Free Special Phone Equipment
If you have trouble using a regular telephone, you might be able to get free special equipment.
Free Special Phones are for people who have difficulty hearing, talking, seeing, thinking or moving. Some people start having trouble as they get older or after an accident. Other people have always had a disability. Disabilities include deafness, hearing loss, speech impairment, blindness or have visual problems as well as physical or intellectual disabilities.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a Pennsylvania resident with a disability or disabilities that prevent you from making and/or receiving phone calls independently;
- Be six years of age or older;
- Have an individual gross income of 200% of the federal poverty level or less;
- Have a current home or mobile telephone service (or the ability to get mobile phone service); and
- Have the ability to learn how to use the requested device(s).
If you can answer YES to ALL of the above questions, you may be eligible for free equipment.
If you are eligible, you get to choose your equipment from our catalog. Before you choose equipment, learn about your choices.
In order to make the best decision, we STRONGLY suggest that you either borrow equipment from our lending library or meet with us and see all of the possible choices you have.
Once you choose your equipment, your decision is final and it cannot be exchanged.
You can also email TDDP@temple.edu for an accessible, fillable PDF application.
To mail in your application and documents, please download ONE of the following:
- The application to be completed by hand
- The application that can be filled on the computer.
Please email TDDP@temple.edu if you need an application in any other language other than English
Hello my name is Barbara Herold I did everything I was to do for this phone and it’s been almost a year I am having trouble getting this phone I even had an evaluation and sent a phone bill and this laran keeps telling me she has not got my letter I sent it right to her home I am a laryngectomy and asked for a telitalk phone please help me thank you
I am sorry to hear that you are having difficulty. I have forwarded your inquiry to the Free Phone Program Manager here at TechOWL. Hopefully we will be able to figure out the problem with your application together. Thank you for your patience.
I was born without my left ear drum. It is hard to hear cell phones. Even playing music.
Absolutely. This program could be for you. I will pass along your information to the program manager to assist with the applicaiton.
Please email TDDP@Temple.edu and we will get you set up with the project coordinator to get you a new phone!