Consumer Cellular

[dangerous dan]

I thought I was going to like consumer cellular. I don't use many minutes and thought I wouldn't use much data.

Extra minutes were 25 cents per minute. That wasn't the problem. I didn't go over on minutes. I thought I could get by on 500 megs of data. They were supposed to send a text when I got close. I think their data is rigged to show more usage than actual usage. My home internet went out in a storm and I wanted to finish watching a show on Netflix. I've watched Netflix on a data plan with Virgin Mobile and it takes a lot of watching to get 500 megs of data.

Netflix is set up to stream at the lowest definition. The next afternoon I received a text saying I had gone over a gig and I would owe $130.00 if I didn't upgrade, so I upgraded. I was on the 30 day trial. The fine print says if you go over 300 units, which is 300 megs of data, you have to pay for a full month. I found that out after I canceled and they sent me a bill for $35.00.

It seemed like to much trouble having to constantly monitor my usage to avoid an overage charge.

Now I use Cricket Wireless, get unlimited talk, text and data with 2.5 gigs of high speed data for $35.00 per month.

Those Consumer Cellular commercials give me a headache.

Anyone else had problems with Consumer Cellular?

[dangerous dan]

Their highest data plan is 4 gigs at $40.00 per month, which I still would have had to watch out for overages, plus another $50.00 dollars if I had gotten unlimited minutes. That's a lot more than Cricket Wireless, even if I was to choose a smaller minutes package. The way they calculate data usage I'd be over my limit quick, and they charge exorbitant amounts for overages.

Do you even have Consumer Cellular? or have you tried it?

[TomR]

I don't know anything about Consumer Cellular and don't even know if it is available in my area.

But, have you checked out Straight Talk (

), or Net10 ( ), or Metro PCS ( )?

I use Straight Talk and pay $45/month for unlimited talk, text, and data (with the first "something"-data being high speed). No worrying about overages etc. I think Net10 and Metro PCS may have similarly priced unlimited plans.

[Wade Garrett]

Take a look at PagePlus Cellular-- an MVNO with good rates and on the Verizon (prepaid) network.

[dangerous dan]

Virgin mobile and now Cricket wireless takes a long long time of viewing Netflix, Hulu and acorn TV to use over 500 megs of data, and when I used consumer cellular for thirty minutes to watch the rest of my movie, it used up 500 megs plus a gig, in only thirty minutes.

This is my second month with cricket wireless and haven't used 2.5 gigs of the high speed data yet.

[dangerous dan]

Cricket wireless has unlimited talk, text and data for $35.00 per month with 2.5 gigs being high speed. I'm happy now.

I would have kept Virgin mobile with the same data plan, but I wanted a new phone and their selection of phones wasn't good. Virgin has now changed their plans where you can only get a maximum 1 gig high speed data, with the rest still unlimited, at 2g.

Virgin mobile phones only work on virgin mobile.

[dangerous dan]

I don't think my phone works on Verizon networks. Don't they have a different type of network?

Mine works with T-Mobile and at&t.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I used to have a Virgin Mobile prepaid device (hotspot). I may still have the receipt from when I bought a card and it says "Virgin $30". Their "tech support" was really bad.

I switched to Ting. Both use the Sprint network, but with Ting if you have a problem you don't have to tell it to someone who knows almost nothing about the products / services, and ignores 90% of what you say. BTW, and has no idea what version of Windows "Ubuntu" is.

[dangerous dan]

I have a Netgear hotspot fro Virgin mobile from when I had a flip phone and wanted network access for my tablet. It worked really good, but I like the smart phone better and it can do a hotspot.

The Netgear hotspot could get up to six gigs of high speed data for $55.00 per month. 1.5 gig of high speed for $25.00 and 1 gig for $20.00.

I use Linux mint when I use the desktop computer and have windows xp in a virtual box.

[gregz]

I use it. Stay away from video. Only good when your using minimum usage. I turn off data when I'm not actively using it, else it sometimes downloads updates on mobile. It will still use wifi with data off. There Is also CC APP that shows usage,

Greg

[trader_4]

I think the real problem is watching a movie on a plan with a very limited amount of data. 500MB isn't much. My Android has a setting where I can set a limit on the phone for data as a safety measure. A limit of 500MB can be fine if you're doing web browsing, but once you start streaming video, as he found out, you can use it up quickly.

[trader_4]

Just took a look at CC plans. For 250 min voice, 3000 texts, 500MB data it's $25 a month. IDK what the majors are at, but 6 months or so ago you could get essentially either a couple GB or unlimited data, together with unlimited V and T for ~$35 to $40. Given that CC hits you big if you go over mins or data, eg data is 25c per MB, I don't see much of a compelling reason for choosing them, assuming you need V/T/D. When plans from the majors were $80, it could have made sense. Also, most of these virtual cell providers ride on Sprint, so how well it works depends on Sprint coverage. In my area, Verizon has much better coverage than any of the other carriers and if it's not too much more for V, then it becomes a deciding factor.

[Don Y]

No, I just think they charge for every byte/octet transfered, regardless of whether it is "desired payload" or not. E.g., any headers, time updates, balance updates, etc. ALL come out of your data allotment.

Ah, well... there's the rub! :>

SWMBO has a prepaid "emergency phone". For $100/year she can call if she's in a jam, wants to know if she should pick up anything while at the store, etc.

We have our ISP for internet related stuff. And, no need/desire to be surfing the web when out and about running errands, enjoying ourselves, etc.

(We also keep a "911" phone in the glovebox -- though expect never to use it)

[dangerous dan]

I've got an old deactivated flip phone on a lanyard I carry with me all the time in case I fall down and can't get up, it can make 911 calls. It doesn't need a pocket with the lanyard, so if i'm not fully dressed. It's alarm is programmed for when I take pain medication. If I use the smart phone for alarms the battery runs down quickly. It's got a good timer I use a lot for cooking that's simpler to use than a smart phone.

I use the smart phone when traveling to listen to old radio programs, like CBS Radio Mystery Theatre, Dragnet, Johnny Dollar, The Lone Ranger, Gun Smoke, Sam Spade, The Shadow, Quiet Please, Philo Vance, Suspense, High Adventure, Perry Como, The Maltese Falcon, Perry Mason, Sherlock Holmes, The Shadow, Grocho Marx, The Saint.

The map program can be used to find all kinds of businesses and phone numbers, even shows a picture of the business.

[Don Y]

Makes sense. OTOH, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel with a "soap on a rope" -- in my BVD's! :>

Ah, interesting! I don't play with phones so am not really aware of what they can do "well". I keep one in the car that can be *powered* from the car (cuz its battery WILL be dead) and used for 911 and as a camera.

I use the microwave oven. Usually, while baking -- so I need to be able to bang out 4:30 START with a hot tray of cookies in one hand. It would be nicer to have a timer that would constantly reset to a particular time interval (e.g., 4:30) but I often have to tweek this based on what the last result looked like.

When traveling (rare, nowadays), I copy music, audio books and movies onto a PSP (old game console). It's a bit larger than a normal phone (though smaller than these huge things people carry nowadays!). The fact that I can play a game has some added advantage (and, none of that COSTS anything!)

If we're headed someplace new, we'll check google before leaving to "see" what part of town. I also keep a portable GPS unit for use *as* an "electronic map" (has all those points of interest in it) so I don't have to rely on google to just get a quick idea of location.

In the car, we use the navigation system. E.g., today I was looking for Penney's (I always forger which of two large parallel roads it lies on). It's problem is that it doesn't want you fiddling with it while the car is in motion. :< So, poke at it each time you roll into a red light...

[TomR]

Okay, got it. I misread your original post and I didn't catch that you had already found a solution -- a different discount cell phone service company with unlimited talk, text, and data.