Consumer Cellular

[Sea2Summit]

Ok, what's the story..

Good or not

Peace

[QueenB644047]

Interesting question! I’ve heard mixed reviews about Consumer Cellular, some say it’s great for simple plans, others say coverage depends on where you live. Have you tried it yourself, or still deciding?

[dougi]

I"ve lost 2 phone numbers trying to get away from CC. The three carriers I spoke with said that CC is known as the WORST for releasing numbers.  Stay away if you want to keep your number if you leave.

[JohnW939260]

Our experience was not good.  The coverage was the worst yet (we live in the Kansas City metro area a few blocks from I-70) and the customer service is mediocre at best.  My wife had it for 4 or 5 months and constantly complained about texts arriving a day late, 1 bar, really slow data.  I'm already on Mint Mobile, so we ported her to Mint and things are WAY better, and a year of 15GB/month data costs the same as 4 months of Consumer Cellular and works much better.  We also have the 'keep getting charged and have to pay a full month for the last 2 days of service' charges.  They run on the AT&T network and seem to use the same shady billing practices as AT&T.

[TRL1111]

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@JohnW939260 wrote:

We also have the 'keep getting charged and have to pay a full month for the last 2 days of service' charges.  

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I'm not sure exactly what you're saying. 

But I'm helping a friend cancel his internet service, and I told him he had until June 14 to give his equipment back to cancel it, and he said no, they just billed him the other day so he has until the end of the month.  He didn't understand that the bill comes in the middle of the service period--his service period is from May 15 to June 14, and the bill he got on June 2 covers that.  

So if he cancels by June 14, he's done.  But if waits to cancel until June 16, he's started a new service period, and they will bill him for that on July 2 and he'll think they're ripping him off because he canceled two weeks before that.

I'm certainly not defending the way they bill, and I think it's done intentionally.  But as far as I've been able to tell bill the way the contract stipulates, and whenever I read complaints about it it's obvious the customer didn't understand how the billing works.  

Plus they don't prorate, but almost nobody does.  Amazon Prime, for example.  If your subscription is from June 1 - June 30, if you cancel at any point during that period your service will continue until June 30 whether you want it or not.  You paid for it, you have it until the period you've paid for runs out.

[WendyK754392]

Consumer Cellular notified me that they couldn’t manage my data needs so I found a new company and cancelled them. I even contacted them when it seemed someone else was trying to use one of my cancelled lines. I paid all that was due on the confirmed date of cancellation. Today I received a notice - over six weeks later- saying I am past due. They kept the clock running on my shut down phones and ran up nearly another month’s worth of charges. And all the while they were sending me these cosy emails asking me to “come back” without letting on that they actually still had a hold on my wallet. Consumer Cellular corporate is as corrupt as any top tier provider, but they’re targeting the elderly…sadly with AARP’s help. 

[AARPConsumerCare]

WendyK754392 We're sorry to hear you're having trouble with Consumer Cellular. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team. - Christy C. 

[BtW751689]

Search on this forum you will get the good, the bad, and the ugly.  My experience was over 10 years ago, maybe it is better now.

[Taylor5226]

 I am not sure if this is the right forum to discuss this matter.  I enrolled with Consumer Cellular because of the review of AARP.  I have found other phone services that are a lot better, and I wish to switch.  But I usually get some people that will hang up on me or say that we can give you a better offer.  And this company will just switch me to a different service type with lower data. or they will give a week to change to another company and hike the price up to the original price.  

 I am not the only one because I have been asking around.  So, why are you promoting a company which conducts this type of behavior.  AARP is a company that people are supposed to trust but I am losing trust in you. 

[AARPConsumerCare]

Hey@Taylor5226 ! I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Please send us a private message, so you can tell us more about the situation as we explore our options to assist you. Here's a link with instructions on how you can enable private notes: https://aarp.info/47hWcl7 
- Justin C.

[Winter2025VA]

Taylor @Taylor5226 , unfortunately our complaints NEVER change things. AARP is all about the money they receive from "promoting" Consumer Cellular. Take care, Nicole  👵

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[*** @Taylor5226 wrote 4/16/25:

 I am not sure if this is the right forum to discuss this matter.  I enrolled with Consumer Cellular because of the review of AARP.  I have found other phone services that are a lot better, and I wish to switch.  But I usually get some people that will hang up on me or say that we can give you a better offer.  And this company will just switch me to a different service type with lower data. or they will give a week to change to another company and hike the price up to the original price.  

 I am not the only one because I have been asking around.  So, why are you promoting a company which conducts this type of behavior.  AARP is a company that people are supposed to trust but I am losing trust in you. ***]

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[Sea2Summit]

You can direct message me to talk about it

Thanks