuck in my head. Nathan is right. In a world where most of us stay connected through email, phone calls, texting, and social media the power of contacting someone is right in our pocket; no matter where you turn someone is connecting to others using wireless phone or data services.

Lets Get Started
With the help of the CPUC we can provide California LifeLine service to all who qualify, and believe me, this is many of us. I believe we are one of the few companies truly looking out for our customers because we work hard to call attention to this free government phone program and other such programs that benefit the many low income household here in California and nationwide. So, let's get started by learning about life line screening.

There are two ways to qualify:

Method 1 eligibility: “Program based” - which is qualifying for the California LifeLine program discount if you or another member of your household is currently enrolled in one of the following public assistance programs (just to name a few… of many!):

• Medicaid / Medi-Cal (no Medicare)
• CalFresh, Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance or (Section 8)
• Women, Infant, and Children Program (WIC)
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

Method 2 eligibility: “Income based” – you can also qualify for the California LifeLine program if your total annual household income is at or less than the following income levels:

• 1-2 members $25,900
• 3 members $30,100
• 4 members* $36,500 (additional $6,400 for each additional member of your household)

It’s important to provide documentation of your income in order to qualify. The following is a list of what is considered acceptable proof of income.

• Income Statements (paycheck stubs): These must be from 3 consecutive months within the past 12 months.
• Benefits Statements: From the Social Security Office, Veterans Administration, retirement or pension, Worker’s Compensation, or Unemployment Compensation.
• Alimony/Child Support documents
• Federal, State or Tribal Tax Return: The front page of the prior year’s return
  • STATE: 540, 540A, 540 2EZ, 540NR, 540X
  • FEDERAL: 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 140SS, 1040X

If you qualify for a lifeline phone, benefits only last up to one calendar year, and after that you will need to renew the service. So make sure you renew your benefits before your plan ends. By doing so, you will receive a renewal form in the mail, providing a new PIN number. Once you receive the PIN, you must prove your eligibility once again, just as you did when you first applied.

How can I avoid disqualification?
Once you qualify for the Lifeline program, you must adhere to the instructions set forth in the program. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

• Meet All Due Dates: When your initial application (or subsequent renewal form) is accepted, there will be a due date located on both the application form and the renewal form.
• Fill Out All Forms Carefully: If you submit an incomplete application or renewal, you will be sent a fresh form, and the application or renewal process begins all over again.

What are reasons for disqualification?
There are several reasons a person could get disqualified from a Lifeline program. For example:

• You submitted incomplete forms
• You were deemed ineligible due to income level
• You missed the due date
• You forgot to sign the form
• You neglected to include proper documentation of income

Be careful when filling out your forms, and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines!

What happens if I am disqualified?
If you are disqualified from the program, you will not receive the discounts. You will begin paying a regular rate for your lifeline phone service.

New Start
With the New Year upon us, let’s start with a new beginning! The California LifeLine program can be a literal life line that provides tremendous financial relief to many lower income households. What’s the catch, you might ask? No catch. You just have to qualify, and don’t worry – we got you covered on a great 4g lte network. If you don't qualify, help a friend or family member as I am sure they would appreciate this help that will continue to pay dividents throughout the year.

Stay connected my friends, and Happy New Year!

To learn more about the CA LifeLine program with us, please visit http://www.truconnect.com/lifeline/ or call us at 1-800-420-0443 to apply.

WHO?
Are you a California LifeLine customer? If so, this is important information! All California LifeLine customers must renew their program participation every year in order to continue receiving their free wireless service. If you do not renew your participation, you will lose your free wireless service. This is why we encourage you to renew early so that you do not forget and lose out on your great free government phone benefits from TruConnect!

WHEN?
All California LifeLine customers must renew their participation in the program annually. The deadline to renew is your annual anniversary date from when you first signed up for California LifeLine service. If you’ve transferred your California LifeLine services to TruConnect, welcome! We want you to take advantage of your free wireless service, so be sure to remember you must use your phone at least once every 30 days in order to remain active. Also, remember that your renewal date is dependent upon your original signup date with California LifeLine service and not your transfer date to TruConnect. You can renew up to 3 months prior to your deadline. When you are 105 days from your deadline, you will automatically receive a pink envelope in the mail from the California LifeLine Administration to inform you that you need to renew. If you did not receive this mail or are just curious when your deadline is, browse to www.californialifeline.com/en/contact and a representative will let you know!

HOW?
Renewing your California LifeLine service is quick and easy! Once you receive a pink envelope in the mail, you will have your PIN. The PIN is located on the first page of your renewal form. If you somehow did not receive this envelope with your PIN and you know your deadline is coming up, do not hesitate to contact the California LifeLine Administration! They are there to help you obtain your information once they verify your identity. You can simply mail back the completed form or complete the online form through this link: www.californialifeline.com/en/login.

How do you know if you’ve been successfully renewed? You will be notified in a letter in the mail confirming your renewal.

WHAT?
The only items you need to log in to your account is your phone number and your PIN.

To complete the renewal form, you must do the following:

• Initial to confirm only one LifeLine service per household
• Check off whether you are program-based or income-based eligible
• Sign and date
• Birthdate
• Last 4 digits of your social security number
• Print Your Name

It's simple as that!

WHERE?
Where do I find additional information?

to www.truconnect.com/lifeline/CArenew

If you need to mail back a completed form, mail it here!

                California LifeLine Administrator
                P.O. Box 8417 Westminster
                CA 92684-84174

To reach someone regarding your deadline date and PIN number, contact the California LifeLine Program Administrator:

                Phone Number: 1.877.858.7463
                TTY: 1.888.858.7889
                www.californialifeline.com/en/contact

For more information on renewing your California LifeLine service with TruConnect, go to www.truconnect.com/lifeline/CArenew or call 1.800.430.0443

Customer service is a great tool when you need a little extra help navigating our website, registering your wifi hotspot, or accessing account information. Although we love hearing from and helping our customers, we also want to empower them to do all that they can on their own! Some common wifi hotspot issues involve a dead battery, restarting the wifi hotspot, adding data, registering the wifi hotspot, or finding a good service location. Take our online assessment to see what is most likely the problem with your wifi hotspot.

Dead Battery
If your wifi hotspot will not turn on at all, the battery is most likely dead.

First, use your USB charging cable to charge the wifi hotspot. Simply plug the smaller end of the cable into the wifi hotspot and the larger end into a charging port. You can plug the USB directly into a computer to charge the device or connect it to the wall adapter and plug it into a wall outlet. Allow the wifi hotspot four to five hours to charge before trying to use it.

After giving the wifi hotspot time to charge, if it is still not working, call customer service. There may be a problem with the battery or the hotspot.

Restart Your WiFi Hotspot
When a wifi hotspot freezes, glitches, or acts strangely, restarting the device to the factory settings may help. Sometimes technology products can get overheated and a refresh can set it back on track. This is always a great idea to try before calling customer service! Sometimes, simply turning it off and then on again will solve the problem. If it doesn’t, then you would have to reset your wifi hotspot.

Follow the easy steps on this blog to reset your device.

You will be able to locate a pin hole on the wifi hotspot either on the side or by the battery pack. Inserting a paperclip into this hole and pressing down will reset your device.

Add Data
A working wifi hotspot will stop connecting to the internet when it runs out of data. If you have used your wifi hotspot before with no problem and suddenly you cannot connect to the internet or our business page pops up, you may be out of data.

You should receive an email before you run out of data, so make sure to add us to your contacts list and check your spam folder! To avoid running out of data in the future, invest in a monthly plan so that you get more data at the beginning of each month.

We also offer Forever Data, data that never expires. As long as your account is active and in good standing in the most recent 60 days, the Forever Data you purchase remains yours until you have actually used it all.

Register Your WiFi Hotspot
A new wifi hotspot must be registered before it will allow you to connect to internet service. The wifi hotspot should come with enough data so that you can connect to wi-fi and register. If the registration page does not pop up after you connect to the wi-fi network, you may need to located an alternate wi-fi source and register the device first.

During the registration process you will be able to make an account that will allow you to keep track of your data, monthly plan, and more!

No Service
Wifi hotspots work on a broadband 4g lte or 3g network. If you are in a location that does not have cellular or wi-fi service, such as a national park, you will not be able to connect and get wireless internet. TruConnect and Internet on the Go provide nationwide coverage. Check the coverage map before traveling to ensure that you will have service:

TruConnect Wireless Coverage Map


Internet on the Go Coverage Wireless Coverage Map

Call Customer Service
Unfortunately our Hotspot Doctor assessment is unable to detect every possible issue. If you have taken the exam and tried the recommended solution with no success, please call the customer service team for additional assistance. Check out our recent blog post on preparing yourself for customer service.

To speak with a TruConnect customer service representative at one of the most affordable internet service providers around, call 1.800.430.0443!

En TruConnect, siempre estamos buscando maneras de mejorar nuestro servicio inalámbrico con productos y planes económicos como datos móviles y 4G LTE smartphones para todos. Ofrecemos un servicio de teléfono móvil subsidiado por el gobierno, el programa se llama California LifeLine. Trabajano juntos con el programa de California LifeLine, somos capaces de ofrecer descuentos en servicios de teléfono inalámbrico y datos móviles a los que califican.Vamos a ver si cumple con los requisitos!  Siga leyendo para ver si usted podría reducir su factura mensual de teléfono móvil o incluso obtener un celular gratis! Y si no, entonces tal vez alguien que usted conose podria beneficiarse de este servicio.

¿Por qué California LifeLine?
Adoptamos el servicio California LifeLine en Enero de 2014 a través de la Comisión de Servicios Públicos de California (CPUC), la implementación de los servicios básicos para satisfacer las necesidades de comunicación cambiantes de las familias de bajo recursos. Un agradecimiento especial al Ex Presidente Ronald Reagan y la administración para la creación del programa Lifeline para ayudar a los consumidores reducir el costo de sus facturas de teléfono.
 

Pero adoptar el programa California LifeLine, ¿por qué?
Porque creemos que todo el mundo merece el acceso a servicios de comunicación accesibles, particularmente quando gran parte de la vida moderna depende en el acceso de Wi-Fi y también – por supuesto  a ayudar a la comunidad de Los Ángeles . Con la ayuda de la CPUC y nuestros esfuerzos, familias elegibles tienen la opción de inscribirse en planes de servicio inalámbrico de descuento que incluyen llamadas y texts. Planes de servicio inalámbrico a precio reducido, aquí vamos!

En asociación con la CPUC, los hogares elegibles en California son capaces de mantenerse en contacto con familiares y amigos, o tener acceso a servicios vitales en línea como bancario electrónico, recursos médicos y de salud, programas educativos y de empleo o a buscar trabajo.

La conectividad es clave
Un día escuché a nuestro presidente y co-ceo Nathan Johnson en una llamada con el diario Los Angeles Business Journal , cuando le oí decir , "La conectividad es clave", y desde entonces sus palabras he pegado en mi cabeza. Natahn tiene razón.  En un mundo donde la mayoría de nosotros estamos en contacto a través de correo electrónico , llamadas telefónicas , mensajes de texto y con redes sociales el poder de comunicarse con alguien esta en nuestro bolsillo; no importa en donde estas, alguien se esta conectando a otras personas utilizand los servicios de teléfono o de datos inalámbricos.

Vamos a Empezar
Con la ayuda de la CPUC podemos ofrecer servicio de California LifeLine para todos los que califiquen, y créanme, esto se trata de muchos de nosotros.  Creo que somos una de las pocas empresas realmente tratando de ayudar a nuestros consumidores porque trabajamos duro a publicar y llamar atención a este programa del gobierno de teléfonos gratis y otros programas que beneficien a la mayoría de las familias de bajos recursos en California y en todo el país. Por lo tanto, vamos a empezar por aprender acerca de la información sobre la evaluación de California LifeLine.

Hay dos formas de calificar:

Método 1 para calificar: Basado en Programas
Calificas para el descuento California LifeLine si tú, u otro miembro de tu familia, está actualmente inscrito en cualquiera de los siguientes programas de asistencia pública. (solo para nombrar unos pocos… de muchos!):

• Medicaid / Medi-Cal (sin Medicare)
• Seguridad de Ingreso Suplementario: SSI
• Mujeres, Bebés, y Niños (WIC)
• Programa Nacional de Almuerzos Escolares (NSLP)

Método 2 para calificar: Basado en Ingresos
También puedes calificar si los ingresos totales anuales por hogar son iguales o menores a los siguientes requisitos de ingresos.

Tamaño de Hogar            Límite de Ingreso Anual
1-2 personas                   $25,700
3 personas                      $29,900
4 personas*                     $36,200
*Añade $6,300 adicionales por cada miembro adicional de tu hogar. Válido del 6/1/15 to 5/31/16.

Es importante presentar documentación de sus ingresos para calificar. La siguiente es una lista de lo que se considera prueba aceptable de ingresos.

• Declaraciones de Ingresos (talones de cheque): Estos deben ser de 3 meses consecutivos en los últimos 12 meses.
• Declaraciones de Beneficios: Desde la Oficina de Seguro Social, Administración de Veteranos, jubilación o pensión, compensación laboral, o Compensación de Desempleo.
• Documentos de Pensión Alimenticia y Manutención de Menores.
• Declaración de Impuestos Federal, Estatal o Tribales: La primera página de la declaración del año anteriro:
  
  • ESTADO: 540, 540A, 540 2EZ, 540NR, 540X
  • FEDERAL: 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 140SS, 1040X

Si usted califica para un teléfono móvil de Lifeline, los beneficios solo duran un año calendario, y después usted tendrá que renovar el servicio. Asi que asegúrese de renovar sus beneficios antes de que se termine su plan.  Al hacerlo, usted recibirá un formulario de renovación por correo, proporcionando un nuevo número PIN. Cuando recibas el PIN, debe demostrar su elegibilidad una vez más, así como lo hizo cuando usted aplico por primera vez.

¿Cómo puedo evitar la descalificación?
Una vez que usted califica para el programa de Lifeline, debe seguir las instrucciones establecidas en el programa. A no hacerlo resultará en la descalificación.

• Cumplir con todas las fechas de vencimiento: Cuando se acepta su solicitud inicial (o formulario de renovación posterior), habrá una fecha de vencimiento que se encuentra en el formulario de solicitud y el formulario de renovación.
• Completa todas las formas con cuidado: Si usted presenta una solicitud o renovación incompleta, se le enviará una forma nueva, y el proceso de solicitud o renovación comienza de nuevo.

¿Cómo puedo evitar descalificación?
Hay varias razones que una persona podría ser descalificada de el programa de Lifeline. Por ejemplo:

• Presentación de formas incompletas, sin firma
• Inelegible debido al nivel de ingresos
• Se perdió la fecha de vencimiento
• No se presentó documentación apropiada de ingresos

Tenga cuidado al llenar su formularios, y asegúrese de que no se le pasé su plazo!

¿Qué sucede si estoy descalificado?
Si usted está descalificado del programa LifeLine, no recibirá los descuentos y vas a comenzar el pago de una tarifa normal para su servicio móvil.

Nuevo Camino
Con el nuevo año, empezamos con un nuevo inicio! El programa California LifeLine puede ser una línea de vida que proporciona gran alivio financiero a muchas familias de bajo ingresos. ¿Cuál es la trampa, usted puede decir? No hay trampa. Sólo tienes que calificar, y no se preocupe - nosotros tenemos una gran red 4G LTE. Si usted no califica, ayudar a un amigo o miembro de la familia ya que estoy seguro que apreciarán esta ayuda durante todo el año.

Manténgase conectado mis amigos y Feliz Año Nuevo!

Para obtener más información sobre el programa California LifeLine de TruConnect, por favor visite http://www.truconnect.com/lifeline/ o llámenos al 1-800-430-0443.

Text messages and phone calls are the base of smartphones, but utilizing your cell phone to make your life easier and more fun is really the best part of having a smartphone! There are so many incredible mobile apps on the market right now, and we know many of these by name like Instagram, Uber, or your bank’s online banking app. What about the lesser known smartphone apps that can impact our lives, but we never have a chance to discover? We previously created a blog on "10 Apps to Make Your Life Easier", and now I want to introduce some of the best, most fun apps we have come across since then!

Periscope

Periscope launched in March and has quickly become the number 1 livestreaming app. According to the description listed in the iTunes store, “Periscope lets you broadcast live video to the word”. It is similar to Snapchat except the videos can be longer and you can replay them later. It is pretty incredible to see live videos from around the world. Although there are many streaming apps out there already such as the well-known YouTube, Periscope allows watchers to leave real-time comments that can influence the broadcast. Users can chat through comments, and for example, ask the broadcaster to maybe show more of the concert, pan over to the sunset, or explain how they made the delicious meal that is being shown! We expect to see great success in the future for Periscope, especially since it is now owned by Twitter.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a semi-popular text message app that was purchased by Facebook in 2014.  WhatsApp offers fast and reliable SMS replacement, meaning you can send and receive text messages with no need for wireless internet. This app is extremely beneficial to travelers. It can also benefit users in countries where mobile broadband is too expensive and considered unaffordable; according to techcrunch 93% of the Brazilian internet population uses WhatsApp, which benefits the youth and poor who cannot afford the country’s expensive wireless internet. 

Shazam

Shazam is a music-identification app that relies on the iPhone’s built-in microphone and captures a 10-second clip of any song in order to identify the title and musician. Shazam is a known mobile app that is often forgotten, but is the best smartphone app when you are dying to know what song is playing on the radio or in a store or bar. The app can recognize songs, help you discover more about the song such as the music video or lyrics, share your songs, and even purchase the track from the Windows Store. Recently the mobile app has been improved to include more artists and songs making it easy to add your favorite songs to your ever-growing music library.

OpenTable

OpenTable is an online real-time restaurant-reservation service. It provides online reservations for about 31,000 restaurants around the world and seats about 15 million diners each month. The app makes it easy to find a restaurant with availability and make a reservation, which can make eating out at the last minute infinitely easier. Users can even pay using the app through Apple Pay or by adding their credit card information to the smartphone app. When using the app, the restaurant employees never receive your credit card number or see your personal information. If users own an Apple Watch, they can choose to be notified of upcoming reservations and be given directions to the restaurant through the Apple Watch platform. Basically, if you are the kind of person that prefers limited social contact, especially over the phone with strangers, OpenTable may be one of the most useful apps.

Slice

Slice is a wonderful app that pairs well with anyone who is an avid online shopper. The mobile app analyzes emails that you receive to hunt for order information and organizes your purchases into one place providing you with easy access to tracking information, purchase history, and it even has a price-drop tracking feature. The price-drop feature works by notifying you when an item you purchased drops in price or is recalled. This is especially useful when ordering from companies that honor price adjustments for items that are marked down within a short time from your date of purchase.

Evernote Scannable

Evernote Scannable is the type of app that you would never think to download until you absolutely need it and come to realize its importance. This powerful app scans documents or images using your phone’s camera and turns them into legible, scanned items to store in your Evernote account or share with other people. The app focuses on speed and quality by digitizing documents at an impressive rate, which is increasingly useful as many companies and people choose a more green lifestyle and prefer email or digital copies over paper copies. This type of app seriously comes in handy when you have to send a scanned copy of your photo ID or signed documents.

PackPoint Packing List Travel Companion

PackPoint Packing List Travel Companion may have a lengthy name, but it lives up to it. This little app is a superior travel companion because it makes packing and being prepared that much easier. Simply input your vacation or travel plans including the destination, duration, and activities. PackPoint will even check the weather to assist you in packing for your best trip yet! The app will not only assist you in packing everything for your trip, but also it helps you keep an organized list to reference before leaving or before heading home. The organized system will help you feel more at ease when packing for your next destination.  A seriously powerful addition to your road trip planner and vacations allowing you to focus on planning personal or family vacations without the anxiety of packing.

PepperPlate

Pepperplate is an incredibly easy-to-use app that makes meal planning and grocery shopping simple and fun! This app allows you to find recipes online or enter them manually, "Creating recipes is straightforward, with Pepperplate supplying all the right fields to fill in: title, yield, ingredients, instructions, active time, total time, source, and so forth. Adding a picture of your dish is as simple as uploading it from your iPad." (Heavy.com) I personally love the ability to find recipes online. By going through Pepperplate.com, you can search available recipes on many different cooking websites and instantly add them to your recipe book. Pepperplate does the work for you. Once you select the recipes you want to make that week, the app puts the ingredients into your shopping list and you can check them off one by one while at the grocery store. Be more adventurous with meals and never forget an important ingredient again!

Duolingo

Duolingo is the app that makes learning a new language easier. The app uses different learning techniques mixing games, speaking, writing, and reading; using proven techniques, Duolingo makes learning and maintaining a new language less daunting. I took Spanish is high school and college, but cannot speak it fluently. Duolingo has been a great help refreshing my memory and keeping me active. The app is free and it will keep you coming back with reminders- if you forget to practice, the app will swiftly get you back on track. This language-learning app has become so popular that even billionaire Bill Gates decided to try the app versus hiring a private tutor. If you've ever wanted to learn a new language or brush up on one you already know, Duolingo is an easy and interactive way to improve those language skills!

Square Cash

 Square Cash is a payment app that definitely comes in handy if you split rent, bills, or even just the check at your favorite restaurant. Similar to other payment apps, Square Cash uses a secure system and you won't worry about entering your credit card information. I love that using my iPhone 6 means that I can use my secure touch ID to access the app. The app is incredibly easy to use, "Users input an amount of money, press the send button, and enter the email address of the person they want to receive the cash." Square Cash has a few competitors, but my favorite part about using this app in particular is that the cash is immediately deposited into my account. I would hate having to wait 3-5 business days on a rent payment when the rent is due in 3 days! This convenient app has revolutionized payments.

                                                              •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •
These apps are some of the best smartphone apps out there right now, and we want you to know about them! Many of the apps are accessible on iPhones and Andriod Phones and many are available for free.

Remember that many of these mobile apps (if not all) use data! So, whether or not you are running on 4g wireless or 3g, it is important to connect to cheap wireless internet or use your mobile hotspot when spending an extended amount of time on the app. This is especially important to remember if wireless providers charge a fee if you go over your monthly data limit. Be sure to check how much data you need and find cheap wifi plans!

Tech jargon seems to be expanding at a never ending pace these days. 3G, 4G, now even 5G. LTE, GSM, CDMA etc. What does it all mean and why should I care? Believe it or not, each of these terms has an interesting backstory and a concrete meaning. For today, let’s dig into the difference between MiFi and WiFi.

First, what is a mobile hotspot?

Many of you likely found your way here while researching whether to buy a mobile hotspot. A mobile hotspot, as you may know, is a portable device that provides wireless internet access for many devices including laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc. One way to think of it is as a compact, battery powered WiFi station that taps into cellular networks like a smartphone does and then wirelessly shares its data connection with other WiFi enabled devices, as many as ten at a time.

Some people may ask, why would I want a mobile hotspot when I can just tether to my smartphone and use it as a hotspot? The answer to that depends on how heavily you travel, who your mobile carrier is, and the data plan you have. Some of the reasons to use a hotspot include not running out of data on your phone’s plan, sparing your phone’s battery, reliably tethering multiple devices, fewer signal drops or throttling of your connection, not having to choose between data and voice (so you can make and receive calls), and the ability to choose your carrier based on where you are.

Wait, back up, what is WiFi again?

Simply put, WiFi is a wireless networking standard that various devices use to communicate with each other without actual wires connecting them. If you have a device that has or is WiFi compatible, it can wirelessly interact with other WiFi compatible devices. For example, your smartphone has a WiFi chip inside that lets you connect to a mobile hotspot. The same goes for your hotspot, laptop, or tablet or other WiFi enabled device.

So now tell me about MiFi

MiFi is actually a brand name used for a portable broadband device that allows multiple end users and mobile devices to share a 3G or 4G mobile broadband internet connection and create an ad hoc network, i.e. a mobile hotspot. Novatel Wireless owns a registered trademark on the “MiFi” brand name in many countries. According to Wikipedia, Novatel has never offered an official explanation for the origins of the name MiFi, but it is likely short for Mobile WiFi, though some think MiFi stands for “my WiFi”. Although MiFi devices are manufactured by Novatel, the name is often used as a generic label for any device that can function as a WiFi hotspot.

Now, about the difference between MiFi and WiFi…

Simply put, the main difference between WiFi and MiFi is that MiFi is actually an internet device that has WiFi built in to it, while WiFi is a wireless networking standard. A MiFi device can be connected to a cellular network and provide internet access for up to ten devices. You can call a MiFi a modem or even a router, as it has both components, but it really is a brand name mobile hotspot.

 In fact, MiFi doesn’t just support the WiFi standard, they also support mobile data technologies such as 3G or 4G LTE. That’s why a MiFi device can pick up mobile data from your telecom provider. A MiFi device consists of two main parts, the modem and the WiFi router. The modem part supports 3G or 4G LTE and provides connectivity to next generation wireless devices, and the WiFi router part takes care of providing WiFi connectivity.

You’ll be happy to know that these days there are a wide variety of mobile hotspots available from all manner of manufacturers. Checkout some of TruConnect and Internet on the Go’s budget friendly offerings!

How did this all start?
We would like to share with you a little about our company history. Matthew and Nathan Johnson took full control of TruConnect Mobile in 2011, and shortly thereafter acquired Telscape Communications and Sage Telecom Inc. The three companies each brought diverse offerings to the table: Sage Telecom provided bundled phone service and dial-up internet. TruConnect Mobile offered Pay As You Go data service, and Telscape provided phone, plus high-speed internet along with California Lifeline services. Under Matthew and Nathan’s leadership, the three companies were joined together and rebranded as TruConnect in late 2014. Recognizing the need for affordable wireless services, we grew to add mobile phones, smartphones, WiFi hotspots and Pay As You Go phone plans. Then we took off, in a small way at first, and a much bigger way over time.

Expansion
Since then we have grown to locations in California, Dallas, and finally nationwide. We even have much of our IT and customer support set up in India! By drawing on a large network of telecom experts globally, we really can deliver the right support for your wireless needs. But the reason why we continue to grow is a result of trying to serve the needs of our customers first and foremost. We acknowledge the world is different than ever before, technology is ever changing and taking over more and more of our lives, and we’re here to help with your wireless solutions!

Wireless Lifestyle Champion
Trust us, we don’t want anyone to be committed to paying a $100 phone bill every month. That’s why we offer plans starting at $25 per month, contract-free. We work hard to serve the consumer market by offering low-cost wireless services to serve vital, practical needs like staying in contact with family and friends, downloading and using mobile apps, and having quick access to emergency services. Think of us as your wireless lifestyle champion for your wireless needs and your wireless devices including WiFi hotspots, Pay As You Go mobile plans, and smartphones.

Looking Ahead
Whilst in this internet age of information overload, we know there are plenty of great tech blogs to choose from. Reading our weekly wireless blog will help you stay informed about the changing wireless landscape, discover valuable how-to's and help guides, and keep up to date about what’s best for you with telecom and internet services. Our philosophy is to provide you with wireless services that give the best bang for your buck. The future is bright for us, and we look forward to challenging the big guys while staying one step ahead of the market. The journey is challenging, but over time we have prospered through valuable partnerships, great team members, and loyal customers. We look forward to unveiling new products and deals and working together to keep everyone connected!

Here at TruConnect we consider it part of our mission to inform our customers about the wireless technology that is such a vital part of their lives and communication needs. It can be hard to keep up sometimes with all the tech jargon we come across. There are a variety of technological terms thrown around the telecom world these days that the average consumer has a glancing at best understanding of. How is 4G different than 3G, for example. 4G is faster, right? Well generally yes, but the 4G network of one carrier is not always faster than the 3G network of another. Backing up, the G is short for “generation”, with 4G networks introducing peak data rates of at least 100 megabits per second for users on the go (in cars, trains etc) and at least 1 gigabit per second for low mobility users (stationary or walking), compared to the relatively sloth-like 200 kilobits per second peak data transfer rates 3G brought to the world.

So what is 5G?

Just as we start to wrap our head around this terminology, we are seeing new headlines about the coming 5G technology. What does this mean and how will it affect me? In May 2013, Samsung announced they had successfully developed technology that will power the 5^th generation of mobile communications. This new technology will provide data transmission up to several hundred times faster than current 4G networks, they say. Nokia claims it has already tested a 5G connection with download speeds of 30 gigabits per second, which is 1,000 times more powerful than an average 4G connection. The real world likely won’t offer such speeds due to inconveniences like trees, buildings, and distant cell phone towers, but the industry is forecasting speeds at least 10 to 100 times faster than 4G.

5G is coming

Despite this promise, it has yet to be determined what 5G will actually be defined as in terms of capacity and performance. Bill Smith, President of AT&T’s Network Operations, says that 5G will likely be defined in 2018, and the standards for 5G will be codified in 2019 by the standards-setting International Telecommunication Union, which is part of the United Nations. The standard will define which wireless technologies can be called 5G and such qualities as how fast it will be. Per CNN, each of the four nationwide cell phone carriers, as well as smartphone chipmakers and the major network equipment companies are working on developing 5G technology for their customers.

Who’s rolling it out first?

This seems to be setting up some of the major players for a little competition as well. AT&T only recently revealed its 5G plans, saying they aim to field test its 5G network in Austin, TX before the end of this year. Verizon jumped the gun last year with its announcement that they plan to start rolling out 5G by 2017, years earlier than industry experts predicted.  AT&T claims that this is premature as the standards for what constitutes 5G won’t even be set until 2018. This hasn’t stopped them from announcing that they are working with Ericsson and Intel and will begin testing 5G in a lab this spring before outdoor testing begins later this year.



What will 5G offer me?

The true benefits of 5G won’t really start happening until around 2020 for most of us, according to guests on the CTIA wireless association panel. In addition to faster speeds for basics like texting, internet access, and video, it is expected that 5G will support next generation technologies like Ultra HD and 3D video, virtual reality, self-driving cars, robotics, as well as the coming wave of smart home devices and even smart cities. Sports fans could get real time feeds of games or concerts and even switch camera angles or get instant replay. Self-driving cars will need to communicate with the cloud to receive instructions with near zero lag, and 5G will go a long way towards supporting this. 5G will enable virtual reality users to collaborate with one another as if they are in the same physical location with no distortion. The future of medicine may change as surgical procedures are performed by wirelessly controlled robots, powered by 5G of course.

When it comes to 5G, it seems the sky’s the limit. The good news for smartphone customers is that although existing smartphones won’t support newer standards, new smartphones are almost always backwards compatible so your new 5G phone of the future will still work on those old fashioned 4G networks you might be unfortunate enough to stumble across 5 years from now. TruConnect looks forward to providing you with the best affordable 5G phones when they hit the market!

TruConnect is now selling the sleek Novatel MiFi2 hotspot bundled with unique, affordable data packages. Running on our 4G LTE network with crazy-fast speeds, this mobile hotspot is sleek and sophisticated, and more interactive than any hotspot we've sold in the past. This new wifi hotspot has a bright touchscreen with 11 different options that help you understand and customize your new 4G LTE mobile hotspot experience:

By clicking the “WiFi” icon, you can see your network name, password, and security information. After powering your hotspot on for the first time, you will need this information to log onto the network with your wifi-enabled tablet, computer, or phone. Having the information displayed on-screen also makes it easier to let friends connect.



The “Connected Devices” icon will show you the number of devices connected to your wifi hotspot and what devices are connected. Another great feature of this hotspot is the “Data Usage” icon. This feature allows you to set data usage alerts and pick your own cycle start date. Pick an alert level so that the hotspot will notify you when you are getting low on data!

“Settings” has a lot of important options that you should definitely check out. In the “settings” section, you can:

• Enable Airplane Mode
• Disable Cellular Data Usage
• Enable International Roaming
• Switch between 3G, 4G, LTE, or set it to automatically pick the best option
• Change your screen timeout
• Adjust screen brightness
• Enable sound alerts
• Adjust your wifi range (this feature can save battery power)
• Switch to USB mode when directly plugged into a device
• Change language
• The “Mifi Media Center” can be accessed if you purchase a MicroSD card to use with your mobile hotspot. You can store videos, photos, and music on the MicroSD card and then use the “Mifi Media Center” to access the data on the card.
• Your new hotspot can also receive text messages! Visit the “Messages” icon to see new messages.
• File sharing can be used with a MicroSD card. This will allow you to share files from your MicroSD card to compatible devices like your computer or phone.
• The “GPS” icon will allow you to share your location information with connected devices that do not have their own GPS.
• “WPS” (Wifi Protected Setup) easily and securely connects wifi devices to your hotspot.
• Before calling customer service, you can access the “Customer Support” icon to see your device information. This will be important as customer service will need to know this information.
• The “About” icon will take you to see your current device status, device information, and any available software updates.

The new Novatel MiFi 2 hotspot is available for $59, which is 40% off of the retail price! We're featuring 4 unique and highly affordable data packages with the Novatel:

• $5/mo for 200 MB of Data
• $15/mo for 1 GB of Data
• $30/mo for 2 GB of Data
• $40/mo for 3 GB of Data

We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to try this new device at a discounted rate alongside our new and improved data plan options!

With continued emphasis on providing a great customer experience, TruConnect has created an innovative new ExpressPay website where customers can easily and securely add data to their existing mobile hotspot or phone, or activate a new one. This new website allows customers to quickly select a data top-up option and pay by credit card or data refill card whenever they need to add data to or activate their phone or mobile hotspot.

TruConnect and Internet on the Go devices will now automatically re-direct to the ExpressPay website when users run out of data or turn on a brand new device they purchased from www.truconnect.com or www.internet-go.com. Focusing on convenience and user experience, the new ExpressPay website recognizes both TruConnect and Internet on the Go (a TruConnect brand) devices, offering customers a branded online experience where they can select among a variety of data refill options, paying by either credit card or a previously purchased data refill card. If the device is not recognized or a customer navigates directly to the ExpressPay website, customers can simply enter their phone number, hotspot MEID number, or SIM card number (for GSM devices) to access the page’s services.

“The beauty of our new ExpressPay site is that customers never need to spend time looking up and navigating to a website (hard to do when you’re out of data) or spending time on the phone trying to reach a live agent just to get back on the internet. Our new customer focused site is designed to take care of that for you with a beautifully simple user experience.” says TruConnect Sr. Product Manager Jim Lukowitsch. Indeed, ExpressPay is configured so that a user can utilize its services even when they have exhausted their remaining data.

The ExpressPay website provides a secure portal where TruConnect and Internet on the Go users can quickly add data and return to their online activities. ExpressPay can be accessed by visiting refill.truconnect.com. Next, we are planning to add an option to sign up for or change monthly recurring data plans, so a user can subscribe and truly never run out of data!

With the recent launch of ExpressPay, a data refill and device activation website, TruConnect continues to focus on its mission of serving the underserved community by working with Qpay, now known as InComm Agent Solutions, to offer customers a cash option to purchase Data Refills. Qpay is the industry leader in efficient payment processing solutions for customers without access to credit. TruConnect customers can now visit various Qpay locations in California and use cash to purchase Data Refill Cards.

The ExpressPay website allows TruConnect customers to easily and efficiently purchase Data Refills for their smartphones or other wireless devices as soon as they run out of data. Even with the immediate success of this new platform, TruConnect continues to strive for solutions that serve all customers, including those who prefer to use cash or those without access to credit. Lifeline customers are especially likely to use cash because many are without bank accounts, and TruConnect seeks to break through this barrier by teaming with Qpay to keep these customers connected.

“TruConnect values our customers and is consistently looking for ways to make our wireless offering the best value for them,” Patrick Rail, VP of Retail. “A cash option for Data Refills provides customers the needed services and convenience that they deserve.”

Once their purchased data is used up, TruConnect customers are redirected to the ExpressPay site from their smartphones and hotspots to refill their data directly online. With the launch of the QPay-TruConnect collaborative, customers now have the option to locate a nearby Qpay store location to conveniently purchase mobile data refill cards with cash so they can pay for their data refills.

To better serve their customers, TruConnect, the leading low cost telecom provider, has created international calling plans customers can easily add to their existing monthly plans as well as International Refills to add more minutes. Better yet, international calling is now available to Lifeline customers as well. TruConnect’s demographic research shows that a significant portion of their customer base is Hispanic. Now the bulk of their customers will be able to contact family members and friends back at home in 80+ countries at low and affordable rates.

To promote the launch of International Long Distance plans, TruConnect is including a free $2 international credit in all monthly plans that include unlimited talk and text. This means that Lifeline customers get the benefit of free international calling as well as unlimited talk and text that goes along with their Monthly Plan. TruConnect is the first telecom company to provide free international calling to Lifeline customers. This $2 credit is applicable in select countries land and cell, and is used at the advertised rate per minute.

TruConnect’s easy to add International Long Distance plans are offered as $5/mo. Unlimited Landline and Cell to Mexico and $10/mo. Unlimited Landline or Cell to Mexico, China, India, Brazil and 70+ more countries monthly plans as well as International Refills with entry points at $2, $5, and $10 to add minutes. This allows customers to only use what they need and purchase more if necessary. TruConnect believes its customers should only pay for what they use and our low entry price points support this. Other companies have high entry points starting at a minimum of $10 for additional minutes.

Because of TruConnect’s predominantly Hispanic customer base and the importance they place on communicating with their families living abroad, TruConnect has created Unlimited calling to Mexico for only $5/month and Unlimited calling worldwide to 80+ countries for only $10/month. TruConnect does not require a minimum plan in order to add this low cost service, which most other telecom companies do. With competitive per minute rates, customers can get 200 additional minutes talk time with Mexico for only $2, a particular benefit for our low income Lifeline customers, many of whom have relatives living in Mexico.

These International Long Distance plans are available now on TruConnect's ExpressPay site https://wg.truconnect.com/#/express.

TruConnect just launched online self-enrollment for Texas Lifeline applicants, allowing users to fully enroll for Lifeline free government phones including free talk and text service directly on our website. TruConnect Texas Lifeline customers receive a free feature phone including 300 minutes of monthly talk time with unlimited texts. Now applicants can go to http://www.truconnect.com/lifeline/freephone/texas/ and enter their Texas ZIP code to begin self-enrollment.

Once service availability is confirmed in their ZIP code, applicants begin the quick application. Applicants must have both proof of identity and either proof of participation in a federal or state qualifying program OR proof of income eligibility. These requirements are summarized on https://www.truconnect.com/lifeline/freephone/qualify-tx. Forms of proof must be uploaded to the website during enrollment, so applicants must have a digital copy of these documents on hand. These might be photos of the documents or digital versions.

Applicants first provide form information including name, address, last four of SSN, and email. Once this information is validated by the system, they read and click various disclosures indicating they understand the terms of the Texas Lifeline program. Upon completion of disclosures, applicants select a 4 digit PIN they must note down that allows them to access their account and communicate with TruConnect supports representatives if needed.

The next and final step is submission of identity and program or income proof images. Acceptable forms of identification are broad, with 15 options including:

• U.S. Driver’s License
• State ID, U.S. Passport
• Permanent Resident Card, Permanent Resident Alien Card
• U.S. Military ID Card, Birth Certificate
• Certificate of U.S. Citizenship, Certificate of Naturalization
• Weapons Permit
• Military Discharge Documentation
• Government Assistance Program Document
• Statement of Benefits from a qualifying program
• Unemployment/Worker’s compensation statement of benefits
• U.S. government, military, state issued-ID.

Acceptable program proof types depend on the qualifying program selected, they can include an Assistance Program Card, Letter of Participation, Other Letter of Participation, and Prior Year Statement of Benefits.

Eligible state and federal programs for Texas Lifeline service include:

• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FHPA) or Section 8
• Health Benefit Coverage under Child Health Plan (CHIP)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• National School Lunch Program's free lunch program (NSLP)
• State of Texas Access Reform (STAR)(Medicaid)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/Food Stamps/Food Assistance)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Texas Works , Cash Assistance, Choices (Texas Workforce Commission, TANF Work Program (TANF).

Qualifying income levels are met if your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. This means at or below $17,820 for a single person Texas household, $24,060 for two, $30,300 for three, $36,540 for four, and $42,780 for a five member Texas household. Add $6,240 for each additional member of your household.

Acceptable proof types for Income include:

• Income tax statements
• Pay stubs (3 consecutive months of statements)
• Social Security Statement of Benefits
• Veterans Administration Statement of Benefits
• Retirement/pension statement of benefits
• Unemployment or Worker’s Compensation statement of benefits
• Federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance (3 consecutive months of statements)
• Divorce Decree or Child Support Award.

If you don’t currently have copies of your program or income eligibility documentation, you may still submit your application through TruConnect, but you will need to follow up directly with TruConnect at compliance@truconnect.com with copies of your documents in order to finalize your application. In case you don't have access to digital copies, paper copies can be mailed to:

TruConnect Compliance
10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 700
Dallas TX 75231

Next applicants will see a copy of the application they are about to submit which may be downloaded for their own records. Finally Texas Lifeline applicants select their mobile service plan. Currently TruConnect offers a free monthly plan including 300 minutes of talk time with unlimited text. Upon submission of their order, TruConnect Texas Lifeline applicants will see a confirmation page with their order number which they should note down for future reference.

The next steps are validation and approval of their application by the Texas Lifeline Administrator. Once approved, TruConnect Texas Lifeline applicants can expect to receive their features phones in the mail in 4-7 days. All they need to do to activate their service is place a first call with the device!

On March 31, 2016 the Lifeline Modernization Order was approved by the Federal Communications Commission, effectively modernizing the Reagan-era program for the 21^st century. The new Order transforms the Lifeline program from a voice only subsidy to one that subsidizes high speed broadband, phases out voice only Lifeline service, imposes higher service standards, eases market entry for broadband providers, and transfers responsibility for verifying Lifeline eligibility of Lifeline applicants to a national database.

Why was this needed?

“This is a program that will meet the twenty-first century needs of those who are most worthy and could most benefit from connectivity and what the technological revolution has to offer,” said FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who led the Lifeline broadband expansion effort. The Lifeline program was originally created to subsidize phone service for low income people, but with the key role the internet plays in our economy, federal regulators have moved to extend the program to cover broadband access among other changes.

Indeed, of low income households (those earning less than $25,000) only 48% subscribe to broadband service per the 2013 US Census report. By comparison, 95% of those with incomes over $150,000 subscribe to broadband. Former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, a special advisor to Washington D.C. based public interest group Common Cause, called the Lifeline expansion “a giant leap forward” that will help “extend the awesome power of the internet to those who need it most. School children, jobseekers, the elderly and infirm in particular will all benefit.”

Here are some of the changes the Lifeline Modernization Order introduces:

• A $9.25 monthly household subsidy for broadband access
• Establishes a fixed minimum standard of 10 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads with a usage allowance of at least 150 GB
• Phases in a minimum mobile standard of 500 MB per month of 3G data, increasing to 2 GB by the end of 2018
• Establishes an inflation-adjusted annual budget of $2.25 billion for the program
• Phases out the voice-only subsidy beginning in December 2019 and eliminates it by December 2021 except in areas where there is only one Lifeline provider
• Establishes a National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier database to determine the eligibility of low income applicants to participate in the program
• Streamlines and reduces the number of federal and state programs used to determine Lifeline eligibility
• Creates a streamlined nationwide “Lifeline Broadband Provider” designation to increase competitive entry by broadband providers (including cable operators and ISPs), bypassing traditional state-by-state designation requirements
• Introduces other changes and refinements, including to non-usage rules and the annual recertification process, establishing a 12-month window for transferring broadband benefits, publishing subscriber counts, and creating new forms

When will this take effect?

The Lifeline Modernization Order was published in the Federal Register on May 24, making the effective date of the Order June 23, 2016. The majority of the rule changes will not take effect until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) certifies that the edits meet the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act. This includes changes to authorize Lifeline funding for broadband Internet access services and the minimum service requirements for Lifeline-supported voice and broadband services. The majority of the edits will not become effective until Dec. 1, 2016 at earliest, possibly later if the OMB approval comes after that date. A few of the changes will become effective immediately upon publication of the OMB approval, others 30 days after.

California and Texas residents who qualify may apply for the Lifeline benefit at TruConnect.

What is California LifeLine?
California LifeLine is a state program that provides discounted home phone and cell phone service to eligible households. TruConnect offers qualifying California residents a free Android smartphone with free unlimited talk & text and 100 MB of free data each month. Only one LifeLine discount is allowed per household.

So How do I Qualify?
There are two ways to qualify for the California LifeLine discount: 1) Program-Based and 2) Income-Based. Program-Based means that you have to be enrolled in a qualifying public-assistance program. These include the following:

• Medicaid/Medi-Cal
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8
• CalFresh, Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
• National School Lunch Program (NSL)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
• Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)
• Welfare-to-Work (WTW)
• Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN)
• Tribal TANF
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

For Income-Based qualification your household’s total annual gross income must be at or lower than these annual income levels:

• 1-2 Household Members - $25,900
• 3 Household Members - $30,100
• 4 Household Members - $36,500
• Each Additional Member – add $6,400

How do I prove Eligibility?
To prove eligibility for California LifeLine based on program participation, you must have copies of the following documents available to mail in the Pink Lifeline enrollment envelope, or have originals to bring into a store or to meet a TruConnect agent:

• Identification card or number from a qualifying assistance program
• Statement of benefits from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or a qualifying assistance program
• Notice of eligibility or decision letter of participation from a qualifying assistance program
• Other official documents

If you don’t have the originals available to make copies of at your local Kinkos or Fedex, you may contact the program administrator and request that they mail you replacement copies.

To prove Income-Based eligibility, you may provide copies any of the following Income-Based types of proof:

• Front page of prior year’s state (540, 540A, 540 2EZ, 540NR, or 540X), federal (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 1040SS, 0r 1040X0, or tribal tax return
• Income statements or paycheck stubs for 3 consecutive months within the previous 12 months
• Statement of benefits from Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement/pension, Unemployment Compensation, Worker’s Compensation, and/or a qualifying assistance program
• Alimony and/or child support documents
• Other official documents

Remember, household income includes, but is not limited to: wages, salaries, interest, dividends, alimony and child support, grants, gifts, allowances, stipends, lottery winnings, inheritances, worker’s compensation, unemployment and public assistance benefits, social security payments, pensions, rental income, income from self-employment, cash payments from other sources, and all employment-related non-cash income.

What Do I Do Next?
At TruConnect we give California LifeLine applicants 3 options to apply for the California LifeLine benefit once they have all required proof documents available.

1) Customers can apply by mail at https://www.truconnect.com/freephone/program-income and receive a Pink envelope to mail their proof documents in.

2) Customers can select a local TruConnect store to visit at http://www.truconnect.com/lifeline/freephone/stores/california and apply and if approved walk out with a free Android smartphone and phone service with data.

3) Customers can fill out the TruConnect California LifeLine form at http://www.truconnect.com/freephone/program-income and select the "Hand Deliver by a Sales Agent" option to have one of TruConnect’s agents contact them and arrange a meeting to process the application.

What if I get Stuck?
TruConnect’s customer service representatives are standing by to assist you with any questions or walk you through applying for the California LifeLine free government cell phones and free cell service benefit to receive your lifeline phone. We can be reached by phone at 1-800-430-0443 or by email at customercare@truconnect.com. We look forward to being your California LifeLine provider for years to come and helping you out with this life line of a service!

New TruConnect customers and current customers who have had accounts for at least six months can now get a refurbished Apple iPhone 4s for just $50 at a TruConnect retail store. The hottest smartphone brand could be yours at the most affordable price on the market when you sign up for California LifeLine, or you can choose from three different Android smartphones at no cost. 

 
·  3.5” Display
·  640x960 Resolution
·  16GB Storage
·  8MP camera at 1080p
·  512MB RAM
·  Apple A5 Processor
·  FaceTime Video-calling
·  Bluetooth 2.1
  

California LifeLine is the most affordable way to email, text, surf the web, and more on the world’s most popular smartphone, and new qualifying customers get Unlimited Talk & Text and $2 int’l call credit (that’s 200 minutes to Mexico). To get your iPhone 4s today, visit one of the retail locations listed below.

Participating Retail Locations:

Panorama City Mall

8401 Van Nuys Boulevard, #80
Panorama City, CA 91402

Huntington Park

6906 Pacific Blvd,
Huntington Park CA 90255

Chula Vista Center Mall

555 Broadway Ave #1002,
Chula Vista CA 91910

The hassle of learning the ins and outs of a new phone can be a headache when switching to a new mobile carrier. With TruConnect’s Bring Your Own Device there’s no need to waste time transferring your favorite music, photos, videos, and apps to a different device or suffering the aggravation of some of the things you loved about your phone being lost along the way. Keep the phone you already know and experience TruConnect faster!            

New Pay-As-You-Go Mobile Plan and California LifeLine customers can simply bring their current device to a TruConnect Agent or to a local retail location and see if it passes a quick sim-compatibility test. If it passes, customers are ready for the more affordable experience of the TruConnection without having to get used to a new device. If it doesn’t pass, that’s ok. The Bring Your Own Device offer may not be available for all handset models due to network compatibility and device security exclusions. We also have affordable device options available, and a selection of free Android Smartphones when customers qualify for California LifeLine. 

If you own it, TruConnect it.

Call 1.800.430.0443 to find the agent or retail location nearest you.

Whether you're on-the-go or surfing the web at home, the battery life of our smartphones is crucial for us to stay connected. Here are some tips for Android users to keep that battery going and going.  

Display Brightness

This first one is probably pretty widely-known. The brighter your phone is, the more juice that’s being wasted. Even having auto-brightness set can have a negative effect on your battery (and possibly your eyes), so decide what level of brightness is best for you depending on the lighting. 

App Notifications 

Notifications are handy (and dandy) but not all of them are entirely necessary. Information from apps that you rarely use, or apps that send you the most notifications (like those pesky Instagram Likes) might be best turned off, especially when battery is running low.

Vibrate Mode

Keeping your phone on silent when in meetings, class, or movie theaters makes vibrate the best solution so that you never miss a moment, but these constant vibrations take a toll on your battery fairly quickly. I'm sure those messages can wait. 

Power-Saving Mode

While putting your device into a built-in power-saving mode 24/7 would definitely take away from the incredible features that you love about your phone, turning it on when battery is getting low could give you those few extra moments until you can get to a charger.

Auto-Lock Time

This one may be surprising. Auto-lock is a great feature for those of us who may forget to turn our phone’s screen off completely when not in use, but setting this feature to the shortest time possible will be a life saver.

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Not currently near Wi-Fi? Not using a Bluetooth device? Simply turn these radio features off in Settings and give your battery a break.

Temperature

California residents understand the annoyance of a hot phone, but keeping your phone in a cool place can actually save you some much-needed battery life. Once your device crosses into the 90 degree territory, the battery takes a hit.

Secondary Battery

A second battery can sometimes be a bit costly, but it’s a great decision for those of us that are constantly on the go. There are also a ton of battery cases out there to choose from for that quick refill. 

Close Background Apps

This may be a no-brainer as well, but this may be the most important one. If you're not using it, why let it eat away at your battery life? Apps that are not currently in use can be easily switched off, or try rebooting your device periodically to give your battery a fresh start. 

Delete Battery-Killing Apps 

If saving battery power is one of your top priorities, maybe saying goodbye to those apps that are sucking your battery dry is the right decision. Whether it’s a powerful app, or an app that's built improperly, go into your phone’s settings to see which of your apps need to get the chop. Ok, maybe not Facebook. 

TruConnect’s Free Lifeline plans now include more data for California and Texas Customers

New California customers that sign up and are approved for TruConnect’s California LifeLine can now get up to 1GB of data every month when they bring their own device for even more email, web browsing, music streaming, and social media. New Texas customers that sign up and are approved for Texas Lifeline can now get 100MB of data (plus a 400MB bonus)! Customers can also continue to enjoy the benefits of Unlimited Talk & Text and a $2 int’l call credit with their new California LifeLine plan, and Texas customer can enjoy 100 minutes of Talk and Unlimited Text! 

Lifeline PLUS

For even more data, Lifeline customers have the opportunity to upgrade their existing plans so that they can enjoy more of what they love. California LifeLine customers can upgrade to Unlimited Talk & Text with 1.5GB of data for only $10, and can upgrade to 3GB of data for only $20. Texas Lifeline customers can get Unlimited Talk & Text and 100MB of data (plus a 400MB bonus) for $15, 1.5GB of data for $25, and 3GB for $35.

Pay-As-You-Go

Those who do not qualify for TruConnect’s Lifeline Program can still get the benefits of TruConnect at an affordable price. New customers have the following options for TruConnect’s Pay-As-You-Go plans:

Unlimited Texting - $5/month

100 Minutes, Unlimited Text, 500MB of Data - $10/month

Unlimited Talk & Text with 100MB of Data - $25/month

Unlimited Talk & Text with 1.5GB of Data - $35/month

Unlimited Talk & Text with 3GB of Data - $45/month

For more information on California and Texas Lifeline’s, eligibility requirements, and full terms and conditions, please visit http://www.truconnect.com/freephone/program-income. 

Did the Lifeline Free Government Phone Program Just Change?

Recently the FCC ruled on petitions filed by a number of states and USTelecom to give these Lifeline states and their Lifeline phone service providers more time to implement the commission’s updated Lifeline program eligibility rules. USTelecom worried that some Lifeline applicants may be excluded from the Lifeline program if they only qualify for a state Lifeline benefit that is no longer eligible. The FCC granted this temporary waiver to some of the states, with certain conditions.

The waiver request relates to the 2016 Lifeline Monetization Order issued in March, which amended the qualifying government programs and income levels for the Lifeline government phones program. Eight of the petitioning states can continue to use their old Lifeline free government phone program qualifications for the time being.  These states are California, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

States including Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia were denied the waiver from updating their Lifeline eligibility requirements by December 2. Reasons for denial include the lack of state-specific details justifying a waiver and that these states did not show good cause to delay implementation of the new rules as they wouldn’t require more time to update processes and databases to ensure ineligible applicants won’t be enrolled.

What Does this Mean to Me?

What this means for Lifeline applicants in the states granted the waiver is that applicants to the Lifeline program will continue to be able to qualify for the program based on the previously eligible federal and state programs and income levels during the time period of the waiver. One new qualifying government program for Lifeline applicants is the Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit Program. Lifeline states must add this program to their list of qualifying government programs effective December 2, 2016.

When Does the Waiver Expire?
Per the FCC, the waiver will run from December 2, 2016 until the states align their elgibility criteria with the FCC's new rules and update their eligiblity databases or by fixed dates per the below appendix, whichever comes sooner.

 Can I still Switch Lifeline Phone Service Providers?

One of the other new requirements of the Lifeline program this waiver applies to is the Benefit Port Freeze. Starting December 2, 2016, Lifeline customers will be required to remain with their service provider for a minimum period before they can transfer their benefit to another provider for free cell phones. This is called a benefit port freeze and per the Universal Service Administrative Co., or USAC, allows Lifeline carriers to invest in high-quality, low-cost service offerings for Lifeline consumers.

Per this requirement, voice service customers must remain with their service provider for 60 days before transferring their Lifeline benefit to another company. Broadband customers must remain for 12 months. During the benefit port freeze, other Lifeline Program providers are forbidden from seeking/receiving Lifeline reimbursement for the customer. After the benefit port freeze period expires, the customer may continue using the Lifeline benefit on a month-to-month basis or transfer their benefit to another provider of free phone service.

The FCC waiver allows California and Oregon to delay the effective date of these port freeze rules until June 1, 2017 or when their state databases and processes are in compliance, whichever is sooner. So, consumers in the Lifeline program can still freely switch providers in these states until then.

What’s the Takeaway?

So basically, if you live in California, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Utah, Vermont, Washington, or Wisconsin you can still qualify for the Lifeline free government cell phone program using the existing state specific criteria for acceptable federal and state government programs. For example California applicants enrolled in CalFresh can still qualify for the LifeLine benefit in California. Also, if you live in either California or Oregon, for now you can still freely transfer your Lifeline benefit for free government phones and free phone service to other phone service providers without having to wait. For now. President Obama is leaving office soon, but the Obama Phone will remain unchanged for many hoping to get a free cell phone for the time being.