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June 8, 2021
Did You Know: Lively was formerly known as GreatCall. However, in May of 2021, the company rebranded its name and products to Lively.
It’s tempting to assume that older adults have little interest in smartphones. I, however, would strongly disagree. Not only can a smartphone help someone stay in touch with the world around them, but it can also help them age in place, serving as a lifeline to keep them safe when no one else is around.
In this review, I’ll be taking a look at the Lively Smart, their latest entry in their series of smartphones designed specifically for the older set. With its full range of safety features in tandem with its modern smartphone capabilities, I was excited to get my hands on the Smart. But just how does it live up to the expectations? Keep reading to find out.
With a phone as feature-rich as the Lively Smart, there’s a lot to take in. Here are my main takeaways from my time with the device.
The Lively Smart can be purchased over the phone, online, or through physical stores such as Best Buy. I decided to buy my device directly from Lively’s website. In my experience, purchasing directly from the cellular provider gives you access to the best in expertise and most of the time the lowest prices.
Lively’s website made everything easy for me. First, I was able to take a closer look at the Lively Smart and learn about some of its features. I appreciated the straightforward way in which Lively lists their pricing. Unlike many cellular providers, who require costly long-term contracts in order to purchase for the listed price, Lively keeps it simple and honest.
My Lively Smart ended up costing me $149.99 for the device in addition to a $35 activation fee. Sure, this might seem a bit pricey, but considering that modern smartphones can cost upwards of $500, not to mention data plans and hidden fees, I was pleased with this price point.
Before I could complete my order online, I also had to figure out my service plans. Lively offers two different types of plans. Of course, there is the standard type of plan that includes some level of talk, text, and data, but there is also the option to sign up for a health and safety package. This latter type of plan provides you with features that can turn your Lively Smart into a personal emergency response system, but more on that later. First, let’s dig into the basics.
Like most cellular providers, Lively offers several different options when it comes to talk, text, and data. At the bare minimum, you have to sign up for at least 250 monthly minutes and 100 MB of data. Here is an overview of their pricing:
| Minute Allowance | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| 250 | $14.99 |
| 1000 | $19.99 |
| 2500 | $29.99 |
| Number of Texts | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| No Texts | $0 |
| 500 Texts | $3.00 |
| 1000 Texts | $5.00 |
| 2500 Texts | $10.00 |
| Unlimited Texts | $15.00 |
| Data Allowance | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| 100 MB | $2.49 |
| 250 MB | $5.00 |
| 1 GB | $10.00 |
| 2.5 GB | $15.00 |
Lively also offers two different plans with no monthly caps on talk, text, or data. Here is a look at their pricing.
| Plan Type | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Unlimited Talk & Text | $39.99 |
| Unlimited Talk, Text, & Data | $59.99 |
To make the most of my Lively Smart, I decided to sign up for the unlimited talk, text, and data plan. Another thing that factored into my decision was that Lively charges additional fees in the event of an overage ($0.35 per minute, $0.10 per text, and $0.10 per megabyte). While small, these fees could quickly add up to your bill. If overages are something that concerns you, then I’d recommend checking out Consumer Cellular, who automatically upgrades your plan in the event of an overage.
Any Lively plan includes calling to both the continental U.S. and Canada. Calls made to Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico will cost $0.20 per minute. Calls made to all other international destinations will cost $1 per minute.
With my cellular plan figured out, there was just one more step, and that was choosing a health and safety package.
Savings Tip: When you sign up for a Lively health and safety package, you’ll automatically receive discounts on your plans for talk, text, and data.
You’re probably wondering: What exactly is a health and safety package? In short, they’re a range of services designed for older adults that provide convenience, safety, and general wellbeing for the user. Essentially, they helped turn my Lively Smart into my own personal emergency response system. Now, let’s get into the specifics.
These features come in three different packages. Here is an overview of the plans and their costs.
| Basic | Preferred | Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5Star Urgent Response | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Brain Games | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Urgent Care | No | Yes | Yes |
| Lively Link | No | Yes | Yes |
| Personal Operator | No | No | Yes |
| Monthly Cost | $19.99 | $24.99 | $34.99 |
For testing purposes, I signed up for the Ultimate package, giving me the full range of health and safety features. What’s more, by signing up for the Ultimate plan, the cost of my talk text and data plan plummeted down to only $40 per month.
So, between my Lively Smart ($149.99), my unlimited plan ($40), my health and safety package ($34.99), and my activation fee ($35), I was looking at a grand total of $259.98 in startup costs with a $74.99 recurring monthly bill. This price might seem a bit steep; however, considering that this price is for both a fully functional smartphone in addition to a built-in personal emergency response system, I’d say it’s a pretty solid deal.
In addition to the plethora of services offered through Lively, there are also some additional bits of hardware you can purchase for your Smart. Here’s a closer look at each of them.
| Lively Smart Accessory | Price |
|---|---|
| Wall Charger | $19.99 |
| Car Charger | $24.99 |
| Glass Screen Protector | $9.99 |
| Wallet Folio Case | $24.99 |
| Bluetooth Headset | $29.99 |
| Stereo Earphones | $24.99 |
| Gel Case | $19.99 |
FYI: When purchased directly through Lively, your Lively Smart will come with both a wall charge and a car charger at no additional cost.
After purchasing my Lively Smart and signing up for a plan, all I had to do was wait for my package to arrive. In the box, I found my Smart device, a wall charger, a car charger, and a user manual, which guided me through the setup process. First, I plugged my new phone into the wall charger, plugged that into an outlet, and then waited about an hour for it to fully charge. Once I powered the phone up, all I had to do was dial the service number listed in the guide, confirm my information, and then I was ready for some tests.
Immediately, I was struck by how the Smart looked similar to other modern smartphones, what with its large touch screen and few physical buttons; however, as I scrolled through the various menus, I came to see the difference. Unlike an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, which feature complex graphics, widgets, and display features, the Smart’s home screen looks more like a list. Therein, I found dedicated buttons for the most essential functions: phone, voicemail, text messages, camera, internet, and maps. Sure, the design may not have been the most cutting edge, but I could definitely see the simplicity of this layout appealing to the older adults who I care for. The on-screen text was also large, which is great for the many people who suffer from vision impairment.
Also easy to use was the text message feature. With the Smart’s five and a half-inch screen, I had no trouble accurately typing, and the same goes for dialing numbers. In my many test phone calls, I noticed no issues. Both the call quality and volume were superb, and all of my calls, both in and outside my home, went through without a hitch. Similar to the Lively Flip, the Smart also features voice dialing, so I was able to call various contacts using only my voice.
The one drawback I noticed with the Smart was that browsing the web often came with considerable wait times. For example, even when connected to my home’s Wi-Fi network, it would still take about 5-7 seconds for my phone to load The Senior List. Now, in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t really that long of a wait; however, it is certainly longer than the load times from other smartphones.
When all is said and done, a Lively Smart can’t replace a full-fledged medical alert system, many of which are waterproof, can be worn around the neck, and feature automatic fall detection. With falls being the main source of fatal injury to older adults, I think of fall detection as an essential feature of any bonafide medical alert system.
Still, what the Lively Smart offers is a bridge between older adults and the modern smartphone. With its intuitive controls and added safety features, chances are this smartphone be great for any of your loved ones.
The Lively Smart has a hearing aid compatibility score of M4/T4, meaning that it complies with FCC guidelines and will work with most hearing aids.
The Lively Smart has 16GB of internal memory, which is enough to store about 3,200 songs, 6,000 photos, or several hours of video. Granted, these numbers will vary based on the quality of your files. Additionally, you can add up to 32BG of external storage through a micro SD card.
Technically speaking, the Lively Smart uses the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, albeit a customized version that allows for greater ease of use.
A traditional medical alert service offers you a direct line of communication with a monitoring center, one that can call for emergency assistance. Lively’s 5Star service does this, in addition to offering roadside assistance. Based on your personal profile, which you’ll set up at the beginning of your service, 5Star’s agents will be able to assist you in just about any situation, whether you’re lost, need medical attention, or simply feel in danger.
Lively’s urgent care service, when purchased as part of your plan, allows you access to healthcare resources without having to make an appointment. By opening the urgent care app, you can immediately contact either a doctor or nurse who can provide personalized medical advice 24/7. There is even a symptom checker available on the app, which can also be downloaded on Apple and Android smartphones.
