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Consumer Cellular Coverage Map & How to Boost your Weak Cell Signal

Sep 10, 2019

Consumer Cellular Coverage Map & How to Boost your Weak Cell Signal

Learn how to boost your Consumer Cellular signal in your home, office, or vehicle using our coverage maps and cell phone signal booster recommendations. The most economical Consumer Cellular cell phone booster starts at $299.

Consumer Cellular is the largest provider of contract-free phones in USA. It is also one of the best, having won the #1 in customer service award by J.D. Power for non-contract suppliers, 7 times in a row.

Consumer cellular offers flexible plans, the pricing of which depends on the number of lines, minutes and data that the customer wants. It is a great provider for anyone who wants to travel or who are going through any kind of transitional phase in their work or personal life. If you are not keen on signing a contract, they are one of the favorite choices and are popular with seniors or those customers who do not use a lot of data.

Alongside their legendary flexibility Consumer Cellular also has great coverage for both 4G and 3G services.

About Consumer Cellular Coverage.

Consumer Cellular does not own its own cell towers. As a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), it operates by buying minutes and data from other carriers at wholesale prices and then uses the infrastructure provided by these carriers to deliver its service to its customers. For example, their network coverage consists of combining all the networks of the carriers they purchase their minutes and data from.

AT&T and T-mobile are the suppliers that are most commonly used by Consumer Cellular but, in addition, they do use smaller companies in order to gain coverage where AT&T and T-Mobile do not provide it. This extends their coverage area considerably despite the fact that the smaller third party providers may not offer as complete a service as the larger operations.

Consumer Cellular 4G & 4G LTE Coverage Information.

Consumer Cellular 4G Coverage

4G Coverage

The 4G and 4G LTE coverage offered by Consumer Cellular is obtained via the AT&T and T-Mobile network. There are a number of coverage maps available but these are only indicative of the general coverage offered; in reality, service can vary from the service level shown in the maps.

Coverage maps always show the best available and represent coverage as it would be in the absence of any obstructions like geographical landscape features (mountains and forests and so on) and buildings. In the case of Consumer Cellular, the coverage maps assume combined coverage using AT&T and T-Mobile together.By looking at the fine print you can see that in reality a user will be placed on a single network and this needs to be considered when analyzing the map.

Consumer Cellular 3G Coverage Information.

Consumer Cellular 3G Coverage

3G Coverage

3G coverage is offered by Consumer Cellular alongside its extensive 4G network. While it has less speed and data capability than 4G, it will provide a good backup cell talking service. It is definitely adequate for voice calls.

Consumer Cellular also adds third party providers to make sure that there is voice coverage where its primary suppliers provide a limited service. Both the 3G and 4G services are often shown combined on coverage maps.

In some areas, especially those where indicated on coverage maps, the user could find that they need to be outside a building or vehicle in order to use the service. However, using a cellular booster can help with these issues.

Addition of 3rd Party Network Providers Improve Coverage.

Aggregate Consumer Cellular 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE coverage including 3rd party networks would imply their customers would receive outstanding, unparalleled coverage. However, there's a caveat. Read below the map for details.

Aggregate Consumer Cellular 4G Coverage Including 3rd Party Networks

Key things to remember about coverage maps.

In USA, AT&T and T-Mobile are the second and third best networks respectively. Since they are used by Consumer Cellular, it is assumed that their users will have the same level of service. However, if you look at the small print on their website, Consumer Cellular typically only place their customers on a single network as dictated by the user’s zip code. Therefore, if you do sign up you may not end up receiving the coverage shown on their maps which is based on a combined signal.

That said, most people just need local rather than fully national coverage. The best solution is to look at the coverage in your specific area and those areas you travel to, most frequently and see if these will work well for your own needs.

Using coverage maps is not accurate when it comes to looking at signal strength and viability. There's no scientific standard that is used to develop coverage maps which, in reality, are little more than a good best-case scenario estimate for coverage. The figures are based on no obstructions, a flat landscape and the user being outside which obviously eliminates a number of the usual variables experienced by the user in day-to-day life.

One of the main factors that affects your signal is how close you are to the cell tower you are using. In this case, it will be a network like AT&T or T-Mobile network who is affiliated to Consumer Cellular and, of course, things like natural and man-made structures and obstructions will play their part.

These are the reasons why you may experience poor signal even though the coverage map indicates a high level of service. You can check Consumer Cellular coverage by zip code as well.

Improving & Extending your Consumer Cellular Coverage.

Are you experiencing bad cellular reception in your home, office, or car? In order to obtain a better signal inside your car, home or office you could consider investing in a cell phone booster. Either try an easy product selection tool to find the right one (at prior link), or browse all Consumer Cellular signal boosters.


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12 comments

  • I’m using Consumer Cellular and I’m not massively old at all. I’m 41. It’s just a marketing thing… I choose CC because I knew they had been given one JD Power award after another for customer support, and they’re just a virtual carrier for AT&T and T-Mobile so why go directly to AT&T or T-Mobile? When I’ve called CC it’s a relief to actually hear an American. Especially in this day and age when you have an issue and contact customer support you’re routed to India with a hard to understand dialect which to me adds insult to injury. For me, the benefit of American support is worth it.

    If there are cell issues it’s probably the phone, your running Apps and whatnot and obstacles like mentioned in this article. Of course AT&T or T-Mobile may be the blame as well for not leasing enough towers near you.

    Anyway, happy camper here so far after some three years.

    Aaron on
  • I have had zero issues. Customer service help me port and restore my contacts. Very cost effective for our needs. AARP small monthly discount. So far, I’m happy.

    Tim F. on
  • You get what you pay for, in this case terrible coverage, all smiles but not a bit of knowledge to fix a problem Customer Service. Don’t even try and bring a Verizon phone to CC unless you can do your own internet research. Don’t walk away but run from Consumer Cellar.

    George White on
  • I’ve read the above comments. I’m not a customer yet, but I’m concerned I won’t better my cell phone experience…like weak signals.

    Rebecca Simpson on
  • Absolutely horrible service. I live in the greater Milwaukee area and never had issues with my previous carrier (or the couple others I’ve had going back 10or more years). I can’t send pics, sending texts are hit and miss, hard to get phone calls to go through, calls drop regularly…close to every single call! When on a call it’s very common that I break up or the other person. Often times, my phone doesn’t even ring, i don’t even get notified of a new voice mail. My notifications for email dont work and settings are correct.
    I am absolutely 100% dissatisfied with consumer cellular and would not recommend them to anyone. *and, if service is poor for their customers THEY should be providing the cell signal booster like most other cellular companies do! Poor reception, false advertising, poot customer service.

    Colleen on
  • I’ve heard that cell phone boosters can’t create a signal when none exists. I thought I read somewhere that there’s technology for creating signals in dead zones where there is no signal. Does anyone know if this is true?

    Jeanna Randazzo on
  • I am having a terrible time with coverage on my IPhone 8. I live in Mission, TX coverage is fine. Go to Corpus Cristi cant even call or recieve calls from Mission. In Indiana last summer no phone service a t all. I travel a lot and need service. Tell me what to do. Please.

    Dennis Allen Kulp on
  • Bought my parents the phones in January. The service has not been great at all. On two occasions my mom was talking with EMS and the calls dropped. It happened withme three times today. They have been getting calls about buyigg a booster for the phones. They can’t afford that! What can we do before I take the phones back.

    Daphne on
  • There are a lot of people I know who use Consumer Cellular and I haven’t heard any more gripes than I hear from friends with other cell phones. Looking at the coverage map is kind of scary though because I see some big holes. I know they get back-up from AT&T and T-Mobile, but brother, I can’t think of much worse coverage areas for 4G.

    Toni Brandi on
  • I’m from the Canton Akron Ohio area (44601) and I’m visiting in Amarillo tx (79107) and I’m trying to update my cell tower, phone worked just fine when I got here but now it won’t send any pics, I was wandering if I could update with a PRL number like ##______ or a MMI number and if so what are those numbers, would like very much if I could obtain these numbers from Consumer Cellular, Thank You for your help Dan

    Daniel Kirkendall on
  • Wondering if consumer cellular covers my area 35563 Guin alabama

    Teresa Rutledge on
  • Is Consumer Cellular really any good? The commercials look like they’re marketed to rock-and-roll grandpas and grandmas who want to show hip they are. I couldn’t care less about that J.D. Power award either. Those things are just a pay-to-win as far as I’m concerned. I’m also concerned Consumer Cellular doesn’t have its own towers. Suppose this is a case of it’s good for some people but not me. Also, if I need something to boost a weak signal, I doubt if I’ll want their phones and service.

    Bryan Norton on

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