Consumer Cellular

Never Never Never Buy consumer cellular. They are good until you need a phone. They sent my mom a damaged phone and now won't return it. Cost her $495 dollars. She is out the money because you can't even resell these phones. Cost her more than she has saved for lower service cost. Their packaging is poor and they don't take responsibility for damage they caused.

This company, Consumer Cellular has been the worst I have ever experienced, from charging extra monies for fake internet usage to shutting off my phone for a
Two hundred dollar debt incurred by another individual with a similar name. This company should be shut down, they are big crooks preying on the elderly.

I've been a user and believer in CC for many years. That has changed recently with their new SIM card. It saw my reception and bars halved. Frequent calls to Customer Service resulted in some attempted fixes and other surly, unpleasant agents. I think I'll try TMobile. I checked Verizon and their prices are ridiculous.

While trying to switch service from Verizon to CC, reps were unable to do so leaving our phones locked for 14 days. They simply blamed it in Verizon calling them bad names. While one rep was apologetic and tried, the other ways dismissive, cavalier, and insulting. Absolutely the worst 3 hours of my life. Left the store without phone service and bitter. CC may have good rates, but they have no brick and mortar presence and sales force with little ability or concern for their customers.

Consumer Cellular's rate may be low, but it is built around the principle of automatic monthly deduction. You are penalized $5 every month (not a small amount for a struggling senior) if you do not allow them to come into your bank account at a certain date and take their monthly payment. Their agents will even argue with you about use of the word "penalty," which it most certainly is. I let no entity come into my bank account as if they were entitled to it that day, no questions asked. If the money is not there they will send your account into overdraft. A senior who watches her budget carefully has to manage payments on a daily basis to make sure all vendors are paid on time. They also refused to let me pay monthly for a new device until I had built a 6 month payment history with them. What about the 50 years of payment history and my credit record? Doesn't that count for anything. Straight mercenaries...

It took quite a while and many phone calls to finally get my issue solved. To be able to get to someone who could actually handle the problem was very challenging. If you exchange a phone make sure you have documentation and photos in case someone drops the ball along the way.

Since carrier's have gone to 5G consumer Cellular has fallen behind. My phone calls go through but when the person on the other line starts talking it's garbled.

I've called and complained about this and tech support sucks. I'm not the only person in the area where I live having the same issue.

So I have to switch my calling to Internet WI FI calling, and that's BS.

Sorry, but after four years it's time to go. No more garbled talking and having to use WI FI to get through to someone.

I have been with Consumer Cellular about five years, now. I previously had Tracfone. My husband had Great Call. I like the Doro phone. Very simple, but loud enough and the emergency button is great! My hubby bumps his "5-Star" [Great Call] constantly! Mine [Consumer Cellular] must be pressed three times, making it far better, in my opinion. Their customer service is really great! It's one place that you are not charged for a SIM card. My bill is always under thirty dollars a month. I can't find anything better, and I have looked! Square Trade was worth it to me. I fouled up my phone and had to have a new, refurbished, one sent out. Definitely glad I pay for square Trade.
My husband just received his new phone and he is beyond thrilled! It has been easy for him to get used to, and he transferred his old Tracfone number. We highly recommend the Doro phone over the less expensive one. It is worh the extra $20.00.

Despite what I read here, I have had and continue to have decent customer service from Consumer Cellular. My troubles started when they changed their network from T-Mobile to AT&T. I should have known because I've never gotten good service from AT&T landline or WiFi. My cell phone stopped logging incoming calls consistently. Then the problem spread to outgoing calls. Restarting the phone cures these problems temporarily but I shouldn't have to do this. The AT&T wireless voicemail system is under-featured and harder to use. Likewise international texting. There is more spam and no warning that an incoming call is probably spam as T-Mobile did. AT&T is notorious for carrying spam and profiting shamelessly from it. Now my phone doesn't ring sometimes on an incoming call. In short, service has become unreliable and I blame CC's move to AT&T, which has always been unreliable. Bad move guys!

Tried to switch to.this company. Never received Sim card after charging me. They they start taking money from my account. No service. Customer service lies and claims i.had service they could charge foe. I asked for a statement to show the FCC. Watch them, the worst call company!

They sent my elderly parent a new sim card for mandatory update. I spent hours trying to get it activated. I was transferred from one incompetent rep to another. Still not resolved. Hard to believe they are still in business.

I recently needed help activating a customer's phone with Consumer Cellular. Unfortunately, the customer service was disappointing. The woman I spoke with seemed more interested in laughing at me and asking me personal questions than in guiding me through the activation process. It felt unprofessional and judgmental, especially since I was reaching out for assistance. Despite this, I managed to activate the phone. I hope this feedback can lead to better service for others in the future.

Multiple times phone can't receive or send messages or make and receive calls. Consumer Cellular waives their magic wand and it works again till next time. Never had this issue with Att or Verizon. Condescending reps, can't understand frustration, get defensive vs troubleshooting. Phone is needed! Need landline just to call Consumer Cellular to get phone to work!

Can't support android cellular watches. Get what you pay for, will jump back to a professional carrier soon.

If you call Consumer Cellular without a pin you will receive no help. Just think you are 78 years old and you forget your PIN. You would think that you could verify my information some other way. No they can not.
I even spoke with a Supervisor who could not help me.

Problem after problem after problem. My phone started smoking so I stopped using it. It was out of warranty so they wouldn't give me my money back. Suggested I buy a new one. I figured it out and replaced the charging cord. Sometimes the phone doesn't work sometimes it does. I still have to finish paying off the phone.

Husband and I have 2 phones with T-Mobile. One rep said it didn't matter what phones we had the sim would fit, WRONG! Called back next rep said now we need new phones AND chargers WITH the block! That's INSANE. Some random phone that I can't even use a generic block in?! Lonny story short saved us only $15 a month and thank god the sim didn't fit. Went to T-Mobile they took us right back and fixed it all and actually lowered my bill!

Totally incompetent staff. I would truly give 0 stars if it were an option. They have no technical support. I've been hung up on and put on an indefinite hold. Is the worst experience I've ever had with cellular service.

I've been with this company for many years I kept hoping they'd go back to the old method where you could count on everything that did not happen they are one of the worst companies consumer sellers people suck so bad it's unbelievable they will tell you anything just to get you the hell off the line I am trying desperately to find a new carrier

Had no cellular twice this week which meant I could not use my GPS or make a phone call. I was out of town and extremely annoyed that I was unable to navigate my way home for at least an hour. This lack of service happened both in a semi-rural area as well as a very urban area. It was also a struggle to switch to them as they don't provide very good support or instructions on how the process should go. The billing is confusing as well. Only had them four months and already regretting the decision. Don't care how cheap they are, I will be switching to another, more reliable carrier as soon as possible.

If your phone doesn't work, for whatever reason, you CANNOT contact Consumer Cellular any other way than by phone. So, you have to find someone else to dial into the "service" for you, get put on hold for over an hour, and still get no resolution. Their service center email address is unavailable 90% of the time, closed on weekends, and if you are in the central time zone, you can only call after 12 noon M-F. If you need help before then, you are out of luck. Their service people only argue with you and treat you like dirt. My service was "off network" for days and they did nothing. Switch over to another carrier now!