I try to keep abreast of the latest news in the cell phone industry, from technology trends to real-life stories about cell phone users. Trends, by definition, are constantly evolving.
However, one story that doesn’t seem to change but continually rears its head is the story about an unlucky consumer stuck in a long-term cell phone contract. Often, the customer becomes suddenly ill and can no longer use a cell phone. But the person signed a contract in healthier times and must continue paying for what he or she can no longer use.
Such stories never come from Consumer Cellular customers. That’s because we’re a no contract cell phone plan provider.
Plus, we let our customers change their business relationship with us— by either expanding their plan or reducing it, as needed—at any time in a billing cycle, without penalty or fees.
And we monitor usage for free. Our Usage Alerts program automatically notifies customers whenever usage approaches their plan’s limits and makes a recommendation, thus helping them avoid costly overage charges. After the spike in usage recedes, our customers are free to return to their regular cell phone plan.
Again, this is achieved without special fees assessed. It’s their cell phone plan and we like it to fit whatever is going on in their life. We believe they know what’s needed better than we do.
True, our customers are not locked in to us by contracts. But we do keep a promise with them and, I think, it is both stronger and more resilient than any legal document. It’s our implied promise to deliver the best value for their dollar. And that’s across the board, from the plans and phones we offer to the friendly customer service we provide.
When it comes to cell phone service, consumers have plenty of options to choose from these days. We prefer they stay with us because we’re their best option. Not because of some legal fine print that’s hidden below the dotted line.
I wanted to hear about the new Huawei 8800 smartphone that is mentioned in the June 2012 Ringtones newsletter….but there is nothing online about it!!
Thanks for the comment, Lawson. I don't have a specific date to report, but the Huawei smartphone will be available soon. We'll be sure to announce it on this blog as soon as it's available. Thank you.
I am ready to get my first smartphone, I looked at the Motorola Bravo. However, the June newsletter mentions the Huawei 8800 smartphone, I want to know more about it. When will it be available?
Hello Mary. Thank you for your question. The Huawei 8800 is available now. Here's a link to more information: https://www.consumercellular.com/blog/meet-our-most-powerful-phone-yet-2
Payment option questions:
1. I like to pay by check. But I would like to pay ahead for several months to save some checks and postage stamps. Is this possible? For example, if I sent you a check for $60 (enough for about 3 months at 250 minutes/month, with taxes), do you automatically deduct the monthly bill from my “credit balance”?
2. Any chance you will start accepting payments from PayPal? I just don’t like credit cards or Autopay from my bank account!
I’m happy to answer your questions, Doug. In many cases, we can accept checks from customers, and we’re happy to allow you to pay ahead several months. Please note that your monthly bill can fluctuate depending on the taxes in your area as well as your usage. You would still receive a monthly invoice, but you’ll be able to see how much of your credit balance remains. At this time, we don’t accept payments from PayPal, but I’ve forwarded your request to our billing department for review. We always appreciate suggestions from customers, so thank you for sharing that with us. If we can answer any other questions about our service, please feel free to give us a call at 888-345-5509. Thank you again for the questions, and we hope you have a wonderful day!
Any further thoughts on PayPal? I thought their fees were lower than credit cards. Maybe there is some other reason you don’t want to add this convenient service?
Thank you for checking in, Doug. We do our best to provide multiple easy payment options to our customers, including the ability to pay via check, with our simple Auto-Pay program and even payment through our My Account portal. I’ve passed your suggestion on to our management team as another option our customers might appreciate. We appreciate you taking the time to make the recommendation, and if our payment options should change in the future, we’ll be sure to let you know. Thanks again for posting, and we hope you have a great day!