Will the Samsung Galaxy S3 Work on Consumer Celluar?

[bkriz23]

I need some help. I would like to know if anyone has their S3 running on Consumer Cellular. If so, are there any performance issues?

PLEASE HELP!

 

[elskbrev]

I bought an AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 from someone on eBay a few months ago, and it has worked flawlessly on Consumer Cellular.
I have the Samsung-SGH-I747, Android 4.1.1.
Consumer Cellular Customer Service was hit or miss, just from the standpoint of technical expertise, since this isn't one of their in-house phones.
With the help of Consumer Cellular customer service, I was able to activate 4G data service by setting up a new Access Point Name (APN) on the phone. They did not, however know how to set up MMS for sending photos via text messages. Fortunately, default APN for the former AT&T connection still exists on the phone, so I found the proper "APN type" there, and copied it into my new APN.
I am very happy with Consumer Cellular, but no world is perfect. Over the 4th of July holiday, they must have done some kind of maintenance, because my phone locked up (very, very rare that this happens). I was able to get it working again by powering off, then back on. I did not remove the battery. I was at home, so I did not think to shut off wi-fi service in order to verify whether the 4G data network was working.

Today, I drove out of wi-fi range and discovered that I did not have 4G data. Pulling the battery for a minute did not fix it. I called Consumer Cellular and got the "we are experiencing high volume" message, gave it five minutes a couple of times, and went home to investigate.

When I shut off wi-fi and saw no 4G icon, I went to my APN settings and found that my Consumer Cellular APN was entirely gone, and the default former AT&T APN was green checked, as if it were the active APN. They can do that by remote. Damn! Fortunately, I kept good notes from the first time we set it up. Five minutes later, no call to the carrier needed, I had re-set up the APN, and 4G was up and running.

Note to self: Carry the following in wallet for future reference...

These are the APN settings for the Samsung Galaxy S3 with Consumer Cellular:
Name ConsumerCellular
APN: att.mvno
Proxy: 66.209.11.32
Port: 80
User name Not set
Password Not set
Server Not set
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS proxy: 66.209.11.32
MMS port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Authentication type: PAP
APN type: default,mms,supl
APN protocol IPv4
Enable/disable APN green checked (enable)
Bearer unspecified

I noticed one change from my prior notes--a new field. Just under 'MCC,' they added 'MNC.' The 410 that used to be under MCC is now under 'MNC,' and 'MCC' is 310. And I am not techy enough to know what that means to the free world.

Be careful when typing in the APN type--the phone will try to insert spaces after the commas, but it should look just as shown, with no spaces.

Overall, I am extremely happy with my phone service at Consumer Cellular. My phone is 4G capable, but we live so far from the towers that I usually see only one or two bars. On a clear day, before the trees fill out for summer, we get a decent signal, and no dropped calls. In areas where the signal is stronger (more bars), I never see dropped calls.

I finally fixed our in-house weak signal problem by downloading an Android App called "Sparephone," which is set up in connection with a Google phone number of your choice. Sparephone is a godsend, in my book. I thought we were in for buying expensive antennae or boosters if we wanted to drop our land line, but with Spare-phone working over broadband wi-fi, and independently of the Consumer Cellular mobile network, we are assured of phone coverage in our house on cloudy days in July, as long as broadband is working. Sparephone settings let you disable it over 4G, so it will operate only with wi-fi. You wouldn't want to use it on the road because that would use up way too much data--saves you mobile minutes, but burns data.

Hope this works for you.

Cindy

 

[Randy McIntyre]

Thank you for your post as I just put those settings in my wife's Consumer Cellular Samsung Galaxy S3 and they worked great. I went from zero to hero instantly.

 

[Cheryl Strange]

Thanks a million. Never got the instructions from Consumer Cellular to my brand-new-to-this-nontech-senior citizen smartphone nor my email account. Their "instructions" on their site were no help -- no specifics/step-by-step as you provided. You've saved my sanity!!!!

 

[anonymous9458763]

hello cindy.
I got a samsung galaxy s3 (lte version) (gt-I9305). I brought this cell phone from the UK and it worked in Germany as well. Now I moved to Houston, Texas. I've seen the carrier's prices and plans and made my descision for consumer cellular. Because I wanted to save money.
A couple of days ago I got my new sim card including us cell number. The phone works for phone calls and text messages. Unfortunately it do not work for mobile internet....(what in my opinion it the most important), whatsapp, etc...
I got a plan for voice & internet.
I put all your mentioned settings in my S3. mobile data is on. wifi off! but it just don't work.
cellular's customer support is just incapable.

Do you have any further hints for me? Many thanks in advance!
Best,
Sascha

 

[William Holder1]

My S3 is in the mail from ebay. Same model. Hope this works! Thank you for posting!!!

I just noticed the specs on ebay are for the same phone using ice cream sandwich, 4.0.4 Hope that doesn't upset the android cart.?

 

[metle_geek]

Did you get your new apn?? And is there data bands on your chipsets radio?

Sent from my HTC One X+ using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Georgianna Morgan]

I am so thankful for this post. My phone works great now.

 

[mda185]

Thanks to Cindy. This also works like a charm with my Galaxy S4 AT&T model. I spent hours trying to set it up with info from CC and from other web posts with no luck. The CC customer service folks tried to help but were not that knowledgeable. The APN type information you provided was the missing link. Thanks so much.

 

[Dirk Pruitt]

I have been with Consumer Cellular for several years now and quite happy with them... I have had an iPhone 3GS that has functioned decently, but wanted to move back to Android, so looked on Ebay for good deal. Ended up buying an unlocked Droid Incredible 2 GSM that was originally on Verizon. Well, I was able to get it working(mostly). Phone service, messaging and data work, but it is STUCK on Edge network. CC customer support indicate that some phones simply can't be set up for 3G on their network, but I have to think there is SOME setting to force the phone to 3G. Anyone have any info that might help? thanks!

 

[Andrea Ladrach]

When update of 4.1.2 came out did you have to change any settings. I can get text but no internet.
Using Samsung galaxy s3 i
1747

 

[GSDer]

Andrea,
Did you look at the APN settings in post #2?

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM 10.2 using Tapatalk 4

 

[captjsh]

I had one change to this that seems to work on the internet connection. The Proxy setting should be " proxy.mvno.ccmobileweb.com " in lieu of 66.209.11.32.

 

[Randy McIntyre]

Ok since we updated to 4.3 I now have a "mobile virtual network operator type" setting under bearer with the choices being SPN, IMSI, GID and NONE and if you choose one then you have Mobile virtual network operator value to set. Since the update I can no longer receive pictures in MMS text. Does anyone have a clue as to what these should be.

 

[greyhound mom]

Need help with APN settings using Consumer Cellular with my s3. I updated to 4.3 and the former settings no longer work. I now have settings for Bearer, I need to choose an mvno type, and then I have to add an mvno value. I just want mms to work and to be able to access the internet!

 

[greyhound mom]

I had the same problem (see my post below). Consumer Cellular has no information on 4.3, but I did get a clue from them and was able to figure it out from there. The Bearer needs to remain Unspecified and the mvno setting is None. The setting for mvno value should remain greyed out. With these settings, I've been able to send and receive photos and to access the internet with no problems. I hope this helps.

 

[smithdi]

I use an unlocked GSM Galaxy s3 on consumer cellular. It is an I 747 model made for ATT. Had some problems at first with MMS, but everything works now. I live in a rural area with weak signal, so have to use a signal booster.

 

[villiam27]

I am having some problems with MMS --can not sent or see picture messages or group messages -- called consumer cellular and they said its b/c its not their phone : its a samsung galaxy S3 mini ---

 

[gastringer]

Thank you for your post. It was very helpful indeed. Your info, along with Post #2, got my MMS and 4G internet running on 4.3 (SGS3) after 2 months of service with Consumer Cellular. They ought to just tell their tech support to tell callers to check the internet forums for solutions. LOL.

 

[blurat]

Hi, I have been at this for 3 days now. I have a Verizon s3 and the new cc sim card. Like most I get phone and wireless access. No 3g or mms. The system is 4.3. I have tried every apn setup I could find on the computer. Consumer cell has my imei info.
Is there any updated info as cc wont call me back.
Thanks
OK I gave up....I just bought an ATT phone that I hear is more consumer friendly.