Consumer Cellular Customer Service Issues

Subject: Frustration with Service To: [redacted] I am increasingly frustrated with the lack of solutions to my ongoing cell service issue, which has persisted for several days now. The chat technician I contacted was unable to provide any viable solutions and ultimately gave up. In addition to this, I am dealing with limited wifi connectivity, while the GPS functions correctly thanks to the satellite network. Despite my attempts to troubleshoot the phone using both logic and past experience, I have not been able to find even a partial solution. My other smartphone is also unable to make or receive calls, indicating that the phone itself is not the problem. I have been a satisfied customer of Consumer Cellular for years, but the current inability to use my phone for its primary function is making me reconsider my loyalty.

Please escalate this to someone who understands that I rely on the cell phone service I pay for to make calls. I request a review of my previous months' usage for my personal cell phone with account number [redacted]. It was active until August when I experienced a complete lack of service from your end. Despite many calls and hours on hold, the issue remains unresolved. I do not believe I should be charged for the unusable service in my last bill. If necessary, I will compare the value of paying for no service versus paying slightly more for reliable cellular service. I kindly ask for my cell phone to be restored promptly as it is my primary communication device. The ongoing issue seems to stem from a failure to check if my phone was unlocked, a simple oversight during troubleshooting. After switching to T-Mobile as advised for my Europe trip, my phone has been inactive since July, causing inconvenience during my vacation. Despite my wife's phone working abroad, mine remains dysfunctional. I am not upset, just frustrated with the situation and would appreciate a resolution soon. Sincerely, R. Edwards

I haven't received a reply from you yet. I recently got a notice in Russia about a billing issue with my phone numbers ([redacted] and [redacted]). Before our trip in July, we confirmed with your company the cost to keep the lines active, which we were told was $26.00 per month for both numbers including tax. We paid $52.00 for July and August. Now, I've been told I owe $53.25 more to avoid losing service. I'll be in Russia until September 14 and am disappointed with this situation. I had to resort to Skype to address this matter. I feel misled by your representative and find this unacceptable. If necessary, I will take extreme measures. I need a resolution to restore my trust in your company. Contact Us: [redacted] Consumer Cellular Potential Service Interruption Notice Account #[redacted]31 Dear Roger Kromer, Your Consumer Cellular account is past due $53.25. To prevent service suspension, prompt payment is required. • Immediate Payment • Pay Online: My.ConsumerCellular.com • Pay By Phone: [redacted] • Mail Payment: PO Box [redacted], Pasadena, CA 91[redacted] Your attention to this matter is appreciated. We value your business and hope to resolve this issue. Kindly disregard if payment has been made.

I am preparing for an upcoming international trip and I needed to enable international roaming on my Doro [redacted] phone. After reviewing the information on Consumer Cellular's website, I contacted [redacted] to arrange for the service. Initially, it seemed straightforward, but I encountered a hiccup as my Doro phone only supports 3G, whereas T-Mobile requires 4G. After a lengthy two-hour ordeal at Target, I was compelled to purchase an Alcatel phone with inferior T-Mobile coverage. To complicate matters, reactivating my Doro with the original SIM card will take a few days, leaving me uncertain if I'll have a working phone upon my arrival in Denmark. Frustrated and out of pocket approximately $40, the situation is far from ideal. If I am unable to communicate upon landing at Kastrup, my plan is to discard both phones in Køge Bugt and seek out a new phone provider and device upon my return home.

I signed up for Consumer Cellular around October 15th, [redacted]. I also ordered a new phone and requested to have my current number transferred over. Initially, I tried to do it online but faced issues, so I completed the process over the phone. I was informed that it might take about a week for the number transfer. After a week, I followed up and was given a new deadline of that Friday, which later passed with no update. Upon contacting Consumer Cellular again, I was informed that the process might take several weeks, contradicting the earlier given deadline. I reached out a few days later, and the issue was escalated to a Porting Specialist at T-Mobile, involving my old service provider, OOMA, Inc. Despite giving my contact number, I am unsure why T-Mobile is now involved in the transfer process. My first bill is approaching on October 14th, and I have yet to use my phone. Best, E.L. Number to be ported: [redacted]

I am unable to access your website using Spectrum Cable. Every other site loads fine, but yours just shows a blank page that keeps attempting to connect. After a while, hypertext appears on the left side but doesn't direct me to the actual website. Spectrum claims it's not an issue on their end. This problem has persisted for 1-1/2 days, affecting all three computers in my home. I started having this problem while browsing phones on your site. I need to switch from ATT to Consumer Cellular, but I must be able to access your website to proceed. I visited one of your stores, and although they can handle the transfers for me, I still need to access the site for various reasons. My son, who has Comcast, can access your site without any issues. A store employee also confirmed this. My son, a computer scientist, tried to troubleshoot it but couldn't find a solution. Any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me if necessary. Thank you. - Steve L. Winter Garden, FL [redacted]

I had a challenging experience trying to get a new Doro phone. Initially, I was misinformed at Target in Montgomeryville, PA that Doro was discontinued, but after contacting Consumer Cellular, I was directed to another Target on City Line Ave to find one. Despite the kind tech who transferred my photos to the new pink Doro, the phone couldn't make or receive calls, causing inconvenience. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to fix the problem, a resolution was reached after several store visits and phone calls. The issue persisted from August 11th to August 19th, leading me to almost cancel my Consumer Cellular service. Although the situation eventually got resolved, the process was frustrating and time-consuming. I hope Consumer Cellular can improve their service to prevent such issues in the future. - Carole Lindner.

While vacationing in Arizona, I purchased an ALCATEL GO FLIP as a new phone. Unfortunately, after just over a month of use, the device has developed an issue that prevents me from highlighting and scrolling through my contacts. Upon contacting customer service upon my return to Washington state, I was advised to return the phone to a Sears store for assistance. However, as Sears is no longer present in our area and there are no stores nearby, this poses a significant challenge. Despite my loyalty to your company over the years, I was disappointed to learn that an exchange could not be facilitated without access to a Sears store. Moving forward, I will not recommend Consumer Cellular to friends and family due to the lack of support experienced in this situation. Disappointed, Wes Whitlinger

As a long-time customer, I have always ensured my bills are paid promptly. Due to my ongoing health issues that require frequent hospital visits, I recently faced challenges making payments on time. Unfortunately, I was alarmed to receive a threatening message regarding a potential service cutoff instead of a compassionate inquiry about the missed payments. Despite explaining my situation to multiple representatives and stressing the criticality of my phone service as a lifeline, I was disheartened by the lack of understanding and empathy displayed. I had repeatedly requested to be contacted directly if there were payment concerns, but I was only made aware of the issue through a threatening message. I quickly settled the outstanding balance upon discovering the situation. Moving forward, I am seeking a service provider that values their commitment to customers and demonstrates compassion towards individuals facing challenging circumstances such as mine, as I navigate through a difficult chapter dealing with a serious illness.

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to raise serious concerns regarding my recent experience with Consumer Cellular. On August 26, [redacted], I purchased a cell phone and subscribed to a plan with Consumer Cellular. Unfortunately, I encountered significant obstacles in accessing Wi-Fi calling due to what I believe to be deliberate actions on the part of Consumer Cellular. Despite my best efforts and numerous calls to their technical department, I was unable to resolve the issue. It wasn't until a non-tech clerk at the store intervened and solved the problem in less than five minutes that I was able to use Wi-Fi calling, after 48 days of paying data rates unnecessarily. I demand full compensation for the fraudulent charges and the distress I have endured due to Consumer Cellular's negligence. Sincerely, GB Soulja

Dear Consumer Cellular, I am writing regarding account number [redacted]1. Unfortunately, my father, Raymond Hills, who held this account, passed away on September 16, [redacted]. The recent bill of $[redacted].25 seems excessive to me, especially considering I did not receive it promptly. By the time I got the bill, it was for an additional month already, leading to the service being terminated. The customer service representative I spoke to on the phone was not very empathetic towards my situation, which was disappointing. I was hoping to keep my father's home phone number, [redacted], but the price I was given was unreasonably high. I feel compelled to share my experience with the California PUC and Attorney General's office, as I believe Consumer Cellular should show more compassion, especially in circumstances like this when one of their customers has passed away. Sincerely, Russ Hills [redacted] Williams Road San Jose, CA [redacted] [redacted]

Account #[redacted]46 I recently received a replacement Moto E5 phone, but unfortunately, it had issues with the mobile network connection from the beginning. After spending an hour troubleshooting with a customer service representative on 11/02/18, the problem remained unresolved. I requested to speak with a supervisor, but none were available at the time. Eventually, I spoke to a supervisor who suggested a factory reboot that would erase all data on the phone. I expressed my reluctance to do so and insisted on a replacement phone, but I was informed that this was not possible. I emphasized the 45-day "risk-free guarantee" and the company's commitment to "[redacted]% customer satisfaction," but the supervisor was unyielding. Frustrated by the response, I requested to escalate the issue further, but my request was denied. All I am seeking is a replacement phone that functions properly.

I previously owned a flip phone which broke, and I transferred the SIM card to a Samsung Galaxy J3 obtained from your company. Unfortunately, after continuously dropping it, the screen turned black. Unable to replace it through your service, I acquired a Samsung Galaxy J3 Aura from a friend, experiencing issues with calling, texting, and inconsistent data connection. Currently, my data and calling features are both non-functional, resorting only to using the TextNow app on Wi-Fi. Would appreciate assistance in resolving these problems. My contact number is 1-[redacted], and I am Doris Rector. (SS# last 4 digits: [redacted]).

I recently replaced my phone through Square Trade. The transition went smoothly, but I noticed an issue with the flashlight not working the next day. After contacting Consumer Cellular, I was advised to try a complete restart, which I was hesitant to do due to potential data loss. An alternative suggested was to remove and reinstall the battery while the phone is on, which temporarily solved the issue. However, the problem persisted. I am unsure if this is a faulty phone, but I would appreciate guidance on receiving a replacement without losing any data.

Dear Consumer Cellular, I have been a longstanding customer benefiting from the AARP discount and initially affordable prices. I gradually added more lines to my account and referred friends, pleased with the service. Recently, I intended to add another line for my daughter but discovered an unexpected 50% increase in the additional line fee from $10 to $15 per month. Receiving a thank you note from CEO John Marick was overshadowed by the hefty rate hike. When discussing this with customer service representative Melinda, I felt unheard and unsatisfied with the unhelpful response. Despite my loyalty, I was disappointed by the lack of consideration for existing customers. Moreover, I shared a previous issue with ATT SIM cards that was never fully resolved, despite assurances of reimbursement for service disruptions. In attempting to expand my services, I expected consistency in the pricing for additional lines but encountered an unwelcome surprise. Consumer Cellular’s failure to address this matter contradicts their proclaimed dedication to customer care. Sincerely, Dan Rymsza

I first contacted you on 10/8/18. The information I received indicated that my number was transferred to your service from T-Mobile on 10/16/18. The SIM card I received did not have an activation code and was not in a box as described. Despite buying another SIM card on 11/24/18, I have been unable to activate it due to various issues - unable to contact you, website connectivity problems, and security concerns. After a lengthy conversation today, I was informed that the original SIM card was faulty and I would need a new one. I do not wish to change my number. I requested to speak with a Supervisor multiple times without success. I have yet to receive a callback as of 7:10pm on Sunday. The experience has been frustrating, and I am requesting a refund of $19.89 along with the fee for the second SIM card. If this issue cannot be resolved promptly, I would like a refund and cancellation of the service. The discrepancies with the AARP discount are also concerning. Helen C.

I am frustrated with the phone service I have received. Please turn my phone back on immediately. I paid my bill, yet it shows my balance is too low. I've encountered issues where calls do not show up, and voicemail notifications are unreliable. Deleting voicemails requires multiple attempts. When I reported a lack of service in specific areas, I was advised to buy a SIM card from Target to access the AT&T network. This feels like I'm being asked to pay extra for advertised services. I urge you to address these problems promptly. Kindly provide a complimentary SIM card to resolve these ongoing issues.

Today is December 6, [redacted], and I have been experiencing issues since 8 a.m. CST. My name is Linda Stapleton, and my Consumer Cellular Account Number is [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]. I am having trouble receiving incoming calls as callers hear a message stating the number is not in service. When making outbound calls, I receive a notification about low account balance, despite having a history of timely and full payments. Attempts to reach Consumer Cellular at 1-[redacted] result in the same message. I require urgent communication via email to resolve this matter promptly as I need to conduct important business calls. Please reach me at [redacted] I have authorized my daughter, Emily J. Stapleton, to speak on my behalf and can be contacted at [redacted] or 1-[redacted]. Thank you for addressing this promptly. Linda M. Stapleton [redacted] North 98th Street Milwaukee, WI [redacted] Phone: [redacted]

There seems to be an issue with my phone service. Earlier today, I attempted to make an emergency call and received a message stating that there was not enough money on the account, which is confusing as I regularly pay my bill and it's not due for another 6 days. I haven't exceeded my unlimited talk and text limit either. I urgently need this resolved as I tried to call the police during the emergency but was unable to do so.

Hello, I am hoping you are having a great day! Two years ago, we purchased phones from AT&T, kept them unused until our old phone stopped working, and now we are looking to switch to Consumer Cellular due to better rates. A new challenge arose as we were unaware that phones could only be used with specific carriers and AT&T refused to unlock them. We are new to smartphones and now realize our devices are locked. Despite having sim cards from Consumer Cellular, we can't use them with our current phones. We are considering buying new phones from you to switch over. We need two phones and lines with a focus on keeping costs low. We are interested in the iPhone 6s for calls, texts, and occasional internet use, so our data needs are uncertain. Ideally, we hope to keep the monthly cost for both lines below $80. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you for your assistance. Our account number is #[redacted]94. Currently without a phone, please contact Dave at work at [redacted]. Regards, S&D Evensen