GreatCall
2.8
4.9
Overall Score
D R Alexander Lubbock, TX
It is hard to get through to a live person for customer service; they don't want to refund money charged for cancelled service but they are VERY willing to turn off service in the middle of a pre-paid billing cycle. Customer service agents are rude, do not listen to the purpose of a call to customer service and try to browbeat clients not to cancel service.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello D R Alexander, 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. 6th, 2019
Samuel Seminole, AL
Well I just activated my moms phone and had a horrible experience with the customer service reps, first one was just short with me which I can deal with but second one (Betty) was plain out rude and insulted my intelligence and very bothered by my calling to activate my moms phone, I am so glad I called her instead of my 83 year old mom, she would have been in tears (my mom). Third rep was helpful but really didn’t want to be. I certainly hope it gets better from here.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Samuel, 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. 6th, 2019
kcmo Kansas City, MO
mother's splash device won't hold a charge. battery is not replaceable. must replace entire device AND here's the kicker- NO DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE for replacement or new purchase. so pay for a service, but carry your charger at all times. website support is nothing. customer service rep on call line offer no suggestions nor timeline for availability- just keep checking back on the website to see if any devices are in stock.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Kcmo, 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. 6th, 2019
Susan M. Charlotte, NC
I just got off the phone with GreatCall. I have subscribed to the LIVELY device for several years, and it is now beginning to fail. GreatCall was purchased by BestBuy last year, and for the past 5 months they have been unable to tell me when the new Lively will be available for sale. At this time, the only product available to purchase from GreatCall is one of their cell phones, which I do not need or want. Something bad is going on with this company. They cannot even give me a date to anticipate the Lively becoming available. Customer service is very pleasant and have been helpful in the past, and I have really liked my Lively. Do not expect the Lively (if they ever have another model) to last more than 2 years. I am at the end of life with my second device.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Susan, we are sorry to hear that you are not completely satisfied with the Lively Mobile and we appreciate your feedback. Please check our website for updated information regarding the Lively Mobile. .
Sep. 6th, 2019
BARBARA Simmons Battle Creek, MI
I pay for service on 3 family members. Recently my dad's unit died and tech could not get it working. We want another pendant style, but they have been "out of stock" for 3+ months. The only option given was a bulky jitterbug flip phone. It's hard to carry his smart phone plus the new one just to have access to a medical button.
I looked online, but it's also out of stock there. I want to stay with this company, but not if I cannot get the equipment that is right for my family members. Ideas?
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Barbara, 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.
Aug. 20th, 2019
Karen Olympia, WA
My mother has been a great call alert user for years until it recently wouldn’t hold a charge. She called customer service who said , unbeknownst to her, the device had been recalled ( and ineffective for a time). They sent her a jitterbug flip phone and then tried to charge her for the phone and a minutes plan that she hadn’t agreed to. She said she has already has a cell phone and sent it back. It’s beyond horrible that a company that one entrusts with your literal life would have such shoddy customer service. After a simple google search I see many others with similar issues. Stay away from greatcall.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Karen, 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.
Aug. 20th, 2019
ruth rowley Dayton, OH
I got my first GreatCall when I turned 80 three years ago. It worked fine for 2 1/2 years. Got a new one in Feb. '19 and it no longer works. Just spent almost an hour with Customer Service Rep. (who was very lovely, BTW) who tried to help. Almost impossible to press button on front and button on back and look at flashing lights on the front and turn it off immediately when lights turned red or green or flashing or not flashing ! Very difficult to follow the detailed directions and hold a small device doing those directions. My memory is still fairly good and I have no arthritis in my hands and still difficult. Finally gave up. Asked for a replacement but they are out of stock. Asked for local service help and there is none. Canceled!!! Will try another brand.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Ruth, thank you for sharing your experience. At this time, we are not able to offer replacements for our Lively Mobile devices. We are working to correct the problem and can understand your disappointment. Please follow up with us so that we can discuss the alternative coverage options available at this time.
Jul. 29th, 2019
Scott San Luis Obispo, CA
The response from Great Call is so outrageous inept and misleading, first there is an ongoing Mandatory Recall, their is several US District Court Lawsuits, and pending several State Lawsuits, there is also numerous investigations by FCC, FDA, FTC, CSPC, DCA and now MEDWATCH for recalled Defective Devices.
Great Call and Best Buy have been trying to scare people off from suing them for the fraud, defective devices, as for anything you sent me was all returned to YOU. Check with your Lawyers, today Great Call confirmed I do NOT any-longer have any accounts with BBY or Great Call even they petty $50 gift card was returned with the Jitterbug which was never used.
As can been seen BBY/Greatcall other posting from other people you have a real serious problem with this NON-Working Device. 100% Defective
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Scott, we are sorry to hear about your experience and understand your concerns. Our records show that we mailed a voluntary recall notice letter to you, and all affected customers, on May 15, 2019, informing you that we were recalling all Lively Mobile Plus devices that launched in late April 2019. The letter was sent as part of a voluntary recall conducted by GreatCall with oversight of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. We, like you, are disappointed by the unfortunate issue with the Lively Mobile Plus and have done all we can to correct the issue as quickly as possible. Our records show that you purchased a Lively Mobile Plus and accepted the full refund due to the recall, which was credited to your account on May 20, 2019. On May 27, 2019, you contacted GreatCall customer service about acquiring another Lively Mobile Plus but were again informed about the return of the device. Instead, you accepted our offer of a free Jitterbug Flip phone, which remains active at this time.
Jul. 16th, 2019
Betty Johnson Solomons, MD
I bought a plan from Great Call for a Lively 5 years ago, have had ongoing problems with it. Wouldn't hold a charge at times,
at one point was told I would have to buy another Lively which I did even though I had a defective product. A month ago it completely died on me. After many calls to Support
they finally told me they were all defective and I would have to be without it even though I am a handicapped live alone 87 year old lady. They offered me a Flip Phone. Why would I want that, in Feb. I bought a Jitterbug phone from Great Call and that is just as defective as the Lively. The "speak to text" button does not work, in typing texts it is sent in the middle of the text(without hitting the send button) when a text is being typed it will go to Google for no reason. What a disaster! When I was talking with Support re: the Lively, I
asked to speak with a supervisor; who would not come on the phone. The agent told me he had called stores in my area,
(Best Buy, Walmart) to see if they had a Lively; they had been pulled off the shelves. I think Great Call should reimburse me for a defective phone I've had less than six months that will go in the trash.
The BBB will be contacted.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Betty, we are sorry to hear of your experience and apologize for the inconvenience. Please look for a direct message from us to ask for account information to allow us to look into this issue further. Your feedback is highly appreciated and will help us to improve our ability to serve you and other users of our products.
Jun. 14th, 2019
Deborah M Leveille Manchester, NH
So the other day I looked at my Discover card balance and it was increased substantially...i was charged $250.00 over my normal Greatcall bill (service I pay for my mom) well my mom has been in rehab and her phone is supposedly been in her bedside table. So I call Greatcall to tell them to stop service immediately that someone is using it without authorization. I'm the one who pays this bill and I was never notified of the overages...they kept calling my moms cell phone🤔 Seriously I pay the bill, they have my number on the account. So today Greatcall calls me to tell me if I don't file a police report they will not remove the charges. I'm like seriously I'm gonna take up police time on a stolen phone. Thank God my mom doesn't pay the bill...now I'm wondering how often they do this to their customers who are primarily the elderly. I was a customer for over 5 years....unbelievable!
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Deborah, we are sorry to hear of your experience. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private message from us.
Jun. 7th, 2019
Susan Littleton, CO
Bought this phone for my mother on Mothers Day 2019. Not even 2 weeks and I have had to call into "greatcall" probably 6 or 8 times already. The caller ID continues to show up as some man we have no idea who. They tell me everytime it'll be fixed this time but no change has happened. But the worst part is the phone clarity when she is making calls is AWFUL. Everytime I am talking to her I make her repeat most of everything she says which is very frustrating for her.... and me! It sound like about every 15 seconds or so the puts her hand over the phone speaker as I can hear something but it's so garbled I can not understand a word. Jitterbug tells me it's a known problem in their system that has been going on for over a month and they HOPE to fix it in the next couple of weeks. In the mean time her phone is basically worthless yet they continue to charge for it and if I dont' return it soon (before 30 days is up) I won't be able to return it. Even if I do get to return it they will charge a restocking fee. This is all outrageous when all we ask for is a phone that works! Because she is in an assisted living home I don't get the alert system with the service. Sounds like I'm lucky we don't need that because it sounds like it is worthless! Great call isn't it ironic that none of your calls are great!?
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Susan, we are sorry to hear of your experience. Please look for a private message from us, so we may assist you further.
Jun. 4th, 2019
justin polk Eight Mile, AL
bought this for an 82 year old. the real-time feature is awful. had the app, i would pull it up and it would say " about an hour ago Jim was out and about". An hour? and out and about? That is not acceptable when you have an elderly person that could have fallen 59 minutes ago. The best i could ever get it was around five minutes ago. Most of the time was 30 to 45 minutes ago. Finally a few days ago, the green light went off, we tried charging for over two days but it never would even come back on. I finally called and cancelled, saved $45 a month, very disappointing really needed this peace of mind that i thought this device would bring me. John Walsh should check into a company before he attaches his name.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
We are sorry to hear that you were not completely satisfied with your safety device and we appreciate your feedback. GreatCall strives to provide the highest quality service available. If you need any further assistance, please contact our Customer Service at 1-800-733-6632 between 5am and 8pm pacific time, Monday through Sunday.
May. 30th, 2019
Mary Pursell Sicklerville, NJ
My 89-year-old mother contracted with GreatCall because of the advertising. She was sent a device that did not record falls correctly (frequently sitting quietly set off the device by announcing “Fall detected”). We called the company and was told she could upgrade her device. What we weren’t told was that the device she was wearing was shut off immediately. The newer device arrived 4 days later. This left her unprotected for 4 days without knowing. The newer device seemed to be working properly until on May 18th she was sent a letter that the device was recalled, call immediately. The offer included sending her a flip phone. This is unacceptable as she refuses to carry the phone she owns. To add to the issue we were told that the device she was wearing would be deactivated within the next 10 minutes. Again leaving her unprotected by the GreatCall service for an extended period of time. We will be finding a more responsive company.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Our records indicate that you contacted our Customer Service on April 22, 2019, for assistance with your mother’s Lively Mobile device. Because you did not have the device in hand to conduct the standard troubleshooting, we offered to replace the device with a newer model. On May 20, 2019, your mother, contacted us regarding the product recall notice that she received. At that time, we informed her that we had identified a quality issue in a limited number of Lively Mobile Plus devices and that because our customer’s safety is our top priority, we had issued a voluntary recall of the replacement device we sent to her on April 22, 2019. We also let her know that we would be issuing her a refund for any related charges. Additionally, we offered her a free Jitterbug Flip phone with access to our 5Star Urgent Response service via a dedicated one-touch button built into the phone. Your mother declined the offer for the free Jitterbug phone and her account was closed. As soon as the quality issues are resolved, we intend to offer your mother and all other customers affected, a replacement device. We, like you and your mother are very disappointed that we are unable to provide a satisfactory replacement at this time and apologize for any inconvenience this situation has caused.
Jun. 7th, 2019
Denise Hempstead, NY
I purchased this system for my 90 yr. old uncle who lives in NYC. I live on LI. Since day ONE, no matter how many times I look at this app on my phone, it has never ONCE told me his correct location! I have been calling this company since day one and no one knows why it is not working right! They had my uncle reset the device and had me uninstall the app on my phone at least 4 times. Still did not work! Finally the other day was the last straw when the app was telling me he was HOME yet I was calling all day and he was not answering his phone! I rushed all the way to NYC because I was afraid something had happened to him and low and behold... he was not home! He was out and the app was telling me he was home! I called this company once again, and got a woman who called high level tech support, who THEN informed me that in my uncles Emergency profile, I had to put in all the addresses he normally goes in order for my phone app to pick up his correct location! No one including tech support had told me this for all these months! SO I went and updated all the address in his profile. Yesterday I was IN NYC WITH MY UNCLE and we were AT a location that I had in my app, and STILL when I looked at my phone this app was telling me he was no where near the location where we were! How can I trust that if he fell, they would know where he was? What is the point of this program when I have no idea where he is? The WORST part, is they have the nerve to tell me KNOWING this has not worked right from day ONE, that they will not refund the money we paid all these months, OR for this useless device! This company is COMPLETELY INCOMPETENT and it's TERRIBLE when people are elderly and need help for companies like this to claim they are here to help when all they are here for is to steal peoples money!
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
We are sorry to hear that you have encountered a problem with the Link application and we appreciate your feedback. GreatCall’s 5Star Urgent Response devices are designed to be used in the case of an emergency, when the button is pressed our Urgent Response agents use enhanced GPS technology to locate a user and get them the help they need. The Link application on your phone may not report the actual location information due to several factors, such as the signal your phone or the device is receiving. Known locations on the profile and the actual locations a user visits with the device, help create a virtual fence that the device will remember and use for location reporting to the application. This can take up to 14 days to be created. For more information or further assistance, please email us at , and include as many details as you can.
May. 20th, 2019
Cassidy West Haven, CT
If I could rate a company 0 stars I would. My grandma received a great call medallion after previously falling, and being without anyway to call for help. She figured the best way to avoid another situation like this would be to get a medical medallion. Once she received it in the mail I went over, and set it up for her myself. Everything was fine we even did a test call to the company to make sure everything worked. Everything went fine and it seemed to be working. Not even two weeks pass and my grandma falls, luckily she has her medallion on and presses the call button... nothing happens. She continues pressing and still nothing happens. Luckily a neighbor heard her and called 911. After the incident my mother called the company to see what the problem was it turned out her device along with many other were defective. They said they were calling people to let them know, but she never received that call. She had it for more than a week and clearly they knew something was wrong and instead of warning her and sending her a new one they did nothing. I thank god this wasn’t a more serious fall, and I also thank god her neighbor heard her. Great call expressed no concern over the situation and in my opinion was just blatant negligence. My grandma got lucky nothing serious happened, but if it did she shouldn’t have to worry weather or not her medical medallion the thing that is supposed to potentially save her life won’t work. I can’t express how angry I am over the situation and I would not recommend this product or this company to anyone.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Cassidy, we are sorry to hear about your grandma’s fall and are glad to hear she is okay. While we have identified a quality issue in a limited number of Lively Mobile Plus devices, which we are working to address, we would still like to review what may have prevented her device from placing the call. The most common causes, not related to any current issue that we are working on, are typically connection to the device being powered off or being in an area with poor cell reception. As we would like to investigate this further with you, please look for a private response from us.
May. 13th, 2019
Steve Anderson Sioux Falls, SD
There is a reason that LifeStation is so much better than GreatCall...Check out the ratings and reviews and make sure to use LifeStation or you will regret it!! They don't understand customer service at GreatCall. Due to their mistakes they are trying to bill me a couple of extra months when the service was not even connected. A supervisor by the name of David is threatening calls from collection services over $51 that I can verify their service was not even connected...I will make sure that they will pay more than $51 in bad publicity!!!! Plus the reason I switched to LifeStation is that GreatCall does not have an emergency pendant/help button that will hold a battery charge for over 24 hours and LIfeStation easily beats that with a battery that lasts 4 YEARS!!!
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hi Steve, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We see that someone has followed up with today. A review of your account shows that although we did not receive a request for cancelation, we have waived the closing balance on the account. We strive to provide a high level of customer service and we will use your feedback to better our customers experience.
Apr. 11th, 2019
Rita Colby Petersburg, VA
I purchased a Lively Mobile and noticed in the manual (thankfully before activating the device) that it was for one single user. My mother is fully functioning but my father is in early stage dementia and can no longer remember how to use his cell phone to make a call. They do not have a landline so I wanted an emergency button he can use either for Mom or himself. I called Great Call and the customer service lady said it was no problem, I just had to let the folks know when I called the activation number. The man in the activation department was one of the rudest men to whom I have ever spoken. I began asking whether I could cover both my parents with the one button and he cut me off, spoke over me, told me I would have to purchase an additional button with an additional subscription plan and activation fee, but with 25% off the second device and activation fee. He also noted my father would have to push the button corresponding to which of them was in trouble in order for the service to work, which I said he is not likely to remember which button belongs to whom. I remarked this wasn't going to fit my needs so thank you, but I will return the device and look elsewhere. The man got very beligerent and spoke over me again, saying there are no other companies that would provide what I want, all are single user devices and plans like Great Call. I did return the Lively Mobile and went with Bay Alarm Medical instead, who offer exactly what I want for just $6 more per month than I would've paid for one subscription plan at Great Call, had no device charge or activation fee, and extremely nice and helpful customer service. Nowhere in the advertising for Lively Mobile were these constraints and extra expenses made known.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Rita, we are sorry to hear of your recent experience and we appreciate your feedback. At GreatCall, we to strive to provide a community of support for our products and services. We understand that each individual will have different needs and requirements and as such, we offer an Emergency Profile that solely pertains to the individual. 5Star Urgent Response is a personal safety service meant for the subscriber only. Medical information is specific and private for each individual. Therefore, the 5Star Personal Profile is set up for single contact support per service. The Personal Profile provides an additional level of protection to 5Star customers. It is an important tool that enables 5Star Response agents to provide the best service possible. Your feedback is highly appreciated and will help us to improve our ability to serve you and other users of our products.
Mar. 20th, 2019
Barbara A Van Handel Manawa, WI
GREAT CALL OFFERED AN EASY WAY TO MOVE PAST A FLIP PHONE. HOWEVER IT WAS NOT. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE. THEY WOULD SAY THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING AND NOT DO IT. WE SWITCHED TO CONSUMER CELLULAR. WE FOUND OUT GREAT CALL PHONES DO NOT ALL ALLOW YOU TO SWITCH CARRIERS. WE HAD TO BUY ANOTHER NEW PHONE. AVOID GREAT CALL UNLESS YOU ENJOY BAD SERVICE!
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Barbara, we are sorry to hear of your recent experience and we appreciate your feedback. All Jitterbug cell phones and smartphones are unlocked per nationwide standards, but we cannot control which carriers choose to accept or activate our phones, nor do we guarantee our phones are compatible with other networks. Jitterbug phones were specifically designed to work on the GreatCall network. Again thank you for your feedback. We are always looking for better ways to improve our products and services.
Mar. 11th, 2019
arlene Holbrook, NY
I bought the jitterbug just for the health & wellness alert. I have 2 alerts day in the morning and night Jitterbug outsources the call alerts I got calls at 3 in the morning(not one of the times I requested) I called up about it and they said they would take care of it then there were calls that did not come I called Customer Service and they could not help me so they sent me to a tech who said he would send a message to the company that takes care of this Last night I got an alert that I did not answer and I never got a second call I spoke to the tech this morning and he said that the other company had not gotten back to him I told him that I am paying his company not someone else and his company is the one getting my money If I had not missed the call last night I would not have know that it was not working HOW MANY OTHERS ARE PAYING FOR SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT GETTING FRAUD I got this for peace of mind and security I have a heart condition and this is not helping me If this is not taken care if it has been a week I will go to the newspapers and all the senior protection agency I can find
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello, we are sorry to hear about your recent experience. We have sent you a private message to collect account information and review this matter further.
Jan. 17th, 2019
LM Zellwood, FL
I see lots of comments about peace of mind. My neighbor had the Great Call 5 Star pendant for 2 years before she had to use it. She was experiencing a heart attack and fell. She was not near a phone so she pressed the alert button. After explaining her situation to the operator she was told that she must use her phone and call 911. She told the operator that she was on the floor and could not reach a phone. She pressed the pendant 3 more times and was repeatedly told they could not call 911 for her. She was eventually able to get up and went to the doctor the next day. She was immediately transported to the hospital because she had had a heart attack.
So much for peace of mind.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hi LM, we are sorry to hear about your recent experience with Emergancy Services. GreatCall strives to provide the highest quality service available. We would like to further assist you in this matter, can you please respond to the private response we have sent you.
Jan. 8th, 2019
Gloria Phoenix, AZ
When she would speak into the phone the person couldn't receive her mupphled message clearly, so she would have to repeat it 3 times or more. It sounded mupphled immediately after receiving the new phone. Greatcall customer service said the software needed to be updated. It was updated, yet still sounds mupphled. Because of this it is frustrating not only for my mother but also for everyone who calls her, or receives a call from her.
The retail store I bought the phone from had only a 30 day return. Because Greatcall Representatives told me that the phone just needed to be updated. I planned on updating the phone when I arrived in my mother's state, because she didn't know how to do it. However, when arriving in her state, I realized that the phone can't be updated by hand; a Greatcall representative has to do it on their end. Why didn't they just tell me that over the phone the first time?!
In the phone book section of her Jitterbug Flip phone, she can't press a letter button to get to a name; she has to scroll down approximately 250 numbers of doctors, pharmacies, companies, family and friends to find the number she wants to call.
If someone calls from an unfamiliar number, she can't save the number from her phone to her phone. She has to write down the number on a piece of paper and then add it to the phone; she has a hard time seeing and writing in the first place.
When I go to my mother's online Greatcall account to view last month's minutes used. The website doesn't give me a total sum amount of talk or text minutes used. It will only tell me each phone number called or received along with the talk time used per call, example: 602-555-5555, 10 minutes. When i login to the account I want to be able to know the total sum of all minutes used for the current month, or past month's cycle to compare to the current month so I can adjust her available talk time billing if needed.
Why doesn't it show on screen when the battery is getting low or is low? Instead it beeps and flashes the words really fast; but by the time I hear the beep and look at the phone the words are quickly gone. Instead, I have to go to phone info to check if the phone is beeping because the battery level is low. Why make it so hard for elders?
The phone does not have an Alarm.
The phone does not have a Calendar.
The backlight isn't adjustable so it turns off quickly.
Furthermore, Greatcall Link is said to keep families connected; it let's families know where she is located by GPS, if 5 Star was dialed, and/or if the device is powered off. However, since September, I keep getting a server error on the website when I follow the instructions to become one of my mother's Greatcall links. When I call Greatcall about it the representatives tell me they are aware of the problem. It is now December and the additional fee we pay for the GreatCall Link program still says the following when trying to update and use it (needless to say it won't update and it won't work).
"The 5Star device software needs to be updated in order to use all the benefits of GreatCall Link.
Click here to continue to the update page. Continue
500
Sorry, the internal server has encountered an error [error 500]
The server encountered an unexpected condition which prevented it from fulfilling the request.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
We suggest you try one of the links below:
Homepage."
I then follow any and all instructions moving forward, but yet it gives me this same massage again.
I am very, very dissatisfied! $75.00 for phone, $40 activation fee, plus $71.88 per month. Yet the phone is insufficient.
No but it has free med calls
Billing cycle begins 3rd of each month. And ends 2nd of each month.
Use same log in for greatcall link app.
The buttons stay pressed for a long time. Beep for a long time.
I have phone replacement coverage but just learned that the replacement phone will be used and refurbished. I haven't had good luck with refurbished phones.
7 years ago
CHRIS from Tallahassee Tallahassee, FL
I have a Jitterbug phone because I wanted something simple to just call and text. I expected simple and "old school." What I got was THE WORST PHONE I have ever owned!
1. People text pictures and it automatically uploads them to my phone, sucking up memory. These have to be deleted one at a time.
2. Texts come streaming in all hours of the night...HOURS AFTER they were sent to me.
3. The phone CHIMES with every missed text and call, and WILL NOT STOP. It will even chime WHILE I AM TALKING TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE! There is no way to stop the chime other than turning the volume all the way down or the phone OFF. And then you miss calls.
4. Texting is ONE letter at a time. On top of this, the phone moves soooo slowly that it is not worth texting.
5. Texts always display as two - one from the person who sent it, AND ONE FROM MY OWN NUMBER!!!! Ridiculous! Not sure if I'm getting charged for twice as many texts.
6. The TIME displaying on the phone is always AN HOUR OFF.
7. The Settings are extremely limited. NO CONTROL Over anything. LIMITED HORRENDOUS RINGTONE SELECTION!
8. VOICEMAIL is an extra charge.
AVOID THIS PHONE UNLESS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ONE TO PULL A HILLARY....AND SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!
7 years ago
Shelly Kinston, NC
Very disappointed. I purchased this phone for my 88-year-old mother. It advertises for as low as 14.99 but of course this does not include much so the bill was closer to $35 per month. The phone was purchased for $60 but there is an activation fee which they do not advertise. I did not purchase texting as my mother would not know how; numerous text messages are received daily from advertisers at a cost of 10 cents per text. In addition, my mother accidentally pressed the 5* emergency button. I arrived home to have an message on my answering machine to tell me that if we did not respond they would send a 911. However, I do not know what time the call was put on my answering machine but not further response was ever received. Had it been an actual emergency, it would have been too late. I called customer service and was told that she likely called and cancelled herself. My mother did not even know she had pressed the button. After 3 weeks, the phone no longer works. I have cancelled the service. I feel this is a scam.
7 years ago
Karen c Greensburg, PA
If you value your life do not get this service. If you value customer service do not get this service. I had the service with the fall alert for three months. In the third month I fell in my bathroom. I was unconscious for a while. I was wearing the the fall alert pendant and it did not work. No one tried to contact me and no one was contacted by great call to inform them that I had a medical emergency. When I regained consciousness I pushed the alarm button on the pendant. IT DID NOT WORK!!! I laid on the floor in pain, in fear, and in need of emergency medical help. I tried to call help by pushing the alarm button again and again. IT DID NOT WORK!!! I was unable to get up to summon help in any other way. I laid there until my husband came home and got me the help I needed. I cannot tell you how frightening it is needing help and not being able to summon it. Also I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to have a service that you pay for and depend on that won't work no matter how many times you try to summon help. After this incident I called great call customer service and canceled the service. Then I received a bill in the mail. I called the number for billing service. I told them that I should not have to pay any more for service since the service did not work. They said I should have contacted customer service at that time and reported that there was an issue with the service and since I did not do that I would have to pay for the service. I told the supervisor that it was impossible to reach them since I was prone on the floor. He just kept saying that I should have called customer service and asking me how I would pay. His response, and this is a quote, was "I don't care." So again, if you value your life or the life of your loved one DO NOT GET THIS SERVICE. It cannot be depended upon to keep anyone SAFE. And in my opinion, it is a sham
7 years ago
Norma Johnson Florissant, MO
We were excited to receive the Lively Mobile for my mother in law. (97 years old). She feels safe in her ow home with this unit. However, the app that tracks her locations and battery level is useless. Last night I was with her and she had the device on, and the app said her battery was charging. Last Sunday I was with her at church and lunch and the app says she was at home. I have called several times about this, the customer service people are nice, but, the app doesn’t work. This is a major worry since we can not rely on the information. Very disappointed.
7 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Norma, we are sorry to hear about your experience and we appreciate your feedback. If you continue to experience this problem, please call Customer Service at 1-800-733-6632, between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. Pacific Time, seven days a week.
Sep. 14th, 2018
Jane Guttner Pueblo, CO
You say “I know I need Great Call for my father. The flip phone will be valuable for him. It has big numbers he can see and a volume control for loud. When you buy the phone it works wonderfully and then out of the blue, you can’t hear him because of the static that accompanies every phone call. You call Great Call they say we ‘ll increase the strength of the signal and they say “Call us back if you continue to hear static.” Well you call back and they do the same thing “increase the strength of the signal” nothing has changed the static is still there, but now Great Call’s technologists tell you “it’s because your father has a metal roof and lightening rods on the roof” and you ask them “the metal roof has always been on there when we first bought the phone and there was no static in the phone calls” and they ignore you and state the same thing “You’ll have to use the phone outside because the metal roof is causing the static in the phone calls. Well Great Call here is my answer to you. What use is your phone to my father or to me? I can’t hear him if he needs anything. Your flip phones are now on my Suck List and so is Great Call.
7 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Jane, we are sorry to hear of the poor call quality you are experiencing, and we appreciate your feedback. Jitterbug phones were specifically designed to work on the GreatCall network which is powered by the nation’s largest and most dependable wireless network. Service is based on the coverage in your area and even in a good coverage area, things such as weather, building materials, topography and other environmental considerations associated with radio technology also affect service and service may vary significantly within buildings. A poor or fair signal will directly affect the quality of your calls. To check the signal on your Father’s Jitterbug Flip phone, from the menu, scroll to Phone Info and press yes, you will see the battery and signal strengths. With the phone open, he can walk through his home to see where the signal is the strongest, possibly near a window.
Sep. 5th, 2018
Angela Benedict Battle Ground, WA
Great Call's customer service is horrible! After paying for a service for 3 years for my mother, we decided to cancel the service as she didn't need it any longer. When I cancelled the service, I spoke to 2 different people verifying the service was cancelled and that I did not owe any additional money. Two different people tried talking me out of closing the account and offered me a monthly fee of $12.99, instead of the $30.00 a month that I had been paying for years. My account was automatically paid each month and I wanted to make sure they would not continue taking money out of my account. Today, i received a notice in the mail that I was being sent to collections! I immediately called the number provided and "Lupe" asked for my credit card number, right off the bat, instead of being actually interested in hearing what I had to ask about my account. Multiple times I had to ask her to quit talking over me so I could ask her questions. Lupe told me that I owed for 2 months that I had not been posted to my account when I closed it and I needed to pay it or I was being sent to collections. I was furious. I asked for a supervisor and was conveniently told that there were none available but she would have one call me within 24 hours. I couldn't believe I was being sent to collections over a service that was paid automatically each month and that was verified that I had a zero balance when I closed the service. Finally I agreed to give her my debit card because the thought of being sent to collections was something I couldn't get my head around. Lupe then began asking me my name again and my address. What??? You've been on the phone with me and my account and now you don't know my name or see my address??!!! Before proceeding with this horrible company and their accounting nightmare for customers, I need to talk to someone who might actually know what they are doing. If you sign up with this company...... BEWARE of their accounting tactics.
7 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Angela, We are sorry to hear about your experience. Calls are recorded for quality assurance and we will be able to review what occurred. If we were entering a new credit or debit card number we would want to verify that we have the correct address associated with that particular card. In addition, if the security password on the account could not be verified, or if there was no security password established, then we would need to properly verify the information listed on the account prior to making any changes. We understand your frustration and apologize for any inconvenience.
Jun. 29th, 2018
Jane San Marcos, CA
Products are substandard and can pose threat to seniors' lives!
I used to work for the company that markets and sells the Jitterbug phones and safety devices, Greatcall. The company claims their products work just fine on the Verizon network. However, that is not correct. Just ask any Verizon technician. I was told that if it's not a Verizon wireless device, any third party's device on the Verizon network will not operate as well. However, Greatcall will not tell you that! Just look at the poor customer reviews of their devices to validate this. Greatcall ought to be investigated for consumer fraud by misinforming the seniors and, therefore, putting their health and safety at risk! Furthermore, Greatcall puts premium/high pricing on their products which are substandard compared to other competitors' phones and safety devices.
7 years ago
Richard Sachitano Diamondhead, MS
GreatCall is a scam. When my 96y/0 father got his GreatCall hesaid it worked. Eight months later when he needed it, it didn,t and he spent 20 hours on the floor at his home, unable to get GreatCall to respond. While he was in the hospital, I tried to trouble shoot the system only to find that customer service would not help because I was not the owner. Aftertwo calls to the service center trying to get them to identify the problem, I again was told that the owner had to contact them. Even though I was unable to get service to correct the problem, I was able to cancel the account and stop the automatic monthly payment. I have email correspondence from GreatCall basically saying it was the customers responsibility to set the system up and use it properly and that even then it might not function under "certain circumstances or diferent locations". When I asked for them to confirm the date and time that this service was established for this customer, and what checks were in place to identify if the customer went offline, I got the same response. It was the customers responsibility. Anyone dealing with an aging customer population should have better service and support. Why was I able to cancel a service I did not establish but was not able to determine the cause of the lack of service? GreatCall was not interested in finding the problem.
AARP endorses GreatCall and does its members (I am no an AARP member) a great disservice. They are not there to help but only establish a cash flow and hide behind "security issues". Do not deal with this company. They do not provide acceptable service and have little or no syatem to confirm that there system is working. The user is responsible for everything.
7 years ago
Lester Selby Marblehead, OH
I’ve had Great Call for several years and just replaced my 3-Year old phone with a new flip. Used 5Star several times in medical emergencies. Very pleased with the phone, the service, and the agents expertise.
7 years ago
Douglas Owen University Place, WA
I have the Lively. This is a second unit, a replacement for one that ceased to function. I was without service for 4 days. I asked for credit for the days that I had no service & GC agreed to credit $5 to my account on next billing cycle.
Do you think that they did this? Of course not!
So, off went another email asking about this unfilled commitment .....now waiting for a response.....which might be awhile before i hear back.
7 years ago
Rachel Jenkins Norwalk, OH
I am 35 days into a billing dispute with Great Call. My initial call to them was handled by a "gentleman " named Yeezehz. After assuring me that my bill would be "corrected" once I changed my plan and upgraded to a more expensive unlimited plan , he refused to take my calls for 34 days. He scheduled call back times numerously and never contacted me. Eventually I began calling daily and documenting ever conversation and "promise". I have spoken to over 20 representatives and finally TODAY I was allowed to talk with him. Yeezehz denied our previous conversation, told me I owed them $800 and when I told him I was not paying he immediately told me he would contact me at 8pm tonight to rectify the situation. Needless to say I am not holding my breath. What I am doing is finding every social media outlet I can to complain, contacting the BBB and considering hiring a lawyer.
7 years ago
Evelyn Bovan Chico, CA
I purchased this phone for an 84-year-old woman that I care for. It took three days to set it up after many frustrating phone calls. Since that time, the phone either doesn’t ring or won’t hold a charge. Customer service is terrible. Now I am getting bills for calls that were never made; for instance, 81 calls in a month by a woman who’s had a stroke and can barely use the phone. I was supposed to get an itemized statement by email which has never appeared. I am so frustrated I’m about ready to scream. I will be looking elsewhere to find something she is able to use. I did read the reviews first and still bought it thinking maybe they were exaggerating problems. Not so, do not buy.
7 years ago
Libby McMillan Freehold, NJ
i just got off the phone with customer serv. They are the worst and poorly informed people Ive ever worked with. I bought a phone that had the last users name that appears in the ID instead of mine Last month they were able to remove it , now it's back. They dont bill this person so why cant my name appear. They wanted to know the phone numbers of the people that this happened to and who their carries are WHY??? What does this have to do with anything. Im not calling people to ask who their carrier is .ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I think Ive made a big mistake buying this phone and having to deal with an incompetent carrier such as Great Call. NO wonder they have a 1.9 rating. I give it a .09
7 years ago
Betsy Blank Kennewick, WA
Very disappointed in this company. I bought my mom a Jitterbug a year ago as I understood this to be an easy smart phone for seniors. Unfortunately, it was not a good fit for her and she did not get helpful customer service. After a year of trying to make it work, we got her a phone at Verizon. When I called customer service regarding the switch to the new phone, I was told I would be issued a credit for the remainder of the month. I was charged $59.22 for the month, she only used the service for 2 days during the current billing cycle, and now I am told they don’t give partial month refunds. Disappointed in the poor customer service and the poor communication regarding their refund policy. ☹️
7 years ago
Robin Farrell
We are getting charged for incoming text messaging even though the text messaging is never used. We do not have a data plan so incoming text messages are charged to us. GreatCall says they cannot stop that, so my father is getting charged for text messaging he never even knows how to see, much less uses. This is a defect in the GreatCall service.
7 years ago
Cynthia Allen Montalba, TX
I hated to give one star but they didn’t have zero stars . I just spent over an hour trying to get the phone activated, my first contact was snippy to say the least . I was put on hold three times and passed around the company. I feel that there is fault in advertising, the $35 activation fee was not listed in any of the advertisements that I saw. The price of the phone and accessories were comparable to a TracFone so no big savings there . I bought it for my 84-year-old mother but since I was having trouble navigating it, she never would have learned how to do it. When I tried to send it back also was told that there would be a $10 restocking fee on top of the 160+ dollars I had already spent and the hour on the phone this morning trying to return the phone. Thisis not a good company, the phone is less than desirable and I’m not impressed at all with this service. I would not recommend this phone nor great call to anyone looking for an alternate phone .
7 years ago
Linda Moran Jersey City, NJ
I bought my aging mother a Jitterbug phone eight years ago, which she wanted for emergencies only. I'm the one who bought the phone, set up the service, and created the online account. She had difficulty remembering how to use it but wanted it for peace of mind. It was a brick. At one point, I saw on her credit card that the price went up, so I tried to go online to see her bill and discovered that they blocked me from seeing her billing history. When I called, they insisted that she and only she must call them and get a password to access that part of the site. This was hard for her, but in the end, she got it done, and then I found out that while on the phone, they had managed to sell her "lost phone" coverage that she totally didn't need because she's in a facility. This was painful to undo. Then one time when her credit card was updated by the credit card company, I discovered after beating my head against the wall that the function on the site to update the credit card didn't work. I had to call. Finally, eight years later, long after she forgot she even had the phone, she agreed to let us cancel the service, and I found out there was no way to use the online account to cancel the service. So I called but Greatcall insisted it had to be her making the call. More pain. These people at Greatcall are crooks, and they take advantage of the very seniors they claim to protect. In addition, every phone call I had to make to Greatcall had a long wait on hold. And just had to add more pain, to this day, the function for updating the credit card still exists on the website.
8 years ago
Debbie Gambino
I bought a jitterbug smartphone for my elderly father. I went through the activation process and setup which was quite lengthy. I took the phone to my dad and he was unable to use it. It was not easy to maneuver the touch screen and he was frustrated. I returned the phone to Best Buy. They were great. My nightmare was with great call. When I called to cancel I was informed that I was not authorized on the account. That was a shock since I set up the account and paid for everything. So the first issue is that they set up the account incorrectly. Then I was told my dad had to authorize me and would have to call them or email them, More frustration since he wasn’t able to use the phoneand has never had an email. All they would tell me is that I was not authorized. No body would listen or help me. Hard to believe that you can set up a phone and pay for the service but not be “authorized “! I was a daughter trying to help my elderly dad and they made this a nightmare! I finally got a person to cancel the service. I was told my refund would be on my credit card in 1 to 3 days. This did not happen. I called back and was then told that it took 15 business days. Rude people and rude service! I will never use their services again!
8 years ago
Deborah Taylor Los Angeles, CA
My 86 year old mother has had the GreatCall Alert device and when we purchased it about three years ago, felt it was the best since she could take it with her anywhere, was not required to be connected to a phone line, and gave her a sense of security she had help if needed. Fortunately she has not had to use it except one time in the three years, and they horribly failed in the service provided. The representative that answered was calm, but took 5-7 minutes to tell my mother she had requested emt's. My mother told the rep from the very beginning she had fallen, having diarrhea and felt dizzy. All the while the rep kept asking questions and never indicated she had requested emt's to be dispatched. I was on my cell and could hear everything since I was in LA and my mother was in Vegas. I asked my mother to ask the rep when the emt's would arrive since we had now been waiting more than 20 minutes and her response was after she requests it, locals take over and she did not know when they would arrive. Another five minutes passed and she returned to the line saying she had to take another call and to call back if they were needed. No emt's had yet to arrive. I told my mother to pick up her land line and call 911 and emt's were there within five minutes. To add insult to injury when I called to cancel the service, Jamie, female customer service rep, was kind in the beginning and once I told her why I wanted to cancel she told me I would never be able to reactivate again if I canceled and I frankly told her why would I want to after the one and only experience that mattered was so horrible. She laughed at my displeasure in the service, said once she read the disclaimer to me I wouldn't have to talk to her any more, all the time laughing. She also challenged which call got the emt's to my mother since they did show up. I was insulted by the laughing and requested to speak to a supervisor and she told me I was no longer a customer so I couldn't speak to a supervisor. I told her since I was paid up until Dec 9 as the disclaimer she read said, I was still a customer, and I wanted to complain about her and the laughing. She said she never laughed and I told her to listen to the recorded call since she absolutely did. She again said I was no longer a customer and she had other calls to take and ended the call.
8 years ago
Robyn Trenton, NJ
So I call Great Call and spend an hour on the phone with ALL my questions. Great interaction and decide to get the phone. That was the end of good customer service. I activate the phone (no wait time) and once I do that am told I need to call back in 2 hours to "port" our ATT # to Great Call. 20 minute wait...would not speak with me because they put the phone in my mothers name (she actually will be the user) and didn't put my name on the account (but had no problem taking my name for the credit card). Now they need the ATT account number (not just the phone #) and a million other questions. Called the next day...17 minute wait this time. Again they refused to speak with me until they called the phone (I answered it) when I threatened to cancel the account. Got it set up... Upon activating I advised I wanted texting blocked... I get up this morning to 4 text messages. Told the person on the phone about it and she issues a credit for 2 texts (I'll battle later for the other 2) and blocks the texts. I was charged even tho' I didn't open them. Found out they were sent to the person that had the assigned phone number before me. GOTTA LUV IT. Gonna try the 5 Star service and see if I'm on hold for 15 minutes or more. This was the only reason I got the phone...
8 years ago
Jackie Grand Junction, CO
This company has gone downhill rapidly and doesn’t appear to care about customer service or their customers. If you call for help in the evening you get a message that it is after hours. Great message for an emergency response system. DO NOT USE THEIR SERVICES. EVER. An emergency service should have support available 24/7. Waste of money. I misplaced my device and apparently will have to be without it until Monday (it is Friday evening) as that is how much they care about their customers. If I thought it wasn’t important to have a service available 24/7 why would I need a medical alert device. Again FIND A REPUTABLE COMPANY TO DEAL WITH, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM OR THEY WOULD BE AVAILBLE FOR EMERGENCIES WHICH I WHY YOU WOULD USE THEM. THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE. Find someone who cares. They apparently don’t care enough to be available after hours. STAY AWAY FRM GREAT CALL. They will take your money and not be there when you need them.
8 years ago
Maddie North Liberty, IA
Poor customer service and the person selling my device lied to me about the cost and rate each month. I stopped service when I received my service bill and it was well over $4.00 from what I was told it would be each month. By the time I got my bill from my credit card where I saw it was $24.07 I called to cancel the service and send back device. I was unable to send it back because I was a few days over the 30 day period. Had I received my statement sooner I would have returned the device on time. Very unprofessional and was told it would not be more than $19. plus some change each month. I asked so it will be a complete charge of under $20.00 each month and the representative said yes.
This company is crooked as can be. I say do not buy from these people!!!!!
8 years ago
Sherri Longbranch, WA
Worst customer service EVER. I bought a phone for my mother, who lives with me, I set up the account online, I own the email address linked to it and I pay the bill! They sent an offer for a new phone to MY email, this could not be accepted via the email or account page. I had to call for the offer. I was on hold for 20 mins, the rep said hello and HUNG UP! I called back; 15 more minutes ON HOLD, explained the situation, my mother lives WITH ME, I handle all of her affairs and this woman would NOT discuss the phone offer with me! I gave her all the info and had the cell phone by me, she demanded I mail my "power of attorney" to them! Are you serious??!!! I woke my mother and she told the CS rep 3 times I was authorized- NOT good enough! My mom had to give her a ton of info and get a text (a feature my mom does NOT know how to use) so we had to read the pin to her- By then I had enough! ENOUGH! This is a pathetic excuse for customer service! I will be cancelling Great Call and putting my mom on my Verizon plan. (I used GC for mom for 4 years, never EVER had to contact them before) this is inexcusable! I have no clue why AARP would associate their name with this company! It's AWFUL.
8 years ago
Susan Miracle
Used Credit card for initial start up. Within three days my bank started alerting me to purchases made online or phone using my CCard. Thought it was coincidence. Three days ago I paid my monthly bill with CC instead of bank check. Today receive alerts that my card was used twice today for online/on phone purchases. I live in KY. All the purchases were in CALIF. I have only had this happen twice and both times after paying Great Call with . Called Great call to inform them. "Oh this is serious but you can pay your bill by other means than your Credit Card. !!!!!!!!!What the.. Told them I knew it was serious that's why I called them to let them know. "It must be a coincidence, try paying by check" I stated I was contacting the BBB and then was asked" Would you like me to report this to a supervisor?" I said yes as someone should look into it. She stated, " Well, your bank can handle the investigation and take care of that. Again she tried to explain they do not charge late fees and there were other ways to pay other than a CC. I'm calling the BBB tomorrow.
8 years ago
Joe
I called to find out why my app (for my Dad's unit) was not working properly. It was very erratic. I was told I have to shut the app off and turn it back on. I did that previously with no success so they were unable to help me. While on the phone I decided to purchase a new unit with the hopes that would resolve the problem . They sent the unit to me but after a while I found out that while the until was being sent, they shut down his service. So, he wouldn't be able to contact anyone in an emergency. I couldn't get through to customer service to find out why because it was after hours when I called. Who ever heard of day hours only for an emergency device?
8 years ago
Paige Murphy
USED TO BE GREAT; "UPGRADE" IS TRASH!
We have been a customer for 4 years, first with their 5 Star predecessor to Lively Mobile, and now with Lively Mobile when the older device finally wore out it’s battery, which is understandable. For 4 years we sung their praises and probably inspired many other families with senior relatives to get this. Our success rate in monitoring the location of our mother was 95% or more of the time.
Since purchasing the new device in March 2017 our success rate in the GPS monitoring system has dropped to less than 20%!!! Same house. Same town. Same car. Same roads. Same nearby cities. Same frequent destinations. The “upgraded” Lively Mobile is a far inferior product. ***IF*** you live in a super signal area and can get very consistent service, you will probably be very happy with the features & service. We were. Mom has "pressed her button" a few times when she was in sketchy situations and was alone & they were great assistance. But unless you have perfect signal, with the new "Lively Mobile" you’ll need to camp out under a cell tower, not live in a brick, block or other masonary structure, not go into builidngs with a metal roof, drive a convertible, not have any trees near your home, turn off all other electrical devices, and MAYBE you’ll be able to locate.
Furthermore, there are 3 places on the mobile apps screen that gives you location information. We now find that often this information is discrepant, so we don't know WHICH location is accurate. Too complex to go into here - but if you read the screen, it sounds like it means one thing, whereas if you talk to tech support about the discrepancies you find out the screens actually mean something else - which is especially troublesome when signal is not perfect and causes the discrepancies.
Most frequent message: “Unable to Locate”.
80% of time: “Unable to locate”
10% of time: Locates, but takes 5+ minutes
5% of time: Locates but takes 2 to 5 minutes
5% of time: Locates within 2 minutes.
8 years ago
Lisa Lexington, KY
Last year, my mother began to need help with her affairs. She has a Jitterbug phone. We called Great Call together and the representative suggested I be added to my mother's account so that I could act on her behalf. I was so impressed with the proactive customer service. Today, for the first time, I actually attempted to act on my other's account. I was sure it would be no problem because of the helpful rep who added me to the account over a year ago. My mom's payment which has for years been charged to her credit card was rejected. Her credit card company had issued a new card number to her because of a security breach. I called customer service expecting to easily and quickly give them the new card number. The rep told me that because I did not know MY "password" (which I don't remember the courteous rep even offering to me when she added to me to the account), I was told I could not update my mother's information. I asked to speak to a supervisor who stuck to the same story. I wasn't trying to do anything other than update the information so that this company could be paid. I can provide ALL pertinent information to identify my mother or myself but all they would accept was this mysterious "password" that I've never heard of. For a company that markets to seniors, surely they can do better than this! They were haughty and arrogant as well.
8 years ago
Michelle Shelton Meridianville, AL
I have been a client for many years. The Splash was a great device with lots of battery life. They only offer the Lively now and it will not stay charged 8 hours. My new device is only 6 weeks old and will not charge at all now. I have no choice but to cancel my service and return the device. If they wake up and offer the Splash device again I will consider having an account again. They have finally updated their site to show Lively with very limited battery life as to just 2 weeks ago they showed a 96 hour battery life (THAT WOULD BE FOR THE SPLASH UNIT NOT THE LIVELY). Many member of my family carry this device. I will advise them of the terrible product they only offer now. I am sure they will cancel their services also.
8 years ago
D Rollins Honolulu, HI
Make sure you are aware of the lack of service you will be paying for and make sure that you understand the reason you are purchasing this device. If you are anticipating that this will give you peace of mind to keep your loved ones safe please reconsider. Two of these devices were purchased at the end of 2016 for the parents of very close family friends. I worked closely with them to get their parents set up on these devices and can state that we had trouble from the get go. Customer Service was normally slow to answer as you were almost always on hold and for some time. The outcome whenever the devices were not working properly (charging or functioning) was always to send new devices and or chargers and not to try to resolve any underlying problems. We went through at least three new devices in a 2 month period. Though fall detection was paid for, this feature never worked when on-person but only seemed to work the two times the devices were accidentally dropped. When inquiring with customer service the answer was that fall detection wasn't a guaranteed service (though you pay for it) and that it was the responsibility of the wearer to push the help button. A mildly difficult task if the person is not cognoscente enough to do so. If this is the reality then people should be made aware of it at the time of purchase and should not be charged for a system that is more unresponsive then responsive. Three falls in a month went undetected with a fourth fall resulting in a loss of a loved one. When calling customer service to see about returning the devices, as one was no longer needed and the other was cancelled and replaced with a more responsive service, the answer back was that they didn't want the devices back. So now we are responsible for disposing of them to boot. When discussing with customer service our disappointment and requesting a refund, as the service did not work and was not needed when the wearer was in the hospital, the response was that there was nothing to be done. Why would anyone want to spend good money on such a poor system, customer service as well as technology?
8 years ago
