Knowledgebase

Selected Subtopic

Click a link to see your answer:

What are Usage Alerts?

Usage Alerts allow you to keep a close eye on your cell phone activity so you can avoid overage charges. With Usage Alerts we’ll let you know when you are approaching your plan’s limits for minutes, messages or web browsing. You choose when you want to be alerted (75%, 100%, 125%, 150% of your plan) and how you want to be notified (email, text message or both). We’ll take care of the rest.

Unlike most other cellular companies, we’ll let you change your rate plan retroactively up to the last day of your billing cycle. This means you can lock in the best pricing for the month, even when the month is almost over. Best of all, you can change your plan as often as you like and we won’t charge you a change fee.

To get started, just log in to My Account and click “Manage Usage Alert Settings.”

More About Usage Alerts

Usage Alerts are generated at levels you choose - (75%, 100%, 125%, and 150%). Usage may not, however, be received from cellular systems immediately so, sometimes, there is a lag of a few hours to a few days. Due to this uncertainty, it is possible that when you receive an alert you may have already used more minutes, messages or web browsing that have not been processed yet.

Alert Frequency

Email alerts will be sent once the processed usage hits the predetermined levels regardless of the time of day or night. Text message alerts, however, will be sent only between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time. We don’t want your phone to ring in the middle of the night.

Other Details

Usage Alerts do not guarantee there will be no overage charges. They are meant to alert you when your usage reaches levels where you need to consider making a change to your plan or usage habits.

Print this answer

How do I manage my Usage Alerts?

You can eliminate the worry and surprise of big cell phone bills due to overages. Just set up Usage Alerts to inform you when your usage approaches your plan’s minutes. Then you can decide if you need to upgrade your plan or reduce your usage. It’s easy to set up and it’s completely free.

1. Log in to My Account
2. Click “Manage Usage Alerts Settings.”
3. Choose your alert type(s):
   • Email
   • Text message
4. Choose when you want to be alerted:
   • 75% of your included minutes, text messages or wireless web usage.
   • 100%
   • 125%
   • 150%
5. Click “Save Changes.”

That’s all there is to it. The alerts are free—we won’t even charge you for the text messages. Not only that, unlike other cell phone companies, we let you change your plan retroactively to the start of your current bill period so you can get the best possible pricing.

Print this answer

Do I need to sign up to receive Usage Alerts?

When you become a Consumer Cellular customer an initial set of Usage Alerts are defined for you by default. You can change these settings at any time:

1. Log in to My Account
2. Click “Manage User Alerts.”
3. Choose your alert type(s):
   • Email
   • Text message
4. Choose when you want to be alerted:
   • 75% of your included minutes, text messages or wireless web usage.
   • 100%
   • 125%
   • 150%
5. Click “Save Changes.”

That’s all there is to it. The alerts are free—we won’t even charge you for the text messages. Not only that, unlike other cell phone companies, we let you change your plan retroactively to the start of your current bill period so you can get the best possible pricing.

Print this answer

How often are Usage Alerts Updated?

Instant notification is not yet possible, but we can get pretty close. Email alerts are sent— anytime of day or night—once usage has been processed. Text message alerts are sent only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time to make sure we don’t intrude on your evening. And we never charge for the text message alerts you receive!

Also, due to different service usage types—voice calls, messaging and web browsing—it is possible to receive multiple alerts about your usage in a month. Our goal is to keep you informed and updated—not to bother you. You may adjust your Usage Alerts to meet your preferences at any time. Just log in to My Account and click “Manage Usage Alert Settings.”

Print this answer

I'm getting Usage Alerts, but I pay by the minute. What do I do?

If you selected a plan where you pay by the minute or by the message, you will begin receiving alerts once your usage reaches levels where you could save money by selecting a different pricing plan.

In general, if you plan to use your phone more than 35 minutes a month, you are probably better off with one of our monthly plans. You can upgrade your plan at any time:

1. Log in to My Account.
2. Click “View or Change Plan.”

Or call our Customer Support team at 1-888-345-5509.

Print this answer

I have the maximum plan, but I'm still getting Usage Alerts. What do I do?

Call our Customer Support team at 1-888-345-5509 to discuss a solution that will best meet your needs.

Print this answer

Why do the plan limits on the Usage Alert page sometimes not match my plan?

When you sign up for new service or make a change to your service before the end of a billing cycle, the number of minutes, messages or data available to you are reduced (or prorated) for the shorter cycle. Keep that in mind when you check your available minutes, messages or data during your first month with us, or for the remainder of the month when you changed your plan.

Print this answer