
The iPhone X, for example, can be purchased outright for $900 or you can choose to $300 and use EasyPay to cover the balance. There are no contracts or service agreements, although the EasyPay option is considered a lease agreement. Costs & ContractsĬonsumer Cellular requires an upfront payment for most phones with the balance paid through the EasyPay program or you can buy the phone outright. Since Cricket Wireless is owned/managed by AT&T, you can use any phone offered by AT&T that is unlocked and ready to be activated.
Cricket mobile network not available for android#
For Android users, they now offer the Note 9 from Samsung as well as many other models that are considered to be mid-tier. They offer the elite of the iPhone models including the iPhone 8S, the Xr, and the X. Phone OptionsĬonsumer Cellular offers many different choices in terms of brands and models of cell phones. Voice only service is available for Canada and Mexico. Otherwise, most areas are rated for at least 3/4G service.

There are certain areas where the coverage may not be completely reliable but they are scattered in various areas. This includes most of the continental United States and Hawaii. Service Areasīoth Consumer Cellular and Cricket Wireless use AT&T’s network so they both have the same service areas. This is normal though, even with the “unlimited” plans the companies offer.

The speed of your data usage for both companies will immediately start to slow down once a certain amount has been reached. Both companies offer excellent services and use the same phones that are compatible with AT&T. Its plans are designed more for retired individuals or basically anyone who doesn’t plan on using a lot of data.Ĭricket Wireless is owned and operated by AT&T so it also offers nationwide coverage with voice coverage in both Canada and Mexico. Consumer Cellular offers data-driven packages that are affordable for the amount of data you can use without being shut down. Cricket vs Consumer Cellular SimilaritiesĬonsumer Cellular is serviced by AT&T which offers nationwide coverage and at least voice coverage in Canada and Mexico. Any AT&T or T-Mobile phone that has been unlocked can be used on the Cricket Wireless network. It is owned and operated by AT&T unlock Consumer Cellular which is its own network. The same is true for data-driven plans.Ĭricket Wireless is an MVNO which means it runs off of a virtual network instead of actual cell service. If a customer only wants a voice plan, it can be easily set up. Consumer Cellular offers multiple plans that are designed to reach both ends of the spectrum in terms of wants and needs. Consumer Cellular vs Cricket DifferencesĪs a carrier, Consumer Cellular offers a variety of phones on its own, including the Samsung Note 9, the iPhone X, iPhone Xr, and iPhone 8 Plus.


The main difference concerns the speed at which Cricket functions, which is dramatically lower than Consumer Cellular. Cricket still offers all the same reliable coverage and supports voice, text, and data. The main difference is that Consumer Cellular uses AT&T’s actual cellular network while Cricket Wireless is considered a budget carrier and is referred to as a mobile virtual network operator. Consumer Cellular and Cricket Wireless both use the AT&T network to support their services.
