Knowledge Is Power

Fix For No Internet Access Or Inability To Text Pictures On A Mobile Data Network

Consumer Cellular allows you to "bring your own device" (i.e. use your old cell phone) by getting a free SIM card from them. However, what they don't tell you when they send you the SIM card is that just inserting the SIM card is not enough to enable cellular Internet access on your phone.

In my case, texting (text only - no photos) worked just fine. And I could access the Internet (browse the Web, send and receive emails, etc.) if my phone was connected to a WiFi hot spot. However, once I turned off the WiFi my Internet access stopped working.

Because Consumer Cellular uses AT&T's network, but you're not using AT&T's service, Consumer Cellular has what's called an "access point" into AT&T's network and this access point has to be programmed into your phone.

The procedure given on Consumer Cellular's Web site has a couple typos in it and, while some things might work, you won't be able to send texts with pictures in them. Note that this procedure is for an Android phone. Consumer Cellular's Web site says that an iPhone 4 or newer with IOS 7 or newer should work automatically and you shouldn't need to do anything to get the data service to work.

Indicator:  Here's how to tell if this procedure will fix your problem. On the top (notifications) line of your phone display you'll have cellular signal strength bars. However, just having these bars does not indicate that your data service is enabled. If data service is enabled, you'll also have a 3G or 4G/LTE icon next to the signal strength bars. No icon likely means no data service.

My Android phone was a Samsung S4 Mini small form-factor phone with version 4.4.2. Your Android menus may be a little different.

• On the phone pull up your Settings screen and with the "Connections" tab highlighted at the top, tap on More Networks.
  
  
• Tap on Mobile Networks and look for Access Point Names and tap on that.
  
  
• At the top of the screen will be a horizontal blue "APNs" menu bar with a plus sign (+) on the right end. Tap that plus sign to add a new access point name.
  
  
• For "Name" enter ccdata
  
  
• For "APN" enter ccdata
  
  
• You don't have to enter anything for Proxy, Port, Username, Password or Server.
  
  
• For "MMSC" enter http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
  
  
• For "Multimedia message proxy" enter proxy.mobile.att.net (note there is no 'http://' here).
  
  
• For "Multimedia message port" enter 80
  
  
• You shouldn't need to enter anything for MCC or MNC but my values were 310 and 410 respectively.
  
  
• For "APN type" enter default,mms,agps,supl,fota (note that the values are separated by commas with no spaces).
  
  
• Return to the previous "APNs" screen and your new "ccdata" access point name should be listed.
  
  
• Tap the circle to the right of this new "ccdata" APN to select it.
  
  
• Return to your phone's main screen and reboot your phone.

Once I entered the values, selected the new APN, and rebooted my phone I was able to surf the Web and send texts that contain pictures.

If this doesn't work for you, you'll have to chat or call Consumer Cellular's support operation but they are very helpful.



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