Save Money on Your Phone Bill with Mint Mobile
The phone bill often gets overlooked as a potential way to save money. It seems like all wireless service providers have similar prices and there is no reason to shop around. It may be true, but only for major carriers. There is another type of providers, like Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile is not a traditional wireless service provider, it is an MVNO. And with MVNOs the savings can be substantial.
What is an MVNO?
MVNO stands for "mobile virtual network operator". MVNOs don't maintain their own mobile network infrastructure. In other words, virtual network operators don't have cellular towers, stations, and other equipment. They lease the capacity of wireless networks from traditional operators that own network infrastructure and then resell that leased capacity under their brand to their customers.
What Plans Does Mint Mobile Have?
All Mint Mobile plans include unlimited talk and text. You can choose the data plan from 4GB, 10GB, 15GB, and "Unlimited". You pay for all plans in advance in 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month periods. If you commit to the 6-month or 12-month terms, you will get the largest discounts. Keep in mind that the 3-month introductory plan costs lower than the regular 3-month plan. If you want to keep the introductory rate, you will need to pay for the 12-month term.
See all Mint Mobile low-cost phone plans.
Why Mint Mobile Phone Plans are So Cheap?
Mint Mobile buys the excess capacity from a large operator to meet their customer needs and doesn't have any operating expenses for maintaining its own mobile network infrastructure. Mint Mobile doesn't have physical stores with customer service representatives and other staff all over the country. Because Mint Mobile doesn't have infrastructure operating costs and doesn't need to spend on maintaining a physical presence - they can offer their services for less money.
What Network Mint Mobile Uses?
Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile's network to provide wireless coverage with full support for 4G LTE, and 5G.
What Phones Can You Use with Mint Mobile?
You can buy an unlocked phone that supports GSM networks, including the best flagship phones that support 5G. Or you can keep your current phone if it works just fine and is compatible with the Mint Mobile/T-Mobile network. Before committing, you can check if your phone will work on Mint Mobile by entering the phone's IMEI number or by selecting the brand and model of your phone on the company website.
Mint Mobile: Pros and Cons
Cons
- De-prioritization. Mint Mobile may temporarily slow data speeds during times of network congestion.
- The "unlimited" high-speed plan is not truly unlimited. Only the first 35GB is high-speed data, then the speed is slowed to 2G (128kbps) speed.
- There is a 5GB hotspot limit on the "unlimited" plan.
- There is no multi-line discount or family discount.
- Some manual setting up of your phone may be required.
- No physical stores where you can get help if you face technical issues.
- No domestic roaming.*
- Device availability.**
* Domestic roaming is when your phone automatically switches to partnered networks during the tomes you travel outside of the network areas of your primary provider. Mint Mobile is not partnered with other providers and operates only where T-Mobile has coverage. It is not a problem for most people, but for anyone who travels often, the absence of domestic roaming may be an issue.
** This may not be a real con but we decided to mention this anyway. Mint Mobile has a limited selection of phones, and may not have what you want. But you are welcome to bring your own device that you can buy anywhere. The top consumer electronics stores often have great deals and sometimes offer financing options. Just keep in mind that the device needs to be unlocked and compatible with the Mint Mobile/T-Mobile network.
Pros
- The savings can be significant.
- The coverage is as good as with large providers. Mint Mobile operates on T-Mobile's network. If T-Mobile works great for you - Mint Mobile will be as good.
- You can choose the monthly data amount that is right for you. You can switch between data plans when you require a greater amount of data or you can save even more if you don't need much of it.
- No contract is required.
Is It Worth Switching to Mint Mobile?
There are people who switched from major operators and I could not be happier and there are who aren't fans. Whether it is worth switching depends on your situation.
For example, in some areas, you can experience the effects of de-prioritization and if you rely on your phone for work - switching may not make sense. In other places, network congestions are not an issue and you may have an identical experience to a T-Mobile plan for a fraction of the cost. Or you may not notice any interruptions if you are an office worker who is on a home or work Wi-Fi network most of the time.
If you have a large family you may not see any savings with Mint Mobile because there is no multi-line discount that is offered by most large providers. But if you need to pay only for your own plan, a $15 monthly phone bill is a pretty sweet deal.
Mint Mobile offers a 7-day trial sim card and you can see if switching to Mint Mobile will work for you by testing their service without any obligation.
See what Mint Mobile offers.