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Consumer Cellular

How would you rate Consumer Cellular?
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Massachusetts
3 reviews
21 helpful votes
Follow Pat L.
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The sham that they will give you your money back with no hidden fees is a total lie. I got a phone from them and when I received it it was defective. After many hours on the phone I was told by a supervisor to return it and get a different one which I did, she even sent me the label to mail it back. They received the phone and told me the phone had small scratches on the front and back so now I will be charged for the full amount of the phone. I followed their advice to send it back with their promise I would get a new phone a pay nothing because I was under the AARP 45 day risk free guarantee. Total sham. Don't do business with this company they mislead you

Date of experience: February 28, 2023
New Mexico
1 review
4 helpful votes
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You get what you pay for
December 6, 2022

Great cheap phone plans but you get what you pay for. If you ever need to call them for assistance not only will you wait forever to speak to someone but they are also rude and unprofessional. Seriously I can't stand waiting on hold and hearing over and over how the long wait is due to the pandemic from 2 years ago. A reputable company should not be using that as an excuse and crutch for their louzy customer service and poor work ethic.

Date of experience: December 6, 2022
Tennessee
1 review
3 helpful votes
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Not what it seems
July 19, 2023

I called today to look into what getting this service entails. Just a heads up, they want full payment for phones upfront if you have less than perfect credit. Even though I have never had my phone shut off and paid my $110 bill dutifully for years, they wouldn't allow me to finance a $23/mo phone. Something tells me it's for the best.

Date of experience: July 19, 2023
Tennessee
1 review
5 helpful votes
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We switched to CC last Dec because of a good promotion and after much frustration and misinformation ended up having to purchase phones from the company. It took months to get the credit correct on our account from loss of service while they fixed their mistakes. The actual cell service us the only thing I am happy about. The cust service is horrible. We recently found out that our old devices are actually compatible with their service, but they won't enable Volte on their sim cards to get calls to work. Money is all they care about.

Date of experience: September 5, 2022
New Jersey
1 review
6 helpful votes
Follow editha m.
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Service is out of Walmart and if you are lucky to get there when a tech comes to visit.no brick ans mortar store
So you take your chances.also my new phone wouldn't take a charge so i couldnt call to get help.was told a rep would be there at a specific time but no,go to lunch and come back later.will never buy anything from now on that just rents out temporary space from another store.

Date of experience: July 10, 2023
Ohio
1 review
3 helpful votes
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Closed Account Twice
August 28, 2023

I closed my account with Consumer Cellular. I asked the agent how much I need to pay to wrap up and close this account for good. He told me the amount and I paid it. Now 30 days later I received a bill for a phone and a number that I no longer have...and they include a late fee without even sending me an earlier invoice. This company is shady and I suggest that you look elsewhere when getting plan. The phone service wasn't that great anyway; unless you like dropped calls.

Date of experience: August 28, 2023
New Jersey
1 review
1 helpful vote
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My 100 yr old mother needs an emergency phone. Checked my iPhone to be sure of compatibility. Yes it's compatible. Paid for sim to be sent. Didn't work! Customer service insisted it was a faulty Sim, and had to pay for another Sim! That one didn't work either! The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing with this company. Nobody knows what they're talking about. I finally was told that has nothing to do with the sim and something to do with towers? There is no consideration for my 100 year old mother. They're insisting that I pay for another Sim for another phone that they say is compatible. I absolutely refuse! Stay away from this company!

Date of experience: July 25, 2023
Texas
3 reviews
14 helpful votes
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Run Forrest Run
February 16, 2016

Since Thursday I have respectively spent 47 minutes, 38 minutes, 19 minutes, 27 minutes and 9 minutes on hold (as well as several more calls my mind is blocking out) to Consumer Cellular. I've been to the library twice to use their wi-fi to download a fix as well as my neighbors living room. Nada. In addition I've listened to one rep complain how he arrived for work but no one had opened the building and another complain that he was really tech support (but didn't fix my problem) but if there were no tech calls he was to handle customer calls and if the were none of those he was supposed to make sales calls. Once they bumped me up to "concierge service" (read PITA and I don't want to deal with them) where I could hear thirty other people talking to customers. Phil in concierge did nothing for me and was not amused when I suggested that as a concierge he should at least have his own cubicle.

Date of experience: February 16, 2016
Florida
1 review
2 helpful votes
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After several days & attempts with more customer service employees then you could imagine, Joel answered our phone call. He was the only one who was able to give us the information we needed to unlock our mother-in-law's phone numbers so we could call her & she could call us. She is 93 yrs old & in an assisted living facility. She had no other way to contact us! After several falls & hospital visits it was a very scary situation. Thank goodness we found somone that knew exactly what to do! Thank you so much Joel!

Date of experience: May 2, 2023
North Carolina
1 review
10 helpful votes
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Stay away. Was told my existing phone was compatible, paid to have SIM card sent and then find out my phone is not compatible but they refuse to refund the shipping charge for their useless SIM card. A huge disappointment. I was looking forward to a long time relationship with this company. Not now

Date of experience: May 6, 2023
Nebraska
1 review
9 helpful votes
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I bought phone and insurance for my mentally challenged brother and it is now not working and he insurance company has approved my claim to get him a new phone but consumer cellular and Allstate can't seem to communicate the approval so no one is sending us a new phone. I pay my bill automatically every month and pay for insurance but the two companies can't figure out how to approve a new phone and it is now my problem. Plus when you call they hang up on you - $#*!ty service. I will be leaving reviews every day until I get a new phone for my brother.

Date of experience: June 11, 2023
Illinois
1 review
4 helpful votes
Follow Daniel F.
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Waste of time, as soon as you have your first issue, It will be your last, they are generic, their answers are vague at best because they hire 3rd rate techs that only can give the answers in their manual they are given when accepting the position. No body their thinks for themselves. Its sad, it could be a very good company with just at least a little bit of customer support. What a waste.

Date of experience: February 1, 2022
Ohio
1 review
32 helpful votes
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Dear Ted Danson,
You ought to be ashamed of yourself representing Consumer Cellular. What a horrible company. After deciding to go with Consumer Cellular I had nothing but the worst service. Never got phone service and never will. I went through 7 representatives and the 7th one was a royal $#*!! A senior citizen should have to go through this horrid experience.
Seniors and everyone else stay away!

Date of experience: April 10, 2023
Florida
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Best move I have made in years. I do believe the negative reviews are by competitors. I am a Nurse and I am always on call. I trust Consumer Cellular and have never had a problem in many years. Make your own decision.

Date of experience: June 9, 2023
Texas
1 review
6 helpful votes
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Terrible company.
January 25, 2022

I have been with consumer seller for over a year and it's the worst cell phone service I have ever used. Call customer service you stay in line for over 45 minutes then get disconnected. They keep playing with the taxes and fees on your account every month. This month they added a $5 fee to my bill for not signing up for automatic payments, and another $5 on my second line without even informing me. However, they supposedly sent me an email informing me of this. No I have no internet connection waited online for an hour spoke to a customer service representative who says turn your phone off and then turn it back on and it should work, it didn't work now I am unable to work. I am so mad if I could give zero Stars I would.

Date of experience: January 25, 2022
Colorado
2 reviews
4 helpful votes
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Horrible tech support
September 22, 2023

I have now been through two new phones bought through Consumer Cellular. They haven't worked. I have spent literally weeks with their so called tech support... 14 different people... and they refuse to replace my last $225 phone they sold me.
ZERO desire to stand by their products and ZERO desire to make any effort to satisfy their customer. "The book says..." and that's the end of their willingness to fix the problem

Date of experience: September 22, 2023
Illinois
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Horrible!
June 12, 2023

I made the mistake of purchasing a phone from them, they told me I would use e Sim, not a sim card... nothing but dropped calls and people can't hear me! Now they said I need a sim card, they are sending one out, I'm 74 years old and feel ripped off!

Date of experience: June 12, 2023
Louisiana
1 review
23 helpful votes
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Fraudulent
April 18, 2023

I choose to leave this company due to budget concerns for a lower rate. The phone I completely paid for was lock and they would not unlock it so I can go with another company with a lower rate. The refused to do so claiming I owed a month worth of service even though it was pay as you go and was due to cancel in several days. I was completely paid up and now I have to but another phone which is an expense I had not budget. Company should not retaliate on customer when they choose to leave.

Date of experience: April 18, 2023
Oregon
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Ordered new phone & was not what I expected. Called CC to say I was returning it & to please restore service to my former phone. They said would take 1 to 24 hours. 24 hours later still not restored and told it would take another. 24 hours. I told them to cancel
My account, was told if I cancelled & signed with another company I could not keep my number. I had just paid my monthly bill ($33 plus and had a 00 balance) but now they are showing I owe more money. Maybe that is for the phone I will be returning? If they even send me the return label. I would not recommend Consumer Cellular.

Date of experience: October 25, 2023
New Jersey
1 review
1 helpful vote
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$409 vs $25
August 4, 2023

I always call CC before I go to Mexico and let them know. Two weeks before I went to Italy I did the same. This time the rep asked me "Do you want your data turned on?"
I've never been asked that before so I though that had to do with overseas (over the water) vs. just going across the border to Mexico. When I got back my bill was $409 Instead of the normal $25. Supervisors refused to work with me. I think they should have at least split it with me. I was never explained about roaming charges or keeping it in 'airplane mode'. This never happened to me in Mexico! So I still don't understand it. They refuse to work with me and explain it. They just keep saying "The charges are valid. The charges are valid." Grrrrrrr.

Date of experience: August 4, 2023

Overview

Consumer Cellular has a rating of 1.2 stars from 241 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with Consumer Cellular most frequently mention customer service, sim card and new phone. Consumer Cellular ranks 45th among Phone Card sites.

service
145
value
135
shipping
88
returns
78
quality
120