I know nothing about this product beyond what I’ve read on its website, but it was recommended on a mailing list I’m on, and I thought it might be of interest to the various people here who are dealing with parents or grandparents who have trouble with iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
The device is OK, but the support is abysmal. There are three users where my Mom lives, and I’ve essentially become their support contact because they wait hours on the phone then get someone who doesn’t seem to understand the device.
I called to help a resident who has trouble hearing and the person on the support line did not have a device in front of them. Just FAQs.
I think for someone with local family who can help in person, it’s reasonable, but personally I’d suggest an iPad, Amazon or Google device.
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Well, that’s a bummer! Thanks for the real-world feedback.
Just wondering who is the provider for support? I know Consumer Cellular has it and the monthly cost seems to be cheaper than the ones quoted in the link.
I don’t know who provides the actual service, whether it’s contracted or in-house. There’s a built-in support button; using that the resident managed to get a phone number.
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That’s interesting. I have one phone line in the family with Consumer Cellular. If they support the GrandPad as well as they support iPhones, that might make a difference.
CC’s support has been so good on the few occasions we’ve needed it that I’ve stayed with them despite some very impressive financial incentives from Verizon to switch. CC’s only shortcoming has been a lack of 24x7 live support.
I don’t have a need for the GrandPad yet but I’ve seen it advertised on the emails I receive from Consumer Cellular so I knew it was available but I think it’s around $40 per month and then the device has to be purchased as well but it seemed their price was cheaper than other places.
I switched to Consumer Cellular some months ago from ATT and cut my bill in half with more data now. I also have their Home Phone Base which allows you to use your landline phones over the cell network. The number is just ported over to CC and it’s quite easy. I wanted to keep the old number so that’s why I went with the Home Phone Base. I did have a problem at first but after a few calls, whatever they did took care of the problem which apparently was an issue with the device losing the signal from the cell towers. My two cell phones work fine with CC coming from ATT so at least the support is there if needed.
Does Consumer Cellular support iPads? When I looked sometime back I couldn’t find any info about them. How much hotspot data do they low on the unlimited plan?
I only have iPhones on my plan and the Home Phone Base but you should check on the iPad since they now support the Apple Watch. I don’t use a lot of data so not sure on that issue.
How so? I don’t see any interaction between my 10.5" iPad Pro and my Apple Watch 4, but perhaps newer ones do? Everything I could find from Apple Support still indicates you need an iPhone to activate the watch.
I was referring to Consumer Cellular having Apple Watch support which started last month according to an email I received but as I stated previously, I only have iPhones and a Home Phone Base on Consumer Cellular.
I have been a proficient Mac user since my first one in 1984, and I use Windows when needed with little or no problem, but I have never been able to figure out the logic or alleged intuitiveness of my wife’s iPad. (And to be frank, neither has she.) Although I’m now 87, I still use my MacBookAir and Windows with no problem. But iPads make no sense to me. There are way too many obscure and non-intuitive command quirks which to me defy memorization. When I want to use a tablet, which is very seldom, I use a Fire or that thing Google makes and sells to school kids, which is just sort of a giant Android.
As a senior citizen, I don’t think I’d want or like a “GrandPad.”
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