GreatCall
2.8
4.9
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
LAST UPDATED: July 22nd, 2023
The customer's health and safety have always been the number one priority of GreatCall. That's why GreatCall designed the Lively Mobile with an easy-to-use emergency response button along with a suite of health and safety services. Whether you need urgent assistance, medical advice, or peace-of-mind, GreatCall makes it easy to stay safe, healthy and connected, 24/7. GreatCall's medical service is on the nation's #1 4G network so it can be used all over the country.
GreatCall has low monthly monitoring fees starting at $19.99 with no long-term contracts. There is also a one-year equipment warranty on all products. Read GreatCall reviews below to see what customers have to say about the medical alert provider.
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The Good
- No Base Unit
- Variety of Medical Alert Options
- Health and Safety Packages
- No Contracts or Cancellation Fees
- IAED Certified Agents
- Customer Service
- Fastest Call Response Time
No Base Unit
Lively Mobile is an all-in-one lightweight device (.088 lbs) with no invasive base station required. Lively Mobile works like a small cell phone so you can take it anywhere, and it has no home base unit or tether to a landline. This makes GreatCall's medical alert systems extremely easy to use and set up.
Variety of Medical Alert Options
GreatCall has additional options outside of the typical medical alert device. The company offers smartphone and flip phone options that are made specifically with older adults in mind and also act as a medical alert device. Whether a customer is looking for a smartphone medical alert device, a more simple flip phone medical alert device, a medical alert button only, or a wearable medical alert device, GreatCall has every option.
Keep in mind, capabilities with each medical alert plan vary depending on your chosen monthly plan. The information listed below includes all capabilities in the most advanced plans, so the more basic plans will not include all listed items. The complete medical alert options and offerings are below:
Jitterbug Smart2
The Jitterbug Smart2 is a smartphone and cellphone service with a built-in medical alert device. The upfront cost is $149.99 with a monthly fee ranging from $19.99–$34.99 as well as a $25 activation fee. The GreatCall Jitterbug has a large 5.5" screen, voice typing capabilities, and a front-facing speaker for more quality sound. The battery life is long-lasting, and the phone includes a 13MP built-in camera with a flash as well as a 5Star urgent response button. It also includes Internet access.
The Jitterbug Smart has added capabilities to enhance the user's everyday experience. You can receive daily, automated check-in calls that ask questions about pain levels, appetite, and overall well being as well as receive a weekly wellness call from a wellness expert. A personal operator is also available for finding addresses and phone numbers. The Jitterbug includes daily health tips for seniors directly from the American Heart Association and suggested brain games to challenge the mind and improve your memory.
To further health assistance and emergency precautions, the Jitterbug Smart gives you access to urgent care 24/7 to speak with a nurse or doctor without an appointment. You can also request your prescriptions for common medications through the phone call. Caregivers can download the GreatCall Link app to stay informed of the health and safety of GreatCall product owners, and there is a product replacement available so if the Jitterbug owner ever loses or breaks the phone, GreatCall will replace it.
Lively Flip
The GreatCall Lively Flip is a mobile device similar to the Jitterbug Smart2 except it is a flip phone rather than a smartphone. It is $99.99 upfront with a monthly fee ranging from $19.99–$34.99 as well as a $25 activation fee. The phone has an Urgent Response button on the keypad for easy, 24/7 access to the Lively Response Team, should you need any assistance whatsoever. It is also compatible with Amazon Alexa, so you can use your voice to send texts, make calls, and more.
Lively Mobile Plus
Lively Mobile is GreatCall's medical alert emergency pendant. It is $49.99 upfront with a monthly fee ranging from $24.99–$39.99 and a $25 activation fee. It has a proprietary design made by GreatCall that is simple to use. It has a loud integrated two-way speaker that turns on the moment you press the button for assistance. It includes 5Star urgent response, urgent care, the GreatCall Link app, fall detection, and product replacement. It also has GPS location technology and is completely waterproof, so you won't have any functionality issues if used in the shower or other wet places.
Lively Wearable2
Lively Wearable is the GreatCall medical alert device that is wearable as a wristband or necklace. It costs $49.99 upfront and comes with a $14.99 monthly fee and $25 activation fee. It includes 5Star urgent response, the GreatCall Link app, and fall detection. It includes GPS location technology and the alert device is waterproof, so it's safe to use in the shower and easy to wear. Lively Wearable2 also has up to four months of battery life, a step tracker, and daily health tips. You will need to have an Android 7.0 or iPhone iOS 11 or later to use the Lively Wearable2.
Health and Safety Packages
GreatCall has a variety of service plans you can choose from to ensure you're getting the best plan for your needs.
Basic Plan ($19.99)
- 5Star Urgent Response — Enjoy 24/7 service from trained health agents.
- Brain Games — Access to fun and challenging games to keep your brain sharp.
Preferred Plan ($24.99) — Includes everything in the Basic Plan
- Urgent Care — Talk with certified nurses or doctors 24/7 without an appointment and receive prescriptions over the phone.
- GreatCall Link — Caregivers can use the GreatCall Link app to keep track of their loved one's health and safety information provided by GreatCall products.
Ultimate Plan ($34.99) — Includes everything in the Basic Plan and the Preferred Plan
- Fall Detection — This includes fall detection technology that contacts 5Star Urgent Response agents in the case of a fall.
- Personal Operator — Unlimited access to live help finding addresses, phone numbers, and more.
No Contracts or Cancellation Fees
GreatCall offers cutting-edge medical monitoring services to its customers by doing away with long-term contracts, a unique option for seniors that many companies don't offer. The company also offers a proprietary medical alert device with an equipment fee of $49.99 and monthly plans starting at $19.99. This includes full service including 5Star Urgent Response, GreatCall Link, fall detection, free device replacement, and Urgent Care nurse hotline.
Many medical alert companies make customers pay extra for fall detection and don't include it in the base monthly monitoring fee. With fall detection being one of the most important capabilities to customers, it's great that GreatCall offers it at no extra cost.
IAED Certified Agents
5Star Urgent Response Service provides easy-to-use and reliable urgent care access to IAED (International Academies of Emergency Dispatch) certified 5Star agents who will confirm the customer’s location, evaluate the situation, and call for the appropriate assistance. Trained in CPR and other emergency procedures, they can assist in any uncertain or unsafe situation, 24 hours a day. Whether a user is lost in an unfamiliar part of town, walking in a parking lot at night, or experiencing a medical issue, 5Star service can help.
Service includes:
- 911 Support and Follow-Up — 5Star Agents can call 911 on your behalf or conference you in.
- Your Personal Profile — The secure information you choose to provide in your personal profile empowers your 5Star Agent with critical details for faster, more personalized assistance.
- Non-Emergency Assistance — The 5Star Agent can contact anyone on your list if you need help that doesn't require emergency services.
- Reliable Nationwide Coverage — It functions anywhere wireless coverage is available.
- Multilingual Support — 5Star Agents can provide translation support for over 100 languages.
Customer Service
GreatCall does not outsource its customer service to third parties. All GreatCall customer service and emergency service agents are based in the United States and receive extensive training. The award-winning, patient customer service team is there to help you with health and safety forms, product and service questions, and anything else you may need from the call center.
Fastest Call Response Time
Users get peace of mind knowing that they have fast access to help as soon as it is needed. By pressing the 5Star Urgent Response button on the medical alert device, a user gets immediate and unlimited access to IAED Certified 5Star agents who will confirm your location, evaluate your situation, and get you the help you need.
The Bad
- Fees
- Equipment and Activation Fee
- GreatCall Reviews
Fees
GreatCall functions a bit differently than its primary competitors. The company has added equipment fees as well as activation fees for its alert systems, and this even goes for the basic medical alert system. Some customers have complained about the added telecommunication fees appearing on their accounts, which are required by federal law for these kinds of service providers and customers.
However, when averaged over a year of service, Lively Mobile offers the lowest cost monthly mobile service of any other major medical alert available.
Equipment and Activation Fee
GreatCall has an equipment fee as well as an activation fee, while some medical alert providers don't require either. After you purchase your equipment, pay for activation, and cover your monthly fee, you're having to pay quite a bit more than what other competitors typically charge.
GreatCall Reviews
The majority of GreatCall reviews are 1–2 stars, complaining the company has poor customer service, equipment issues, and expensive prices. Although GreatCall has some positive reviews as well, it's concerning that over half of the reviews are negative. We suggest looking at other top-rated medical alert companies with positive reviews before making your purchasing decision.
The Bottom Line
GreatCall is a versatile company that offers options for medical alert devices. Some of the company's systems offer some of the lowest prices in the industry and offer multiple medical alert devices with emergency response features like fall detection. Representatives are rigorously trained to provide you with excellent service. Some customers may be turned off by the upfront equipment fees, but the low monthly fees and not having a long-term contract can offset that price over time. If a potential customer is looking for a low-cost option that combines medical alert functionality with a smartphone device, GreatCall is a viable option. Read GreatCall reviews below to hear what customers have to say.
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Louell Bryan
The hard part about this device is I don't get service where I live. I don't use it that often because I'm not very knowledgable with it. I can't make a phone call on it, and the device doesn't work since I don't get a signal. I only hope the next person that buys this device finds out whether or not they have service where they live before buying it.
6 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Louell, We are sorry to hear that you are not able to use your phone service. We make every effort to confirm service availability when the account is established and encourage you to follow up with our Customer Service to confirm that your account is setup properly. Our Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-733-6632 and is available seven days a week between 5am and 8pm pacific time.
Jun. 29th, 2018
Verified Customer
Review Source
HATE IT SOOOOOOO MUCH
Phone is like a dinosaur so they can't give you a tech solution for things like adjusting volume during calls or how to make the low battery beep louder. Plus it's more of a medical service than anything...it's not what I wanted to get for the high monthly rates. I just wanted a good solid basic flip phone w/o Internet that was easy to use. I didn't get it.
6 years ago
Donna Fortuna Pittston, PA
For a service being provided to senior citizens they are not very accommodating. I would rate them zero if it was an option. When I call for my 86 year old mother to get a replacement phone (she lost the previous phone) I asked 3 times if the monthly rate would increase each time I was told no. I received the replacement phone and am now being told the monthly fee went up by $10 not including tax. When I requested to cancel service and return replacement phone they want my mother to pay to return the phone which was not activated or use to Best Buy herself. No return authorization number or ticket would be provided. This is no very helpful for a senior citizens. They mail the phone first then tell you the monthly fee increase and if you can’t afford it you are responsible for returning it at your cost. This is a scam and a very sleazy way for a business to be run.
1 year ago
Rcihard Tucker Belmont, NH
I'm 83, so I was suckered by slick senior-directed ad's to get a Lively phone. Compared to my older flip phones the Lively phone is NOT senior friendly and it is slippery and difficult for old hands to hang onto. The Lively wouldn't work well here(poor signal) even though I was told I "was covered." I complained to customer service and was converted to the older Jitterbug phone, which I was told would work better. I bought a Jitterbug from Great Call, and found out that it too stunk on signal reception. So, I cancelled my membership, decided to stick with my landline phone, and decided to sell my two Great Call phones. And now the Jitterbug phone turns out to be defective and now won't turn on(even with a new battery). I called Great Call and explained my problem. I was told that to get the defective phone covered under warranty I would have to renew my membership. Which I will not do! Clunk, two phones in the garbage can. Great Call....NOT SO GREAT AT ALL! SENIORS, STAY AWAY FROM GREAT CALL, IT'S TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE(long wait times), AND THE CRAPPY PHONES THEY PROMOTE.
3 years ago
J.D. Los Angeles, CA
This is not my rating for GreatCall; it's my rating for Lively. The company changed more than its name.
For one thing, the first bill from Lively was more than it had been with GreatCall.
Then there's another. Without going into great detail, the Jitterbug cell phone that came from GreatCall and that I'd used for a while stopped working. I filled out Lively's form on their website, telling them of the problem. I heard nothing. I sent them an email. Nothing. I sent another email from another email account. Still nothing. Days passed. I filled out their online form again. Still nothing.
I'm transferring my phone number to a different company.
3 years ago
Mary S. Horseheads, NY
Don't rely on their "fall detection" to protect your loved one. My husband has fallen four times in six months, and not ONCE did it trigger a call for those events. Two weeks ago he fell, resulting in 10 staples in his head and a fractured sternum. Had he not been on the phone with a friend at the time of the fall, he most likely would have bled to death. We are on our third device in two years because they fail. Every time I complain, the tech says, oh, I can give you a month or two of free coverage. That does NOT make things ok when I am relying on this service. As soon as I can find another company, I am switching. Their customer service is also terrible, and I have had nightmares trying to get new devices set up. You can never get back to the person you spoke with (who was going to call you back, and of course, never did.). Don't waste your time or bet your family's life on this vendor. They suck.
3 years ago
Moonlight Lady High Point, NC
When Great Call switched to LIVELY and forced me to try to switch from a Jitterbug phone that I liked because it was small and uncomplicated, telling me that the phone that I've had for years would no longer work after October of '21, and then, they sent me this BRICK of a flip phone, I just lost it. It's not that I am computer illiterate, I certainly know my way around a computer better than most, and can certainly navigate my husband's smart phone better than he can...but with Jitterbug, all I wanted was what I HAD. I simply wanted a nice sleek, small comfortable phone, with a few features and no bloat. Now though, they are trying to force me to take a phone I do not WANT, and I'm not having it. I cancelled my account, informing them that WE, the consumers are paying THEM, and without OUR DOLLARS, they do under, so what gives them the right to take our choices away from us. They act like we are the children and they are the parents who know automatically what is best for us. Well, guess what. We are NOT children. We are people who have raised OUR CHILDREN and have grand children, most of us, and we don't need people treating us like we're operating on half a brain. I'm no longer going to put money into Great Call, Lively, or Verizon, and I STILL have a very nice landline phone that works even when the power goes out, thank you very much.
3 years ago
A Naki Atlanta, GA
I ordered the Greatcall (Lively) Jitterbug in April 2021 for my mother. Worst mistake ever!
First, they promised my mom could keep her number, but when the phone arrived, it had a totally different number on it. From there, trying to return the phone and to get a full refun has been a nightmare - two months later I'm still dealing with the refund, and I just spoke to the 5th Customer Service Rep who said that I was just unlucky and that they DO have terrific Customer Service! The guy didn't even apologize for the experience I've had, which spoke volumes.
Won't go through all the sordid details, but trust me when I say THEY HAVE THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED. It's not worth the frustration and the time you'll spend on the phone if ANYTHING goes wrong. Best advise I can give is: O NOT USE GREATCALL LIVELY.
3 years ago
Jamie Dallas, TX
Absolutely horrible service and even worse customer service. Two out of three representatives I spoke with were very rude. I purchased a lively mobile for personal security comfort and could not get it to activate. I was advised by a representative to return it and purchase another one. The second unit I purchased had the exact same issue. I live 15 minutes from Downtown New Orleans so it's not like I'm out in the country trying to get service. The second two representatives couldn't care less about the issues I was having. The first one was going to wave the connection fee due to all the problems we had and the amount of time I wasted and couldn't get it to activate. I went through the entire process again with a different device and wasted all that time. I tried once again to activate it before returning it again to the store but I was told the activation fee could not be waived today. This was a huge waste of my time and money on a company who could care less if you become a new customer or not. I'll find another place to purchase from who actually cares about their customers. I highly do not recommend greatcall!!! Very very disappointed and disgusted with them.
4 years ago
Camille winn Jacksonville, FL
Ordered a flip phone for my 84 yr old mother who lives 2 hrs away and will not let anyone (ANYONE!) inside her house for fear of catching COVID. I was assured it was a very simple set up. It was too difficult for her to activate, so my brother picked it up and sent it back less than 3 wks after receipt. Several phone calls later, I am still waiting for my refund. Each time it's a different story. Seems NO ONE put the info in the acct that the phone was received on Jan 19. Each time, I verify the same information with the rep and each time, they give me the same story. But I'll keep calling and one day, I'll get my refund. Can't believe this company is still in business - incompetent, inefficient and dishonest.
4 years ago
Coni Foss ,
I have worn the Lively plus for several years. I have just had a nasty fall on my face in asphalt. Broken nose, broken finger, badly messed up face with cuts and bruises, as well as painful. Lively did not activate. A couple days later when I could think a little more clearly, I called Great Call support. I was very rudely told that the unit had to be on the outside of my clothing to be effective. Picture this: this 1.5"X2.5" unit on a heavy black cord, flashing a green light , hanging on my chest. People might be wondering how I escaped from the home. I commented that there was nothing in the advertising or information that came with it, and why wouldn't I be informed of this restriction. The person, certainly not gentleman, said he would cancel my account right now and hung up on me as I was asking another question. I have been a customer for many years and do not deserve this ultimate rudeness. Yes, I am going to immediately switch to another company.
4 years ago
Zoe Herrod Pearland, TX
Terrible equipment, even worse service. First numbers were locked out - our granddaughter's phone somehow registered the number as spam - took more than a week to correct that. For the past three weeks, you can call out, but the person on the other line cannot hear you - service department says they don't know how to fix that. We bought a new phone and tried to transfer the number to the new company; Great Call said we had to wait until the end of the billing cycle. Now there is an "issue" (Hailey's technical explanation) with the transfer, and we will have to wait at least two more business days with a phone that doesn't work.
4 years ago
April ,
My mother and father both had the old jitterbug flip phones, recently we bought the new lovely flip phones. Everything works great except when my husband and I call them they can hear us but we can’t hear them. When they call us we can hear them just fine. And when other people call them they can hear them. I called great call, they said everythingvwas fine on their end, so we called Apple as we have the new Apple I phone pro. Apple said there doesn’t seem to be a problem on our end, we even called our provider Verizon and they spent along time with us and said nothing is wrong on their end. Still this is not resolved. My parents are both 80 years old and I sure would like to be able to talk to them.
4 years ago
DCwriter Bellevue, WA
Please note that my experience is based on the fact that I'm hearing impaired, which has made it even more of a challenge to work with Great Call. I've had their flip phone for many years without a problem, and although now I can't hear much on it, I carry it for emergencies. Have had no problems with the phone for the many years I've had it.
But the Lively is a different case. The first time I used it, I bent over and must have set off the alarm that I couldn't hear. The light that flashes was not noticeable in a well lit room, and the dispatcher's voice was not audible.
Suddenly I heard someone pounding hard on the garage entrance to my bedroom. Terrified, I ran into the living room, only to see two paramedics coming through the front door with oxygen and stretcher. Then it all made sense. Thankfully the local FD was very understanding.
That night, I decided I did not want this unit. I took it off and bent over to put it in its cradle which was on a low shelf next to my bed. Thankfully I saw the light flash. Although I couldn't hear the voice, I repeated over and over that it was a false alarm.
I didn't touch it again until I was sure the batter had died.
Again, this may be a good unit for others, but I certainly don't recommend it for the hearing impaired who might not be able to communicate with the dispatcher etc.
4 years ago
Cory Camallieri ,
GreatCall Is LousyCall
Understand GreatCall is not a friendly simple service for seniors, but more a “Lousy Call” that offers inept arrogant lame customer service (telephone reps and general operations). One agent lied or reported I must file a police report to change my telephone number, not the norm.
The website is confusing and not user-friendly; it lacks some basic simple user features and is temperamental in function. You will generally encounter poorly trained staff people who create problems instead of solving them. Wait times are long if they are not using the auto-call back system, and they usually do not.
It is unfortunate “GreatCall-LousyCall” customer service is so terrible because their phone (Jitterbug smartphone) is an inexpensive okay/easy-to-read device with not all the preinstalled junk you find on others.
4 years ago
William Lusby Pinellas Park, FL
I purchased a Jitterbug phone for my 90 year old, home alone mother, on April 7, 2016. At that time the product did pretty much everything as advertised. The main purpose for the purchase was to give my mom some peace of mind and give me the opportunity to monitor her activities, since I live in St. Petersburg, FL and she lives in Louisville, KY. The system did not work perfect all the time, but usually could be fixed with a phone call to Customer Service (CS) or a simple reset.
Several months ago I noticed that the APP formats on the monitoring service had completely changed. Since then I've had nothing but problems connecting her Jitterbug to my cell phone. The first problem had to do with tracking, it pretty much quit working and when it did work, I was usually notified 2-3 hours later. Then her phone began to fail due to age, so I purchased her a new Jitterbug phone on March 14, 2020. When the phone was received and activated I continued to have the same connection problems . After numerous emails ( because it's nearly impossible to get CS on the phone without waiting an unreasonable amount of time) with Customer Service it was determined that the new phone was probably defective. My mother received replacement phone this past Wednesday (4/22/2020) and it was activated on Friday (4/24/20). I then reinstalled the Great Call APP on my cell phone and it seemed to work. However, in less than 24 hours the same issues started all over again. Sent some more emails to CS and have yet to hear from anyone. Its really frustrating and unfortunate that you took a pretty reliable APP and after changing it made it so unreliable. I certainly could not recommend this service to anyone.
4 years ago
Linda L. Burns/James R. Lambert Jr Spartanburg, SC
I set up my Dad back in March of 2019 with the neck device for his assistance at age 91 at the time. The device has been very helpful until maybe the past 6 months at which time it kept going " dead " on me- I had to call customer service for it to be reset and was advised to place it near a window location. This Sunday, 4-19-20, I had put the device in the charger and my Dad had his Verizon cell phone in his pocket. He fell and could not get up, could not remember any phone #s and finally dialed 911. Paramedics came out to the house after notifying me based on their records, got him up and checked him for possible rib injury. At that time I noticed his call device with Great call was not charged and was red. I called Customer Service for the reset, as I had been doing for the past 6 months, and was advised at that time the device was not useable!!! When I questioned her about resetting as before, she said the device was OBSOLETE and had been OBSOLETE at the time it was sent and paid for back in March of 2019. She said that the company KNEW it was OBSOLETE and sent it out anyway EVEN THOUGH there was a current model available. She said she was getting A LOT OF CALLS from other folks with the same situation. I AM FURIOUS that was my 92 year old father was subjected to possible harm because this company OPTED to clear out their stock knowing full well it was not the current model AND that it was going to fail without ANY ANY ANY notice to my Dad or myself, his daughter, creating a unnecessary issue for his health and wellbeing. Now we are sitting here waiting on " the CORRECT device " and my Dad is having to rely on a cellphone that he has trouble dialing due to his hands. I think this company preyed on innocent seniors, probably in certain age brackets, with the belief they probably wouldn't be around much longer and have now created the issue of high concern that this next device may be obsolete and we will not be notified. I plan to notify AARP, Consumer Protection Agency, as well as, a very aggressive attorney that deals with consumer issues. In addition, you have certainly been reaping the benefits of our monthly draft payment without question because we thought you were a company of honor. I hope all of the other clients that your customer service representative told me about will read this review and we can band together to be refunded all of our payments that were made in good faith only to find out there WAS OBSOLETE equipment being shipped out. Linda L. Burns on behalf of my wonderful Dad, James R. Lambert Jr.
4 years ago
Stephen Danielson Lincoln, NE
I have owned a Jitterbug Smart 2 phone from Great Call for several years. They sent it to me to replace a Jitterbug Flip phone that I had a lot of trouble with. I like the Smart 2 even less. Among my complaints about the Smart 2 are the 5 Star button that cannot be disabled. I often call 911 unfortunately when I meant to hit the Home icon next to it. The Home icon usually takes me to somewhere else and seldom to Home or nothing happens when I touch it. When I try to use my voice to write a text, any hesitation between words causes the phone to want to send the text whether it is ready or not. The phone can only be charged with the cable that is too short for most uses. Informative texts are too tiny for me to read oftentimes. I have tried to get Customer Service to help me with these and other problems, but often they say that the phone was designed to be that way and can't be modified. Maybe, they need to think about these and other issues when and if they ever develop a new phone model.
Steve
5 years ago
Steve Brandon, FL
This is a company that does not tell you the truth. It seems like they know the will deal with seniors so when you question there actions they want to answer by saying OH! maybe you did not hear or understand it. After they (sales person) being asked multiple times if there is and restocking fee or do I have to pay to ship the phones back. The sales person said no. They say they record all phone calls. When asked to play back. They say they will review it and refuse to let you hear it. Very bad company. They should really be looked into by the BBB. I received the phones on 3/19/2020 evening. They take $85+ the next day without my permission. I call to return the phones. I stay on hold for about 25 minutes. Then to be told I have to pay to return them and also pay a restocking fee for each phone. Then was told I will have to wait 15 days for my $247.91. Plus another few days for it to show back up in my bank account. They said if I would have refused shipment I would have not have to pay the return. BUT the box was left at my front door. It was not handed to me. Be very careful with this company. Record your call if you want to deal with them.
5 years ago
Tracey Davidson Dawsonville, GA
I was a customer of Great Call for 8 years. I purchased the button for my 84 year old Mother. My Mother used the device a total of 3 times during the 8 years I was a customer. I paid extra each month for fall detection and for 24/7 Dr. Advise. My mother has fallen through a plate glass door, fell on concrete on top of a birdbath, fell so hard in her living room floor that it knocked her out. The button never worked. The doctors on the 24/7 assistance never called her back the one time she used this service. All this company cares about is the money. I never received a refund for any monies I paid. I was promised a $5.00 refund but just like their service, it never happened. I would not recommend this company to my worst enemy. They are horrible. They promise services that are never happen and lie over and over.
5 years ago
Kevin John Charleston, SC
I'm writing about my deceased fathers experience with GreatCall wireless. He had poor cell phone reception through his duration as a customer of GreatCall.
I'm also going to talk about my experience.
My father passed away about 6 weeks ago, it took me a long time to get his estate set up and get the legal right to handle his final bills and affairs.
I've been calling all of the banks, services, companies and institutions in which he had accounts i.e. Insurance companies, cable providers and other services in order to cancel them.
I called GreatCall today to cancel his account and asked them to backdate the date of his death because he obviously was not using the phone after he was deceased. They refused to do so and offered me no explanation as to why.
For his insurance, cable/tv/internet bills and every other service they were happy to honor this request as long as I submitted his death certificate and my letter of appointment. This policy by GreatCall is incredibly scummy - it seems they really want that extra $45 and aren't willing to offer a reasonable request of not charging a dead man for a cell phone plan he's clearly not using.
Also and this is the big one - they allowed me to cancel his cell phone plan without any verification of who I was. They also didn't ask for documentation like every other company I've dealt with has. This to me begs the question about security....if I can call up and cancel this cell phone plan without them verifying his identity, what could someone with bad intentions do?
Clearly I'll never use GreatCall but I hope others reading this will make the same decision based on these crass, ridiculous practices.
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hi Kevin, we are very sorry for your loss. GreatCall does not require a death certificate but we would be willing to back date the cancellation of your Father's account. Please look for a private message from us, requesting additional information.
Feb. 4th, 2020
Gary Morris, OK
This phone and service is advertised that one doesn't need to add the emergency service, and I thought it might be a reasonably easy phone to use so I bought one and specified that I didn't want the emergency service. Now what happens is if you don't pay for the emergency service and you accidently allow your finger to approach the emergency key, it immediately dials 911 and there is no way to stop it. I asked them to disable the emergency service which I don't need or want and they refuse to do it. I tried sticking a thick tape over the button, but it still works anyhow. Now anyone who can unlock the phone and press the emergency key can just as well dial 911. It's not difficult, and please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe 911 operators have better things to do than answer spurious calls. I am going to approach my legislators about a law to make these things illegal unless the company can disable the emergency button upon request. I feel certain that this is a scam just to try to force customers to purchase their emergency add-on whether they need it or not, and this after they have advertised that you can refuse it. This is a public safety issue because spurious dialing of 911 can tie up operators who might have important calls to answer.
5 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Reply from GreatCall
Hi Gary, we are sorry to hear about your recent experience. Please look for a private message from us, requesting additional information.
Feb. 4th, 2020
Gwen Coleman Sherman, TX
I have had a Grest Call device since shortly after I fell and broke my knee cap in 2010. Soon after acquiring the device I went on an extended road trip and while 1000+ miles away from home a red light appeared on the device. Not knowing what this meant I pressed the button to find what I should do. Immediately an agent answered and gave my name and location including the street name where I was calling from. I was so excited with this device and service that I started recommending Great Call to all my senior friends and acquaintances. I decided to get their Jitterbug phone and was equally pleased with the phone and it's performance. When the phone became outdated I got the first Jitterbug smart phone and when it developed a problem that couldn't be fixed they sent me a Smart Phone 2 at no cost to me. It was well that I had no money involved because this phone gave me problems almost immediately. I called customer service on two occasions and gave them permission to take control of my phone and on neither occasion were they able to fix the problem. Some time went by and then I found that I could not access the Internet on the phone even though I could on my laptop and tablet. The connection icon on the phone showed to be connected but a question mark was superimposed over it. I called customer service and gave permission to take control of the phone. The service tech immediately said you are connected. I called her attention to the question mark and she appeared to be trying to find the problem. after some time she asked to check my router for certain buttons and numbers. Then she asked me to take a picture of certain labels on the router. The pictures were not clear enough to help her so she suggested I contact the router service. At this point she signed off. I checked the phone and it showed that the question mark was gone and service was restored. On further checking I found that several things had changed such as data usage. I am a 92 year old person who no longer drives and seldom leave home so I only used my phone when I am away from home to make calls I did not have an unlimited data plan. I paid for 100 mg of data in case I had need when I was away . I had the phone set to alert me when I had used 97% of the data so I would not go over, Now I find that the data usage alert had been set for several hundred gbs. So i again called customer service and got a different rep who helped me reset the things that had been changed. Almost immediately I get an invoice for $156 and some few cents of data usage. What?? After a few minutes of scratching my head I realized this was connected to the service call. So I call billing and after some discussion they agree to deduct $50.00 and I thanked them and informed them that I did not plan to pay any of the charge. In the meantime I thought back to two previous charges I received for excess data usage, one for $60..00 and one for $40.00 which they agreed to mark off. I belatedly realized that these charges had occurred after my two previous service calls. Within a month I received a call from the billing office asking for payment of the remaining $106.00 I owed. After I explained why I didn't feel I owed this charge and would not pay it.This agent became angry and hung up.
.I test my device occasionally to make sure it works.
Fast forward to January 2020......I check and it doesn't work. I call customer service and find that service was cut off in November. Sneaky! They didn't notify me. Let me continue to pay a monthly fee as a way to recover the money I do not owe. So for two months I was without help in case I might have needed it. Thank God I didn't. I find it hard to think that a company that supposedly was founded to help the elderly and disabled would be so petty. What happened to this once good business?
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Gwen, we are sorry to hear of your experience and appreciate your feedback. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private response from us.
Jan. 8th, 2020
Joanne Siegla Vienna, OH
This is unchanged from my previous complaint on Dec 20th -- still -0-!! I have NEVER, ever returned an expensive item without authorization. My late husband did that once, they claimed they never got it, he was out of luck. So I was NOT about to start w/ this phone. I notified Great Call the 1st part of Oct that the phone could NOT be activated, and that I did NOT want it. I never got an answer to REPEATED requests until it was too late to return the phone. Then to add insult to injury, the company billed me additional fees for monthly "service". Rather hilarious considered the phone has never even been activated let alone used. Finally the end of Dec, they "suspended" my service. Ridiculous since that was impossible. I still feel I should not have to pay for this worthless object -- unchanged from my first notice to them on October 9, 2019.
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Joanne, we are sorry to hear of your experience and appreciate your feedback. We do not have any long-term contracts and service can be cancelled at any time by calling our Customer Service. Additionally, GreatCall does have a 30-day return option, when you call within 30days the information is provided. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private response from us.
Dec. 20th, 2019
Donna San Manuel, AZ
My mother signed up for great call and got a jitterbug flip phone. I have an iPhone and I could not figure out this stupid phone. She decided to go back with Verizon and when she did they refused to port her phone number over which she had had for many years and wanted to keep. We spent hours and hours between calling great Cole and Verizon with no luck. Great call gave her such a runaround it was terrible and we did not end up getting her number back. Not only that but when she went to get her contacts and copy them onto her new Verizon phone they had somehow wiped out all her contacts from her flip phone now she Doesn’t even have some of the phone numbers that she wants had. I would not recommend this company to anyone especially a senior citizen!
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Donna, we are sorry to hear of your experience and appreciate your feedback. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private response from us.
Jan. 7th, 2020
Mark H Taylorville, IL
As others have stated...I wish I could leave a 0-star review. I cancelled service with GreatCall within 24 hours of activation (ironically because of an issue with the phone, not GreatCall). According to GreatCall's Customer Agreement, there is a 30-day full-refund policy. When I cancelled the service, I was assured that there would be an immediate refund and no further charges. I then received a bill from GreatCall for $51.69, contrary to what I had been told. When I called I was once again assured that the charges would be credited and there would be a $0 balance. I waited for a week to call and just check to insure that the charges were refunded. They had not been. I was once again guaranteed that THIS TIME it would be taken care of and all charges would be deleted. Yesterday (a full 2 months after my original GUARANTEE that I would receive a credit), I received a past-due bill for the full $51.69. Since it is obvious that GreatCall has no intention, or capability, of adhering to their own Customer Agreement, I paid the bill. However, I will do all that I can to dissuade ANYONE from ever using GreatCall. I wonder how many consumers like me have been defrauded by this completely incompetent company. They are either intentionally corrupt or incredibly incompetent. Either way, I encourage anyone who has a Legitimate and Provable case against them to file a formal complaint with both the Better Business Bureau and your State Attorney General's Office of Consumer Affairs, as well as leaving reviews anywhere you can. It WILL help potential customers. While I realize that GreatCall will never honor their Customer Agreement, I felt much better after filing the formal, written complaints. I am also continuing to search for ANY consumer websites with which I can relay my story. Absolutely a terrible company
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Mark, we appreciate your feedback. As previously advised, because you cancelled withing 24-hours, you have received a full refund for both the activation fee and the monthly service fee. If you do not see the refund on your credit card statement, we suggest you contact your credit card company. Additionally, GreatCall’s 30-day return policy, packaged with the phone and which can be viewed on our web page, , states you will receive a refund less the restocking fee. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Jan. 2nd, 2020
carol Greenfield, OH
If I could give it a 0 I would. We bought the alert for my father who was independent but a fall risk. The first problem: he has a pacemaker so we couldn't use the location part of it or the fall alert which both work by the magnet that holds the lanyard together although we paid for the service for two months. Second: he had a little bit of memory problem and didn't always remember to recharge it--the battery only held a charge for about a day. I bought it for $79.99 thinking that was the full price for the service. No. There's monthly fee as well. My father felt very confident with his device though and didn't want my brother and I hovering. I checked on him on Monday morning: everything was fine. My brother went over Tuesday evening, he'd been lying on the floor since noon on Monday. He kept pushing the button but the battery was dead. He was in renal failure from dehydration and muscle breakdown from laying in one position (he couldn't get up) for 30 hours! He survived after spending 3 days in the IC, but he was never the same and is now terrified of falling to the point he refuses to walk. I called and complained and cancelled the contract but continued to get bills, then a collection threat! I was so furious I threatened legal action and the calls and bills stopped. But the false sense of security the device gives families and users should be outlawed. When something is made particularly for an elderly person who MAY need help but is independent why in the world would they use something that had to be recharged every day? I'm 20 years younger and sometimes forget to charge my cell. Until they get the battery charging issue fixed, I would warn anyone against this. Get one that doesn't need recharging. Oh, and the fall sensor and locator work on the magnet so it can't be used for anyone with a pacemaker or defibrillator, something they don't tell you when you buy the thing or set up service. We could have killed him using it the first few days until I called about it not working (He fell and sensor didn't go off). On a positive note: the young man who helped me set it up was quite nice. I think if they got the bugs out of it, it would be a great thing. But the battery and magnet issue have to be fixed or the consequences for the next person like my father could be tragic.
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Carol, we are sorry to hear of your experience and would like to investigate this further with you. Please look for a private message from us, requesting additional details.
Dec. 4th, 2019
Patti Diamond Springs, CA
My mother had great call ...the devices never worked properly or at all for most of 8 months .every time she called the problem would be resolved and with in a day or a few , no longer working .i live a long way from her and this just came to my attention . I called the co .while I was there visiting ,the problem could not be resolved . They said they could send a new device ,but the new devises do not have the fall alerts . That’s no good ,because she has neuropathy and vertigo...the reason for the devise in the first place ... we cancelled and received less than 2 months back on her bill .i think she should have gotten a full refund .but , good luck with that !
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Patti, 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.
Oct. 17th, 2019
DUlrich Wendell, ID
Bought Greatcall device for elderly father in law. Device stopped holding a charge. Called for support was told it needed software update. Update was completed and was told to monitor for couple of days. Now still won't hold a charge and NOW they want to diagnose the problem. The customer support representative acted as if it's my problem that I will have to drive back to the city 100+ miles to diagnose the problem for them. In the meantime my blind and deaf Father in law has been with out his device. I was told before that all I would have to do is call back for a replacement. I think its all an elaborate scam.
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello DUIrich, we are sorry to hear of your recent experience and appreciate your feedback. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private message from
Oct. 4th, 2019
Tim Arcadia, CA
The GreatCall app for their Lively device with fall detection showed my mom was six miles from home in a gravel pit. When I called Customer Service they said they also showed her there but 30 minutes ago. When I asked to speak to a supervisor the rep refused. I called back and had the same experience but for 30 minutes with another customer service person. They were unable to locate my mom. They were awful...belligerent and condescending. When I finally reached my mom she was at home. A supervisor called and the three of us then spent 45 minutes trying to reset the device but it was in some loop and repeatedly said ‘setting up’ please wait. The supervisor offered to send a new device but cautioned that ‘fall detection’ would not be working for an estimated two months. I told him that fall detection was our primary need. He then offered to call back at noon the next day to again try to reactivate the device. I then read about the class action lawsuit by customers who have been harmed by trusting Great Call. I read that many ‘Lively’ devices were recalled with an offer of a Jitterbug phone and a $50 Best Buy card. The supervisor did not call back. We cancelled our subscription.
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Tim, we are sorry to hear of your recent experience and appreciate your feedback. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private message from us.
Sep. 23rd, 2019
Ilene Metrick Alburtis, PA
We thought great call was a wonderful company since John Walsh was an advocate.
After 2 years we have a totally different attitude. Her phone is always muffled and no one can understand her. One time we thought she was having a stroke. Immediately we called her house phone and she was fine.
She has had 4 phones and each one is worse than the other.
As for her medic alert necklace we were very pleased with the service until 3 days ago.
It stopped working and now Great Call wants $15 to replace it. What kind of nonsense is this. When my mom lived in NJ and there was a problem her necklace was replaced immediately.
How dare Great Call leave an 88 year old women without her medic alert. I am infuriated and find this unacceptable. John Walsh needs to realize that this company is not what it used to be. It has deteriorated drastically.
If you love your family member find another company.
5 years ago
Reply from GreatCall
Hello Ilene, we are sorry to hear of your recent experience and appreciate your feedback. We would like to look into this further with you, please look for a private message from us.
Sep. 17th, 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.
5 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
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.
5 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.
5 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
5 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.
5 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!
5 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!?
5 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.
5 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.
5 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!
5 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.
5 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
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.
6 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!
6 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.
6 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
6 years ago
