Do you Really Need an “Unlimited” Cellular Plan? Do the Math First…

Before diving into that “unlimited” cellular plan, it’s important to ask yourself some important questions about how you currently use, or plan to use your cell phone:

  • Do you care about texting or sending/receiving photos?
  • If so, how often do you send/receive text messages a month?
  • What about the internet?
  • How often do you make calls?
  • How often do people call you?

Many cell companies tout unlimited calling at night or to other phones within their network, in addition to unlimited texting and internet.

But stop and think about how often you are using your phone for calling, texting and/or the internet. Does unlimited make sense? Sure, the piece of mind of unlimited can be nice, but is it really worth the extra cost?

If you are not using the service extensively for these “unlimited” calls, texts or internet usage, the high monthly fee associated with the plan may make it a more expensive option than buying a plan that is more in line with your actual usage needs.

In any case, make sure you do the math.

To give you some perspective, a recent survey by the Nielsen Company reported in the NY Times, found that teenagers send and receive 80 texts a day, on average – or a whopping 2,272 a month.  If this is you, than an unlimited text messaging plan is probably a good bet. Otherwise, look elsewhere.
 
So, take a look at your past cellular bills and map out how you use your phone. That is the best place to start in determining what you actually need.

34 Thoughts on "Do you Really Need an “Unlimited” Cellular Plan? Do the Math First…"

  1. We are new to using Facebook etal, looks like maybe 10g might be enough

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Welcome to the world of Facebook, Roy! Be sure to visit our page at Facebook.com/ConsumerCellular. We always recommend that our customers use Wi-Fi when checking their profile so they don’t use data from their plan. That way you can keep your data costs low, but still go online. Also, check your Facebook app settings to be sure you disable Video Auto Play. That will prevent your phone from using data too quickly. Thank you for taking the time to comment, and we hope you have a great day!

  2. Frustrated Customer says

    I won’t even consider buying any talk/text/data plan that is not truly unlimited. Data overage charges are an archaic, dying business model and any company that uses them will not get my business.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We appreciate your feedback! Many of our customers prefer the ability to only pay for what they need, but we do understand our plans aren’t the right fit for everyone. In our experience, many people paying for unlimited data only use a small portion of it, so they end up paying for data that gets wasted. Thank you for posting!

      • Jsmit says

        Well I can now say because you don’t off unlimited data I am going to leave your company. There should be a choice I really don’t care how much it costs as long as I get the unlimited data. I used too much to play the bump up game.

        • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

          We’re sorry to hear that our service wasn’t a good fit for you, Jsmit. While we do our best to serve all customers, we aren’t the best option for everyone. Thank you for giving us a try, and we’re always happy to have you back if your needs change!

  3. Asia says

    How much are the phones?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for asking, Asia. You can see our full line of phones on our website here. We offer everything from basic phones to the latest iPhone, and you can often use your own phone with our SIM card option! If we can answer any questions or help you sign up for service, we’re happy to do so at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you taking the time to comment today!

  4. Alexis Casazza says

    Why don’t you offer unlimited data for those of us willing to pay for it? Thinking of switching but……need unlimited data, not text, not minutes.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for asking, Alexis. We’ve found that most of our customers don’t need unlimited data, and we would never want them to pay for more than they need. In fact, many of our customers are able to take advantage of Wi-Fi so they can save even more when they use their plans. That being said, we know that our service may not be the best fit for everyone, especially those who need a lot of data on a regular basis. If you like, we’re happy to go over our plans with you and make a recommendation. Just give us a call at 888-345-5509, and we will be happy to do so. We appreciate you taking the time to post, and we hope to see you as a customer soon!

  5. Walter Porzucek says

    We are on the road more often now and have i$$ues using Consumer Cellular’s data in campsites. Most campsites have Wi-Fi and we can use internet phone but their network speeds/bandwidth just aren’t good enough for phone or video. Need an unlimited option sometimes. Your parent provider, AT&T provide this service but I would prefer staying with you if I could bump it to unlimited occasionally when in a poor Wi-Fi campground. There are plenty of us that would love this.
    A long time customer.

    • Thank you for your honest feedback, Walter. At this time, we don’t have any new plans to announce, but feedback from customers like you helps us create plans that work well for all types of users. I’m happy to pass your request for more data on to our management team for review. If we can answer any questions or assist you in any way, please feel free to call us at 888-345-5509. We hope you have a great day!

      • Joanne says

        I truly think that it’s time for CC to offer unlimited data. I don’t want to leave you either. However, almost every cellular company offers unlimited data. Some no contract companies offer this service for $50/month. This typically includes unlimited data, unlimited calls, and unlimited texts. I don’t understand why you can’t offer something similar. It’s time to keep up with competition and offer this to your customers.

        • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

          Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Joanne. We are continually reviewing our plans to make sure they are providing the most value to our customers and update accordingly. If we make any changes to our plans, we will be sure to alert our customers here on the blog and through other communications. I’ve passed your request regarding unlimited data to our management team, and we very much appreciate your feedback. If we can answer any questions you may have or assist you in any way, please give us a call at 888-345-5509. Thanks again for posting, and we hope you have a lovely day!

  6. Clarissa Staton says

    I rather have unlimited talk text data plan

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Clarissa! We now offer plans with both unlimited calling and text messaging, and our largest Connect plan offers 10GB each month. Best of all, we offer flexible plans that allow you to change to a smaller plan if you don’t need as much data as you thought, and you can save some money. If you like, we’re happy to talk with you about your usage needs and recommend a plan. Just call us at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you taking the time to comment here on the blog, and we hope you have a great day!

  7. Monique Eller says

    This need unlimited data because I use more data than anything

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Monique! With our new plans, you can have up to 10GB of data each month. If you aren’t already doing so, we also recommend using Wi-Fi whenever possible, so that you can stream video and music without using any data from your plan. We’re happy to talk with you about our plans and make sure you’re using the best option for your data needs. Just give us a call at 888-345-5509 at your convenience. We appreciate you taking the time to comment, and we hope to speak with you soon!

  8. Jp says

    I would love to have an unlimited data plan. I understand the wifi idea. Issue is I live in an area where I have very limited wifi, but I always have cell service. Just being able to connect with people is nice. I have friends around the world, and can rarely talk with them because of the data limits. While thankful to speak with them at all, an unlimited plan would remedy this issue. That’s just the direct contact, but covering facebook/online news/ even just listening to a radio station online across the country. Just having the option to do that for as long as i please as much as I please? Sounds amazing. I do hope it’s a possibility for you to offer this one day. Especially at a reasonable price. It would simply be nice to have.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, JP. We are always appreciative when our customers make suggestions, as it helps us create plans that work for all types of users. Currently we do offer a 10GB plan, which will allow you to surf the web, watch videos and more. We’re happy to review all of the options available to you at 888-345-5509 if you like. We appreciate you taking the time to post, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

  9. Sandy robb says

    I just received my new phone and after reading these comments am afraid to activate it. The plan has unlimited text and talk….but it sounds like using it leads to data use. I have no idea how to switch to WiFi when possible and don’t want all that to learn and remember. I just want to talk and text and take and send pictures. It does not seem I can easily do that……..am thinking it would be easier to go back to a cheap phone I use only for text and talk…

    Just sounds way too complicated

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Rest assured, Sandy! You can enjoy your smartphone without complications. If you like, you can disable data on the phone quite easily. I was able to take a look at your account, and I see that you are planning to use an iPhone SE. That’s a great device, and it’s one that is simple to use. To disable data, tap the Settings app on the main screen. Next, tap the option for “Mobile Data”. You’ll see a button at the top next to the words Cellular Data. Just tap that button so that it is in the Off position. We can also walk you through using Wi-Fi if you like, and answer any other questions that may come up at 888-345-5509. Thank you for posting, and we hope you enjoy your new smartphone!

  10. Alfreda says

    I don’t like CC it cost sooo much $44.00, When I see the bill I start to shake. I am 84 and don’t have much money. I thought my bill was going to be, $18.00 a month.

    • Thank you for your comment, Alfreda. We do have different plans available and may have something lower that will meet your needs. For example, if you have a text and data plan we can lower or remove that for you and save you some money. Please give us a call at 888-345-5509 and we can review your usage and the best options. Have a great day!

  11. Lynn Cafaro says

    Sounds like your company may be offering unlimited data in the future. I love your company but I really need unlimited. Even bought a hot spot from your company but found out that when we add all our devices and computers, our data would be used quickly . Any chance of your offering unlimited data in the very,very, very near future?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Lynn. At this time, we don’t have any new plans to announce. If you’re finding that you need more data, we’re happy to review your plan with you at 888-345-5509. We appreciate your feedback, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

  12. RJ Bob Lee says

    There should be a unlimited LTE plan. The hot spot is offered for computer hook ups… the wifi at hotels and campgrounds suck the cell data is always better…. If the concern is customers are paying to much and hardly using any data, then offer a rollover of a portion of unused data for a year, then you start losing it, month by month!!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, RJ. We appreciate your feedback, and we will be sure to pass your thoughts on to our management team. We find suggestions like yours to be very valuable, as they help us create better plans for all of our customers. If you like, we can review your plan with you to see if there is a better data option available, so please don’t hesitate to call us at 888-345-5509. Thanks for reaching out to us, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

  13. Ken says

    Hi. I am currently an AT&T cellular customer. I have an unlimited text and talk family plan which consists of 5 phones and a hot spot. We do not have broadband internet options so using wifi to offset data usage does not work for us. We must rely on 4GLTE data for internet and streaming content. We currently have a 50GB/mo share plan with AT&T. The largest data plan you offer is 10GB/mo which under the circumstances will not work. This is too bad, because I really like what I have heard about CC and would consider switching if you could provide the data my family needs. I’m sure there are plenty of other folks out that live off the beaten path with no access to broadband internet. Please reconsider providing larger data plans so all of us can take advantage of your good service and rates.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for the feedback, Ken. We’re always looking to create plans that work for all types of users, so we appreciate suggestions like yours. At this time, we don’t have any new plans to announce, but we’ll be sure to update our website and the blog if there is anything new to share. We appreciate you reaching out to us, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

  14. Julia says

    Hi. My family and I have been using consumer cellular for the past few years and have always wondered why you guys don’t have unlimited data option. You say your plans fit everyone’s needs, but it doesn’t for those who want unlimited data. We have been sticking around because of your great customer service and decent coverage. Hopefully you’ll have unlimited data soon.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Julia. We try to offer plans that work for most types of users, but we do understand that for some families, more data is needed. I’m happy to pass your feedback on to our management team for review. We appreciate your feedback, and we hope you have a great day!

  15. Douglas says

    I hope someday cc will get unlimited data I have been with many different company some are. Pretty bad ibeen with cc for a while now I use a lot of data but I learn to work around it there always work to me itmore important to have a working phone