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Consumer Cellular review: Beware 22

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Author of the review
12:06 pm EDT
Review updated:
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I initiated cellular service with Consumer Cellular. On 7-9-2010 I received two Motorola EM330 cell phones. On 7-12 one phone locked up. Upon advice, I removed the battery to reboot the phone. When doing so, the battery door latch became disengaged from the phone body. I then advised Consumer Cellular of this event. I was IMMEDIATELY told :now you'll have to buy a new phone. That's a direct quote. Phone less than four days old? The Buy a new phone statement made at least 8 times as I worked my way up the staff levels of customer support. I was ultimately able to reinstall the battery cover latch button, and decided I had made a grave mistake of choosing Consumer Cellular, and elected to return everything per the terms of their 45 day return policy.

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Unbelievably, I was then told in no uncertain, terse terms: We will not accept the one phone back. We do not accept broken phones for return. You can keep that phone, it is yours now.

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The phone WAS NOT BROKEN! I had never described the phone as broken, only that the battery cover latch had become disengaged. I had already managed to successfully reinstall the latch release button.

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Their oratory during the sales pitch was filled with accolades of self-praise as to what a great service they provided, how they were the no argument cellular provider. We are different.

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Different they ARE! I have never witnessed such a Jekyll / Hyde transformation of any entity in my life. The mood went from kissy-kissy (for lack of better term) to outright acerbic, rude, and irresponsible dialogue in the transition from sale to service issue.

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Actually the Motorola EM330 was a poor choice, being cheaply made and overly fragile. Doubly so when dealing with a cell provider with the post sale policies of Consumer Cellular.

22 comments
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Ashlee Feldman
, US
Jan 28, 2024 9:12 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I ordered a sim card kit so that I could just keep my phone and my current number. Well, it's been a week and I still haven't received my sim card kit. I spent my last $5 on this. Either I get my money back or I go to better business bureau.

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Diana Roberts Portice
, US
Nov 13, 2023 1:18 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My phone has been out for over 24 hours! Bill is paid, service has been off since 10/31/2023. I need to have phone service as I am headed to surgery today! Black screen , cannot make or receive calls. No service at all. Tried the website without any results... Just says service is not available. What's going on?

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Joseph John Alaimo
West Columbia, US
Aug 19, 2023 2:23 pm EDT

I was supposed to have my home phone and my old C.C. cell phone activated with my home phpne number [protected]. The old C.C. phone does not work . I need a new cell phone and to have my home phone activated please. I'm recovering from hip surgery and have no phone at all. I would be so grateful .Sincerely, Joseph John Alaimo, [protected].

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James M. Churley Sr.
Latrobe Pa. 15650, US
Jul 17, 2023 12:23 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

my system has been shut down Ikeep getting responce MOBILE SERVICE NOT AVAILABLE

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Oeusi
Houston, US
Jul 15, 2023 4:14 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

on July 8, 2023 Saturday called customer help support for setting up sim card on cellphone.. Whay kind of people work in this dept. no empahy no patience. no help. Person hung up received no help.

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tuscola
Tuscola, US
May 07, 2023 2:30 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have requested they remove me from any and all lists they have, many times, but they keep adding me back on their lists. Because of this, I want my name removed from everything they have once and for all, permanently.

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Verna Onstott
Meridian, US
Apr 19, 2023 6:04 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We bought a fold cell phone from consumer cellular and its broken in the crack and paid $995 for it. But consumer cellular says its not guaranteed for the first year. that we should have read the fine print. They want to charge us, another $995 for the replacement.

This happened on the date of 4/13/2023 11:00Am Est

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Lou Stahl
, US
Mar 18, 2023 8:01 am EDT

My bill just went up without any explanation. On March 11, I called them and used their "call back" feature, but when the phone rang there was no one there. I called again and, after waiting on hold for about 5 minutes, the phone went dead. Their highly trumpeted customer service stinks. I am ready to switch cell phone providers.

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holylove
Pleasantville, US
Dec 26, 2022 1:45 pm EST

as of 12/19/2022 after 11:30pm in evening the phone contained saved texts. On 12/20/2022 in the am all texts disappeared and the message "no conversations" appeared. The texts were not deleted by me. Why did this happen?

Thank you

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John Pogozelski
, US
Nov 13, 2022 9:51 am EST

Your phone is a piece of junk since week 1. I am sick of customer service & your trouble shooting dance. I want a timely phone call. Talking to attorneys who badly want to put you out of business.

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rod keeler
north hills ca, US
Nov 12, 2022 12:42 pm EST

I purchased a Samsung z fold from a consumer cellular to upgrade my iPhone ax. I was not told this phone did not come with a charger. two weeks later I called support to help me with setup. Two calls to support two times I was hung up on. Now I have no working phone now.. I am a handicapped vet and email is my only means to contact them.

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Vernon Lopez
COLUMBUS, US
Oct 10, 2022 4:06 pm EDT

last bill was $88.00 wasn't to be taken out of my wife account but mines Next this bill has gone up from $88.00 to $94.85, next just got service started after finally getting help to active the sim cards,I'm not going to keep service if nothing get's RESOLVED Enough! billing period wth?

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kingairb100
, US
Nov 17, 2019 4:08 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I will not recommend Consumer Cellular to anyone! I called them on Aug 30 to cancel all service effective Sept.1.. Spectrum told me to call them back 3 days later to release my telephone numbers. The cellphone # was the only one I wanted to transfer to them. Cellphone # was released but Unknown to me, Consumer Cellular did not cnx the other services and I continued to receive bills for Sept. and Oct.I did not use the other 2 phones for those months assuming they did what I told them to do.Customer service was little help! What a lousy Company with poor service! I think they were mad I was changing to a competitor.

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Leon W. Owens
, US
Oct 15, 2018 11:26 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

NO SERVICE SINCE 9-14-18.

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Leon W. Owens
, US
Sep 15, 2018 8:26 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

no service since 9-14-18

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gretane
, US
Sep 01, 2018 7:33 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

This is the worse company ever...45 minutes on hold? I am a CSR and the service the reps provide are horrible...I was told by Janet, I would pay the bill on 1/2 by 10:00 am over the phone... LIES... I have always paid online and the phone was disconnected on 1/2..will get it reinstated just so I can cancel the service..Would never recommend them

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ShellV
, US
May 17, 2016 8:57 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I was with Consumer Cellular for three years. Back in January, I lost my job and called them that I was unable to make the January payment.They extended my service but before I could make my payment . The phone locked and I was unable to use it.I called their customer service and they we're unable to resolve the problem. They were charging me for service for service I did not used and the phone did not work. I called their customer service 3 times to say they needed to adjust their billing and take February payment off.They kept sending me a bill for $186.00 never reducing. the bill. I cancelled their service.I just got a Bill from a collection agency they used telling me I need to make a payment of $220.00 in full..I refuse to be harrassed. Consumer Cellular is a deceptive company with deceptive practices. Buyers Beware. I will be reporting them to BBB and others .

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Peter & Frances Handler
, US
Mar 23, 2016 10:18 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

This cellular service has gone to hell. You'd be best advised to disassociate AARP from Consumer Cellular before the stain on your fine reputation becomes indelible.

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GBIRDOW
Ft Worth, US
Apr 17, 2014 12:13 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I wished I had seen this website before I entered into a business relation with Consumer Cellular. I trusted AARP's recommendation.

My problem with this company in recent days is that I elected to port my telephone back to ATT as a cellular phone. My decision was based on the discovery that their rate plans were not the best plans for the dollars. I determined that an unlimited voice and text plan with 1GB of data usage was the better plan, so I initiated the process to move my service. The IPhone I purchased through them had a balance of $425.00 remaining, which I paid off the same day I initiated the number port-in process, four days later I paid the final bill of $62.00.

The port-in process had to be escalated upon receipt of an e-mail from Consumer Cellular informing me that my service would be disconnected on 4/11/14, which is the date I initiated the request. When I visited a local ATT store to escalate to process, the phone number transferred but the phone did not. I discovered that the IPhone that I purchased was locked and Consumer Cellular controlled the unlocking process. I contacted Consumer Cellular the same day to unlock my IP hone. It has been seven days and many phone calls to them and my phone is still inoperable. I have been given numerous reasons for the delay.

In summary, this company does not operate in "Good Faith", and the method in which they handled the exit port-out was done maliciously.

MY RECOMMENDATION TO ALL POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS - DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH CONSUMER CELLULAR. IF SO, PURCHASE A CHEAP PHONE WITH THEM TO TRY OUT THEIR SERVICE. DO NOT REPLY SOLELY ON THEIR COMMERICIAL WITH THE SENIOR CITIZENS IN THEIR RV TRAVELING "PROBABLY NOWHERE", AND AARP AS YOUR SOURCE OF REFERENCE.

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done with itpp
Newport, US
Mar 21, 2012 2:48 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

phone service sucks having trouble with one of my phone called did not the help they said they would have tec support call with in 24 hrs never did call again same thing so they send my a Sim card called the lady had know idea about it phone would not ring said she would call me back in 10 mins never did i will call one more time to see if they can fix it if not iam done will go to another company if you are thinking about consumer cellular DONT

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Frank J Rubino
Jersey City, US
Apr 22, 2011 9:16 am EDT

I appreciated the article about the motorola em330. It has added to, what I shall now call my research on the Chinese Pearl Harborside,
Americans are experiencing.
Motorola was normally manufactured in Israel for AT&T, a very sturdy phone. My next version model 60T Brazil AT&T a sturdy phone, still takes a charge, the display screen is wiped, takes numbers and replies on cover no service. I was then traveling between NJ & PA and poor reception led me to switch to TMobile.
Again a Motorola mod ?, Singapore, cracked lcd, works perfectly with pay as you go chip, as backup, vin 2004, same style flip.
TMobile, Samsung SGH-T219s, Whitespot red, perfect operation, 3yrs young upgrade. Back in NJ, family plan AT&T Motorola em330. From first day could not get rear cover off, pushed latch and pried top lft side, little piece of plastic 3/8" from dot poped hole, no caution about moisture exposure of white dot, insurance or not, no warantee. Hypothesis, the piece of crap was engineered:
1.For Americans like me, where work is slow in a poor economy
2.For a company whose 1st name is American (AT&T)
3.Motorola doesn't want any part of the crap, they refer you to AT&T for their crap. WHO OWNS AT&T? Husan is dead they killed the owner of Sports Illustrated, yea, he even owned Rockerfella Center.
4.SonyErricson puts their dot under the Battery, Model Z310a, AT&T, no info available from AT&T.

Conclusion the Enemy is here, Greedy, Unconscionable, 17 Trillion $
economy americans (Chinas economy 5 trillion-) American Engineering at its Finest Level. Wake up!

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Mia120
Las Vegas, US
Feb 09, 2011 4:48 pm EST

A cell phone provider that doesn’t value the satisfaction of their consumers should really be dropped. The cheap rates they offer are good for nothing if they will only give their consumers a terrible headache. Good thing my mom opted for Just5, it isn’t only affordable, it is also very fulfilling. My mom has been with this provider for almost a year now. Just5 then is really a better choice than Consumer Cellular when it comes to simple cell phone.