Bogleheads

[johnny]

Y'all,

Do any of you use the Jitterbug cell phone service? I'm intrigued by the ads that I see; the simplicity of their service appeals to me (kinda like Boglehead-ism). Basically I just want to have a cell phone for emergencies. I've had prepaid cell phones in the past, but the phones either crapped out or didn't work outside of my area.

I went to the jitterbug website, and their phones seem kinda pricey ($147), and the service itself is $15 a month for 50 minutes of usage. But I think I'd be willing to pay for both the phone and the minutes if I know I'll be getting reliable service. I'd appreciate it if any of you could share your experience with jitterbug.

Thanks....
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johnny

All generalizations are false, including this one.

[scuttlebuttrp]

I can't beleive that in this day and age with everyone taking offense at every turn that some company would make such a poor name choice. Did they not do a market study first?
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Royce.

[Cherokee8215]

[Sally]

Bought one for my mother some years ago b/c of the immediate "operator" assistance. Service was excellent. Very simple to use, especially for someone with vision & hearing loss. Telephones very simple to use, especially those with only 3 choices (operator, help, and specific number) ...rather than numeric keys. Pricey c/f to pre-paid choices, but worth it under certain circumstances. They did what they advertised.

Sally

P.S. No longer need the service so no longer have contract with Jitterbug. Easy to obtain & easy to cancel.

[wjwhitney]

There are much better and cheaper alternatives for a phone for emergency or very low usage. Just do a web search for best prepaid, pay-as-you-go, or no-contract plans. For example my wife has a ATT Go-Phone which we re-charge for $100 per year. And there are even lower cost plans than that available.

The Jitterbug charges $147 for a $20 Wal Mart phone. The minutes are overpriced. There is a non-refundable activation fee.

My impression of the Jitterbug ads is an appeal to seniors who are unfamiliar and perhaps scared off by the whole wireless world and don't recognize the poor deal.

Actually I'm quite surprised the Jitterbug is endorsed by AARP. If AARP were doing their job they would be warning seniors to stay away. Sorry if that sounds harsh, it's just the facts as I see them.

[DaveH]

[johnny]

Thanks, folks, for your responses. I think I'm going to do a bit more shopping around. I know I'm getting old (I'm 54), but not old enough to need to get a phone that's primarily for senior citizens. I'll see what else is out there for low-cost cell phones....

Thanks again.
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johnny

All generalizations are false, including this one.

[retiredjg]

johnny, you could look at Consumer Cellular. Free phone. No contract. Option for emergency phone is $10 a month, but you pay 25 cents for a minute. Or low usage, $20 a month for 250 minutes.

These prices are before taxes. The $20 ends up being about $25 with tax. I've used them for almost 3 years and been very satisfied.

Other people here have spoken highly of TracPhone in previous threads. It's prepaid.
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Links to Investment Planning and Asking Portfolio Questions

[wjwhitney]

[gd]

[johnny]

[CABob]

We bought a Jitterbug for my 85 yo mother in law. She has vision problems and needs something "simple" and doesn't use it a lot. It has worked all right and we have no complaints. If you don't particularly have a desire for the somewhat unique but simple features I don't think there is a particularly good reason to go with them. I'm positive that there are less expensive overall phones available.
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Bob

[ConsumerCellular]

Johnny, I work with Consumer Cellular and thanks for taking a look at our Web site. I would also like to point out that Consumer Cellular is actually the exclusive wireless provider for AARP members. Therefore, members receive a 5% discount on their monthly bill and 30% off select accessories. For example, if you got the 250 minute plan, it would be $19/month instead of $20/month, before taxes. Since there are no contracts, you are also welcome to change your plan at anytime, so you never have to worry about overpaying for too many or too few minutes. You are welcome to call us anytime and talk to live, customer service people right here in the U.S. at 1-888-345-5509 for any questions you may have. Good luck with your cell phone search!

[nisiprius]

[Swamproot]

[Random Musings]

wjwhitney wrote:

[Toolbert]

Going on 4 years using a Virgin Mobile prepay. No contract. The phone cost $20 and the service costs $20 every 90 days, that includes around 100 minutes - I've lost track. The per minute rate is high but I still spend way under $20/mo total.

[SpringMan]

[johnny]

[nisiprius]

[cordlessworkz]

As a seller of the Jitterbug, the feedback here is surprising. Of those who believe the Jitterbug is a less than desirable phone or an "expensive cell phone", I'd love to hear how many have used the Jitterbug phone/service? The phone is ideal for a specific market: those who might have a hearing impairment, those looking for the simplest of phones (no built in "apps", etc), and those looking for better than average customer support...all for a fair price. The bottom line is that the Jitterbug has far fewer customer returns compared with most cell phones/providers. It's not a phone for all - just ask the Jitterbug co-founder who uses both a Jitterbug AND a Droid phone.

[Swamproot]

[cordlessworkz]

Yes, the Jitterbug isn't for all users. If talking for >50 min./mo, there are plenty of reasonable plans. "Cheap" isn't always the cheapest (try breaking a contract)....and refurb Jitters are always available on the market as well. If cheapest is the goal, many markets have Cricket.