[April 03, 2012]

Consumer Cellular Marks Two-Year Anniversary of Successful Usage Alerts Program

Consumer Cellular (www.consumercellular.com), the number one rated cellphone service provider and exclusive wireless provider for AARP members, celebrates the two-year anniversary of its complimentary Usage Alerts program by announcing its customers have saved more than $12 million since the program's inception. At the same time, other major wireless carriers - at the urging of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC (News - Alert)) - are still working to implement similar programs by April 2013 in response to rising consumer frustrations due to high overage fees.

Since the program launched in April 2010:

• More than 99 percent of Consumer Cellular's customers have opted to keep the service, saving more than $12 million;
• More than 58 percent of Consumer Cellular customers have received Usage Alerts; and
• More than 30 percent of Consumer Cellular customers have changed their rate plans after receiving an alert.

Last October, the FCC and CTIA (News - Alert), The Wireless Industry Association, agreed to implement and standardize free alerts for customers as they approach or exceed their monthly allowances on data, voice and text usage. The voluntary guidelines are to be in place by April 17, 2013.

"Right now, we're one year away from the deadline for companies to comply with this voluntary program, and consumers are still dealing with surprise charges on their bills and confusion from their providers," said Consumer Cellular CEO John Marick. "We implemented our program two yeas ago, before the FCC's push, because we knew it was a good thing for our customers."

The FCC, through a recent survey it commissioned, found that approximately 17 percent of American adults with a personal cellphone (about 30 million Americans) had experienced unexpected overage charges on their cellphone bills. Of those 30 million Americans, 84 percent were not notified by their cellphone provider when they were about to exceed their allowed minutes, text messages, or data downloads.

"The assumption that a cell phone user's needs won't change over the duration of their rate plan is no longer applicable," said Marick. "The events in people's lives fluctuate - weather, travel, major life milestones all impact how people use their mobile phones - and it's important to offer customers the ability to scale up or back on mobile plans depending on their needs."

Launched in April 2010, Consumer Cellular's Usage Alerts are a complimentary service that notifies customers as they approach or exceed their monthly cell phone data, text or voice allotment, ensuring that no one incurs unexpected overage fees. Some of the unique features of Consumer Cellular's program that are not part of the proposed programs from other major carriers include:

• Automatic enrollment into the free alerts program with the ability to opt out;
• Recommended next steps (including retroactive, penalty-free plan changes) given the level of activity and projected use for the particular billing cycle;
• An easy way to implement that recommendation; and
• The ability to switch back to the old cellphone plan at any time or maintain a new plan without penalty or contracts.

About Consumer Cellular

Consumer Cellular is a top-rated carrier that provides no contract cell phones and service plans to those 50+. Founded in 1995 on the belief that everyone should have affordable access to the safety and convenience of cellular service, Consumer Cellular is privately held with more than 400 employees. The Portland, Ore.-based company utilizes the nation's largest voice and data network, covering more than 296 million people - or 97 percent of the U.S. population. Consumer Cellular's cell phones and plans are sold nationwide at leading retailers such as Sears and RadioShack dealer franchise locations, as well as direct to consumers at www.consumercellular.com or 800-686-4460. The company has been ranked on the Inc. 5000 List for three years in a row. For cell phone tutorials, features, applications and company news, connect with Consumer Cellular on Facebook.com/consumercellular, Twitter.com/consumer_cell and YouTube.com/consumercellular.

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