I’ve talked before about how you can use Wi-Fi to preserve the data on your cellular plan. Now, here’s another handy tip: with a little bit of planning and access to a Wi-Fi connection, you can also enjoy movies, music, and more without using any data!
The trick, quite simply, is to plan ahead. Almost anything that you stream on your phone—like movies on Netflix, TV programs on Hulu, podcasts, or music on iTunes, Google Play or other streaming services—can also be downloaded while you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
By downloading an item rather than streaming it, you have it available “offline” for whenever you want to watch or listen to it—without having to be connected to data to stream it “live”. With most services that you use, it’s as simple as looking for the download icon (usually a downward pointing arrow) and clicking the song, movie, or episode you want to keep. Not all items will be available for download, but there’s a truly astonishing number that are, so you won’t lack for great choices.
Just keep in mind that these items will use the available storage on your phone, so it’s also a good idea to delete shows after you’ve watched them, or songs that you’ve already heard enough times, to avoid filling your device’s memory. If you really want to keep a big library, you may want to consider adding a microSD card to your phone, if possible, for extra storage.
In addition to saving your data for times when you really need it, this is a great way to “pack” a few entertainment items for when you travel. What could be better than starting a long plane or car ride knowing that you’ve got a handful of your favorite movies or TV shows right at your fingertips, ready to watch even with your phone in “Airplane Mode”?
You’ll enjoy the convenience of taking your favorites with you—and you’ll certainly be delighted with how much data you save by downloading them using Wi-Fi!
I don’t need any health data.
We appreciate your feedback, Melba, and we hope you have a great day!
Can anybody get a consumer cellular account?
Great question, Nancy! As long as you are at least 18 years old, you’re welcome to use our service!
The web site will not allow me to log in.
We’re sorry to hear that, Nicholas. Please try logging in via this link here instead. If you continue to experience issues accessing your account, please give us a call at 888-345-5509. Thank you for reaching out to us today!
Do you send out a bill, or do I have to use a debit card?
Great question, Linda! We offer monthly invoices, and various payment options, including automatic monthly billing, and payment via check as well. If you like, we can discuss this with you further at 888-345-5509 at your convenience. Thanks for posting!
Can you tell me where to find downloadable
Songs? I’ve tried to download my cd’s to my iPhone without success.
Great question, Steve! You can download music from Apple via iTunes. Just visit the App Store on your phone, and search for your favorite artist. Thanks for posting!
Hi Susan,
(God forbid I ask a question that’s on-topic but…) you mentioned podcasts. Can you give me a recommendation for solidly good a podcasting app on Android?
I’ve been struggling to find a good podcasting app that allows you to (1) download (and not just stream) podcasts; and (2) set up playlists. On my Android phone, I’ve tried “Google Podcasts” (which is very user-unfriendly and ALWAYS goes to the next episode of a podcast — independent of whether or not you’ve downloaded it! — that is, it’ll STREAM the next episode of a podcast using mobile data! — GAH!) *AND* I’ve tried “Stitcher” — but this podcasting app also kind of stinks because when I download podcasts and then tap to the “Downloads” section, it does NOT show all of the podcasts that I’ve actually downloaded! Ughhh….
So, I need a good recommendation for a podcasting app on Android.
Thanks for asking! Rather than use Google Podcasts, you can try the Play Music app that is probably already installed on your phone. Just search for Podcasts, and you can subscribe and setup your favorite options. You can adjust notification and download settings to your liking. Castbox is another popular option, and this app will even prompt you if you begin listening without connecting to Wi-Fi. If either of these works well for you, be sure to let us know!
I am a senior at age 78. I have a verizon phone. Can I still use the phone if I transfer to Consumer Cellular? I am not under contract with verizon. What is the best deal you could give me per month and taxes and all and can I still keep all my contacts on the phone? Is insurance on the phone included? Thank you, waiting for response. Possibly what would it cost for another line for another family member combined.
Thanks for taking the time to post today, Don! Some newer phones previously used with Verizon can be used with our service, though they do need to be fully unlocked first. That way, all of your apps and contacts will remain in the same place. Our plans are fully adjustable each month, and you can see all of our options here. It’s just $15 each month for an additional device, and all devices on the same plan share the same minutes, texts and data. Insurance can be purchased for new devices, and that can be conveniently included with your monthly invoice. We’re happy to answer any other questions you may have at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you reaching out to us, and we hope you have a lovely day!
Hello my data plan is so slow Everytime I try to listen to my music or video is keeps getting buffer, I may think about changing my plan, and how can I used wi-fi. This plan is not good.
We’re sorry to hear that you’re experiencing some issues with your data, Clarissa. Please give us a call at 888-345-5509, and we will be happy to troubleshoot this with you and get it resolved. Thanks for reaching out to us, and we look forward to speaking with you!
Can you switch and keep your same number and phone
Thanks for posting, Barbara! We can absolutely transfer your number to our service, and in many cases, you can keep the phone you already know and love. We offer a SIM card option, which allows you to use a fully unlocked GSM phone, such as one used previously with AT&T or T-Mobile, with our service. You can learn more about this option here. We can send you a SIM card, or you can pick one up at your local Target store. We appreciate you taking the time to learn more about Consumer Cellular, and we hope to see you as a customer soon!
I’m trying to switch from Verizon to Consumer Cellular but my contract doesn’t end until the end of August. Will they unlock the phone and allow me to keep my number.
Good question, DK! In most cases, your previous carrier will unlock a device once it’s paid for in full. We’re happy to help you bring your number to Consumer Cellular, but be sure to keep your previous account open until we’ve confirmed that the transfer is complete. Thank you for posting, and we hope to speak with you in August!
I would like to see my unused minutes and data carried over each month. These would be especially useful when travelling. Thank you!
We appreciate your feedback, Maurice. With our plans, you can adjust each month, so if you’re finding that you aren’t using all of your minutes or data, you can always switch to a smaller plan for a time. If you’re traveling and you need a bit more data than usual, our plans will automatically upgrade you to the plan that best fits your needs. Thanks for taking the time to post today!
I downloaded Pandora to my iphone, now how do I turn it off, Free trial.
We’re happy to help you with that, Gloria! If you close the app, that will turn off the feature. If you need to cancel a Pandora subscription, you’ll need to open the app, then go to your account settings and cancel. If you need any help, we’re happy to assist you at 888-345-5509. Thanks for taking the time to post, and we hope you have a lovely day!
I would like to stream Pandora. Does this use up data, and if so, how much per hour. In the car using Wi Fi hotspot?
Hi Audry, that’s a great question! I would advise that stream music can use about 1MB per every 2 minutes streamed but it can vary depending on the application being used. We do not currently offer a list of how much data each app will use, but you can try it for a day and see about how much it uses and if you are connected to WiFi the rest of the time that will help save on that data usage.
Has Consumer Cellular considered offering unlimited data similar with MetroPCS? They allow a certain amount of 4g LTE and then slow you down to 3g. You never are without it.
Hi Jerry, thanks for your post! I would advise that currently we do not offer unlimited data but we do go up to 20GB with Unlimited Texting for $40 a month plus tax. If you would like, you can review this plan and more by going to our website .
Can I download your ringtone PARTY to my phone . I am using Verizon.
Hi Judy, how to download a ringtone may vary depending on your phone. If you have Verizon’s service, I recommend contacting them for assistance with downloading a ringtone onto your phone.
Why is it apples business if I choose to use cellular to download a movie? I’m the one paying for it. Not them. If I need their advice I’ll ask for it. Or maybe just GOOGLE it
I’m a 4 year customer, will the connect pad stream movies with wifi, and download like you say, specifically capacity, how many movies will it hold? Will a connect pad tether to my other android phone, MotorolaAce? I’m gonna get rid of home internet all together, out here it’s insane what they charge, I need 15 to 20 minutes a day to keep up with news live, I’ll download most everything else.
Thanks for the question, Mark. While on Unlimited Data, data speeds are reduced for the remainder of the billing cycle once 50GB of high-speed data has been used. If you plan to do a lot of movie streaming, it is recommended to continue to do that with home internet instead. In regards to storage capacity, the Consumer Cellular ConnectPad comes with 32GB of storage, and is expandable up to 2TB with a micro SD memory card.