Assurance Wireless, a division of Virgin Mobile, recently launched a service that provides a free cellphone and minutes to qualifying low-income Maryland residents.

Assurance is able to offer the free service because it obtains a per-customer subsidy through a federal program whose goal is to improve land-line and wireless phone access. Customers who exceed the 200-minute allowance have to pay for subsequent service at 10 cents per minute. You can call the company's toll free number to see if you qualify, 1-800-395-2171.

The subsidy comes from the Federal Communications Commission's Universal Service Fund, which supports a program called Lifeline.