Seems there is more than one program out there, and the quality of the phones do vary. I reject the idea we should be providing these phones. Lifeline land lines are available to folks in need. That’s good enough. Why should we provide a phone for people to use when they’re out shopping? (not to imply that you agreed we should)
It was one of Newt Gingrich’s more controversial ideas. They get touted as the equivalent of the older lifeline phones. And they CAN serve that way, but faceless welfare programs have a way of waving bye-bye to accountability and hello to fraud and laziness. I don’t know if Tracfone would be willing to distribute through, say, the Salvation Army, though. There might not be enough volume to justify it to them.