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Consumer Cellular

www.consumercellular.com
What is your customer experience with Consumer Cellular?

Consumer Cellular Overview

The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.

  • Consumer Cellular has 2.1 star rating based on 882 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.

  • 65% of users would likely recommend Consumer Cellular to a friend or colleague.

  • Rating Distribution
  • Pros: Price, Cheap plans, Cheap.
    Cons: Customer service, Customer support, Poor customer service.

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Media from reviews

Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr
Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr - Image 2Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr - Image 3Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr - Image 4I made the mistake of buying a phone from Consumer CellularConsumer Cellular - Upgrade Trade-In Practice is wrong & potentially Deceptive,...Consumer Cellular - Complaint ac
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Top Consumer Cellular Reviews

Positive Review

"To have an account with consumer cellular"

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Nothing happened Im not sure why I need to fill this out. I was very happy with the representative I talked with. She answered all my questions User's...

Critical Review

"Bad Customer Service"

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07/07/2025 I called them to request a replacement phone as the one I had through them, the front part of this flip phone came apart. The lady that answered the...

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Gwendolynn P

This review is written by an individual who has purchased the reviewed product/service and/or confirms being a paying customer of this company. Check our FAQ

Verified Buyer
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This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

I made the mistake of buying a phone from Consumer Cellular

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I made the mistake of buying a phone from Consumer Cellular
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Contains 1 confidential file for company representatives

This is a terrible cell phone service with data caps on the so-called unlimited plan and locked full-price iPhone that only works with their service. I am really pissed I fell for this! I'm out close to 1800 on a phone and data that rarely works.

View full review
Loss:
$1800
Pros:
  • Easy enough to get started
Cons:
  • Data caps and the iphone locked to only their company

Preferred solution: My phone unlocked

1 comment
Diania Nky

Rumor has it that they charge or terminate you if you are not a revenue- productive customer even if you have an unlimited plan.

Robert J Voa

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

Bad Customer Service

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07/07/2025 I called them to request a replacement phone as the one I had through them, the front part of this flip phone came apart. The lady that answered the phone was the main issue here - hard to understand from not speaking proper English & also speaking so fast that it was very hard to understand her.

I have been with Consumer Cellular for well over 5 years and the phone service itself is great. They pride themselves on their customer service call centers so they claim - but when it comes to a REPLACEMENT PHONE due to an issue of warranty protection on their own, there is none and this phone I received from them in 10/2024. In the past years I have had a protection plan with them paying 2.00 per month extra to have the extra coverage just in case of a problem with the phone. Come to find out the hard way, when I got this phone in October of 2024, the person I spoke with FAILED on their part to transfer my protection plan onto my new phone and I did request it.

So, to make a long story short, I had to pay out of my pocket for a new phone, taxes, shipping and handling in the amount of 97.90 of which I am not happy at all about.

Even speaking to a SUPERVISOR about the issue - got me no where with them as according to her, they don't make any mistakes when it comes to customer service. A buyer Beware concern.

View full review
Loss:
$98

Preferred solution: Full refund

User's recommendation: Make sure you keep good records on file for your phone service.

Anonymous
map-marker Charleston, West Virginia

Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr

Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr
Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr - Image 2
Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr - Image 3
Consumer Cellular - Amazon and Google are letting people Hijack my phonr - Image 4

I'm NOT giving them a star. They have allowed people to get into my accounts and learn how to *** me better with fake stories of how they ARE the ones who ARE hacked.

Google and Amazon let them use my devices like it was theirs. Moreover, they used my social media accounts for dating services, got *** in my name, [gross things too not normal stuff) they are sick] They are doing ransomware, bitcoin, This is the Texas Crypto Mining and other people involved. They have hacked me since Nov 2024. There are several people working together.

It's a group that feel they entitled to everything.

GitHub and Microsoft Developers are doing this on Google workstation. I have evidence of it and pictures.

View full review

User's recommendation: Amazon , Google, Social Media, Git Hub

Terri T Rnp

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Verified Reviewer

Happy, Loyal Customer

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I have been with them for years. Excellent rates, excellent coverage, and customer service. Good prices as well.

View full review
Pros:
  • Great prices & service
Cons:
  • Phone lines not open 24x7

User's recommendation: Their service is geared toward older people living on a fixed budget. If that's you, you will love them like I do.

Christian B Rtj

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer
| map-marker San Miguel De Tucuman, Tucuman

New service

I need a call from sales so I can get service ! I cant contact the customer service department! Please call me back 808 757****

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Sue W Xmr

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Verified Reviewer

Service does not work

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New home phone base defective. They want to charge me to replace it.

Landline does not ring. Cannot make calls. Mobile phone spotty. Talked to two supervisors that argued with me that my phone works, my base works.

Terrible consumer problem solving.

Spent over 3 hours on my cell phone complaing to them. No Help!A

View full review
Cons:
  • Consumer cellular not fulfilling their promises

Preferred solution: Full refund

User's recommendation: Avoid Consumer Cellular

Resolved
Pamela A Qgo

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Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Healdsburg, California

Resolved: I have no service or wifi

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I signed up for service yesterday and I cannot make any calls. I have no WiFi either! Where is the service you promised me?

View full review

User's recommendation: Stay with the evil you know

Anonymous
map-marker New Orleans, Louisiana

To have an account with consumer cellular

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Nothing happened Im not sure why I need to fill this out. I was very happy with the representative I talked with. She answered all my questions

View full review

User's recommendation: You will be happy with the price and the service

Shannon B Fqt

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Verified Reviewer

Port out pin

I'm trying to get my port out PIN, and Consumer Cellular says they are open from 6 AM to 5 PM today, but when I call, the automated system says they are currently closed and for me to call back Sunday, April 20th, between 6 AM and 5 PM. Well, that's today. I really need my port out PIN.

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Preferred solution: Apology

User's recommendation: Don't use consumer cellular.

Richard K Hah

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Verified Reviewer

Upgrade Trade-In Practice is wrong & potentially Deceptive, Fraudulent & Bait n’ Switch

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Consumer Cellular - Upgrade Trade-In Practice is wrong & potentially Deceptive,...
Updated by user Nov 03, 2024

No Response. Consumer Cellular Doesn't Care. 10-year plus Customer They Have Changed.

Original review Oct 18, 2024
We are 10-Year plus Consumer Cellular Customers, who transitioned from AT&T, and recently Upgraded & requested a Trade-In on one of our iPhone 14 Pro phones to iPhone 16 Pro Max, phone, of which, we have previously done multiple times via Consumer Cellular, e.g., iPhone 10 XR to iPhone 14 Pro. Their Trade-In Program Tool & Customer Service Representatives depict one Trade-In Value, however, upon placing an order for a new phone & trading in an old phone, the Trade-In Value is significantly less than expected.

This Upgrade Trade-In Practice is wrong & potentially Deceptive, Fraudulent & Bait n Switch.

Given new ownership & a new management team, Go Elsewhere & Anywhere given Consumer Cellular is Not the company it once was! We forego-ed the Trade-In and have subsequently filed Complaints with the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission & Better Business Bureau accordingly.
View full review
Loss:
$143
Pros:
  • Att network
Cons:
  • International service
  • Upgrade trade in practice
  • Potentially deceptive fraudulent and bait and switch practices

Preferred solution: Apology

User's recommendation: Go Elsewhere & Anywhere given Consumer Cellular is Not the company it once was! We forego-ed the Trade-In and have subsequently filed Complaints with the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission & Better Business Bureau

2 comments
Guest

Consumer Cellular uses AT&T signal towers. The two are in this thing together. Just know that and maybe beware.

Guest

GTCR Equity Firm owns since 2020. Founders Stanley Golder Carl Thoma Bryan Cressey Bruce Rauner Service has gone bad, had 5 day outage in Spring '24 and then a month of scant service.

Actually had a Mexican language Amber Alert supposedly out of Houston TX, despite having blocked all govt/alert/emerg/notifications. Calls & texts delivery delayed by a week or more for over a year. Difficulty getting online with data mode. Routinely receive ''live" voicemails when connect to data, despite having it turned off too.

Trade in iphone was stolen... comp said fedex never picked it up--which they did from our mailroom--never scanned as picked up.

Fees increase every month, the recent bill jumped 6% just for Universal Fee. Have changed something in the data usage calc , almost doubled 'usage' every month for a year despite turning on the Data Saving mode.

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Sue W Xmr

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Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Alief, Texas

Need real customer service representative, no help. Deny my problems. Argue with me when I tell them the lights are flashing.

They need to believe what I am saying and stop argueing with me. Spoke to 3 supervisors and they all said the same thing.

Their product is working fine and it is NOT. Sharon Klumb

View full review
Diania Nky

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

Company Wants Me To Overpay Final Bill After Providing Terrible Service

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Updated by user Jan 12, 2025

Consumer Cellular continues to not take responsibility for its terrible service which dropped my calls daily for months at a time. The company agreed this is happening but did zero to resolve the issue or make any attempt to resolve it, at times stating it is just a "redistributor" of service.

In partnership and good faith, I offered viable solutions they did not even consider. They also tried to overcharge me on the final bill but I proved my case, paid it and dismissed the company.

Original review Dec 26, 2024
Dropped calls every day for months, my bill was around $21 for 4 weeks and now they want to charge me $47.55 for 6 weeks or less. I asked for a detailed explanation and they would not send it.

This company is incompetent and greedy. I am a senior citizen and they are trying to cheat me. Please do not use this company, and if you are a customer drop them. They target seniors and minorities in their ads, then in my case tried to rip me off.

I am reporting them to the BBB and others. Take my advice: do not go with Consumer Cellular. They admitted the dropped calls were their fault yet did nothing about it. I have a new phone with no dropped calls that is not Consumer Cellular.

Good riddance to these clowns and amateurs. I do not think Consumer Cellul!ar should have a license to operate, look at all the complaints and low ratings online about them!
View full review
Loss:
$48
Cons:
  • Dropped calls daily and company refuses to do anything about it
  • Terrible customer service with jd nopower award
  • Unreliable service

Preferred solution: Detailed account of last bill I had with them as requested multiple times because it is an overcharge

User's recommendation: Do Not Use Consumer Cellular!

susan k Klb

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Verified Reviewer

Returning customer gets no respect...

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In 2020 l changed states and suffered spotty reception which required l use Verizon. Now that t l have a better grasp of GPS localities l considered switching back due to expense.

I've learned that a credit report is required which l find laughable considering illegal aliens are gifted free phones and service.

What an insult! No thanks!

View full review
Pros:
  • Cost
Cons:
  • Credit report

Preferred solution: New service. No credit report

User's recommendation: refuse the permission for a credit rating search as long as illegals dont

Zaki Mrq

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

CC over charged me almost every month

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I didn't use the amount of gigabytes that they were charging me for, and I would lower the cost. However, when I received the bill, it would be what they wanted to charge me. Then, I cancelled the plan and was charged a surcharge on top of them already overcharging me.

View full review
Cons:
  • Lead you to believe you can opt a plan to pay less

Preferred solution: I would like to get some of the money back for being charged for the gigabits I was charged for but didn't use.

User's recommendation: DON'T GET A PLAN WITH THEM YOU WILL REGRET IT!

1 comment
Diania Nky

The best thing you can do is report this to the regulators and the attorney general in your state. Then the company must respond and you have the opportunity to reply to their response.

Don't let these amateurs get away with it. They just tried overcharging me by over 50% but I fought back and won.

Julie L Foa

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

Tried to activate sim card

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Impossible to activate SIM online. Agents spoke so fast I could not understand.

He told me to log in to change the PIN I didn't have. Cannot log in because I am not a customer yet.

Nothing in the material they sent told me what info I need. Wasted time.

View full review
Cons:
  • Impossible to activate sim online

Preferred solution: nothing

1 comment
Diania Nky

Not only that but their Verve product does not have the star features as did the Chrome version. Why don't they disclose this? Very sneaky and unprofessional.

Hossein H Bzl

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Verified Reviewer

A not mate a call. That’s why I am trying to contact you

iPhone 14 not making calls. Been informed my e sim disconnected per my request. I did not make such request

View full review
Avonell Hhl

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Verified Reviewer

No practice of blocking fraudulent, spam or spoofing calls

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Since I signed up with Consumer Cellular (from Verizon) seven months ago, I've had well over 4000 spoofed calls, and all from the same area code. If you try to call these numbers back, they don't existed (therefore, spoofed).

CC simply says register with DoNotCall.gov. That's the best *** advise they can offer, and they make NO EFFORT at all to assist me with dealing with this issue. I changed from Verizon to Consumer Cellular because it changed my monthly bill from $80 to $20 a month.

I'm going back to Verizon. *** Consumer Cellular (and AT&T).

View full review
Pros:
  • Cheap
Cons:
  • Poor cell service

Preferred solution: Apology

User's recommendation: Beware!

About

Summary

Consumer Cellular is a nationwide provider of cellular phones and services. Consumer Cellular was founded by John Marick and Greg Pryor in October 1995. The company started out with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest market. Coverage now includes all 50 US states. Consumer Cellular specializes in cell phone plans for seniors. The company was most recently profiled in The Oregonian's Silicon Forest blog. ReCellular refurbishes and resells the usable cell phones. Phones that no longer work are recycled according to strict environmental standards and the salvaged materials are used to make other products. Consumer Cellular plan includes several bundled services, such as Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, 3-Way Conference Calling, Voicemail and International Direct Dial.

Consumer Cellular reviews and complaints

Consumer Cellular is ranked 314 out of 2177 in Telecommunications category

Area Served

USA, Europe, Canada

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