Cricket Communications user reviews

3.5 stars

"Good for the kids!" on March 11, 2008 by AllegrettoDE

Pros: Good service in calling area and insurance plan

Cons: High Price for phones that are a wee bit behind the times

Summary: I live in Ohio, and i guess we were some of the first people to get Cricket. At first i stayed away thinking they were a "poor man's cell phone". But after doing some research i found that they were perfect for a "poor man" like me. The unlimited minutes and no contract are good for kids, and you dont have to worry about getting a different bill every month. For the highest end plan, with everything, you wont pay more than 75-80 dollars with taxes, which i think is exceptional compared to Verizon and the like. Plus, if you are late on your bill they let you pay 20 dollars of your bill for a 7 day extension, which i think i stellar. Their customer servic department is spotty, but id give it a 10 nonetheless becuase they do what they can to please their customers. As far as the phones, at first, they were the bottom of the barrel low quality phones that made you say "huh?" but after mabye three years they got into the running with phones like the kyocera koi and motorola v265. I personally like the Kyoceras, if you drop them in the water or toilet(ahem) after drying, the phones still work. But as i caid earlier youre going to pay top dollar for their phones becuase they dont have any special deals or anything. I payed 450 dollars for the Krazr when they first came out. But all in all Cricket is a decent wireless service, which is kid friendly with the unlimited minutes and buffet style calling plans, and the insurance program is nice (80 dollars deductible for a 400 dollar phone? wow!) So parents with taklative kids will want to give them a look. Id say if Cricket comes to yur area, give it a try, if not a very thorough look.

4.5 stars

"Great plans, Can't find better deals anywhere" on July 10, 2008 by burton78

Pros: Good coverage in California, Lots of Flashing services for Cool phones, Geat Price!

Cons: Roaming Minutes

Summary: I don't know about other areas but it seems that my Cricket phone gets better reception/service then most of my friends. My wife's phone (from a large carrier) wont even work in our house which is in the middle of town.... My phone is clear as a bell.

I had a hard time with the lack of "cool" phones until I surfed Ebay.... you can get a smart phone with internet (Through Cricket) and all the bells and whistles for around $300 AND you dont have to pay heavy data charges like other providers.

I've been trying to talk myself into going with one of the larger companies but I just can't justify the costs. Even with $300 phones I save a ton in msging and talk time. Not to mention the fact that I never have to worry about "Did I go over this month, was that peak time, was that number in my free calling plan".... Honestly, its 2008 why the heck are the phone companies bleeding us dry with this dog and pony show? I have personally never had 1 problem with customer service but then again I have only called them twice in the past 2 years...

Roaming is the only sticky point. I find my self not traveling enough to care but if you travel a lot you might want to consider that a problem... when traveling my phone works in all kinds of small out of the way places so the service is still there.

3.5 stars

"HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!! THE WORST!" on December 29, 2008 by cbecerra90

Pros: predictable bill. Unlimited everything. cheap flash service so you can choose almost any phone you like.Expanding service areas. no roaming charges in any state they offer the service.

Cons: The worst customer service I've ever encountered, specially over the phone. Service gets cut off immediately the day after payment is due. One tiny change in plan service and I pay $15 for each plus the monthly service.

Summary: The worst customer service I've ever encountered, specially over the phone. In person, it's minimum 1 hour wait time so you can hear, "No, no, no. Sorry we can't help you." It's commendable that they hire developmentally disabled people (assuming they are) to answer the customer service line but the most frustrating part is that we expect a little intelligence, minimum slight common sense. What's their cutoff IQ anyway? This has happened every time I call. I tell them my problem at the time. -My cell isn't ringing, sending the callers directly to voicemail. -Their response is "So you are telling me your phone is not ringing and sending the callers directly to voicemail, right?" DIDN'T I JUST SAY THAT?! These people that answer the customer service line are obviously from another country. Anyone that reads this...S p e a k v e r y s l o w l y. Make sure you don't use vocabulary a three yr old couldn't comprehend. Wait until they finish repeating everything you say. I've learned the hard way that if you **** one of those people off, they can make it so you have billing problems, connection problems and actually block your account so you have a super difficult time getting a person over the phone,sending you instead to the beginning of the automated service every time. It definitely pays to have a friend working for a main store since they have the power to credit you for your troubles(within reason). I don't, never did, have a friend that works in a Cricket store but try to do my best to be super pleasant in front of them.Even after waiting two hours just to have them say no to me."your cell is flashed? Sorry can't help you." "Your bill isn't correct? Nope, can't do anything about it." Your services aren't working to your expectations? Let me reset your cell *229 and give it back to you. If it still doesn't work, you're S O L."
So I've dealt with Cricket for over SIX years. Obviously there's gotta be something that keeps me from moving on. I pay $55 for my plan, more like $65 after tax additions. With that plan, I know how much to pay every month. $5 discount for additional lines. I'm from Colorado but can travel to Texas or New Mexico and still use my cell in the city they offer their service without any additional charges. I used Verizon before switching to Cricket and every month was a different amount, it kept going up till it hit $200 for one month's service! I'd rather put up with Horrible customer service than pay unlimited amount of money for someone to kiss my behind.

Updated on Dec 29, 2008

*228, not *229 is dialed to program (reset) your service.

0.5 stars

"Cricket phones no service area read fineprint!" on November 3, 2008 by danrockss

Pros: There are few if any pros.Ok here goes.If ya stay in the very very limited service area its ok.Say you don't drive like i don't.If you bought one online its cheaper.1/2 price.

Cons: Misleading.Read the very fine print.No service area.Very bad service.I mean terrible.Dizzy girls work there.They say call customer service.So you do and you get china japan india south america mexico wow once i got usa.No local #Too many to list.

Summary: I live in batavia ny between buffalo and rochester.I unfortunatly bought a cricket phone here in nov 07.From the beginning it was a mistake i knew it.I bought the UTStarcom CDM7026 model.The hot looking dizzy girl charged me 140$.When i got home i looked online it's discontinued and 70$ if you could get one.I called them back right away.I asked for a refund they said didn't you see the sign on the counter no refunds?I had never used the phone.I was angry real angry.I felt like i was robbed and i was.I should have checked online first as i always do now.Then i asked about the service area.The girl didnt know.I do now.If i drove 10 miles north no service.If i went ten miles south i'd have no service unless i paid the 39c a minute ripoff price.The reason i bought the phone was i am a single dad so if somthing happens at school they can call me.Well i spent 30 hours trying to get a local number and gave up.I finally got one in july of 08.I was elated woopiee.Too bad i didn't get paid for the time it cost me.I dont like putting my information online like a debit or credit card.I'm old school.I mail in a money order.Well in july i was 1 day late they had shut off my phone.So i went to the store and paid them.It was july 28th.I sent a money order on august 1st and august 29th.So i was paid till October 28th 08.They don't have free text on the plan i was on.I paid 5$ extra for unlimited long distance.We are poor.I am disabled we have a very limited budget.I receiived a text from cricket saying my text would be shut off.I never received one saying my phone would be shut off.On September 20th 08 it went off.I was P capitol P turbed.<trying not to curse here.I called to no avail they said i must go to the buffalo store to correct the mistake they made.I don't have a car.If i did it would cost too much for gas and not be worth it.I was too angry to even go to our store here till last week October 29th.The nice looking dizzy girl was rude.And she said call service i said i did.So she says go to buffalo.I explained i don't drive.So here i am stuck with a crappy phone 140$ gone.I left the store angry.If i'd have stayed and told the dizzy girl what i thought i'd probobly have gotten arrested...How does anyone above say it's a poor mans phone and pay 450 for a 225 phone??Cricket even charges for ringtones and games screensavers etc etc.Sorry to say cricket suuuuuucks period.If ya wanted to pay 60$ a month it still suuucks cause ya only get 100 minutes roaming.I am so glad the guy on the commercial can afford gold teeth.The girls look like crackhoes to me.I will end now thanks for listening or reading i am a real person.I could never do these things to customers.I an old school.Why is it the owners on the commercial look like crack dealers here?I say don't buy a cricket.And tell them to stick it!!!! Dan in Batavia NY..P S.Net ten works fine huge service area 300 m 30$..Forget a local # for net ten.Forget china service.Throw the damn thing out and get a 20$ phone with 300 minutes.Now thats a poor mans phone