Ringtones Newsletter
Issue 29, December 2011
In This Issue
- Dialing In by CEO John Marick »
- Feature Focus: Usage Alerts Save Customers Millions »
- Your Privacy Protected »
- Customer Star: Doug Howlett »
- Your Questions Answered »
- Refer A Friend: An Easy $10 for You »
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What’s New
- Now in Select Walgreens Stores in Florida. Read More »
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Refer A Friend, Earn Ten
Put $10 in your pocket! That's what you'll do every time you refer someone who signs up with Consumer Cellular. They'll be happy, too. Not only will they get fantastic cell service at great rates, they'll also get a $10 credit on their first invoice. Don’t wait to share the wealth! The best gifts don’t require contracts.
Want to tell a friend? Click here to send an email.
Dialing In
by John Marick
The month of December is synonymous with gift giving. One of the best gifts I can think of is the power to stay in contact with those we care about most. Today, thanks to wireless communication, you can exchange messages, chat with loved ones, as well as send and receive pictures — all in mere seconds and from almost anywhere.
When keeping in touch with family and friends this holiday season, here are three cell phone tips to keep in mind:
- With all the planning and coordinating going on, you may find yourself using your phone a little more than normal at this time of year. Not to worry, our Usage Alerts program will let you know if you should upgrade your rate plan, giving you more minutes, messages or web access at your fingertips. You can always return to your normal plan after the season. And we never charge a fee or penalize you for doing so.
- Adding a festive holiday ringtone to your phone can get you into the spirit. Best of all, ringtones are inexpensive, easy to download, and can be sampled before purchasing. Visit your My Account page and select Purchase Content to add a holiday ringtone. You can download ringtones from either your computer or your phone.
- If you’re going to travel during the holidays, don’t forget to pack your cell phone and its chargers. Keep your cell phone fully charged at all times, especially when leaving for a long road trip. And always unplug your wall charger when done to conserve energy.
Staying in touch has never been easier than today. Under decent weather conditions, sailing ships took six weeks to bring mail from Europe to America in the early 19th century. In the middle of that same century, it would take Pony Express riders ten days to transport a letter from Missouri to California. In the early 20th century, it took Charles Lindbergh more than 30 hours to cross the Atlantic in an airplane.
And now? Wireless technology enables our voices and images to travel vast distances, virtually from one side of the country to the other, in the blink of an eye. I like to think of wireless communication as not just the gift that keeps on giving, but as the gift that keeps on getting better.
On behalf of all of us here at Consumer Cellular, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Stay warm and healthy this holiday season. And, of course, stay connected.
John
For more comments and industry insights from John, read his latest blog.
Feature Focus
Usage Alerts Save Customers Millions
What a difference 20 months can make. That’s how long we’ve been offering free Usage Alerts to our customers, which at the time was an innovative service within the wireless industry.
Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and several major wireless carriers have announced plans to begin voluntary “usage alerts” programs by April 2013. That means by the time other major cell phone carriers have fully implemented their alert programs, our customers will have been enjoying the security and cost-saving benefits of Usage Alerts for three years.
Since we rolled out our Usage Alerts program on April 10, 2010, our customers have already saved more than $9 million in potential overage fees! We didn’t wait until a government agency or consumer frustration forced the need for such a customer-friendly program. We did it because our customers wanted — and deserved — it. Our Usage Alerts program will continue to stand out from the rest of the industry. Unlike programs from other providers, you’re in complete control. With Consumer Cellular, you can change your plan — up or down — at any time, all with no fees or penalties. Plus, we make it easy. Just a click of the button on your alert and you can upgrade to the recommended plan.
As a customer, you were automatically enrolled in our free Usage Alerts program. With it, we’ll automatically notify you if you approach or exceed the minutes, messages or data use included in your plan, ensuring you’re not surprised by or stuck with unexpected overage fees.
In addition to the service being free, you are never charged for receiving an alert. And you can adjust when and how you receive your alerts at any time. Visit our website to learn more about our Usage Alerts program. We’re certainly glad we began offering “usage alerts” a year and a half ago and will continue to bring you industry leading products to help you get the most out of your wireless service.
Your Privacy Protected
In a world that is increasingly online, data is king and businesses will pay dearly for information about consumer behavior. Here at Consumer Cellular, you never have to worry about us sharing or selling information about you. It's your data, not ours, and your privacy is always protected.
We only collect information that you voluntarily give us via email, our online shopping forms, or other direct contact from you. Plus, when you submit sensitive information via our website, your information is protected both online and offline. Rest assured, we will not sell or rent this information to anyone. And, of course, you may opt out of any future contacts from us at any time.
Remember, Consumer Cellular is on your side. Your privacy is important to us.
Customer Star
Doug Howlett
A personal recommendation travels far with Doug Howlett, a Laboratory Manager at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and a long-time Consumer Cellular customer. When Doug is not busy inside managing critical lab work, he spends much of his time outside on his bike or in his kayak.
“A friend introduced me to Consumer Cellular. And it didn’t take long for me to appreciate the company’s pricing, cellular plans, and excellent customer service,” said Doug.
Based on his own positive experiences with Consumer Cellular, Doug switched his mother’s service from a prominent national carrier to the company. Today, he and his wife both have cell phones and share minutes on the Anywhere 1200 plan.
“I’m currently using the Nokia C3 and especially enjoy the phone’s full keyboard for messaging,” said Doug. “Like many people, I used to think that texting wasn't worth the time, but now I use it frequently.”
Best reason of all for switching, according to Doug? Consumer Cellular is a no-contract cell phone service provider. Already a busy man with many commitments, the last thing Doug wanted was to lock himself into a two-year cell phone contract. And he can change his cellular plan without penalty at any time during a billing cycle.
For outdoor enthusiast Doug Howlett, recommending Consumer Cellular to others is easy — after all, we’re the #1 rated no-contract cell phone service provider in the nation. It seems good news travels fast.
Your Questions Answered
In each issue we ask our Support team to recommend — and answer — commonly asked questions about our products or services.I'm something of a do-it-yourself problem solver. Instead of calling your Support line, is there some place I should look for any cell phone questions I might have?
Excellent question. We have a self-serve FAQ area in the Support page of our website. Plus, if it’s a phone usage problem, we have phone user manuals posted on our website and you may download the appropriate manual for free at any time. However, we know some people find it easier to see how something is done rather than read about how to do it. So we created easy-to-follow, step-by-step videos to make sure you get the most value out of your cell phone. Accessing a video is super easy. Visit the Support page of our website to view support videos for all our cell phones. And, of course, you’re still welcome to call our Support team. They’re friendly cell phone experts who are all based right here in the U.S.
Have more questions, need more answers?
We can help you learn how to get the most value out of your phone and plan. Just call us at 1-888-345-5509, go online to view our How-To Videos or see the answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions.
What’s New…
Now in Select Walgreens Stores in Florida
In 1922, Walgreens invented the malted milkshake. Today, their family of stores numbers in the thousands. And now there’s one more reason to visit Walgreens, especially if you live in the Sunshine State.
Beginning November 1st of this year, Consumer Cellular phones became available in 800 Walgreens stores in the state of Florida. It’s part of a regional launch and a continuation of our efforts to make our phones easier to sample and buy in person. In addition to the Florida Walgreens locations, Consumer Cellular phones are also available in Sears stores nationwide.
Please use our Store Locator to find a Walgreens or Sears store near you.
After purchasing your phone, activating it is both fast and easy. Simply call our customer support to get your phone up and running right away. Or, you can activate your phone yourself using our special activation website.
