Where To Buy Jitterbug Cell Phone
While some older adults have mastered advanced smartphones like the iPhone, an even larger group needs a smartphone or flip phone more suited to their needs. That's where companies like Lively come in. This company offers two affordable, accessible phones designed specifically for older adults. Both feature hearing aid compatibility, simple menus, a speakerphone, voice-to-text functionality, a long battery life, and add-on health and safety features.
where to buy jitterbug cell phone
If you're looking for a basic phone that's easy to use right out of the box, Lively is a great option. And both Lively phones made our list of the best cell phones for seniors in 2023, so we know you'll be in good hands. Below, we'll break down everything you need to know about Lively's two phones and plan options so that you can make an informed choice.
Only want a cellphone in case of emergencies or for the occasional call or text? This plan may be right for you. It includes 300 minutes of talk time and charges 10 cents per text. At just $14.99 per month, it's Lively's cheapest plan. We think it's perfect for seniors who don't plan on spending a lot of time on their cell phone.
The optional Lively Health & Safety Packages offer peace of mind to older adults who require additional assistance and want their cell phone to double as a medical alert device. You can add any of the Health & Safety Packages to either Lively phone for a monthly fee.
Lively sets itself apart from other providers by offering medical alert features with their cell phones. Not even Consumer Cellular, another senior-specific provider, offers these features. However, that integration means you must purchase a Lively device to use a Lively phone plan. If you'd like similar features to Lively but want to bring your own device, consider Snapfon's plans instead. For more information, you can visit our JItterbug and Snapfon comparison guide.
Price-wise, Lively fares well against the competition. A fully unlimited talk, text, and data plan from Lively costs $49.99 per month, whereas Consumer Cellular charges $55 per month just for unlimited data, unlimited texting, and 250 minutes of talk. Consumer Cellular does have Lively beat with its $35 flip phone, but again, it lacks the advanced health and safety features that Lively is known for.
I took the Jitterbug Flip2 for a spin and found the technology robust enough to keep me connected to my loved ones and emergency services if needed. Lively's monthly service plans were affordable, the Flip2 was easy to set up, and customer service was friendly and helpful. One drawback to the Jitterbug Flip2 was that I couldn't access the internet on it, but that won't be a problem if going online via cell phone isn't your cup of tea. Below, I'll share more personal insights on the Jitterbug Flip2 and how it stacks up to similar phones.
The Buying Experience with Lively You can purchase Jitterbug Flip2 online, in-store, or over the phone. I appreciate that Lively offers several purchasing options because, let's face it, sometimes you just want to speak with a human! Especially when buying a valuable item like a cell phone. If you want to get your Jitterbug Flip2 at a brick-and-mortar store, Best Buy, Rite Aid, and Walgreens all carry the senior-friendly phone. Lively even has a section on its website where you can enter your ZIP code, and it'll show you where the closest store is. Talk about convenience!
I read the fine print and learned that if anything were to go wrong with my Jitterbug Flip2, I was covered by a one-year limited warranty. If the Jitterbug Flip2 stops working because of a manufacturing defect, Lively will repair it for free. Keep in mind that this doesn't cover lost phones or damage from an accident. One year may seem short, but this warranty is pretty standard across the cell phone industry.
Lively's Value Talk & Text plan costs $14.99 per month plus 10 cents per text message. You also need to pay a one-time $35 activation fee when you purchase the Jitterbug Flip2 and begin service. Unlike other cellular providers, Lively doesn't offer AARP or other discounts on phone plans. However, Lively does offer an AARP discount for their Health & Safety Packages if you decide to add one to your phone plan. More on those later!
Overall, I found the Jitterbug Flip2 to be an easy-to-use phone. It is simple, but the features it does have, like Amazon Alexa, make it stand out among flip phones. It's worth the $100 price tag. I would highly recommend it for older adults with vision or hearing loss; they'll benefit from the Jitterbug Flip2's features that make navigating a cell phone easier. Plus, the Lively Unlimited Talk & Text plan is easy on the wallet at $19.99 per month. Since you won't be bound up in a long-term contract with Lively, I think it's worth trying out.
Since 2018, the company has been a subsidiary of electronics retailer Best Buy.[1] Lively offers health and safety products and services for older adults,[2] including mobile devices, cellular service, mobile apps and a wearable device. The company provides US-wide cellular service as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) through the Verizon Wireless network. The Lively Smart phone requires a data plan at an additional fee and those data services begin with a nominal fee and increases with options.
The company operates the Lively phone service, an MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, where it rents cellular service from other operators, and primarily caters to seniors with old-fashioned phones and medical alert devices.[16]
Curious if you found out if your mother's Jitterbug phone will work with AT&T? I had no choice but to switch my mom to a smartphone, and even getting the easiest to use available on their network, she still has a hard time with it a year later. I would prefer to be able to purchase an unlocked jitterbug phone and move it to the AT&T network instead of switching networks.
I purchased a Jitterbug smart 2 phone and the AT&T tech help was helpLESS as well as the Jitterbug tech. Really disappointed that they were clueless. Can not believe that AT&T at least provide their techs with info regarding the jitterbug phones. By the way I entered the IMEI number and it said the phone was compatible with AT&T. So misinformation there. We spent 2 plus hours trying to make it work. Got text messages but then they would disappear and the phone hang up during set up then would finally give an error code 5. Which was not determined what that meant. Initial chat support was very helpful tho, and agreed that the phone was compatible according the IMEI number, but could not get the phone to respond remotely. Directed us to "advanced tech department" with was VERY DISAPPOINTING. I am sure there are a lot of older folks out there who have tried as I have and it would seem that the techs should have some information as to whether the phone will work or not.
For the over 25 million Americans who experience vision loss, it can be difficult to find a simple cell phone that isn't overly expensive or complicated. Cell phones seem to be getting more and more complex, which has resulted in phones with confusing menus and lines of small, difficult-to-read text. There are many people out there who just want a simple, no-frills, easier-to-use cell phone with large buttons, and bright, easier-to-read screens.
In 2007, Lee Huffman reviewed the Jitterbug, a cell phone from GreatCall that hoped to solve this problem by providing an easier-to-use cell phone designed to be friendly for people with vision loss. We found the phone to be a good solution for many visually impaired users, but it did have some noticeable issues, such as a lack of extended calling plans and basic features such as text messaging.
Well, it appears that GreatCall is here to try again with the new Jitterbug J, the next generation of the Jitterbug phone. As with the original Jitterbug, the Jitterbug J is targeted at baby boomers, their parents, people with low vision, and anyone else who wants simplicity in a cell phone. The question now is whether the Jitterbug J improves on the original Jitterbug without losing the features that made it appeal to users with low vision in the first place.
For those not familiar with the Jitterbug, it is a clamshell-style cell phone, weighing four ounces and measuring 4 by 2 by 1 inches when folded. The Jitterbug features two electronic displays: a small 0.75 by 0.75 inch display on the outside of the device, and a larger 1.3 by 1.6 inch internal display which can be viewed when the phone is flipped open. When closed, the phone is light and compact and fits easily into a pocket or the palm of your hand.
When the Jitterbug is open, it features a standard number pad, "Yes" and "No" buttons with an up and down rocker between, a power button, and a speakerphone button. There is also a volume rocker on the outside on the phone, just below the small external display. The speakerphone button is a new feature for the Jitterbug J, and is a very easy way to quickly turn on the speakerphone. The Jitterbug J is a basic cell phone, so it does not feature a camera and does not use any touch screens or touch controls.
The numbers on the number pad and the "Yes" and "No" buttons are all marked in large, high-contrast print, and have raised circles around each button to easily differentiate between them. There is also a nib on the 5 key, making it easy to orient yourself to the controls. Unfortunately, the power and speakerphone buttons both use small print and are flush against the phone, making it difficult to find them. This problem is made worse on the graphite phones, where the black buttons do not contrast at all with the background.
The documentation is organized well and relatively simple to understand. Unfortunately, some of the information presented in the documentation can be inaccurate or misleading. For example, the Activation Guide I was provided with gave a listing of all the calling plans and pricing options for the cell phone. However, when I went to call the operator, I found out that the pricing plans had been drastically changed, and that nearly all of the information in my Activation Guide was incorrect. There are also a number of glaring omissions in the documentation. The User Manual does not provide nearly enough information on important areas, such as using MyGreatCall.com to add/remove/modify items on your phone's menu, and how to activate features such as text messaging and voice dialing. 041b061a72