Verizon V Consumer Cellular or others

[04fxsts]

Wife found an advertisement for Consumer Cellular in her AARP magazine for two lines, unlimited talk and text with 5G data. Ad says $55.00 per month which is less by a bit than our Verizon plan. Would like to hear from anyone that has had both carriers and how well satisfied you were. Jim.

[ItsyRV]

ncscz wrote:
This may not be true in all locations - If you have a full price AT&T (or Verizon) plan and you are in a location that has no AT&T towers, there may be a sharing agreement (used to be called roaming) so that your AT&T phone will still work. But your Tracfone/StraightTalk/CC/etc phone that uses AT&T towers will not work.

This was true in 2013 when I was working & had a company phone - it might have changed since then.

Maybe someone who knows more can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it has nothing to do with the "plan" you have and has more to do with the "Phone" you have.

A CDMA 3G or less phone can not communicate over the AT&T GSM network regardless of the "plan" level you have with that CDMA carrier. Even with a 4G CDMA phone and full price no limit data plan, you're still limited in the ability to jump networks if that phone lacks the number of access frequencies used by that GSM 4G carrier. If I have a brand new 2018 I-Phone from Consumer Cellular with their cheapest plan, I would have more access to 4G anywhere and across carriers compared to someone with a full price full feature plan from Verizon but who is using some older 4G phone made 4 years ago.

[vermilye]

2oldman wrote:

ItsyRV wrote:
There is no reduction of the AT&T service just because it's via Consumer Cellular.

That's good. It appears it's a low-cost low use (low data) phone plan for seniors.

Things get slow at times out here in Quartzsite when, I guess, the towers get overloaded. And it's not even January!

AT&T on a Mobley is looking good this morning here at the Q - 20.6Mbps down & 15.3Mbps up.

Verizon on a 791L Jetpack is 9.8Mbps down & 1.8Mbps up. Both to San Jose, CA.

[ncscz]

ItsyRV wrote:

...

Consumer Cellular uses the AT&T GSM networks so you have the exact same coverage as a full price plan through AT&T. There is no reduction of the AT&T service just because it's via Consumer Cellular.

This may not be true in all locations - If you have a full price AT&T (or Verizon) plan and you are in a location that has no AT&T towers, there may be a sharing agreement (used to be called roaming) so that your AT&T phone will still work. But your Tracfone/StraightTalk/CC/etc phone that uses AT&T towers will not work.

This was true in 2013 when I was working & had a company phone - it might have changed since then.

[2oldman]

ItsyRV wrote:
There is no reduction of the AT&T service just because it's via Consumer Cellular.

That's good. It appears it's a low-cost low use (low data) phone plan for seniors.

Things get slow at times out here in Quartzsite when, I guess, the towers get overloaded. And it's not even January!

[Charlie_D_]

garmp wrote:
The DW & I both use TracFone. About $20 a month for both. I'm not a phone person, but she loves hew FB. Best part is that she is using Verizon towers & my phone uses AT&T. Very rare that one of us doesn't have coverage.
Just have to find a good plan for our hot spot to get coverage at an affordable price. We only activate ours when we travel, about 4 times a year and don't want to pay an activation fee each time.

And it allows you to use home or public WIFI instead of data that you have. We will use our data when out of WIFI range and if needed, $10,/GB.

[ItsyRV]

2oldman wrote:
The gotcha with these lower-cost plans is coverage.

Consumer Cellular uses the AT&T GSM networks so you have the exact same coverage as a full price plan through AT&T. There is no reduction of the AT&T service just because it's via Consumer Cellular.

[garmp]

The DW & I both use TracFone. About $20 a month for both. I'm not a phone person, but she loves hew FB. Best part is that she is using Verizon towers & my phone uses AT&T. Very rare that one of us doesn't have coverage.
Just have to find a good plan for our hot spot to get coverage at an affordable price. We only activate ours when we travel, about 4 times a year and don't want to pay an activation fee each time.

[RAS43]

2oldman wrote:

RAS43 wrote:

2oldman wrote:
The gotcha with these lower-cost plans is coverage.

Same coverage with my Verizon vs my wife's C.C. In fact sometimes hers is better.

Depends on where you go.

Been all over this great country.

[2oldman]

RAS43 wrote:

2oldman wrote:
The gotcha with these lower-cost plans is coverage.

Same coverage with my Verizon vs my wife's C.C. In fact sometimes hers is better.

Depends on where you go.

[Charlie_D_]

Tracfone. I use the Verizon towers. Not heavy data users because we use home wifi. Different plans and you can buy data or text messaging as a separate option. We don't use much cell phone talk. We average less than $20/month for 2 smart phones.Support can be a problem but I have seldom contacted them.

[RAS43]

2oldman wrote:
The gotcha with these lower-cost plans is coverage.

Same coverage with my Verizon vs my wife's C.C. In fact sometimes her's is better.

[2oldman]

The gotcha with these lower-cost plans is coverage.

[harley-dave]

lovemountains wrote:
I just switched from Verizon to Consumer Cellular a few days ago. I have unlimited talk and text and 2GB data for $30 a month, includes taxes. Husband will switch tomorrow, $15 for the second line. Total of $45 minus 5% AARP discount equals $42.75. Verizon bill was $77.50 with 2 GB unlimited talk and text. Activation is free.

During December each new line added gets $20 toward their bill. I am using my Samsung S7 that I used with Verizon. I went to a large Target store, and had a new Sim card put in so it would work on CC.

Another popular CC plan is 2 lines for $55 with 5GB for $55.

We've had CC for years and like them. You can change any of your plan settings when ever you want via their web site. Also if you go over your monthly data allowance they just raise you to the next tier. No penalty. We've only hit one area where they didn't offer data, only Verizon worked there. CC uses AT&T and T-mobile for their carrier. We just make sure any new phones we purchase are put on the AT&T network.

Dave

[lovemountains]

I have been satisfied with CC for the few days I've had it. You may want to look at the other thread in the Technology Corner- last posting on it was about December 7th. I had been thinking of switching to CC and was glad to read about other people's experiences with it.