Are you thinking about getting a new cellular service plan? If so, then Consumer Cellular and TracFone maybe two of those that you are considering. Our guide can help you choose between them. We’ll go over which plan has a better coverage area, which has better prices, what perks are offered by each company, and more. When we’re finished, you should have a clear idea of which one is going to work out better for you.
We’ll start by going over some of the main takeaways, and then we’ll go into more detail about each way you can judge these providers.
Consumer Cellular
- Consumer Cellular has limited talk plans that start at $15, and you get unlimited texting with all of them; you also can add streaming data for as little as $5 per month
- They don’t try to market themselves to young people who use a lot of streaming data; instead, their base seems to be mostly older adults over the age of 50
- Coverage and reliability are good with this provider because they use the networks of T-Mobile and AT&T
- They try to lure in customers with plans that don’t cost very much, rather than trying to dazzle potential users with lots of perks and add-ons
TracFone
- They offer no-contract, prepaid wireless plans with unlimited talk and text for $20, $25, and $30 per month; they also have “Classic Service” plans to start at $15 that offer limited talk, text, and data
- They are a subsidiary of Mexico’s largest telecommunication company, and in America, they use the networks of T-Mobile US, AT&T Mobility, the Sprint Corporation, Verizon Wireless, and others
- Which network they assign you depends on whether you bring your own phone when you sign up or buy one from them; because of this, you should ask them what network you’ll be using before you commit to them
Consumer Cellular’s History
This is a postpaid mobile virtual network operator that operates exclusively in the US. It was founded in 1995 by entrepreneurs Greg Pryor and John Marick. The company has no-contract cell phone plans, accessories, and cellphones available to the public. Their headquarters is in Portland, OR. They have more than 2,400 employees. The marketing seems to be focused mostly on older adults over 50, as you can see if you visit their website.
They utilize the networks of T-Mobile and AT&T, and they resell other virtual operators wholesale wireless services. In 2019, the company said that it had reached 3.5 million customers. They’ve been named one of America’s fastest-growing companies every year in the last decade by the Inc 5000 list, a significant achievement.
Their business model is not typical if you look at their focus and advertising. Many national cellular providers are trying to get high-use clients to sign on with them. Consumer Cellular isn’t doing that. They seem to be working to lure more casual cellphone users. Individuals who do not use their devices very often and don’t need an excessive amount of data are their typical customers.
The History of TracFone
TracFone’s full name is TracFone Wireless Inc, and they are an American, prepaid, no-contract provider of mobile phones. Sometimes abbreviated as TFWI, they are a subsidiary of America Movil. That is Mexico’s largest telecommunications company, and they offer services and products under several other brand names.
It functions as an MVNO or a mobile virtual network operator. They have agreements with several of the best-known American telecommunications companies to use their networks, including T-Mobile US, AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, and the Sprint Corporation. In 2015, they reported having more than 25 million subscribers.
TracFone was first established in 1996, in Miami, FL. In ’99, they received a significant cash infusion from Telefonos de Mexico. The company paid $57.5 million at that point to get a 55% stake in TracFone. In 2000, America Movil was created. In 2012, they bought out their rival network Simple Mobile, and in 2013 they purchased Page Plus Cellular.
Since then, they have only gotten larger. They feature a variety of plans, some of which have usage amounts in-unit denominations, while others are unlimited in the traditionally recognized sense.
Does Consumer Cellular or TracFone Have the Better Network?
Network coverage is always something that you should look at carefully if you’re getting ready to sign on with a new company. Consumer Cellular gives you 4G LTE coverage from both AT&T and T-Mobile. AT&T’s coverage is the third-best in the nation, at 58%, while T-Mobile is number two, with 59% coverage.
Consumer Cellular does have a reputation in some circles of being a smaller, regional company. However, since they have agreements with two large cellular providers, you can expect high-quality service from them. Customer complaints about their coverage area seem to be a rarity, though gaps might occur on occasion if you live in a particularly rural locale.
TracFone is in a bit of an unusual situation when it comes to their network coverage. They have agreements to use the networks of Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T here in the US. There is one major factor, though, that will determine which of those networks you will be using if you sign up with them.
That determination comes from whether you are bringing your own phone or whether you are buying one from them. If you brought your own phone and purchased it from a different carrier, then you will be tethered to that carrier. In other words, if you have a phone from Verizon, you will be on their network. If you purchased one from Sprint, you would be on their network, etc.
If you’re buying a phone from TracFone, then what device you purchase will determine which network they assign you. Some will use T-Mobile, others Verizon, etc. Because these networks are not created equal, you might have someone on Verizon’s network, which is the best in the nation, or Sprint’s, which doesn’t come close to measuring up.
Because of this, regardless of whether you buy a phone from TracFone or bring your own, you should make a point of asking them which network they’ll be assigning you. If they say Verizon or T-Mobile, you can feel confident that the service will be good. If they say Sprint, then that might end up being problematic for you.
Which Has the Better Service Plans?
Next up, you should look at what you get with the service plans offered by these companies. Consumer Cellular provides you a single line with a talking plan of 250 minutes per month for $15. That is quite affordable. You can get a plan with unlimited talking capabilities for $20 per month as well. If you need plans with streaming data, you can get one with 500MB per month for $5 more. For 3GB, you pay an additional $10 per month. 10, 15, and 25GB per month plans are also available. They will cost you an extra $20, $30, and $40, respectively.
Consumer Cellular’s plans and marketing efforts illustrate that they are trying to bring in individuals who do not talk on the phone very often or use a great deal of streaming data. Their prices are low, but you only get the minimum with them. Consumer Cellular customers probably don’t use their phones to watch shows and movies very much or browse the internet.
TracFone has unlimited talk and text plans that cost $20, $25, and $30, respectively. They come with 1GB of data, 2GBs, and 3GBs. As long as you stay on their unlimited plans, the data that you don’t use rolls over to the following month, which is a nice feature.
They also have “Classic Service” plans. These are classic in the sense that they harken back to a time a couple of decades ago when prepaid plans with set limits on calls, texts, etc. were the norm. There are several different ones, like a $15 plan that gets you 500 minutes of talk, 500 texts, as well as 500MB of data for 30 service days. There’s one for $35 that gets you 750 minutes, 1,000 texts, and 500MB of data, but that one is for 60 service days. There are several more with varying amounts of minutes, texts, data, and service days, so you’ll need to shop around on their website and see which one seems right for you.
Neither one of these two companies particularly distinguishes themselves in this regard. Their plans offer competitive prices, data amounts, etc.
What Perks Can You Get?
Some people decide what company they are going to sign on with based on what perks come with the plans. With Consumer Cellular and TracFone, though, don’t expect Disney+ or HBO subscriptions. These are lower-priced plans for the budget-conscious, so there’s not much in the way of exciting add-ons.
With Consumer Cellular, you can get a discount if you belong to the AARP. This is proof-positive that the company is going out of its way to market to an older crowd. You can also get additional lines added onto most of their plans for as cheaply as $15, which is probably going to appeal to you if you’re trying to save some money.
TracFone offers add-ons in the form of single-payment allotments of texts or data if you’re running low during one of your designated cycles. You can get another 1,000 texts for $5, for instance, or you can grab another 1GB of data for $10.
What About Limitations?
We’ve already explained that with TracFone, you’ll be limited to whatever cellular network they assign you. Whether that makes a difference for you or not depends on which network you get. Unless you get one of their unlimited data plans, you’ll also be looking at restrictions with how much you can talk, text, and how much data you’re able to use.
With Consumer Cellular, there are limits with texting and calling as well, depending on what plan you chose. There is also the issue that you sometimes run into of the company not accepting specific phone models. If you have a lesser-known brand, then you should ask whether it is usable on the network before you commit to signing on with them. This is not atypical with providers, though, and you should have the same conversation with TracFone.
Which Models of Phone Can You Use with Them?
Both of these companies accept most phone models, again assuming that we are talking about a better-known commodity like an Android, iPhone, or LG. If you want to buy a phone from one of these providers, Consumer Cellular has mostly older phone models, though they sprinkle in a few newer ones as well. You can get an iPhone 11 or a Galaxy S10 for $700 each. TracFone has an iPhone 6S starting at $139.99, or a Samsung Galaxy A10e for $159.99.
If you sign up with either company and you didn’t bring your own phone, you should have options as to whether you want to pay for the new device outright or add the cost of it to your monthly bill divided up over time. Either provider will be happy to set up a payment plan.
How About Their Customer Service?
Both of these companies offer customer service via a help number on their website, or you can do a Live Chat with someone. If you want to talk to someone in-person, with Consumer Cellular, there are 350 Best Buys in the Northwestern region of the country where you can find their representatives, products, and services.
As of 2017, TracFone was operating more than 80 stores in the US. They have several outlets in California, as well as Ohio, Texas, New York, and Illinois. However, there are more than 70,000 business entities around the country where you can buy TracFone’s products.
If you go to their website and type in your home address, you should be able to find a retailer near you that carries them. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be one of their salespeople there to speak to you. For that, you may end up having to go back to a phone call or Live Chat.
Which One Is the Better Choice?
When it comes down to choosing between these providers, it may be a bit of a tough call. That is because their plan rates are similarly priced, and neither one offers perks that set one above the other. These are both services for the budget-minded. TracFone’s products are available in more brick-and-mortar locations, but that does not necessarily mean their customer service is better. Many of those retailers don’t actually have TracFone employees working there to answer your questions.
The decision is probably going to come back to what coverage network you are assigned if you speak to TracFone. With Consumer Cellular, you know that you are getting T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks. Those are dependable. With TracFone, you are going to feel a lot more comfortable if you end up with a network like Verizon versus one like Sprint.
Once you have determined what network TracFone is going to offer you, you should be in a position to decide which of these companies is best for you. Network coverage counts for a lot, and it could be that factor alone which dictates how you want to spend your money.
