Jake the snakeman

I have really enjoyed all the responses and have decided to go with Consumer Cellular. Thanks so much for all the input

Wes97068 Loc: Portland Oregon

I have used Consumer Cellular - if you are AARP member, additional discount. You can sign up at lowest rate of $19.00 and it will automatically upgrade you if you are over limit. I generally connect my phone through wi-fi when at home so even when using it running around town and/0r the country have never gone over $30.00

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It depends on your location. We use TracFone here, and they use Verizon towers. We've never had a problem, assuming we weren't in the middle of a desert.

Bmarsh Loc: Bellaire, MI

Not sure that is true... I've been using Verizon with success but tried to switch to Consumer Cellular and failed. They said they use T-mobile and AT&T and we parted ways. Got a poor signal from CC

Sensei

It would depend on where you are. Service will vary with location. My provider (ATT) works where I am, but a few miles away it does not. Verison on the other hand works in some of those areas. On a visit to Maine, with a group, only my ATT phone had service, while none of the others carried by members of our group did. In one town I found my phone useable if I moved about a city block, with no service la block away. There is an even greater problem if you want to rely on 5G. Many services have favorable rates, but the coverage is not uniform. I am located 90 miles NW of New York City. The mountains nearby may have a lot to do with the signal reliability. But I should point out that when I am near the shore of the Hudson River, 60 miles north of NYC. I can't pick up a signal till I am very close to NYC. At that point, the signal I pick up is from New Jersey. Consider where you are using the phone, and talk to others using it in the same area if you can. If you travel, keep in mind that there will be dead spots. The last thing you want is to find that there is a dead spot, wherever you are most likely to use your phone.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

You are correct. It was Verizon many years ago when I signed on, but according to Wiki, it’s now AT&T and T-mobile. Thanks for the correction.

bamfordr Loc: Campbell CA

We use Verizon, too, because of coverage everywhere we (used to) travel in the US. But it is pricey.

Sensei

In spite of claims to the contrary, no provider including Verison will work everywhere. That is why it is important to know where the service provider works and where your phone will be used.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

Their website didn’t back this up.

Bmarsh Loc: Bellaire, MI

I also wonder if provider (xxx) is using say, the Verizon towers, at a lower rate, that Verizon wouldn't lower the speed for xxx users. Can't believe that Verizon would want xxx users to have the same resources at a lower charge.

Can anyone verify this?

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Maybe it's a local offer. I've had that deal for the past 3 years and they are still advertising it here, where there is a large retired population

scooter1 Loc: Yacolt, Wa.

Where I'm at we have a choice from consumer cellular. We could use verizon or at&t. We're a rural little town and right behind the Yacolt Trading Post stands a huge fake fir tree. That is an at&t tower. Wish I had a photo of it.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

Here they use AT&T instead of VERIZON but the speed differences aren't real.

They buy massive blocks of interweb gigs and then mark it up a small amount.

2Dragons Loc: The Back of Beyond

I use Consumer Cellular for $24/mo and that includes texting and all taxes. I switched from Verizon who STILL has $380 of my money in credit and tells me I have no credit balance. I've no problems with Consumer Cellular for the year that I've been with them.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Don