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Consumer Cellular has launched a new wireless brand called SpeakEasy Mobile, a service it describes as “simple, affordable wireless for seniors.” The brand is being marketed around low-cost plans, easy-to-use phones, nationwide coverage, and 100% U.S.-based customer support.
Which immediately raises the obvious question: wasn’t that already Consumer Cellular?
The answer is yes, but SpeakEasy seems better positioned to help Consumer Cellular go after a different senior market segment, the Lively/Jitterbug demographic. Customers who are not just looking for a cheap phone plan, but a simpler device, loud speakers, big buttons, emergency response, and caregiver features.
SpeakEasy Mobile Plans
SpeakEasy Mobile has initially launched with two plans and a third one is pending availability according to an announcement from Consumer Cellular.
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Connect | $14.95/month | Unlimited talk and text, 500MB of data |
| Connect+ | $19.95/month | Unlimited talk and text, 3GB of data |
| ConnectCare+ | $34.95/month | Unlimited talk and text, 3GB of data, 24/7 emergency response, SpeakEasy Companion App. Availability: pending |
The Connect plan is positioned as best for “just calls and texts,” while Connect+ adds more data for browsing. All plans include unlimited talk and text, and the prices shown reflect a $5/month discount for AutoPay and eBilling.
Taxes and fees are extra. AARP members can also get 5% off monthly service.
SpeakEasy Mobile Phones
SpeakEasy does not appear to offer BYOD, customers wanting service with the brand must purchase a phone from them. There are two options to choose from and both come with two months of free phone service and free shipping.
The SpeakEasy Flip is priced at $79.95, marked down from $99.95. It is a compact flip phone.
The SpeakEasy Smart is priced at $99.95, down from $129.95. It is pitched as an easy-to-use smartphone with a big, bright screen, simplified layout, loud speakers, and a camera. SpeakEasy also says built-in emergency response is “coming soon” for the smartphone.
Consumer Cellular says customers can order online, call to order, or try the phones in person at a Consumer Cellular store.
SpeakEasy Is Consumer Cellular’s Jitterbug Play
Lively has built its Jitterbug business around more than wireless service and Consumer Cellular now has a brand built to do the same. Its phones are marketed around simple menus, large buttons, loud speakers, urgent response, caregiver alerts, and health-and-safety services. The buyer is often not just the person who will use the phone. It may be an adult child shopping for a parent.
The $14.95 Connect plan gives SpeakEasy a cheap starting price and sub-$100 phones make the hardware easy to afford. And ConnectCare+ gives SpeakEasy the medical response package it needs to compete against Lively.
Editor's Take
Consumer Cellular has been opening stores at a fast pace. Fierce Network reported earlier this year that the company had more than 70 stores and expected to reach 120 to 140 by year-end. Consumer Cellular has also said it opened its 100th store.
In theory, more stores should help Consumer Cellular reach older customers who want in-person help. Yet the company still created a separate brand to go after a market sitting right next to the one it already serves.
This could be smart segmentation like major carriers have been doing with their flanker brands. Consumer Cellular can remain the broader 50+ value wireless brand, while SpeakEasy takes on the older, simpler-phone, caregiver-influenced market.
It could also hint at a growth issue. Fierce Network reported that Consumer Cellular has grown from about 3.9 million subscribers when GTCR acquired the company to almost 4.4 million today. That is growth, but it is not explosive growth. For a private-equity-owned company investing in retail, a new brand gives the company another way to chase customers without having to stretch the Consumer Cellular name too far.
If ConnectCare+ delivers, SpeakEasy could become a real Jitterbug challenger backed by Consumer Cellular’s support and retail footprint. If it does not, the brand may end up looking like a cheaper side door into the same Consumer Cellular customer base. For now, SpeakEasy gives Consumer Cellular another way to chase growth in a market it already knows well. Whether it brings in new customers or mostly reshuffles existing demand is the part worth watching.