Latest news with #prepaidplans
CNET
4 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Cricket Wireless Debuts Prepaid Plans Starting at $35
Cricket Wireless has revamped its prepaid plans to trim prices and offer more perks, including hotspot data and bundled extras like streaming services. Cricket, owned by AT&T, competes with prepaid providers from other carriers like Verizon's Visible, T-Mobile's Mint Mobile and Dish's Boost Mobile. Cricket has trimmed its offerings down to four plans (from five) and dropped prices on all of them. Cricket's cheapest plan, called Sensible 10GB, is still $30 per month if set up with autopay (or $35 normally) and offers 5G service with 10GB of monthly data (up from 5GB previously), with speeds dropping down to 128Kbps thereafter. As a basic plan, there's no option to add fancier options like hotspot data, cloud storage or a bundled streaming service, nor can it be used in Mexico and Canada like pricier plans. The mobile company's cheapest unlimited 5G plan, Select Unlimited, is $35 per month with autopay (or $40 normally), a $5 savings from its earlier plan. While it also lacks extras, hotspot data can be added on. This is the presumed family value plan, as four lines can be included for $100 a month. Those who do want extras can pick the 5G Smart Unlimited plan for $45 per month with autopay (or $50 normally), which is a bigger upgrade on the older version of the same plan; not only is it $10 cheaper per month, but it offers 15GB of hotspot data and 100Gb of cloud storage (up from 2GB). This plan can be used in Mexico and Canada, with texting available from the US to friends in more than 200 countries and territories. The middle plans, Select Unlimited and Smart Unlimited, come with the caveat that Cricket may temporarily slow down data speeds if the network is busy. Cricket's priciest unlimited 5G plan, Supreme Unlimited, is $55 with autopay per month (or $60 normally), which is $5 cheaper than the previous version. It's intended for mobile power users with 50GB of hotspot data (up from 15GB previously), 150GB of cloud storage and HBO Max Basic with Ads, along with use in Mexico and Canada as well as texting to friends internationally. Note that all of Cricket's plans have video streaming in SD (around 480p), below the HD (1080p) that's standard on most other plans. All of Cricket's new plans include taxes and fees in the monthly price. Carriers such as T-Mobile have begun to split those out, which end up as additional charges on customers' monthly bills. Cricket's price drops follow similar moves made by the prepaid mobile providers from other carriers. In April, Verizon's Visible added a new $45-per-month higher-tier plan with 4K video streaming and international travel service. A year ago, Boost Mobile emerged from its transition to new ownership under Dish Network with refreshed offerings including a $25 monthly plan as its new cheapest option.
CNET
4 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Cricket Wireless Debuts New Prepaid Plans Starting at $35
Cricket Wireless has revamped its prepaid plans to trim prices and offer more perks, including hotspot data and bundled extras like streaming services. Cricket, owned by AT&T, competes with prepaid providers from other carriers like Verizon's Visible, T-Mobile's Mint Mobile and Dish's Boost Mobile. Cricket has trimmed its offerings down to four plans (from five) and dropped prices on all of them. Cricket's cheapest plan, called Sensible 10GB, is still $30 per month if set up with autopay (or $35 normally) and offers 5G service with 10GB of monthly data (up from 5GB previously), with speeds dropping down to 128 Kbps thereafter. As a basic plan, there's no option to add fancier options like hotspot data, cloud storage or a bundled streaming service, nor can it be used in Mexico and Canada like pricier plans. The mobile company's cheapest unlimited 5G plan, Select Unlimited, is $35 per month with autopay (or $40 normally), a $5 savings from its earlier plan. While it also lacks extras, hotspot data can be added on. This is the presumed family value plan, as four lines can be included for $100 a month. Those that do want extras can pick the 5G Smart Unlimited plan for $45 per month with autopay (or $50 normally), which is a bigger upgrade on the older version of the same plan; not only is it $10 cheaper per month, but it offers 15GB of hotspot data and 100Gb of cloud storage (up from 2GB). This plan can be used in Mexico and Canada, with texting available from the US to friends in over 200 countries and territories. The middle plans, Select Unlimited and Smart Unlimited, both come with the caveat that Cricket may temporarily slow down data speeds if the network is busy. Cricket's priciest unlimited 5G plan, Supreme Unlimited, is $55 with autopay per month (or $60 normally), which is $5 cheaper than the previous version. It's intended for mobile power users with 50GB of hotspot data (up from 15GB previously), 150GB of cloud storage and HBO Max Basic with Ads, along with usage in Mexico and Canada as well as texting to friends internationally. Note that all of Cricket's plans have video streaming in SD (around 480p), below the HD (1080p) that's standard on most other plans. All of Cricket's new plans include taxes and fees in the monthly price. Carriers such as T-Mobile have begun to split those out, which end up as additional charges on customers' monthly bills. Cricket's price drops follow similar moves made by the prepaid mobile providers from other carriers. Back in April, Verizon's Visible added a new $45-per-month higher-tier plan with 4K video streaming and international travel service. A year ago, Boost Mobile emerged from its transition to new ownership under Dish Network with refreshed offerings including a $25 monthly plan as its new cheapest option.
Phone Arena
16-07-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
T-Mobile's network meets Mint Mobile's price and makes unlimited wireless stupid cheap
Mint Mobile, the T-Mobile-powered carrier known for its affordable prepaid plans, has been rolling out quite a few promos lately. You might've seen its self-proclaimed "Craziest Phone Deal Yet" recently, or maybe you caught the return of some fan-favorite plan offers last month. But now? Mint might've just dropped its best deal yet. Mint's Unlimited plan includes unlimited talk, text and data on T-Mobile 's massive 5G network. You also get a free mobile hotspot and free international calls to Mexico, Canada and the UK – which, for a lot of users, is a pretty sweet bonus. Now, if locking into a 12-month plan isn't your vibe, Mint's still offering 3-month intro plans for new customers at just $15/month. That price applies across all data tiers – whether you want 5 GB, 15 GB or Unlimited. So you can test the waters without diving in headfirst. Because if you're someone who regularly burns through more than 35 GB of data a month, or if you are looking for extra perks like streaming bundles, this deal might not be the best fit. Mint's keeping it simple – and that's kind of the point. Otherwise, if you're shopping around for a new carrier and don't want to go with one of the Big Three ( T-Mobile , Verizon and AT&T), this limited-time offer is worth a look. You've got until September 18 to decide, so there's a bit of breathing room if you're on the fence. Last year, T-Mobile finalized its acquisition of Mint Mobile's parent company, Ka'ena Corporation. | Video credit – Mint Mobile Owned by T-Mobile , Mint Mobile is a prepaid MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), meaning it runs on T-Mobile 's network but sells service in 3, 6, or 12-month chunks. While that means you pay upfront, the monthly cost often ends up way cheaper – especially with promos like this. It's a solid option if you don't want to worry about your phone bill every month and can stomach the one-time payment. And if you're not sure Mint is right for you, or want to compare other options first, check out our carrier comparisons: Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.
Phone Arena
01-07-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
This budget wireless carrier is making big moves without raising prices
Ultra Mobile, a low-cost prepaid brand that uses T-Mobile's network, is updating its plans with more data and international features while keeping the same prices from over a decade ago. The carrier has often focused on offering affordable service for users who want flexibility and international calling options. Now, Ultra Mobile is giving both new and existing customers more for the same price. For instance, the $15 per month plan now includes 500MB of data instead of 250MB. The $19 plan goes from 3GB to 4GB. Higher-tier plans are also getting more data, such as the $39 plan increasing from 15GB to 24GB, and the top-tier $59 Ultra Unlimited+ plan still has no data caps but now offers 25GB of hotspot data and more international credit. Ultra Mobile's old versus new plans. | Image credit — Ultra Mobile All plans continue to include unlimited talk and text within the U.S., along with features like Wi-Fi calling, mobile hotspot access, and international coverage. These changes are being rolled out automatically, with no action needed from customers. In addition to data upgrades, Ultra Mobile is offering deeper discounts for users who choose multi-month options. Customers who pay for 12 months up front can save up to 30 percent, which could mean as much as 216 dollars per year in savings. Three-month and six-month options are also available, offering 10 percent and 20 percent discounts respectively. The company is also rolling out a new logo. The updated look swaps out the old SIM card icon for a globe, reflecting its focus on international connectivity and the rise of eSIM use. While the branding is changing, the company says it will continue offering straightforward, contract-free service. Ultra Mobile's approach contrasts with many carriers that limit the best deals to new customers or add requirements for discounts. According to Scott Venuti, Commercial Owner at Ultra Mobile, the goal is to give all customers more benefits without raising costs. Whether this move will attract more users remains to be seen, but for now, it gives Ultra Mobile an edge in the budget segment. With no price increases, more data, and expanded international support, these updates could appeal to anyone looking to save money without giving up essential features. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
24-06-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
T-Mobile just made Metro's data caps much harder to actually reach
Starting June 26, Metro customers on the carrier's most popular plans will still get unlimited 5G data, but now with way more premium data included. Here's how the plans are changing: $50 with AutoPay: Premium data goes from 35 GB to 50 GB $60 with AutoPay: Premium data doubles from 35 GB to 70 GB – T-Mobile , June 2025 More full-speed data means less slowing down Such a big jump in premium data is great – especially since the $60 plan now offers double the high-speed allowance. That means smoother streaming, faster sharing and less lag when you are online all day. I mean, having more high-speed data at no extra cost is always a good thing, especially when we are all pretty much glued to our phones 24/7. And in this case, it actually gives Metro a leg up on the competition. Take Verizon, for example – its priciest prepaid plan costs the same as Metro's but tops out at 50 GB of premium data. With Metro now offering up to 70 GB, that's a pretty big difference for people who want the most out of their plan without going over budget. And with no signs that this is just a promo, it looks like Metro customers can count on these increases being part of the plan going forward. Of course, once you hit that premium cap, slower speeds may still kick in – but getting more of that full-speed window upfront is a solid win. T-Mobile 's been getting heat lately, especially after those price hikes, so this boost to Metro's prepaid plans feels like a well-timed way to win some goodwill back. With premium data on Metro's $50 and $60 AutoPay plans now hitting 50 GB and 70 GB, it could start to feel close to unlimited for most people. Sure, you can blow past that if you are using your phone as a hotspot or as your main internet at home, but for regular mobile use, that is a ton of headroom. In fact, the average smartphone in the US was chewing through about 21.9 GB a month by the end of 2024. So, if that sounds like you, you probably won't hit the cap anyway – but having that extra headroom is still a nice bonus.
