Consumer Cellular operates as an AT&T and T-Mobile MVNO(mobile virtual network operator). In other words, subscribers enjoy coverage on two of the best nationwide networks. However, you can check out the Company’s coverage maps to identify coverage in your area. If your mobile device gets stolen, lost, or damaged, you can request a consumer cellular phone replacement.
Moreover, Consumer Cellular’s new phones feature a one-year warranty from the original manufacturer. If an issue happens within the warranty period, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer’s discretion to decide whether the phone should get replaced or repaired. Thus, if your device is not working, you can contact the Customer Support team at (888) 345-5509 to walk you through the warranty process.
On the other hand, Consumer Cellular offers Consumer Cellular phone deals, with a wide variety of plans with varying amounts of cellular data. Thus, if you’re paying for cellular data you don’t utilize, you may reconsider switching to a Consumer Cellular featuring a lower monthly data allotment. By so doing, you’ll probably save money.
About Consumer Cellular
The company base is in Portland, Oregon, with over 4 million customers, offering services to seniors 50 years and older. Besides, Consumer Cellular provides AARP members special discounts on wireless plans to eligible customers. The Company works as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). In other words, the carrier leases service from the major carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile.
Additionally, consumer cellular offers unlimited talk time and texting featured on its plans, with data plans starting from 1GB to unlimited data ranging from $20 to $55 per month. Consumer Cellular provides straightforward wireless plans aimed at senior adults.
How Do I Bring My Phone To Consumer Cellular?
If you decide on bringing your own cell phone to Consumer Cellular, first, ensure it is carrier unlocked. Additionally, you’ll need to check with your current carrier to know if you can have it unlocked if it isn’t yet among the Consumer Cellular compatible phones.
Besides, before you can unlock your cell phone, most wireless carriers require you to meet a few requirements. When switching to consumer cellular, make sure that all your fees and contracts get fully paid and that your service has been active for a certain amount of time.
How Do I Keep My Phone Number When Joining Consumer Cellular?
If you decide to keep your phone number when switching to Consumer Cellular, don’t terminate your old plan until you have the number transferred. However, you can ask for a free SIM card from Consumer Cellular when purchasing a plan to have you ported into this carrier.
Notably, you’ll have to adhere to Consumer Cellular’s directions and provide them with information concerning your current carrier to help you keep your phone number when you switch.
How Do I Activate A Cell Phone On Consumer Cellular
Whether you bring your own phone or have one of the free government smartphones, you must activate it to use Consumer Cellular services. Most importantly, ensure you have a Consumer Cellular Connect plan before activating your phone. Then, follow the steps below:
- Order an All-in-One SIM Card or a new mobile phone from Consumer Cellular.
- Locate the activation number next to the QR code at the back of the packaging box the SIM card or new phone was in.
- Go to Consumer Cellular’s activation page.
- Insert the activation code into the provided box.
- Click Activate.
What Type of Damages can I File a Claim For?
Typically, stolen or lost phones are not covered by the device protection plan. However, you can file a phone insurance claim for Consumer Cellular for the damages covered by your insurance plan. Insurance plans help you purchase a specific amount of coverage that covers specific types of damages or occurrences.
For instance, you might obtain an insurance plan from SquareTrade, which caters for damages like a broken screen for your device. If you break your screen, that particular damage category will qualify, and you can file a claim with the insurance company. Perhaps, if your insurance policy doesn’t cover broken screens, you cant file a claim for a broken screen.
Therefore, the scenarios for which you can file a phone insurance claim with Consumer Cellular depend specifically on the insurance plan you subscribe to. You can reach out to SquareTrade directly or check for a copy of your policy to confirm whether the damages in question are covered when looking for a Consumer Cellular phone replacement.
What Do I Do If My Consumer Cellular Phone Gets lost or stolen
i) Text Your Cell Phone
If your phone has some text messages set to display on the lock or home screen, it can help if a good Samaritan finds your phone. You can text your cell phone to offer instructions on how to reach you, just in case a person finds it.
ii) Contact Your Cell Phone Or Use Your Carrier’S Mobile App To Send An Alert
In this case, you can utilize another device to contact your mobile phone. However, the step is hard if you have your cell phone on silent. You can also utilize your carrier’s mobile app to access your ringer settings and sound an alert.
iii) Use Your Phone’S Built-In Find My Phone Feature
Your cell phone bears built-in security measures that enable you to lock, track, ring, or erase it remotely if you have enabled that feature. The feature refers to Find My Device on Android devices and iPhones; it’s called Find My.
iv) Remotely Erase The Data From Your Phone
If you’re sure that your smartphone got stolen, you should delete the data remotely from your device as soon as possible to secure your information. Qualified thieves may eject SIM cards or use special boxes that block mobile phones from cellular networks, making it hard to wipe the device if you delay.
To Remotely Wipe Data on an iPhone:
- Procced to icloud.com/find using another device and log into your iCloud account.
- Tap on All Devices, then select the iPhone you need to erase from the list.
- Tap on Erase iPhone.
To Remotely Wipe Data From Your Samsung or Google phone:
- Proceed to android.com/find using another device.
- Sign in to your Google account.
- At the left-hand menu, select Erase Device.
v) Lock Your Phone & Change Passwords
If you cant trace your device quickly, you can use your phone’s find my phone feature to lock your cell phone remotely from any location. Also, ensure to change the passwords on any accounts you regularly use or have an app for on your email, financial accounts, and social media, just in case.
vi) Contact Your Mobile Carrier
Suppose all the above efforts bore no fruits after locating your device, erasing, and locking it remotely. In that case, you can call customer care and confirm your consumer cellular plan for device replacement. The Company can disable service to your cell phone and can typically render the phone itself unusable by a new SIM card or a new carrier.
vii) Engage The Police
You may or may not receive your phone back, but you can alert the police to get a report that protests fraudulent charges concerned with your device.
Consumer Cellular Warranties and Return Policy
Generally, each Consumer Cellular cell phone comes backed by a 30-day risk-free guarantee. With this guarantee, you’ll get 30 days to familiarize yourself with your device and ascertain if it’s a perfect fit for your needs. If you think otherwise, you can call Consumer Cellular, cancel your plan, and return your mobile phone for a full refund.
Currently, Consumer Cellular doesn’t provide a standard warranty on its mobile devices. However, protection plans start at $2 per month (the cost varies depending on the device). You can enroll in a SquareTrade protection plan, which handles your phone against spills, drops, and other accidental damage, especially with the more costly devices.
Consumer Cellular Cell Phone Plans
The carrier provides consumer cellular plans for seniors and two cell phone plans: Unlimited Talk Only plans ideal for non-smartphone users featuring unlimited minutes, and six Unlimited Talk and Text plans, inclusive of a data package.
i) Unlimited Talk Only Plan:
- Unlimited minutes for $15 per month
ii) Unlimited Talk and Text Plans With Data:
- 1GB for $20 per month
- 3GB for $25 per month
- 7GB for $35 per month
- 10GB for $40 per month
- 15GB for $45 per month
- Unlimited data for $55 per month
If you need a second line, you can add one to your service plan and share the data for an extra $20 per month. Then, add a third line for $15 more per month. Notably, data speed may get capped for unlimited plan users exceeding 35GB in a billing cycle.
Moreover, if you exceed your data limit for the month, Consumer Cellular automatically upgrades you up to the next tier and the price. Besides, It doesn’t automatically downgrade your plan at the end of your billing cycle, so you’ll have to change it.
Bottom line
Are you experiencing a device malfunction with your cell phone or having difficulties using your damaged phone screen? If this is the current situation, you can request a replacement device from Consumer Cellular. There are many problems and malfunctions prone to a cell phone, and that’s why Consumer Cellular has insurance in place. You can file a phone insurance claim for Consumer Cellular if you want a replacement.
