Consumer Cellular
| Consumer Cellular, Inc. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | John Marick and Greg Pryor |
| Headquarters | Scottsdale, Arizona, US 33°38′12″N 111°52′47″W / 33.636666°N 111.879729°W |
Area served | United States |
| Owner | GTCR |
Number of employees | 3,100 |
| Website | consumercellular |
Consumer Cellular, Inc. is an American postpaid mobile virtual network operator created by John Marick and Greg Pryor in Portland, Oregon, in October 1995. The company offers cellphones and no-contract plans, with a focus on users over 50 years old.
History
John Marick and Greg Pryor created Consumer Cellular in 1995 with a goal of giving low-cost service to mobile users of all ages. In 2008, Consumer Cellular became a preferred provider for AARP members, becoming the first cellphone company to market widely to the over-50 population.
The company's first in-store appearance was established in 2011 with a partnership with Sears stores. In 2014, Consumer Cellular was introduced in Target stores, and in 2018 became available at select U.S. Best Buy stores. In May 2018, Consumer Cellular announced an investment in GrandPad and also became a distributor of the GrandPad tablet in the United States.
In August 2019, the company celebrated its 3.5 millionth customer by donating $350,000 to the American Red Cross through the Disaster Responder Program. In the fall of 2020, to honor its 25th anniversary, Consumer Cellular donated $2.5 million to Toys for Tots. In October 2020, upon the decision of Marick and Pryor to retire, Ed Evans became CEO, replacing Marick.
Products
.jpg)
Consumer Cellular offers no-contract monthly wireless plans and devices made for seniors and general users. It sells phones such as basic flip phones like Doro, aimed toward seniors, as well as budget and flagship Android smartphones from Motorola and Samsung. In 2015, Consumer Cellular also began supporting the iPhone. The company grew beyond cellphones in 2018 with the GrandPad, a simple tablet designed for older users.
References
- ↑ "Coverage Map | Consumer Cellular". www.consumercellular.com. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
- ↑ "Cellphone plans for seniors offer more service, lighter data". USA TODAY.
- ↑ Max, Sarah (30 July 2013). "Catering to Boomers, a Cell Phone Company Takes Off". Entrepreneur.
- ↑ Springer, Pete. "Small Portland Cellular Provider Teams Up With AARP". www.opb.org. Archived from the original on 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
- ↑ Jones, William. "Efficient Communication Solutions for Seniors: Consumer Cellular in Focus". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ↑ Rogoway, Mike (30 March 2014). "Consumer Cellular, approaching a half-billion dollars in annual sales, gets tryout with Target". oregonlive.com.
- ↑ "Consumer Cellular Now Available At Best Buy, On Track For 3 Million Subscribers". 10 August 2018.
- ↑ Spencer, Malia (May 21, 2018). "Consumer Cellular invests in senior-aimed tablet startup". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
- ↑ Kharif, Olga (May 13, 2018). "An iPad for 80-year-olds: Senior-citizen carrier Consumer Cellular bets on tablets". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
- ↑ Consumer Cellular Celebrates 3.5 Millionth Customer by Gifting $350,000 to the American Red Cross
- ↑ "Consumer Cellular gives $2.5M to Toys for Tots". Portland Business Journal. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ↑ "Consumer Cellular sells in deal pegged at $2.3B". 28 October 2020.
- ↑ Douglas, Nick (13 March 2018). "Why I Love This Mobile Carrier for Old People [Updated]". Lifehacker.
- ↑ Taub, Eric A. (3 November 2009). "More Tech for Older People".
- ↑ "Go All Day and More with the Motorola Moto E4 Plus". 19 October 2017.
- ↑ "Experience Innovation with the Samsung Galaxy Note9 Smartphone". 10 September 2018.
- ↑ "Our best deal ever on your next iPhone". 30 March 2016.
- ↑ "An iPad for 80-Year-Olds: Senior-Citizen Carrier Bets on Tablets". Bloomberg.com. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
