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GreatCall

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4.0

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: February 10th, 2022

GreatCall is the leader in connected health for active aging. With health and safety solutions for older adults and their family caregivers, GreatCall’s innovative suite of easy-to-use cell phones and smartphones and award-winning approach to customer care helps aging consumers live more independent lives.

Products and services include the Lively Flip and Jitterbug Smart2 phones, plus health, safety and medical apps including Urgent Care, GreatCall Link, MedCoach, and 5Star.

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The Good

  • Pricing Options
  • Easy-to-Use Design
  • Smartphone
  • Flip Phone
  • 5Star Urgent Response
  • Link App
  • Customer Service

Pricing Options

Service can start as low as $14.99 for 250 minutes for the Lively Flip or Jitterbug Smart2. Customers can purchase an unlimited talk and text plan for $39.99 per month. If you want more unlimited, you can try the talk, text, and data plan for just $40 if you include health and safety services. 

You can also buy minutes, texts, and data separately. The pricing scale starts at $14.99 for 250 minutes, $3.00 for 500 texts, and $2.49 for 100 MB. The highest usage amounts available for purchase (besides the unlimited plan) are $29.99 for 2,500 minutes, $10.00 for 2,500 texts, and $15.00 for 2.5 GB.

All plans include call waiting, caller ID, long distance, and roaming. Plus, GreatCall has no annual contract, so there are no cancellation fees. The Jitterbug Smart2 costs $149.99 and the Lively Flip costs $99.99.

Easy-to-Use Design

All GreatCall phones have an intuitive, easy-to-use layout for those that may be less comfortable with technology. If you’ve never had a cell phone or are looking to upgrade to a smartphone, a Jitterbug Smart2 is a great step.

Smartphone

The Jitterbug Smart2 is designed to be easy to use from the moment you turn it on. With an ultra-modern look, the Jitterbug Smart2 has been specially designed with GreatCall's signature simplicity. New Voice Typing combined with a bigger, 5.5-inch screen makes writing emails and texts effortless. Additional features include the following:

  • Simple menu organized in a simple list
  • Large icons and text
  • Voice typing
  • Usage meter that tracks minutes, text, and data
  • Front and back cameras
  • Optional health and safety features

Flip Phone

The Lively Flip offers customers the feel of a traditional home phone with the added benefit of cell phone mobility and convenience. With a larger screen, bigger buttons and a long-lasting battery, it has been thoughtfully designed to be a cell phone you’ll enjoy using every day. Some features include the following:

  • Large, brightly-colored screen
  • Big buttons with backlit keypad
  • Built-in camera
  • Powerful speaker for loud and clear conversations
  • Reading magnifier with LED flashlight
  • Optional health and safety features
  • Amazon Alexa

5Star Urgent Response

5Star Urgent Response Service provides easy-to-use and reliable access to IAED Certified 5Star Agents who will confirm your location, evaluate your situation, and get you the help you need. Trained in CPR and other emergency procedures, they can assist you with any uncertain or unsafe situation, 24 hours per day. So whether you’re lost in an unfamiliar part of town, walking in a parking lot at night, or experiencing a medical issue, 5Star Service can help. 5Star Service is available on all GreatCall cell phones.

Link App

You'll receive the GreatCall Link app with a GreatCall preferred or ultimate health and safety package. By launching GreatCall Link on a smartphone or accessing it through the web, family members and caregivers can view phone status and check on the well-being of a Jitterbug Smart2 or Lively Flip user. The app dashboard shows whether the device is on and fully charged.

Also, GreatCall Link will deliver push notifications if an emergency call is ever made to 5Star. The included locator service allows 5Star agents and approved contacts to view the user's location on a map with enhanced GPS technology.

Customer Service

GreatCall does not outsource its customer service to third parties. All GreatCall customer service and emergency service agents are based in the USA and receive extensive training. The award-winning, patient customer service team is here to help you with health and safety forms, product and service questions, and anything else you may need.

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The Bad

  • Additional Safety Cost

Additional Safety Cost

Health and safety services on GreatCall phones are an optional service. If you are thinking of getting this service for an elderly loved one, be aware that the health and safety service does come at an additional cost to the cell phone service. GreatCall’s 5Star urgent response (medical alert) system starts at $19.99 per month. The Health and Safety Packages can go up to $34.99 per month for the ultimate package, which includes 5Star urgent response, the GreatCall link app, personal operators, a MedCoach, urgent care to talk to nurses and doctors, wellness calls, and free product replacement.

The good thing to note is that if the users keep their cell phones on them, a health and safety package can completely replace any current medical alert product they may also have. Customers can also save money on minutes when purchasing a health and safety package with a phone plan.

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The Bottom Line

Seniors looking for an easy-to-use smartphone or flip phone may not need to look further than GreatCall. The unique product design paired with excellent network coverage equips GreatCall cell phone users with everything they need in everyday life and in emergency situations.

In most cases, customers can keep their existing mobile or home phone numbers when transferring to a Jitterbug Smart2 or Lively Flip cell phone and plan. GreatCall offers nationwide coverage and is powered by the nation's largest and most dependable wireless network. With no contracts or cancellation fees and no hidden monthly fees, GreatCall's services are affordable and transparent. The company's award-winning, 100 percent U.S.-based customer service and tech support demonstrates GreatCall's desire to provide exceptional local services available at all times.

Read GreatCall reviews below to hear what customers have to say.

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Star Rating

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2.8

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64 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

30%

4 grade

9%

3 grade

11%

2 grade

8%

1 grade

42%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

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Quality

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Service

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Mark01 Denver, CO

I learned about GreatCall through the AAA magazine. I called in December 2019 and told the representative that I needed a smart phone primarily for business purposes and what I was looking for in a smart phone. I told her that I never owned a smart phone. She explained what features was best for me. When I ordered the phone, she said I should receive it within 3 to 5 business days and a statement 7 business days afterwards. I received the phone 9 business days later. After owning the phone for 19 days, I received a email from GreatCall stating that my bill was PAST DUE. I got a call from the billing department wanting payment. I told him that I not yet received a bill. Even though he had my account information before him, he asked me when and what time did I call concerning my bill. I asked him why wasn't my conversation from an earlier call not posted. He then said the conversation was posted. (So why did he ask me when and what time of day did I call?) What the representative DID NOT tell me was the billing cycle starts the day after the after I placed the order. Nor did she tell me that GreatCall bills you a month in advance. Which means that my first bill was from November 8 - December 8, 2019. So if you're thinking about ordering a smart phone from GreatCall, you first bill will begin a month prior to your activation date. I've had my phone for a little over a month and so far I will have to rate their Customer Service a 2.

5 years ago

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Reply from GreatCall

Hello Mark, we appreciate your time and feedback. Our standard ground shipping takes 3 to 7 business days and if there was a holiday or a weekend approaching at the time of your order this could have caused delays. GreatCall does bill ahead and your first months bill in December would be for services from December through January. We hope this information has helped and if you have any further questions please send us a private message with your account information and we will further assist.

Jan. 17th, 2020

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Dan Distefano

I purchased a Jitterbug phone for my 90 yr. old mother and activated it two hours ago. I am already regretting having to deal with Great Call. Their plans seem reasonably priced until you add in the "taxes and fees" which ad a whopping 50% to the prices of the plans. The voice dialing feature is free with plan purchase and I told the person activating the phone that this was the main reason I chose the Jitterbug and Great Call. He failed to activate this feature and when I called back to ask about it they couldn't deal with me because my mother who is in assisted living and not with me, and has trouble hearing on the phone couldn't vouch for me. I had to send them a Power of Attorney which I have and I did, just to start the process of correcting the mistake they made on activation. Since the service is free this isn't a money issue, it's an issue about incompetence on the part of Great Call and then their failure to address it. If my mother didn't specifically want this phone I would have already canceled based on the fraudulent prices they post in their ads.

5 years ago

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Reply from GreatCall

Hi Dan, we are sorry to hear about your experience and would like to look into this further with you. Please look for a private response from us.

Sep. 9th, 2019

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Diane Los Angeles, CA

If my phone worked ok, I would be happy BUT EVERYONE tells me my voice is muffled! I've already called about this complaint. People no longer want to call me or get me on the phone because it's too frustrating trying to figure out what I'm saying because it's all muffled. My sister told me that, ever since I got this phone, every single call to her has been muffled. I can't keep this service if they cannot fix this. And I read another review here where it's been going like this for years! Makes me want to go back to Tracfone.

5 years ago

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Reply from GreatCall

Hello Diane, we are sorry to hear that you are not completely satisfied with your Jitterbug Flip and we appreciate your feedback. Please call GreatCall Customer Service, 1 800-733-6632, between the hours of 5am and 10pm Pacific Time, 7 days a week, from another phone, for a resolution of your issues.

Sep. 30th, 2019

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Ed Gaitan Tularosa, NM

My new and improved flip phone is substandard in reliability , first off , the volume is set at maximum and it is still hard to decipher some conversations , my hearing is above average . The ring tones are also subdued , when I complained to Greatcall , all you get is a tutorial on how to raise the volume , I already know how to do that . I have to reboot the phone 2-3 times a week , or the ring and "Dial " tone will go to mute , will not know of a call coming in , my original Samsung through Greatcall was excellent , this one is pure junk ! Ed Gaitan , Tularosa New Mexico .

6 years ago

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Reply from GreatCall

Hi, we are sorry you are experiencing low volume on your Jitterbug Flip phone. If the volume is going to mute, you may be unintentionally turning down the volume with the side buttons. If that does happen, raise the volume until it is on Maximum. Unfortunately Maximum is the loudest volume we have on the Jitterbug Flip phone. We appreciate your feedback as we are always looking for better ways to improve our products. If you are in need of additional assistance, please contact our Customer Service at 1(800)733-6632 between 5AM and 8PM, Pacific Standard Time, on another phone, to go through troubleshooting.

Mar. 28th, 2019

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Libby McMillan Freehold, NJ

customer service is the worst. They have little knowledge of what you are talking about when you call

6 years ago