Overview
Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1983, US Cellular serves twenty-three states with coverage in many smaller towns. It is a fast-growing network that prides itself on quality network coverage, excellent customer service, and great products and services.
Pros: US Cellular offers wide area plans, national plans, and family plans. They also have a comprehensive prepaid program. The prices are relatively good and you can get unlimited incoming calls and unlimited nights and weekends on many plans. They offer the option to pay for the features you want, so you’re not on an expensive calling plan with features you’re not going to use. They also include roaming minutes so you won’t have to pay high roaming charges, plus airtime. The pools of minutes are fairly big, too. There are no activation fees on many plans.
Cons: The company has one of the highest over-minute charges out there – a whopping $0.49 per minute on the less expensive plans. Plus, there are no data plans. Nights and weekends have a bit of an odd definition, but they are included on the more expensive plans.
Detailed Provider Information
Plans: There are three categories of plans for US Cellular. The Wide Area plans allow customers to choose their minutes and whether or not they want to add unlimited incoming calls (on the cheaper plans), night and weekend minutes, or mobile-to-mobile minutes. The monthly minute range for these plans is between 700 and 5000. The price range is $39.99 to $149.99, which is actually a little cheaper than some other companies. On any plan over $39.99, unlimited incoming calls are included. Nights and weekends are defined as starting at 7 pm for any plan over $49.99. On the least expensive plan, they start at 9 pm and carry a charge of $6.00.
The National plans include unlimited incoming calls and on plans more expensive than $49.99, unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7 pm. The $49.99 plan has unlimited nights and weekends starting at 9 pm. On all plans, mobile-to-mobile minutes can be added for $6.00, except for the unlimited plan in which they're included. The monthly minutes range from 450 to unlimited, and the price ranges from $39.99 to $149.99. On the cheapest plan, you can buy night and weekend minutes for $8.00, but they start at 9 pm.
Learn everything you need to know about the US Cellular prepaid option at PrepaidReviews.com
US Cellular also offers family plans. These come with two lines. Monthly minutes range from 750 to 5000, on the Wide Area plans, and the price ranges from $59.99 to $199.99. On the National Family plans, the price ranges from $59.99 to $199.99, and the minutes range from 550 to 4000. On the Wide Area plans, 45 roaming minutes are included. You can also add unlimited incoming calls for $10.00. The plans do include unlimited mobile-to-mobile and unlimited nights and weekends, starting at 7 pm. On the National Family plans, you can add unlimited incoming calls for $14.00 and you get both unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7 pm and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. You can add up to three additional lines (for a total of five lines), and each line costs another $10.00.
Customer Service: You can contact US Cellular through phone, email or through their online FAQs and knowledgebase. You can also call 611 from your wireless phone.
Credit Check: Credit information may be collected through your term with the company and reported to credit agencies.
Contract: Most plans require a two-year contract. If you break your contract, you may be charged an early termination fee of $150.00.
Payment Options: You can choose to pay online, over the phone, at a US Cellular store, through your bank, or through the mail using a credit card or check.
Text and Picture Messaging: Text, IM and picture messaging can be added to your plan for $2.99 a month for instant messaging. You can also buy a text messaging package that allows you to pay a flat rate and get a number of messages. Text messages themselves cost $0.20 to send and receive.
Data Plans: You can add BlackBerry or Windows Mobile Email and Web service for $24.95 with a voice plan, or without a voice plan for $29.95. You can also add BlackBerry Email and Web service, including business email access, for $39.95 with a voice plan, or $44.95 without one.
Downloadables: US Cellular has a program called easyedge, which allows customers to download ringtones, wallpaper, games, photos, applications, news and weather. Downloading charges may apply.
International Calling: International services are included with every plan; however, rates will apply. Learn more about US Cellular supported countries and rates here.
Roaming Charges: If you have a Wide Area family plan, you get 45 included roaming minutes. If you don’t, roaming charges will apply.
Calling Features: You can choose to add caller ID, email services, three-way calling, voice mail, and more to your account.
Activation Fee: There are no activation fees on many plans.
Nationwide Long Distance: Depending on your plan, long distance within your area and wide calling area is free. Any other long distance will carry charges.
411 Calls: $1.50 plus airtime.
911 Calls: These are paid for when you pay your bill. They are included in the “Other Charges and Credits” section of your bill.
Phones: US Cellular offers a large selection of cell phones including Samsung models. Whether you are just a casual user or a professional looking for a world phone, US Cellular has got you covered. Why not try the Samsung Two Step R470?
Some Additional Phones Available:
LG
Motorola (MOTORAZR)
BlackBerry models
Average Reviewer Rating
ABSOLUTELY HANDS DOWN WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER. NO LIE, I DEFENDED THEM WHEN MY OWN RELATIVE BASHED THIER SERVICE, BUT NOW I CLEARLY SIDE WITH MY FAMILY. US CELLULAR HAS THE WORST SERVICE. YOU PAY WHAT YOU GET FOR..... NEVER GO FOR US CELLULAR....I AM CANCELING MY CONTRACT...WASTED SO MUCH TIME OVER THE PHONE...
I have been a customer since 2004. I had one bill where there were serious overages. When I called customer service and complained, they released almost all of the charge - I was thrilled. I get service on the el under tunnels and in any state I've been in. I LOVE the free incoming calls and texts.
I am now considering gettting a blackberry and data plan from them. My only concern is whether the coverage will be as good for the internet services as it has been for voice.
For people who do not pay bills on time, do not expect any company to keep your phone on. I know Sprint will shut you off within a week as well... Linda, I worry about the people in the hospital "were" you work. You accidentally gave US Cellular 4 starts, not zero. Maybe that's why you had trouble with the prepaid phone?
Been with them for 4 years! Never been late or past due. Went over on minutes one month and the bill increased 5 times it's normal. I paid over half the bill and planned on paying the rest in two weeks. They shut the phone down 5 days after my bill was due. When I went to pay them the balance, they wanted to add a $35 fee and wouldn't give me the plan I was on. They said I had to go with a higher priced plan. They wouldn't waive the $35 fee as a courtesy! I've been a paying customer for over 4 years. When I asked them where's the customer service, they said I'm not talking to customer service, I'm talking to Financial Services (collections I guess). Can't believe they would lose a customer over $35. Hello Verizon! Cancelled service with US Cell and moved on to Verizon.
I gotta say that USCC has been the BEST cell company I have used in a while. Customer Service goes way out of their way to help you. I have never had a problem with my service. I work Telesales for Verizion, and I gotta say, The Plan Prices are A LOT CHEAPER than a comparable price at VZW. And I don't see why people say that USCC has nothing but out dated phones. Heck, they are selling the TP2 and the BB Tour, which are the two most popular Smartphones on the market right now. And to the idiots that complain about wanting a blackberry but not wanting to pay for the service, I bet you would buy a Lambo, and not want to pay for the gas for it also. Why buy a product if you are not going to use it for its full potential. Thats just retarded. If you don't want a smart phone, then dont buy one. If you want one, accept the pricetag that comes along with it stupid!
US Cellular can pretty much be summed up like this.... a very good network, very poor product.
It is very rare I ever drop a call or get a bad connection. I've been able to make phone calls without issue when friends on different networks can't get anything. I've even received a call while down in Bryce Canon, had 3 bars down there.
However, their phone selection is poor. They have a very large selection of phones, but it is like shopping at the $1 store, everything is outdated and pretty basic stuff. For a lot of people, this will be just fine. But I'm wanting a new smart phone and US Cellular just can't provide.
I kind of hate to leave the network, but they lack the product.
i've had us cellular for a while. i like the coverage. i get bars in places sprint, at&t, verizon and t-mobile do not. the only thing i don't like is that i'm pre-paid and i want to have a blackberry but i have to have a contract and pay an extra $24.95 for internet. and plus they don't offer picture text messaging for prepaid plans. but i love their unlimited talk/text plan for prepaids compared to unlimited talk (99.99), 2 year contract on other carriers.
they BARELY have any keyboard phones that dont require data plans. i want a black berry because im an internet junkie and id like to use it whenever wherever but 25 extra dollars a month on top of the 160 i already pay? its insanity! plus the motorokr i have now is a peice of junk! and the service has no bars really anywhere but the wide open. lets just say when the contracts i have run out im kicking us cellular to the CURB!
i love us cell and have been using it for 10 years. never had a problem and have lived in 2 different states.
nada
Turns out their Mobile to Mobile doesn't count if one person is roaming...even if you have a national plan. Huge minute overages equal HUGE bill. Unwilling to compromise on total. Watch for hidden exclusions.
us cellualar is gay man they call be messing up and it have two many drops call they need help on the real
I've had US Cellular now for almost 2 years and so far I've had nothing but great service with them. However, the ad from another cellular company more bars in more places(however it goes) my husband has that carrier. We've traveled to a many of places and for some reason I have more bars in more places while bless my husbands heart, he barely has 2 bars!
I think at the end of the day it's not only the service you receive, but how the customer service is for each individual.
All carriers have their pros and cons, fine print, you name it. My best advice to some is to always remember that those special rates that lure you into a particular cellular store want last long. So look for the long haul, not just the eye catching advertisement.
Prem:
The beeping means you have a voicemail.
If you check your messages this will stop.
On at least half the calls I make or receive, when the calls start with a tone that goes beep beep beep - beep beep beep. That takes 2 seconds and those two useless seconds are counted in the call. That all adds up to a rip-off.
I've had US Cellular first through a Tracfone and now with USCC themselves. That would be 5 years. I've had nothing but good luck with them. They have very good roaming partners and I haven't had an issue with reception anywhere I have been in my own state and neighboring states. If you are from the midwest, I would recommend them.
I don't like Us Cellular because they don't have the network behind them like verizon and ATT, these 2 carriers are great. US cellular????? I hope thats not suppose to mean nation wide coverage cause it Suuuucks!!!!!!
i hate us celluar it is the dumbest freakin service they coul everthing of!!!!!!!!!!!u put your money on the phone early in the next day it dnt even work, i dnt get service in the hospital and thats were i work... when theres money on my phone it says my balance is zero!!!!!! I do not like it and dnt encourage any one to get it!!!!!!!!! i give you guys no stars