One Call Alert Review For 2023

Updated: Jan 01, 2023

If you’re worried about yourself or a loved one, a medical alert system may help provide some peace of mind. However, picking the right model can seem like an overwhelming task. The best choice depends on your needs, budget, and whether you have an existing landline. 

During your search for a medical alert system, you may have come across the offerings from One Call Alert. The company offers a variety of medical alert systems for in-home use, including options suitable for landlines and mobile.

The company is a partner of MobileHelp, one of the leading personal emergency response system providers. While One Call Alert has a minimal online presence, MobileHelp is an accredited Better Business Bureau business with an A+ rating and a comprehensive website. 

Our experts have researched One Call Alert to make your shopping experience easier. That way, you can focus on what’s most important: your and your loved ones’ safety.

  • $22.95-$39.95 per month
  • Up to 1,400 feet, depending on the unit
  • Landline, GPS, or cellular: Yes
  • Fall detection add-on starting at an additional $10 per month with compatible devices

Key Takeaways

  • One Call Alert offers a variety of in-home medical alert systems, from GPS-enabled bracelets to lanyards. 
  • You can add fall detection to your One Call Alert monitoring plan for an additional $10 per month.
  • All One Call Alert plans come with 24/7 monitoring.

One Call Alert System Overview

One Call Alert, or One Call Medical Alert, is a company that sells personal medical alert systems. The company provides 24/7 emergency monitoring services to clients. This works through two-way communication. If you need assistance, simply press the mobile help button on your base or mobile unit, which will connect you to an employee monitoring center. The qualified operators can then assist you as needed. 

The brand offers basic monitoring systems, ranging from options that connect to a landline to those with GPS functionality. One Call Alert systems aren’t for you if you’re looking for something with sophisticated smart tech and Bluetooth connectivity, but the systems are a good choice for someone who prefers a no-frills option for themselves or a loved one. 

When you buy a One Call Alert system, you agree to sign onto a plan with a recurring payment. You can order a system through the company’s website or make your purchase by phone. 

All of One Call Alert’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s important to remember that there’s no equipment cost when purchasing a One Call Alert plan. That means that you aren’t buying the equipment. You’re responsible for keeping it safe and in good condition while you lease it.

Other Recommended Medical Alert Systems

A medical alert system is an option for anyone worried about their health and safety while living alone at home. If you’re a senior living alone and looking for medical alert system options other than One Call Alert, consider the following high-quality options:

Are you looking for a medical alert system specifically with fall detection? Check out our review of the best fall detection devices.

One Call Alert Review

While the company provides various medical alert system options, One Call Alert’s pricing is higher than some competitors, and its systems lack certain features. One Call Alert made the bottom of our best medical alert system list with an overall score of 7.53/10. We like its 1,400-foot coverage range and additional features like medication reminders and GPS tracking. Its slower response time (more than 25 seconds) to reach a monitoring center agent and how difficult it was to reach customer support were just a few reasons this device scored the lowest out of the top 11 systems we tested.

Although One Call Alert claims to have an endorsement from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), we couldn’t verify this claim or find any mention of one on the ADA’s website. 

The simple design of One Call Alert devices makes them an attractive option for those who don’t want a medical alert system with complicated bells and whistles. You also don’t have to pay upfront for the equipment. If you pay annually, the company waives the activation fee.

There are also no long-term contracts, so you can cancel at any time. However, this also means the pricing is subject to change at a moment’s notice. If you’re on a strict budget, this type of plan may not be for you. 

It’s also important to point out that unlike some other big names in at-home medical alert systems, few online customer reviews are available. While most reviewers seem happy with the brand’s customer service, there’s little information out there about how well the equipment works and whether the emergency monitoring services are up to par with competitors.

Available and Missing One Call Alert Features

One Call Alert systems are relatively basic, including some standard features.
Depending on the system you decide on, features may include:

  • A stationary cellular base station 
  • Mobile GPS capabilities (some units)
  • Medication reminders (add-on feature)
  • Waterproofing (a feature for all units)
  • Fall detection (add-on feature)
  • Two-way voice 
  • 24/7 monitoring

When you purchase a One Call Alert system, you will not have access to:

  • Wellness checks
  • Spouse monitoring
  • Activity tracking
  • Smart features 
  • Automatic testing 
  • Smoke or carbon monoxide detection

One Call Alert Models

Here’s an overview of the available One Call Alert systems:

Starting at $24.95 a month, this is One Call Alert’s most basic emergency monitoring device. You don’t need a cellphone plan to use it, but you do need an active landline. It can send out a signal if you’re within 600 feet of the base unit.

The package comes with a base station and a “help” button. By pressing the “help” button, you can communicate with a 24/7 emergency monitoring service.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to add the fall detection feature to this device and package.

This system comes with a base station that works on a cellular network. One Call Alert works within the AT&T network, so you’ll need to be within a coverage area to take advantage of this plan. That means this is a poor choice for those in rural locations without proper cellular coverage.

There’s also the option of adding fall detection to this system. It’s the most expensive plan at $49.95 per month, and while it comes with either a lanyard or wrist-based “help” button, neither is GPS-enabled.

This plan is $37.95 per month and includes two portable units with no base station. Both portable, wearable “help” buttons are GPS-enabled. You can add fall detection to this plan for an extra $10 per month. Still, there’s no ability to choose the medication reminders add-on feature.

This is an excellent option for households with two people who want the peace of mind of having emergency monitoring for both individuals.

The $39.95 per month mobile plan comes with two portable “help” buttons but not a cellular base station. While you can add on fall detection, there’s no possibility to add the medication reminders option.

For $36.95 a month, you get a base unit with a cellular connection and a wearable GPS-enabled “help” button. It also comes with a handy free lockbox and the ability to add fall detection and medication reminders.

How Much Does One Call Alert Cost?

You can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, twice a year or annually. Selecting an option besides the monthly payment gives you a small discount per month.

Unfortunately, you’re not locked into the price of a subscription when you sign up. Pricing can change at any time unless you pay for a more costly Connect Premium Plan.

Connect Premium is an additional $5 per month and provides the following benefits:

  • Device protection. Should your device break, become lost, or be stolen, this covers a replacement cost.
  • Locked-in plan cost. The cost of your service plan will remain the same.
  • Discounts. You’ll be eligible for certain discounts, according to One Call Alert.

Some add-on features will cost extra. Fall detection is an additional $10 per month, and medication reminders are $5 per month. You can’t add these features to all One Call Alert plans. For example, the in-home landline plan is incompatible with either add-on mentioned above.

Unless you pay annually, you’ll need to pay a $49.95 activation fee for certain plans.

The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you’re not happy with the service within the first 30 days, you can return the equipment and get a full refund.

All plans come with a free lockbox, which One Call Alert estimates to be a $29.95 value. The lockbox allows you to store a key to your residence so emergency personnel can get inside should you require assistance and not be able to answer or open the door.

Unfortunately, Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of a medical alert system like One Call Alert. However, your private insurance company may provide coverage. Call your provider to find out about your coverage and whether it applies to all medical alert brands.

Pros and Cons of One Call Alert:

Pros

  • No-frills, easy-to-use design

  • Ability to cancel at any time

  • Waterproofing on all devices

  • Affordable monthly plans

Cons

  • Pricing is subject to change

  • No automatic testing

  • No smart features

  • Additional cost for certain features

  • No activity tracking features

  • Limited customer reviews

What Others Are Saying About One Call Alert

Five Star Rating

Online reviews for One Call Alert are limited, but overall, customer impressions appear positive with only a few negative reviews.

Below are some reviews from actual customers who liked the product or service:

“Tony at customer support was awesome! He explained the system to me clearly and answered all my questions! I look forward to giving my mom this device so that she can have her independence back, and we can have peace of mind! Being the child of an older adult can be stressful and worrisome. Customer service was able to assist me in picking the correct device so that I will worry less about my mom living independently.”

“My One Call Alert advisor was Joe. He answered the call promptly and was very patient and kind throughout the entire conversation. He answered all my questions and thoroughly discussed the protection the One Call system will provide for my 92 year old mother. He gave me tips on how to get the best protection and usage from the system and what a relief it will be since I live 3 1/2 hrs. away from my mother. Joe’s knowledge and no-pressure guidance sold me on the product. I am now a One Cell Alert family member.”

It’s important to note that while most of the Google reviews for the business are positive, they focus on the shopping experience. Almost every customer gushes about their purchase experience, but few reviewers comment on the actual product.

Below are some Google reviews from customers who weren’t happy with the product or service:

One reviewer complained that he had issues receiving a refund check from the company after his mother passed away.

Gregory G. review on Better Business Bureau

Another reviewer on Scamity also ran into issues when trying to get a refund for an unused device.

One Google reviewer of One Call Alert points out that they were unhappy with the service and disliked that pricing changed out of nowhere.

Summary of One Call Alert Review

One Call Alert offers simple monitoring devices, but it’s not our top choice for this type of medical alert system.

We recommend checking out list of Best Medical Alert Monitoring Systems if you’re on the market for a personal medical monitoring device.

Why You Can Trust Our Expert Review

Our experts independently research and recommend products we believe provide value in the lives of our readers. We spend collectively more than 1,700 hours conducting in-depth research on medical alert systems. To make our picks, we:

  • Engage in ongoing independent research
  • Consult with geriatricians and adult caregivers
  • Mystery shop the brands
  • Survey medical alert system users
  • Test various medical alert systems
  • Interview experts in the field
  • Read hundreds of verified customer reviews from trusted third parties such as Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports

How We Reviewed One Call Medical Alert System

We reviewed the One Call Medical Alert System based on the following criteria:

  • Price of installation and monthly service
  • Warranties, contracts, and (whether it has any) hidden fees
  • Reliability of monitoring center
  • Comfort and wearability of mobile devices
  • In-home range of equipment
  • Water resistance of wearable devices
  • Battery life and recharging requirements
  • Ease of installation and use
  • Expert opinion
  • Customer service accessibility and performance
  • Customer satisfaction reviews
  • Company reputation
  • Special features, such as automatic fall detection, smartphone apps for family members, and location tracking

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The cost depends on the device plan you choose. Plans start at $22.95 per month.

Pricing is accurate as of January 27, 2022.

  • Was this Article Helpful ?
  • YesNo

Do you want to cite this page? Use our ready-made cite template.

Cite This Page

MLA8

Coelho Steph. "One Call Alert Review For 2023" AgingInPlace.org. Jan 01, 2023. Web. Mar 26, 2024. <https://aginginplace.org/medical-alert-systems/one-call-alert-review/>.

APA7

Coelho S. (2023, Jan 01). One Call Alert Review For 2023. AgingInPlace.org. https://aginginplace.org/medical-alert-systems/one-call-alert-review/

CHICAGO

Steph Coelho, "One Call Alert Review For 2023," last modified: Jan 01, 2023, https://aginginplace.org/medical-alert-systems/one-call-alert-review/.