Mobile phone use among older Americans continues to grow. According to Pew Research's Mobile Fact Sheet published in November 2025, 95% of US adults age 65 and older own a cellphone, and 78% own a smartphone. Yet for many people age 75 and up, complicated devices and service plans can still be difficult to navigate. With this in mind, Consumer Cellular is expanding beyond its lineup of plans with its new SpeakEasy plans and phones designed for older users.

Many carriers offer senior-focused phone plans geared toward people 55 and over, which are typically stripped-down variations of other plans at reduced rates. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon limit their plans to two lines, with Verizon's senior-focused plan available only to Florida residents. 

The SpeakEasy plans come in two varieties centered around the phone options:

• SpeakEasy Flip is an $80 flip phone with large buttons, front-facing volume controls and an extra-loud speaker. Plans start at $14.95 per month, including 500MB of data and unlimited talk and text.

• SpeakEasy Smart is a $100 smartphone running a simplified Android-based operating system with large buttons. Plans start at $19.95 per month and include 3GB of data and unlimited talk and text.

Consumer Cellular is currently offering two months of free service for SpeakEasy plans, and AARP members can save 5% on either plan. Prices listed do not include taxes and fees. The plans operate on AT&T's network.

These SpeakEasy options compete with other senior-focused phones and plans such as Jitterbug and Snapfon.

While the SpeakEasy plans are not limited to adults 75 and older, that demographic represents a sizable market, with roughly 26 million Americans in that age group, according to Roger Entner of Recon Analytics. He also noted that the major carriers either don't offer or only offer a limited number of senior-friendly phones with large buttons.

"Consumer Cellular has spectacular customer service for older people," Entner said in an email. "That is their key differentiation."