Latest from Tom's Guide in Network-carriers

T-Mobile went down: Recap as users reported no signal across the US

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 21:22:57 +0000

T-Mobile suffered from a huge network outage yesterday, affecting customers across the country.

Reports suddenly spiked to over 60,000 on the outage-tracking site Down Detector where T-Mobile customers are reporting a lack of signal or service from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles and everywhere in between.

Whilst systems eventually returned to normal, it took several hours for the reports of problems to subside.

Here's how the events progressed.

More than 60,000 outage reports

(Image credit: Down Detector)

Over on DownDetector, there are currently more than 64,000 reports from users across the country.

It appears reports started flooding in around 1:00 pm Pacific before truly spiking 30 minutes later.

Outage appears National

(Image credit: Down Detector)

I'm seeing outage reports from nearly every major city in the United States and multiple states from Florida and California to North Carolina and Washington.

Minnesota, Louisana, and Hawaii are all reporting issues.

THe complaints are all similar, phones are being forced into SOS mode only, though it's not clear if WiFi calling is down as well.

No response from T-Mobile

T-Mobile doesn't appear to have a network status page. I have been checking the official T-Mobile and T-Mobile customer service accounts on Twitter where customers are flooding the accounts with complaints.

However, right now the company's reps are just asking people to DM or saying they're sorry the customer is having problems.

"I’m really glad you reached out and brought this to our attention. I’d be happy to help take a closer look into what’s going on. To make sure your information stays protected, please send me a DM with your contact details and we’ll continue there," is a common response.

I have yet to see acknowledgement of the outage itself.

Megathread on Reddit has thousands of comments

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I found a megathread on the T-Mobile subreddit where thousands of comments are reporting issues with their phones.

One thread seems to be that iPhone users are having more issues than Android owners. It's not clear why.

Reports are declining but still in the 10s of thousands

(Image credit: Down Detector)

On Down Detector I am seeing reports declining. There are still nearly 40,000 reports which is down from the peak of 64,000.

T-Mobile messaging changes

(Image credit: Tuminds)

Over on Twitter, the T-Mobile Help account messaging has changed a bit. There still isn't an official post acknowledging the outage but this is what I'm seeing now.

"Thank you for reaching out. Our teams are actively working the reports of technical challenges impacting some customers. Any service impacts are in the process of being resolved and are our highest priority. We know how critical it is to stay connected, and every available resource is focused on resolving this as quickly as possible."

I have reached out to T-Mobile for a statement and will update if I receive one.

Leveling off

(Image credit: Down Detector)

Reports have leveled off to around 20,000 on Down Detector and I am still seeing comments reporting where service is out like Oakland, Maryland and Long Island, New York.

One person did say that T-Mobile engineers are on the problem per a call with customer service. Though they didn't have any other information to share.

T-Mobile finally acknowledges the outage

Our teams are actively working on the reports of technical challenges impacting some customers. Any service impacts are in the process of being resolved and are our highest priority. We know how critical it is to stay connected and every available resource is focused on resolving…July 27, 2026

Over two hours after reports spiked on DD, T-Mobile has finally acknowledged the outage with a post on its T-Mobile Help account.

"Our teams are actively working on the reports of technical challenges impacting some customers. Any service impacts are in the process of being resolved and are our highest priority. We know how critical it is to stay connected and every available resource is focused on resolving this as quickly as possible."

Many people in the comments are saying that the outage has lasted even longer, up to 4 hours for many, and are upset with the company's silence to now.

Reports continue slow decline

Over on Down Detector, reports have been started declining again. It's not the steep drop that occurred a couple hours ago.

After holding level around 20,000, we just hit 16,000 as of 4:30 pm Pacific.

Most comments are still reporting SOS mode across the country but I have seen a couple posts about it being back up in California.

Taking a break but keeping an eye on things

It's getting to the end of the work day here on the West Coast. I'm taking a break to walk the dog and get some dinner going but I'll be keeping an eye on the outage and I'll let you know if anything changes.

T-Mobile is forcing long-time customers to move to new plans that cost more

dave.leclair@futurenet.com (Dave LeClair) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:31:36 +0000

T-Mobile Statement to Tom's Guide

We received a statement from T-Mobile, which is as follows:

"We’re retiring our oldest plans, some of which were built nearly 15 years ago – in the 3G and 4G eras, and well before our 5G network was fully deployed. Customers will transition to modern plans that provide access to America’s best wireless technology, enhanced features and a 5-year price guarantee for peace of mind. Some customers will see no change to their monthly bill, while some will see a modest adjustment. Every customer moved to a new plan will keep their current benefits while gaining improvements in network and service experiences."

T-Mobile is making a move that's likely to upset some of its most loyal subscribers. While T-Mobile has its justifications for making this move, long-standing customers may feel as though they're being stabbed in the back by being forced off grandfathered plans to new, slightly more expensive ones.

According to The Mobile Report, customers on some Simple Choice and ONE plans will be migrated to newer, more modern plans with price increases of around $4.

Magenta plans could be affected as well, though it's not clear at this point whether that'll be the case. T-Mobile didn't give a full rundown of the plans, but it did say some affected users are on plans that stretch back 10 to 15 years.

The report also claims that new prices are being created specifically for these customers, though the details of the new plans aren't fully clear as of this writing. Apparently, T-Mobile for Business customers could also be affected by the changes.

The exact plans weren't revealed, but The Mobile Report speculated that plans not covered by the new price lock.

(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/AMA2020/Getty Image)

Of course, as is usually the case with these kinds of changes, T-Mobile will almost certainly try to spin the move as a good thing, as the carrier does offer some new benefits and perks on these newer plans that aren't on older plans.

But these customers could have switched to a new plan on their own, and they chose not to, so they could keep the price down. I have to assume many users won't see the change as a positive.

In fact, T-Mobile sent out a memo to employees, obtained by CNET, that said: "for our frontline teams ... while the immediate future will bring increased customer contact volume, we are confident this plan simplification will make your job easier over time."

"A rate plan is a snapshot of the capacity and capability of your network in that moment in time," Samson said, citing the limited network capacity when the old plans were active. "Fifteen years ago, you checked the weather, and maybe your stock report, and that was about it. Today we're streaming 4K movies."

You'll know if you're impacted if you get the news via text or through the T-Life app starting today. The reports say you'll have about two weeks from the official reveal to decide what you want to do, whether it be dealing with the new plan or moving to a different carrier, perhaps even one of the best MVNO options, which are cheaper.

Verizon MVNOs: A complete listing, plus the best option for your money

john.velasco@futurenet.com (John Velasco) — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 04:30:00 +0000

I recently put Verizon Wireless to the test for 30 days to see what the hype is all about with the nation’s largest cell phone provider. What it proved to me was how much of a substantial difference 5G Ultra Wideband makes, but these fiber-optic-esque speeds come at a premium cost.

That’s probably why I’ve found Verizon MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) attractive alternatives for those who still crave an all-you-can-eat data menu, but without being left with a hefty bill at the end. Rather than directly competing with the $70+ per line costs for Verizon’s plans, these MVNOs still tap into Verizon's network to provide cell phone coverage, but at a fraction of the cost.

Interestingly, Verizon actually owns a few of its biggest MVNOs directly — like Visible and Straight Talk — but it also leases tower space to dozens of third-party brands you might not know about. That’s why I’ll break down all the Verizon MVNOs out there, along with who they’re for, so you can choose the service that’s right for you.

Verizon MVNOs: Verizon owned MVNOs

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

Did you know that Verizon owns and operates many MVNOs under different brands? These are the providers that fall under the Verizon Value portfolio of prepaid brands, which includes carriers like Straight Talk, Visible, TracFone, and more. Here's a quick list of these Verizon-owned MVNOs:

Verizon MVNOs: Third-party operators

(Image credit: Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In addition to Verizon-owned MVNOs, you also have independent third-party MVNOs that basically lease Verizon’s tower space and subsequently offer ultra-affordable rates. They might not use Verizon's towers exclusively for everything, as some of them also use towers from carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T.

But the downside to these third-party operators is that they’re often the first to face data deprioritization. Meaning that when the network experiences heavy congestion during peak times, their speeds are the first to drop.

On the flip side, third-party MVNOs aren't always impacted when Verizon experiences a network outage. Because these independent providers manage their own virtual networks — and often lease tower space from multiple major networks — they can seamlessly route your service to alternative towers while Verizon's primary system is down.

The best Verizon MVNOs

(Image credit: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

As you can see, there are several Verizon MVNOs to choose from. We’ve tested a handful of them, but you’ll want to look at each provider separately to see what financially makes sense, whether service is available in your area, and if they support your current phone.

Here are our picks for the best Verizon MVNOs.

Visible+ Pro: $45/month unlimited plan
Nothing beats the Visible + Pro Plan at $45 per month for unlimited service. What makes this Verizon owned MVNO even better is that the plan includes access to unlimited premium data, mobile hotspot, 4K video streaming, and a data plan for a smartwatch.View Deal

Total Wireless: $35/month Total Starter plan
If you don't need premium data, you can still get an all-you-can-eat helping from the Total Starter plan with Total Wireless. For $35 per month, you get unlimited data, 10GB of hotspot data, spam protection, and one of the best rewards programs out there that lets you acquire points when you pay your bill.View Deal

Xfinity Mobile: $15/month Mobile Plus plan
This is easily one of the most irresistible cell phone plan deals right now. You can get Xfinity Mobile's Mobile Plus plan for $15 per month for the first year. On top of unlimited service, you also get international coverage, phone upgrades every year, and Xfinity's Wi-Fi access while on the go. After the first year, you then pay $45/month.View Deal

Why choose an MVNO over Verizon?

(Image credit: Straight Talk)

Frankly, the primary reason to choose an MVNO is price. Verizon’s top-tiered plans are loaded with extra costs to help subsidize phone upgrades, maintain its massive customer service networks, and provide super-fast 5G Ultra Wideband.

The latter is what truly makes Verizon special because none of these MVNOs can match the almost lightning-fast download and upload speeds I got with 5G Ultra Wideband. In fact, I recorded an average of 893 Mbps down in New York City, which explains why its service costs so much.

If you’re not as concerned about synthetic speeds, I know it’s worthwhile to check out a Verizon MVNO. Although it’s worth knowing that some of these MVNOs offer 5G Ultra Wideband on their higher-tiered plans.

I’ve been on Visible for about the last few years now, and the cost savings are unbelievable. I pay a fraction of what I used to with Verizon and still have the same coverage, but with speeds that are slower. I’m perfectly fine with this because I’m still able to watch videos while on the go without huge buffering.

The Tradeoffs

(Image credit: Billy F Blume Jr / Shutterstock.com)

Before making the switch, you need to consider some of the trade-offs that come with a Verizon MVNO. The biggest hurdle pertains to new device discounts, which are how Verizon offers its signature free phone promotions. While some Verizon MVNOs do sell hardware, you won’t find nearly the same generous subsidies or trade-in values with them.

Secondly, there’s data throttling, which slows your speeds during peak hours when there’s heavy network traffic. Unless you sign up with a Verizon MVNO that specifically includes premium data, you’re at the mercy of Verizon's network prioritization. I’ve seen this happen countless times with my Visible service at concerts, where the data slows to a crawl due to the sheer amount of congestion.

Finally, there’s customer support. If you run into issues, you usually can’t walk into a physical store to meet face-to-face with a representative. Instead, everything is handled online or over the phone — which I can attest can be incredibly annoying when phone activations go wrong or take too long.

I switched back to Verizon Wireless for 30 days — and now I understand why ultra wideband is such a big deal

john.velasco@futurenet.com (John Velasco) — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000

For the last seven years, I’ve been bouncing between a handful of different MVNOs. I finally settled on Visible because it offers one of the best cheap cell phone plans around, but I recently decided to switch back to a carrier that I haven’t used in over a decade — Verizon.

Part of the reason I ditched the carrier years ago was how expensive it ended up being, mainly due to data overage fees that pushed my monthly bill past $100 for a single line. Obviously, Verizon's plans have changed since then, with truly unlimited data now starting as low as $55 per month.

That’s why I switched back for 30 days to see exactly what advantages its premium unlimited service offers. Here’s what I found.

Verizon Wireless review: What you'll pay

(Image credit: Verizon)

The biggest reason I’ve shied away from returning to one of the major carriers, including Big Red, is how expensive they’ve become. Sure, you’ll still pay close to $100 a month for premium unlimited service, but Verizon throws in additional goodies that you just don't get from most MVNOs.

Currently, Verizon Wireless offers three distinct unlimited postpaid plans: Unlimited Ultimate ($95/month), Unlimited Plus ($80/month), and Unlimited Welcome ($65/month). If you enroll in paper-free billing and AutoPay, you’ll get a $10 monthly discount on each of those lines, bringing the entry-level cost down to $65 per month.

	Unlimited Welcome	Unlimited Plus	Unlimited Ultimate
Price (1 Line w/ Auto Pay)	$55/month	$70/month	$85/month
5G Network Access	Standard 5G / 4G LTE	5G Ultra Wideband (C-Band & mmWave)	5G Ultra Wideband (C-Band & mmWave)
Premium Mobile Data	May be slowed during network congestion	Unlimited premium data (Never throttled)	Unlimited premium data (Never throttled)
Mobile Hotspot	None	30 GB high-speed (then 3 Mbps)	200 GB high-speed (then 6 Mbps)
Video Streaming Quality	480p (SD)	Up to 720p on 5G/LTE (Up to 4K on Ultra Wideband)	Up to 1080p on 5G/LTE (Up to 4K on Ultra Wideband)
Other Perks	None	50% off one tablet/watch/hotspot plan	50% off two tablet/watch/hotspot plans

For a long time, I held onto the misconception that any unlimited plan from Verizon would cost $100 a month at the very least. While its $75 starting rate is still noticeably higher than the $35 monthly fee I’ve been paying for Visible, the upgrade comes with distinct network advantages.

What exactly separates these three tiers? For starters, every option gives you unlimited talk, text, and data. The real differences lie in the amount of "premium data" you get, the hotspot allocations, and the network speeds highlighted on Verizon's Broadband Facts labels.

While they all technically offer unlimited data, access to the absolute fastest 5G Ultra Wideband speeds is reserved for the top two tiers, while the starter plan can be a smidge slower during times of network congestion.

$55/month Unlimited Welcome plan @ Verizon
If you're looking to get the cheapest unlimited plan from Verizon, then check out its Unlimited Welcome plan. Not only does it offer unlimited talk, text, and data, but it also includes international texting, plus talk and data in Mexico and Canada.View Deal

Verizon Wireless review: How Verizon’s prices compare

Base unlimited plan	Monthly cost
Verizon Unlimited Welcome	$55
T-Mobile Essentials Saver	$50
AT&T Value 2.0	$50
Mint Mobile Unlimited	$25 (requires $75 upfront payment that covers three months)
Visible	$25

Verizon Wireless remains the largest wireless provider in the U.S., and it commands premium prices for access to its sprawling, reliable network. Making a direct comparison to rivals AT&T and T-Mobile can be tricky, however, because their entry-level unlimited tiers vary significantly in terms of value.

For example, AT&T's Value 2.0 plan costs $50/month after discounts and offers unlimited data that can be temporarily slowed after 5GB of usage, alongside 3GB of mobile hotspot data. Meanwhile, T-Mobile’s $50/month Essentials Saver plan packages a whopping 50GB of premium data before any network management kicks in. If you want even lower rates, MVNOs like Visible and Mint Mobile offer great alternative plans that start as low as $25 a month.

Premier Unlimited plan	Monthly cost
Verizon Unlimited Ultimate	$85
T-Mobile Experience Beyond	$100
AT&T Elite 2.0	$110
Mint Mobile Unlimited	$25 (requires $75 upfront payment that covers three months)
Visible+ Pro	$45

On the higher end of the spectrum, Verizon’s Unlimited Ultimate plan actually comes in slightly below its AT&T and T-Mobile equivalents — which you can see detailed above.

Ultimately, Verizon Wireless’ biggest strength is its widespread support for 5G Ultra Wideband with Enhanced Video Calling & Streaming, meaning you get the fastest possible data speeds alongside maximum video streaming resolutions. While Mint Mobile and Visible offer cheaper top-of-the-line tiers, neither can match the raw network performance and uncapped speeds of Verizon’s native 5G Ultra Wideband footprint.

Verizon Wireless review: Performance

	Average download speed	Average upload speed
Home	69 Mbps	12.6 Mbps
New York City	893 Mbps	77.5 Mbps
Rural northern NJ	29.5 Mbps	1.45 Mbps

To properly evaluate the performance of Verizon’s Unlimited Ultimate plan, I wanted to see what kind of data speeds it delivered across three distinct locations. For my testing, I chose my home location, New York City, and a more remote area in northern New Jersey.

With service activated on my Motorola Razr Fold, I ran Ookla's Speedtest app three times at each spot and averaged the results (which you can see in the chart above). Testing indoors at home, my device consistently bounced between standard 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband, yielding an average of 69 Mbps down and 12.6 Mbps up. While those aren’t mind-blowing numbers, they still easily outshined the 6.33 Mbps down and 2.29 Mbps up I was getting with Visible's basic unlimited plan on my iPhone 17 Pro.

Moving to my second location — an outdoor setting in New York City — I was absolutely blown away by Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. The phone averaged an obscene 893 Mbps down and 77.5 Mbps up. Those numbers rival the fiber speeds I get at home when wired directly into my router, making it incredibly impressive to see that kind of throughput over a wireless connection.

Finally, for my rural environment test, the network delivered a modest average of 29.5 Mbps down and 1.45 Mbps up. Again, it's nothing to write home about, but at least the download speeds stayed safely out of the single digits.

Ultimately, these real-world tests highlight just how much of a difference 5G Ultra Wideband makes for everyday tasks, whether you're downloading a 1GB file from Google Drive or streaming media. On Ultra Wideband, video streaming quality jumped instantly to its maximum resolution on YouTube and Netflix, whereas at home, videos buffered noticeably longer before playing.

Verizon Wireless review: Verdict

(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom's Guide)

Switching back to Verizon proves to me that premium carrier networks still hold a massive performance advantage over budget MVNOs, but that luxury comes at a cost. If you live or work in a major hub like New York City where the infrastructure is highly developed, you can constantly tap into insane 5G Ultra Wideband speeds.

I personally appreciate that kind of throughput because time is money, mainly because being able to upload and download huge batches of photos and videos on the go makes me significantly more productive for work. It’s a massive time-saver that only happens when you have access to the fastest network infrastructure possible.

However, if you spend most of your time outside of Ultra Wideband coverage areas — where speeds drop closer to standard MVNO performance — sticking with a cheaper alternative like Visible or Mint Mobile remains the smarter financial move.

Mint Mobile just gave customers a rare win — increased data at no extra cost

tom.pritchard@futurenet.com (Tom Pritchard) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:42:23 +0000

It feels like prices are constantly rising, while we seem to get less and less for our money. It's one of the reasons we launched the Tom's Guide Savings Squad and why we want to draw attention to Mint Mobile's latest announcement. The carrier has confirmed it will be raising data allowances for all of its plans without charging customers a penny more in the process.

Previously, Mint offered four separate data plans and we rank the provider as the overall best cell phone plan you can choose. 5GB was the cheapest, followed by 15GB, 20GB, and then jumping all the way up to Unlimited. The allowances for three of those plans have increased, with Mint now offering 6GB, 17GB and 23GB plans.

Obviously, you can't increase unlimited data, but Mint has increased the amount of high-speed hotspot data available to customers on an Unlimited plan. That means Unlimited customers now get 20GB of tethering, instead of the previous 10GB.

So, how much are these plans going to set you back? It depends on how many months you sign up for. So here's a table to illustrate everything:

	3 months	6-months	12-months
6GB	$15.00	$20.00	$15.00
17GB	$20.00	$25.00	$20.00
23GB	$25.00	$35.00	$25.00
Unlimited	$30.00	$35.00	$30.00

Those plans also come with upfront payments, ranging from $45 to $90 for a 3-month plan, $120 to $210 for a 6-month plan, or $180 to $360 for a 12-month plan. Gotta say, though, those 6-month plans don't look particularly enticing and seem like much worse value than the alternatives for new customers. So bear that in mind if you decide to sign up with Mint.

Mint offers a bunch of extra benefits as standard, too. This includes high-speed 5G data powered by T-Mobile's network, free mobile hotspot use, plus free calls to Mexico, Canada, and the U.K. That's on top of unlimited calls and texts that you'd get anywhere else. According to Mint, typical download speeds range from 70Mbps to 357 Mbps. Though the available speeds will obviously vary depending on where you are and what the coverage is like.

This change doesn't seem to be a limited-time thing, and the way Mint is marketing these changes suggests it'll be a permanent increase in data. In other words, if you're not already a Mint Mobile customer, there's no need to rush off and sign up while you can; the boosted data allowance should still be there whenever it's time to leave your current carrier.

T-Mobile is giving its customers gas discounts and a bunch of other free perks in June — here’s how to cash in

john.velasco@futurenet.com (John Velasco) — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

I’m not a T-Mobile customer at the moment, but the Un-carrier’s June “Member Month” celebration is giving me a reason to make the switch because of all the epic offers behind it.

Customers can get gas discounts, a free DashPass by DoorDash subscription, free alcoholic drinks on Delta, hotel travel perks, and much more — all to celebrate 10 years of T-Mobile Tuesdays. The carrier is officially declaring June as "Member Month," featuring weekly drops consisting of high-value rewards and offers that run throughout the month.

“T-Mobile Tuesdays helped redefine what customers should expect from wireless — real value beyond connectivity,” said Allan Samson, Chief Marketing Officer, T-Mobile. "Member Month is our biggest celebration of that commitment yet.”

Each week will bring something different, but the only way to get them is to be a T-Mobile customer. This also applies to Metro by T-Mobile, T-Mobile Home Internet, and its small business customers. Whether you're looking for everyday relief on your grocery budget or gearing up for summer travel, here is a complete breakdown of what T-Mobile is giving away.

Essentials Saver Plan: $50/month per line @ T-Mobile
For those looking to make the switch to reap the benefits of its "Member Month" celebration, you can join the Un-carrier with its $50 per month Essentials Save plan. This is the cheapest unlimited cell phone plan you can get, which includes of 50GB of premium data.View Deal

Week of June 2

(Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

If you grew up in the '80s, you’re going to love what’s in store for the first week starting today, June 2. That’s because the lineup includes discounted movie tickets to see He-Man battle it out with Skeletor in Masters of the Universe, along with food and drink promotions at 7-Eleven, Pizza Hut, and more.

Member Month swag with magenta picnic blankets for T-Mobile customers.
Soccer-inspired trio dip bowls for Metro by T-Mobile customers.
$5 movie ticket for Masters of the Universe with Atom Tickets.
Free Slurpee drink, coffee, or Big Gulp at 7-Eleven.
$1 8-piece wings from Pizza Hut.
$5 off any full-size entrée at QDOBA.
Sweepstakes for a $100,000 grand prize.

Week of June 9

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Are you feeling the pain at the pump? Well, T-Mobile’s “Member Month” offer for week two includes discounted gasoline at select locations that should ease some of the burden of costly gas prices. You won’t go hungry on the road, either, because there are more food discounts and freebies available throughout the week.

$2/gallon rates for gas fill-ups to drivers in Los Angeles, Houston and Tulsa/Chicago. What’s even better is that this deal isn’t for T-Mobile members either because everyone can fuel up, while supplies last though.
Additional Shell gas discounts: For this week, T-Mobile is bumping its weekly fuel discount up to 50 cents off per gallon (up to 20 gallons) at participating Shell stations.
Free goodies at 7-Eleven.
Three free PanCoins redeemable for a short stack at IHOP.
Sweepstakes: Chance to win an Austin City Limits Music Festival flyaway trip.

Week of June 16

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This week’s offers are the weakest of the bunch in my opinion, but customers in New York City will benefit the most with a night to remember thanks to a free concert with rapper T-Pain. That's on top of the free in-flight premium alcoholic drinks for customers flying on Delta.

T-Pain concert in New York City.
Free in-flight premium alcoholic drink for customers flying on Delta.
Free in-flight Wi-Fi with Delta.
$9 three-day parking via The Parking Spot
Free three months of Super Duolingo
20 cents off at Shell stations.
Sweepstakes: Chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime getaway for four anywhere Delta flies.

Week of June 23

(Image credit: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

T-Mobile is offering its biggest travel and vacation savings during the fourth week of June, featuring major deals on hotel bookings and car rentals. Members can also unlock exclusive partner perks with Hilton, Hertz, and Dollar, plus enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Expanded travel perks: 40% off hotels and rental cars
Up to $2,500 in T-Mobile Cruise credits
Exclusive partner perks with Hilton, Hertz and Dollar
Free Wi-Fi on Royal Caribbean cruises booked through T-Mobile Travel
Three free months of MGM+
Free Popeyes chicken sandwich (with $5 minimum spend)
Sweepstakes: Chance to win a Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix trip with flights and a four-night stay

Week of June 30

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

To wrap up “Member Month,” T-Mobile is introducing T-Mobile Dining Rewards, where members can get up to 10% cash back at thousands of restaurants alongside a free one-year subscription to DashPass by DoorDash. Users will also want to keep a close eye on the T-Life app on Tuesday, June 30, for an exclusive, limited-edition streetwear drop.

T-Mobile Dining Rewards: Earn cash back at thousands of restaurants nationwide. $5 off for new members with an extra $5 bonus for booking reservations through Dining Rewards, plus earn 5% cash back every day and 10% cash back every Tuesday.
Free DashPass by DoorDash .
Limited-edition collab: T-Life app will roll out limited-edition streetwear drop on Tuesday, June 30.
Sweepstakes: Chance to win a $10,000 grand prize or Amazon gift cards.

I downgraded my Verizon phone plan — and am now saving more than $600 a year

mike.prospero@futurenet.com (Mike Prospero) — Mon, 25 May 2026 07:30:00 +0000

When was the last time you looked at your phone bill? I know for me, it was probably the time I upgraded — to the iPhone 14 Pro.

Yes, I work for a tech site, but when it comes to the gear I use every day, I don’t have a compulsion to upgrade to the latest-and-greatest, which is why my phone is three years old, and the TVs in my house are far older than that.

We’ve long been Verizon customers, and while it’s not the cheapest cell phone provider, it’s reliable and covers our area well. Plus, we also use Verizon FIOS for internet service, so I get a bit of a discount by bundling.

Anyway, back when my wife and I upgraded to the iPhone 14 Pro, we also switched our plans to Verizon’s 5G Play More. That gave us unlimited data, as well as a Disney/Hulu/ESPN subscription for a total of $79 per month per line (before all the fees, of course).

Just as I did when we decided to cancel our Amazon Prime subscription, I took a look at just how we were using our phones, and realized that we could get by with much less.

Verizon’s 5G Play More plan has been phased out; the company now offers three unlimited plans: Unlimited Welcome ($55/month), Unlimited Plus ($70/month), and Unlimited Ultimate ($80/month).

The Ultimate tier includes such things as 5G Ultra Wide Band (UWB) service, unlimited international data, and unlimited hotspot use; the Plus plan has 5G UWB and 30GB of hotspot use, while the Welcome plan only offers Verizon’s slower 5G service.

Here’s a breakdown of what we’re currently paying, plus how much it would cost if we switched to a new plan.

	Cost per line	Total for 2 lines	Annual	w/ Disney bundle	Savings
5G Play More	$79	$158	$1896	$1896	n/a
Unlimited welcome	$47.5	$95	$1140	$1260	$636
Unlimited Plus	$62.5	$125	$1500	$1620	$276
Unlimited Ultimate	$77.5	$155	$1860	$1980	$-84

On the surface, it looks like I could just swap my current plan for the Ultimate tier, but due to Verizon’s new policies, I would end up paying even more, because I would have to add the Disney/Hulu/ESPN+ subscription for an extra $10/month.

But do I need what the Unlimited or even the Plus plan offers?

It’s been a year since I traveled out of the country (and I don’t envision going abroad any time soon), I’ve never used my phone as a hotspot, and I spend most of my days within Wi-Fi range. If we were to travel, Verizon offers Travelpass, which costs $12 per day, as well as an International Monthly Plan for $100.

I will be curious to see how much of a performance impact there will be going from 5G UWB to 5G, but I only really use data when driving using navigation or streaming music, neither of which are huge data hogs. And if it becomes a problem, we can always go up a tier, and we’d still be saving a few hundred bucks.

Have you changed up your phone bill recently? Let me know in the comments.

Traveling to the World Cup? Here's what you need to know about international data plans

tom.pritchard@futurenet.com (Tom Pritchard) — Sat, 23 May 2026 05:00:00 +0000

The 2026 World Cup kicks off in just over two weeks, and for the first time, the tournament will be split across three separate countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States. That means, no matter where soccer fans are from, they may end up crossing multiple international borders to attend all their games

If you've got experience with international travel, you'll know all about the pains of trying to use your existing data plan in a different country. Data roaming can be prohibitively expensive if you're not careful, and it pays to have a plan in place so you can stay connected without hopping between different public Wi-Fi networks. The good news is that multiple U.S. carriers have anticipated this, and have launched travel plans specifically for the World Cup

So whether you're traveling to North America for the tournament, or a U.S. resident crossing over into Canada and Mexico, here's what you need to know about staying connected throughout the World Cup.

AT&T

(Image credit: AT&T)

AT&T has launched a new short-term eSIM package for travellers visiting North America for the World Cup. This system is powered by "eSIM by AT&T" and gives travellers the flexibility to pay for connectivity when they need it.

This means you can buy data passes valid for one, seven, 15 or 30 days, complete with unlimited data and 5GB of hotspot access. The single-day pass is only valid in the U.S., and costs $4 a day. The other three options do offer coverage for Canada and Mexico, but you will have to pay a premium for it. Here's the rundown of the prices, inclusive of tax and other fees.

	U.S. only	U.S., Canada and Mexico
1-Day	$4	-
7-Day	$15	$15
15-Day	$25	$40
30-Day	$41	$60

These plans only include data, and don't include voice or text messaging. So if you need to stay in touch with others, be it family back home or other members of your group, you'll need to use IP-based services like WhatsApp.

Existing AT&T customers can take advantage of the carrier's "International Day Pass," which lets you use your existing plan as if you were still in the U.S. This is available in 210 locations around the world, including Canada and Mexico. This costs $12 a day, and you're automatically charged for 24-hour access whenever you use data on your phone outside the U.S.

T-Mobile

(Image credit: T-Mobile)

International travellers visiting the World Cup can sign up for T-Mobile's US Pass eSIM, which 50GB of high-speed 5G data within the U.S., and 5GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico. Once you use up those allowances, your connection will be downgraded to 3G, which means noticeably lower speeds. Hotspot data is also included, but the amount you get id dependent on which pass you purchase.

Here are the prices for the different US Pass eSIMs, which do not include taxes or fees. However, each pass does include unlimited calls and text messages across North America.

	Price	Hotspot allowance
7-Days	$25	14GB
10-Days	$30	20GB
14-Days	$35	28GB
30-Days	$50	50GB

Existing T-Mobile customers may be able to get international coverage as part of their existing package, but the level of that coverage depends on which sort of plan you're actually signed up for. For the most part, you get an allowance of high-speed data, after which you get unlimited data throttled to either 256kps or 128kbps speeds. Here are the allowances for Canada and Mexico with unlimited calls and texts:

30GB: Better Value, Experience Beyond, Go5G Next plans. Throttled to 256kbps thereafter
15GB: Experience More, Go5G Plus plans. Throttled to 256kbps thereafter
10GB: Go5G plans. Throttled to 128kbps thereafter
5GB: Max, Plus plans. Throttled to 256kbps thereafter
5GB: Magenta, One plans. Throttled to 128kbps thereafter

All other plans are charged at $0.01 per megabyte of data, $0.25 a minute for calls, and free unlimited texts. Those of you who have T-Mobile's T-Satellite connectivity will also be able to use that in Canada, if you ever find yourself without cell service.

Verizon

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Verizon is the official Telecommunication Services Sponsor for the 2026 World Cup, and even offered free game tickets to its customers. Despite this, the carrier hasn't announced any specific World Cup-branded deals for customers travelling to games. Though it does offer various plans and perks for existing customers who are partaking in international travel.

The good news is that roaming in Mexico and Canada is actually included with all Unlimited plans — but it's not quite the same as using your phone at home. 5G and 4G data have a 2GB daily cap, and after you use it up, you'll be restricted to 3G data speeds. There are no restrictions on how much 3G data you can use, so you won't ever be cut off, but you will have to deal with much slower download speeds as a result.

If you don't have an Unlimited plan, you can pay for a Verizon TravelPass instead. Once added to your plan, these passes will offer unlimited calls, texting and data when you leave the U.S. TravelPass costs $6 a day in Canada and Mexico, which is half the price it would cost if you went elsewhere. If you choose to stick with Pay as You Go roaming, then you'll be charged $2.05 for every megabyte of data you use. A megabyte is not a lot of data, and at those prices, a single gigabyte will end up costing you over $2,000. Obviously, you do not want that to happen.

Verizon does not offer any shorter-term plans, which means you can't just sign up for a few days and temporarily enjoy the carrier's roaming plans. However, its subsidiary Visible is a totally different story.

Visible

(Image credit: Visible)

The Visible eSIM travel pass is powered by Verizon's Ultra Wideband 5G network, and is designed to offer travellers unlimited data within the United States. The plan also includes 500 minutes of calls from the U.S. to 85 different countries and unlimited texting to over 200 countries. Don't expect ay hotspot data, though.

Sadly, this generous data allowance does not extend to Canada, Mexico, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visible only offers 2GB of high-speed data in those regions, after which you'll be relegated to 3G speeds — though you do get unlimited calls and text messages.

The prices are easily some of the best around, thanks to Visible offering a $10 discount on each plan with the code FIFA10. This means you can expect to pay the following for each of the four passes, inclusive of taxes and fees.

	Price
7-Day	$15
14-Day	$25
30-Day	$35
45-Day	$45

Existing Visible customers from the U.S. can take advantage of the carrier's Global Pass if they plan on travelling to Canada or Mexico for the World Cup. This pass includes 2GB of high-speed data per day, with coverage downgraded to 3G thereafter, as well as unlimited calls and texts.

Coverage in Canada and Mexico is $5 a day if you have a standard Visible plan, but anyone with a Visible+ or Visible+ Pro plan has roaming already included at no extra charge.

Ultra Mobile

(Image credit: Ultra Mobile)

Ultra Mobile, which is owned by T-Mobile, has just launched some new international plans designed for all travellers — including those heading to Mexico and Canada for the World Cup. However, they do not appear to be suitable for international travellers, or anyone who isn't already an Ultra Mobile customer.

There are two different kinds of international "Go Roam" passes on offer at Ultra Mobile right now.

The Go Roam Mexico Data Pass offers 5GB of high-speed data over a period of 30 days. This plan is included with all Unlimited plans, but can be added to any other Ultra plan for $5. The Go Roam World Pass is available for either 5 or 15 days, and covers 200 other countries around the world — including Canada.

A 5-day pass is $5, bundled with 1GB of high-speed data, 100 minutes and 100 outgoing texts. The 15-day pass is $10, which offers 5GB of high-speed data, 300 minutes and 300 texts.

AT&T just announced a new 'Build-A-Plan' that starts at $15 a month: here's what you actually get

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Thu, 21 May 2026 20:46:13 +0000

Today AT&T announced a new customizable wireless plan that lets you choose the right features for you starting at $15 per month. The new "Build-a-Plan" is month-to-month and kicks off on Wednesday, May 27.

This new plan offering looks to put more control in subscribers' hands. According to AT&T's announcement, it's meant to give you more choice and control while offering lower prices compared to T-Mobile and Verizon.

One way it does this is by letting you customize your plan from month to month, rather than being locked into a single contract for a specified period.

"By giving our customers the freedom to tailor their wireless service month to month, we are giving them an affordable way to connect to America’s largest wireless network and still control their budget," said Jenifer Robertson, AT&T's executive vice president and general manager of AT&T Consumer.

How 'Build-A-Plan' works

(Image credit: AT&T)

Build-A-Plan starts at $15 a month, which includes unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data.

From there, you can add data from one of four tiers: 5GB, 15GB, Unlimited Data with SD video streaming, or Unlimited Data with HD streaming. The increased data selections replace the 1GB from the $15 base plan.

For those who need Hotspots, you can add 5GB, 25GB or 50GB data options.

At its most expensive, you could pay $70 a month for unlimited data with HD streaming, 50GB of hotspot data, and unlimited text and talk.

Personally, I rarely, if ever, need Hotspot data, so I would probably choose the 15GB data plan, which only costs $25 per month all in. For a major carrier, that's a great deal and even beats some of the best cheap cell phone plans, including offerings from Mint Mobile — our top pick.

As mentioned, though, if you know you'll need hotspot data or more data, like when you go on vacation, you can bump up or reduce your plan month to month as needed.

AT&T doesn't specify, but it appears you'll need to bring your own phone to the plan. The announcement and website also don't specify how current AT&T subscribers can switch to this plan.

An AT&T spokesperson told Tom's Guide that the plan is bring your device, which must be eSIM capable. Additionally, initially, the plan is meant for new customers but we were told that as the company gains insights it will refine the experience and exapand the plan to more customers.

Build-A-Plan officially goes live starting May 27, and you'll be able to sign up at att.com/plans/build-plan/.

Best long-expiry prepaid mobile plans in Australia: set, forget and save big with the top 180-day and 365-day options

Stephen Lambrechts — Tue, 19 May 2026 06:59:38 +0000

In Australia, long‑expiry prepaid plans offer a simple, predictable way to manage mobile costs by letting you pay upfront for 6 or 12 months. It's the kind of set‑and‑forget experience that will free you from the constant cycle of monthly bills so you can focus on everything else in your life.

They're also cost-effective, often working out cheaper on a per-month basis than equivalent month-to-month options, sometimes offering more data than even the best cheap mobile phone plans.

Australia's three major telcos, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, all offer long-expiry prepaid plans, though the best value for money can typically be found at smaller telcos, such as Lyca Mobile, Kogan Mobile, Amaysim, Boost Mobile and more.

Long‑expiry plans usually give you a large pool of data upfront and let you manage it at your own pace over the full term. That freedom to control your usage makes them especially appealing to lighter or more unpredictable data users who value having that kind of flexibility.

Alternatively, some long‑term prepaid plans will divide your data into monthly allocations for the sake of convenience, with any unused amount rolling over to the next month. It's a great option for people who like the consistency of a monthly plan but prefer not to deal with the hassle of paying a phone bill every month.

To make things easy for you, we've put together a list of all the top prepaid plans with either 180-day or 365-day expiry periods, starting with some handpicked choices which we think provide the most bang for your buck.

Long-expiry prepaid plans: top picks

Kogan Mobile Extra Large 365 Day Flex Plan | 500GB + 400GB bonus data | No lock-in contract | AU$199 for first year, then AU$300 for future renewals | Vodafone 4G/5G Network

If massive data is your goal, Kogan Mobile’s Extra Large 365‑Day Flex Plan is hard to top. For the first year, it’s discounted by AU$101 and boosted with an extra 400GB on top of the standard 500GB. You can take the full 900GB upfront or receive it in 75GB monthly chunks. Your first year comes to AU$199 — effectively AU$16.58 p/m or just AU$0.22 per GB — with renewals priced at AU$300. You'd better act fast, though — this offer expires on May 24, 2026.

Total minimum cost is AU$199 | Total cost per year: AU$199, then AU$300 ongoingView Deal

Lyca Mobile Medium Plan | 360GB | AU$150 first year, then AU$240 ongoing | Vodafone 4G/5G Network

Lyca Mobile is offering a great deal for those willing to pay upfront for a whole year of service. The telco's Medium long-term plan gives you a total of 360GB, split into 30GB chunks that are renewed every 30 days for 12 renewals, at a reduced price of AU$150, down from AU$240 — that works out to just AU$12.50 per renewal, making it an awesome bargain. Once the introductory period ends, the price for your next 12 renewals returns to the regular rate. This offer is valid until May 31, 2026. T&Cs apply.

Total minimum cost is AU$150 | Total cost per year: AU$150, then AU$240 ongoingView Deal

Boost Mobile $365 Prepaid | 375GB for new activations, then 365GB from next recharge | No lock-in contract | AU$365 | Telstra 5G Network

If you’re after an affordable year-long prepaid option on Telstra’s 5G network, Boost Mobile’s $365 Prepaid plan is worth checking out. New customers score 375GB to use in their first year, which averages about 32.2GB a month. From the second recharge onwards, the allowance is 365GB annually, or roughly 30.4GB per month. T&Cs apply.

Total minimum cost is AU$365 | Total cost per year: AU$365View Deal

Long-expiry prepaid plans by price

How we pick the best long-expiry prepaid plans

When comparing long‑expiry mobile plans, our goal is to pinpoint options that deliver the strongest value for money, with particular attention to the dollars‑to‑data ratio — the real measure of how far your recharge actually goes. Because these plans lock you in for several months at a time, getting the right balance upfront matters even more.

The Aussie Tom's Guide team prioritises plans that stretch your budget as far as possible. A good long‑expiry option should provide generous data inclusions at a cost that remains competitive over the full term. Since the average Australian uses roughly 12GB of data per month, we treat that as the baseline when assessing whether a plan’s total data allowance is genuinely practical across its lifespan, whether that be 180 or 365 days.

Unlimited standard calls and texts are now standard across almost all long‑expiry offerings, so any plan that still caps these features is unlikely to represent good value. We also show preference to any long-expiry plan which includes extras, such as rollover data or international minutes.

Coverage also plays a major role in determining overall worth. Depending on the provider, your long‑expiry plan will run on either the Telstra, Optus or Vodafone network. Telstra continues to offer the most extensive 4G and 5G footprint nationwide, with Optus and Vodafone close behind.

By weighing these factors — cost efficiency, data longevity, unlimited national use, and network performance — we focus on long-expiry plans that deliver the strongest overall return for your money.

New Optus SIM-plan discounts deliver a one-two punch of AU$15 off and 50GB bonus data — plans from AU$40 a month

Stephen Lambrechts — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:04:59 +0000

Optus is set to hike its mobile plan prices next month, but there is a way around it – at least for the next 12 months. Better still, you can lock in a discounted monthly rate for the entire year, along with some bonus monthly data thrown-in for good measure.

Currently, Optus has slashed prices on two of its best SIM-only mobile plans by AU$15 p/m for the entire first year, which'll save you AU$180 in total. That's already a great discount, but the telco is also providing 50GB of bonus data per month.

First up is the $55 Promo Plan, offering 100GB of monthly data (50GB plus a 50GB bonus) and discounted to AU$40 p/m for the first 12 months.

Alternatively, the $65 Promo Plan offers 250GB of monthly data (200GB plus a 50GB bonus) and is now down to just AU$50 p/m for the first year.

Those are great prices by Optus standards, though it is worth noting that Vodafone has currently discounted its SIM-only plans by 50% for the first 6 months, offering slightly better value over the course of a year.

For instance, Vodafone's 200GB plan comes in at AU$39.75 p/m on average for the first year, meaning you get twice as much data as Optus' 100GB plan at a slightly cheaper price point.

Of course, that doesn’t factor in the 50GB of bonus data included with Optus' equivalent 200GB SIM-only plan, or the provider’s better 5G coverage, both of which could justify paying a bit extra each month.

Either way, you’ll need to act fast to lock in the discounted Optus pricing for the next year, as the AU$15 p/m discount ends on May 17, 2026. The very next day, May 18, 2026, the telco will also bump up the cost of all its SIM-only plans by AU$5 p/m for both new sign ups and existing customers, making now the perfect time to secure your reduced monthly rate for the next 12 months.

Vodafone has extended its half-price sale on SIM-only mobile plans — this is your last chance to get 400GB for AU$36.50 p/m

Stephen Lambrechts — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:54:12 +0000

UPDATE: Thought you’d missed out on Vodafone’s half-price madness? Good news — the telco has extended its SIM-only sale for a couple more weeks, meaning this is truly your last chance to bag these discounted rates.

The sale sees Vodafone offer new customers a 50% discount across all three of its SIM only mobile plans for the first six months, which means you can nab its epic 'Large' plan with 400GB of monthly data for just ~~AU$73 p/m~~ AU$36.50 p/m.

That works out to AU$0.09 per GB, which is the best dollars-to-data ratio I've seen from any mobile plan ever. That’s not simply a generous offer — that’s the work of a value-minded super-telco.

Alternatively, you could pay even less by opting for Vodafone's 'Small' plan, which offers 60GB of monthly data for ~~AU$53 p/m~~ AU$26.50 p/m, or its 'Medium' plan, which provides a substantial 200GB of monthly data for only ~~AU$63 p/m~~ AU$31.50 p/m.

Score a 50% discount on your Vodafone SIM only plan for the first 6 months

Vodafone has halved the price of all its SIM-only plans for the first six months, dropping the 400GB Large plan to AU$36.50 p/m, which is an incredible deal, while the 60GB Small and 200GB Medium plans fall to AU$26.50 and AU$31.50 p/m respectively. This offer expires on May 19, 2026. T&Cs apply.View Deal

However, from a value standpoint, it simply makes more sense to live large with more data when the price difference between these discounted plans is so minimal — I know that's what I would do.

Just to be clear, once the six-month introductory period ends, your mobile plan will return to the full monthly rate. The good news is that Vodafone’s SIM-only plans are month-to-month with no lock-in contracts, so you can easily switch to a cheaper plan or switch to another telco once the discount wraps up.

If you're looking for an obscene amount of mobile data to play with, this deal is about as good as it gets. Of course, I wouldn't wait around too long to swoop on this, as this offer is set to expire on the updated date of May 19, 2026.

Get 125GB of data on Telstra's full network for just AU$17 with this epic Boost Mobile deal

Stephen Lambrechts — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:56:05 +0000

While Boost Mobile is not typically the cheapest Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in Australia, its higher price is offset by the fact that it's the only third-party provider to offer access to Telstra's full network, which covers 99.7% of the Australian population.

But what if you could get that same access without the high cost? That's exactly what's on offer with Boost Mobile's latest deal for new customers, which slashes 65% off the price of its AU$49 prepaid SIM with 28 day expiry, while also providing stacks of bonus data.

Customers who sign up before April 20, 2026 can get Boost Mobile's AU$49 prepaid SIM with a whopping 125GB of data for just AU$17 — that's just under AU$0.14 per GB, which is the best dollars-to-data ratio you'll find in all of Australia.

Boost Mobile $49 Prepaid | 35GB + 90GB bonus data | No lock-in contract | AU$17 for first 28 days, then AU$49 for future recharges

Boost Mobile stands out because it's the only Telstra reseller that uses the entire Telstra network. That means you get the exact same coverage as Telstra, without any of those pesky wholesale network restrictions. This online-only deal for new customers offers insane value, providing 125GB of data for your first 28 days for only AU$17. This offer expires on April 20, 2026 and must be activated before May 4, 2026.

Total minimum cost is AU$17 (28 days) | Total cost for first year: AU$556View Deal

So what's the catch? Well, this price and data allowance is only available for your first 28 days of connection, with all future recharges costing the usual price of AU$49 for 35GB of data, which works out to AU$1.40 per GB.

That's not the most competitive offer around, but you always have the option of switching to another provider once the initial promo period is over.

If you're still keen on scoring a massive 125GB of data to play with over a 28-day period for price of a few cappuccinos, you should act fast — this offer is only available until April 20 and must be activated before May 4.

Looking for a cheaper phone plan? Ezee Mobile’s 30% off sale makes it easy as

Stephen Lambrechts — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:46:07 +0000

Chemist Warehouse has been saving Aussies money on their prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, cosmetics and fragrances since the turn of the century, and now it's partnered with Ezee Mobile to do the same for your phone bill by offering data-heavy plans at fantastic prices.

A relative newcomer to the Australian telco scene, Ezee Mobile operates on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, offering 4G and 5G coverage to about 98.7% of the population. In other words, you can expect reliable service almost everywhere, except in Australia’s most remote areas.

Right now, Ezee has slashed 30% off all of its prepaid plans for new customers for their first 3 recharges. That means you can get started from just ~~AU$29~~ AU$20.30 per recharge during this period for 29GB of data.

Our top pick sits at the higher end of the plan options: grab a huge 160GB of data for just AU$38.50 per recharge for the first three renewals, down from AU$55, which comes to an amazing AU$0.24 per GB. Now that’s a steal!

Alternatively, you might find the perfect middle-ground with its 100GB plan, which typically costs AU$45 per recharge but is currently only AU$31.50 for the first 3 renewals (just AU$0.31 per GB).

Of course, this introductory offer is only available for a limited time and is set to expire on May 31, 2026. So, if you're looking to cut down on phone costs, you may want to consider going the Ezee route.

Verizon has made it more difficult to unlock your phone: how the new policy works

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:14:37 +0000

After winning a waiver from the FCC, Verizon has been quick to update its unlock policies, making it harder for customers to leave with their devices for a rival carrier. The changes don't affect just people who use Verizon, but also several MVNOs that piggyback on Verizon's network.

Compared to AT&T and T-Mobile, the policies are largely the same, especially when it comes to prepaid devices. AT&T appears to still respect the 60-day window that was waived for Verizon.

Here's how the big three compare.

Verizon

Devices purchased after Jan. 27, 2026 are locked until the device is paid off or terms of contract are fulfilled.
• For post-paid phones, if you have a balance, you can't switch.
• If you pay off a device online or in the My Verizon App, unlocking is delayed 35 days. It also applies if you use a Verizon gift card, paper check or magnetic stripe swipe.
• To avoid the delay, you have to use a secure payment like a credit card with an EMV chip, cash or contactless payment in a Verizon store.
• Devices purchased before 1/27 will automatically unlock after 60 days of service.

AT&T

AT&T requires the device to be purchased more than 60 days prior and paid in full. If you're on an installment plan, it must be at zero.

• Your AT&T bill must be current. If those requirements are met it will unlock on its own after 60 days.

• Additionally, your device can't have been reported lost or stolen.

T-Mobile

Eligibility is determined by four factors.

•The phone must be sold by T-Mobile and not reported lost or stolen.

• Your account must be in good standing. Postpaid phones need to have been active on T-Mobile's network for 40 days. If financed or leased, it needs to be have been paid in full.

• On prepaid plans, the device needs to be active for 365 days on the network. Less than that and it needs to have more than $100 in refills for each line active on the account and more than 14 days need to have passed.

How we got here

In January, the Federal Communications Commission agreed to waive a 60-day phone unlock requirement that had been imposed on Verizon since 2008, when it acquired licenses to use the 700 MHz spectrum. It was reupped in 2021 when Verizon bought TracFone.

Verizon has argued that the shorter unlock window contributed to "device fraud" and increased phone prices. The FCC agreed.

“Today, criminal networks are specifically targeting Verizon handsets due to the company’s unique unlocking policies,” the FCC’s filing said.

As Ars Technica reported in January, the company almost immediately introduced a new unlocking policy for TracFone and other prepaid brands that enforced a 365-day lock period. That affects brands like StraightTalk, Total Wireless and Walmart Family Mobile.

Verizon associated MVNOs

If you're unfamiliar, an MVNO is a mobile virtual network operator. Simply, these are carriers that utilize a larger carrier's network to offer services.

Verizon partners with more than a dozen MVNOs that use its networks. Some of them are partially or wholly owned by Verizon like Visible and TracPhone. The largest and most visible one is Xfinity Mobile, which offers cell service for customers who also get internet from Comcast.

Verizon's key MVNOs are:

Xfinity Mobile
Twigby
Ting
Spectrum Mobile
Page Plus
Pix Wireless
Credo Mobile
Lively
Net10
Reach Mobile
Red Pocket
Straight Talk
Total Wireless
TracFone

Verizon struggling

Reportedly, Verizon is struggling to retain customers. The most recent earnings call reported a 32.6% decline in operating income and a cancellation rate of 0.95% among postpaid phone customers, a much higher rate than in previous quarters.

CEO Dan Schulman blamed it on price increases "without corresponding value," friction in billing, onboarding and customer service, and a shift to MVNO carriers.

A Market Force Information survey from 2025 found that Verizon customers, on average, spend $157 a month on their phone bills, the highest among the big three. Customer satisfaction was quite low as well.

Between price hikes, several major outages in the last six months, and now this harsher unlock policy, Verizon is doing itself no favors.

I'm looking for an affordable mobile plan that comes with big data, and these are the three I'm considering

Stephen Lambrechts — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:02:00 +0000

For years, I was able to get by on my current mobile plan and its modest data allowance without any real danger of reaching my monthly limit. However, the arrival of Spotify Lossless means that I now burn through data much faster than before.

Since streaming lossless audio consumes roughly 1GB of data per hour, it's evident that I'm going to need a big-data mobile plan if I'm to maintain this high-fidelity lifestyle that I've become accustomed to. And if I can get this extra data without paying a premium, even better.

Going by my average listening time, I think 100GB of monthly data should be more than enough for me to comfortably stream up to 24-bit audio without worrying about hitting my limit. Factoring in my desire to keep my phone bill below AU$50 p/m, I've landed on three SIM-only mobile plans that seem to suit my needs.

My top 3 mobile plan picks for big data

Yomojo comes in as the sharpest deal, with its Pro Plan offering a hefty 105GB on the Optus 4G network for just AU$29.90 per 30‑day renewal. While that price only applies for the first six renewals, the ongoing cost is only AU$5 more — still landing at an impressive AU$0.33 per GB.

That said, there are downsides — for starters, Yomojo is prepaid only, which could prove a problem if I do reach my data limit. Additionally, 5G access is not included, and the plan is speed capped at 150Mbps.

Yomojo Pro Plan | 105GB data | AU$29.90 per 30-day renewal (first 6 renewals, then AU$34.90) | Optus 4G Network

Looking for massive data at a bargain price? Yomojo's Pro Plan delivers incredible value. For the first six months, it's an absolute steal at only AU$29.90 per renewal, translating to a mere AU$0.28 per GB. Even after the introductory period, when the price adjusts to AU$34.90 every 30 days, it remains a fantastic deal, breaking down to just AU$0.33 per GB. This promotion is available until February 28, 2026, so this is your last chance to secure this deal before it expires. T&Cs apply.

Total minimum cost is AU$29.90 (1 month) | Total cost for first year: AU$388.80View Deal

My next option comes in the form of TPG's 100GB Large Plan, which as the name suggests offers 100GB of data per month. This one has a cheaper cost during the first 6 months, priced at just AU$22.50 p/m. However, that price will double to AU$45 p/m beyond the introductory period.

Sure, that's a full tenner more expensive than the Yomojo Pro Plan for slightly less data, but it comes with some significant advantages — firstly, it's a postpaid plan, which suits me better, and also offers access to Vodafone's 5G network. Additionally, it has the fastest speed cap of all three plans at 250Mbps.

TPG (100GB Large Plan) | 100GB data | No lock-in contract | AU$22.50p/m (first 6 months, then AU$45p/m) | Vodafone 4G/5G network

Like the deal above, this offer has been on the table for ages, but it's still an excellent deal. TPG is offering new customers a whopping 100GB of data per month for just AU$22.50p/m. Of course, there's a catch — that price is only for the first 6 months, after which the price goes up to AU$45p/m (or AU$40p/m if you bundle it with a TPG internet plan). If that price is too rich for your blood, you can just cancel and switch to another provider. Please note, this offer is only available to new connections. T&Cs apply.

Total minimum cost is AU$22.50 | Total cost per year: AU$405 for first year, AU$540 each year after thatView Deal

Last (but not least) is Belong, which has an epic 'double data' deal for new customers during their first 12 months of connection. That means its 100GB Mobile Plan actually provides 200GB of monthly data, which is more than enough for my streaming needs. It also manages to stay below my AU$50 p/m limit, priced at just AU$45 p/m.

While that introductory price is excellent for the first year, the data allowance does drop back to 100GB per month once the promo ends, putting it on level footing with the TPG plan above. In practical terms, it means choosing between double the data or paying half the price during those first 12 months. I'll also have to consider whether I'm willing to accept Belong's 150Mbps speed cap.

Belong (100GB Mobile Plan) | 100GB + 100GB bonus data (first 12 months) | No lock-in contract | AU$45p/m | Telstra Wholesale 4G/5G network

Need massive data? Belong's 100GB Mobile Plan offers double the data for new customers during their first 12 months of connection for just AU$45 p/m — that works out to only AU$0.22 per GB, which is incredible value. That said, the data limit will drop back down to 100GB p/m once that promo period has ended, which works out to a very reasonable AU$0.44 per GB. This offer expires on March 23, 2026. T&Cs apply.

Total minimum cost is AU$45 | Total cost per year: AU$540View Deal

As you can see, each plan gives me more than enough data, but each also comes with its own trade-offs, whether that’s price, speed or bonus inclusions. Now I just need to decide which one feels just right for me.

This killer offer from Samsung and Vodafone can save you up to AU$1,200 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Z Flip 7 or Z Fold 7

Stephen Lambrechts — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 06:10:48 +0000

With the Galaxy S26 series set to be unveiled in a matter of weeks, Samsung is cleaning out its old inventory, starting with an exceptional deal on its online store that brings the already-discounted Galaxy S25 Ultra down to under a thousand bucks for the very first time, and the standard to Galaxy S25 down to under AU$200!

Samsung has teamed up with Vodafone for an exclusive offer that slashes a mammoth AU$800 from the price of the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 at checkout when paired with a specific 24-month plan.

To access the discount, simply choose your desired handset from the list above, head to the 'Choose a plan' section of the device's listing page, then apply the '$65 Vodafone BYOD 24mth Plan' option to access the discount.

As the name suggests, this plan, which includes 80GB of monthly data, will cost you AU$65 p/m over 24 months, meaning you'll pay a minimum of AU$1,560 over the entire 2-year contract period, plus the upfront cost of your chosen device.

For the S25 Ultra, that AU$800 discount is applied on top of an existing AU$400 price reduction, resulting in a total saving of AU$1,200 on the device's RRP. In other words, you can score the 256GB model of Samsung's current flagship phone from as little as ~~AU$2,149~~ AU$949.

Get AU$400 off the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra + another AU$800 off when you pair it with Vodafone's 24-month BYOD plan

Score a total saving of AU$1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra when you combine an existing $400 discount with Vodafone's 24-month $65 BYOD plan for an additional AU$800 saving, bringing the device's price down to just AU$949 for the 256GB model. T&Cs apply.View Deal

Of course, if you really want to spend as little as possible, you can stack that AU$800 discount on top of the existing AU$400 saving on the standard Galaxy S25, bringing its price down to an earth-shatteringly low ~~AU$1,399~~ AU$199!

Get AU$400 off the Samsung Galaxy S25 + another AU$800 off when you pair it with Vodafone's 24-month BYOD plan

You can save a massive AU$1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25 thanks to this exclusive offer on the Samsung online store. Combine an existing AU$400 discount with an additional AU$800 saving when you pair the device with Vodafone's $65 24-month BYOD plan to score the 256GB model for only AU$199. T&Cs apply.View Deal

While only the entry-level Galaxy S25 and top-level Galaxy S25 Ultra are eligible for a stackable discount, all the other phones mentioned above still benefit massively from the AU$800 saving that comes with Vodafone's 24-month BYOD plan. It brings the starting price of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 down to ~~AU$1,799~~ AU$999 and the Galaxy Fold 7 down to ~~AU$2,899~~ AU$2,099.

If you've been waiting for a good deal to snag a new Galaxy smartphone, now is a great time to do so. It also bears repeating that this offer is exclusive to Samsung's online store, meaning you won't find it on Vodafone's website.

Best family mobile plan bundles in Australia: pool your data and cut your monthly phone costs

Stephen Lambrechts — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:11:39 +0000

Most parents will be very familiar with how expensive mobile phone plans can be, especially when accounting for a whole family. While individual phone bills may seem affordable at face value, the cumulative cost can place a significant strain on the typical Aussie household's budget.

Luckily, some Aussie telcos have family mobile plans that can ease the financial strain. Bundling your family’s mobile services into a single account is a simple and effective way to save on household phone costs, and the best deals in Australia offer more than just cheaper bills — they also provide a shared data pool and make account management effortless for parents.

For your convenience, we've detailed the leading family mobile plans in Australia from providers like Optus, Vodafone, Aldi Mobile and more, including an in-depth breakdown of each plan's cost, shared data allowance and general inclusions.

To keep this as simple as possible, we're only highlighting proper family bundles that offer reduced rates for additional users. There are some telcos that offer data-gifting as an alternative to family bundles, but we'd argue this approach doesn't make things easier for parents.

Best family mobile plan: Optus

Families of at least four people should take note of the Optus Family Mobile Plan, which offers four SIMs for AU$165 p/m and includes a shared monthly data pool of 320GB. That works out to AU$41.25 per SIM and 80GB for each person every month.

Need more SIMs? Optus allows you to add up to four extras, making a total of eight, at AU$29 p/m each. The catch is that they all share the same 320GB of monthly data, so the value decreases as you add more. For instance, with eight SIMs, you’d be spending AU$281 p/m (about AU$35 per SIM) for 40GB of data per person.

Still, it's unlikely that every member of the family will burn through 40GB of data each month, meaning lighter data users will effectively balance out those who use more — by this, we mean that each SIM isn't allocated its own 40GB, but rather they all draw from the same pool. The Family Mobile Plan includes 5G network access, along with unlimited talk and text to standard Australian numbers (13/1300 numbers included).

The plan also includes a subscription to the McAfee Safe Family App (valued at AU$8.99 p/m) at no additional cost, allowing parents to monitor their kids' device activity, set screen time limits and cut off times, and even receive location alerts.

Optus Family Mobile Plan: AU$165 p/m for 4 SIMs | 320GB data pool p/m | AU$29 p/m per additional SIM (up to 4)

Optus' Family Mobile Plan provides four SIMs for AU$165 p/m with a shared 320GB data pool, working out to AU$41.25 and 80GB per person. You also have the option of adding up to four additional SIMs for AU$29 each, maxing out at AU$281 p/m, though you'll all be sharing the same 320GB data allocation. Despite this, it's still a great option for larger families.View Deal

Discounts for bundling: Vodafone

Vodafone doesn't offer a traditional family plan. However, the telco does allow you to bundle up to four plans under one account to receive stacking discounts for each additional plan.

For instance, bundling a second plan on your account will get you a AU$5 discount on your monthly bill, bundling a third plan will get you an additional AU$15 off for a total monthly discount of AU$20, while bundling a fourth plan will get you another AU$15 off, resulting in a AU$35 discount on your monthly total.

Vodafone: Bundle multiple plans under one account for tiered monthly savings of AU$5-AU$35

Although Vodafone doesn't offer a traditional family plan, its Bundle and Save program can score you significant savings when you bundle multiple plans under one account. You'll get a AU$5 discount for two plans, a AU$20 discount for three plans, and a maximum discount of AU$35 for four plans.View Deal

Shared data pool: Yomojo

While Yomojo doesn't offer a specific family plan with a shared data pool, the telco does provide increasing discounts on your total monthly bill for each additional prepaid plan you bundle, topping out at six plans.

Two plans will save you 5%, three plans will save you 7.5%, four plans will save 10%, five plans will save you 12.5% and six plans will get you a maximum discount of 15% on your total monthly bill.

Each user has the option of choosing from one of Yomojo's four prepaid plans, starting with the Starter 29GB plan, followed by the Essential 42GB plan, the Pro 105GB and the Ultra 220GB plans. All four prepaid plans are capped at 150Mbps and operate on the Optus 4G network.

Yomojo family bundles: increasing discounts for each additional plan (6 plans maximum) | 5-15% discount

Rather than a shared-data family plan, Yomojo provides a multi-service discount that scales from 5% for two plans up to 15% for six plans on a single monthly bill. Customers can choose from four different Yomojo prepaid plans with a 30-day expiry, ranging from 29GB to 220GB with speeds capped at 150Mbps.View Deal

Pre-paid family plan: Aldi Mobile

Aldi Mobile offers three separate family plans, each one catered to a certain number of services and providing varying amounts of data and some slight variations to their international inclusions.

The first option is the $55 5G Family Plan, which provides 50GB of shared data for two services, on a 30-day expiry period. That works out to 25GB and AU$27.50 per service.

Next, is the $95 5G Family Plan, which comes with a 100GB shared data pool for up to four services on a 30-day expiry period, which breaks down to 25GB and AU$23.75 per person, making it the best option from a value-standpoint.

At top end of Aldi Mobile's family bundle offerings is the $125 5G Family Plan, which gives you 150GB to share with up to six services on a 30-day expiry period, working out to 25GB and AU$25.33 per person.

Each plan operates on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, and includes speed-capped 5G access, rollover data to share, unlimited standard calls and texts and unlimited international calls and text to 20 select countries, along with limited access to an additional 30 countries.

Aldi Mobile Family Plans: from AU$55-AU$125 per 30 days for 2-6 SIMs | 50GB-150GB data pool per 30 days

Aldi Mobile's family plans start at AU$55, providing 50GB for two services, and top out with a AU$125 plan that delivers 150GB for up to six services. However, the best value is reserved for the AU$95 plan, which works out to AU$23.75 per person for up to four services. Regardless of which plan you go for, each user gets a 30-day expiry period and an average of 25GB to play with.

Is a family mobile plan worth it?

For parents looking for greater control of their family's smartphone usage, family mobile plans are worth it. Family mobile plans make it easier for parents to manage several users under one bill and one account. That said, you might be able to save money by opting for individual SIM-only mobile plans that are tailored to the needs of each user.

Family mobile plans also typically provide additional parental controls and cyber security features. Plans with shared data pools can be a great choice, especially if lighter data users help balance out those who use more.

However, family mobile plans often don’t offer the best bang for your buck when it comes to data, which can be a downside for families where everyone’s a heavy user.

Vodafone's Summer Switch sale just discounted all its best mobile plans — these are the 5 plans I recommend

Stephen Lambrechts — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:00:57 +0000

Is there anything more unpredictable than the current Aussie summer? One day it's scorching hot, the next day it's cold and rainy — like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

Thankfully, there are still some good surprises sneaking up on us this season, and I'd argue that Vodafone's Summer Switch sale definitely falls within that category.

In an effort to make people "switch" to Vodafone, the telco has slashed prices across all of its mobile plans — postpaid and prepaid alike.

Right now, new customers will save AU$14 p/m on plan fees across all of Vodafone's SIM only mobile plans for the first 12 months. That's a total saving of AU$168 over the entire year.

Vodafone Summer Switch sale: Postpaid plan deals

In other words, the Small SIM Only Plan with 60GB of monthly data is only AU$39 p/m (or AU$0.65 per GB) during your initial year, after which the price returns to AU$53 p/m (AU$0.88 per GB).

For even better value, the Medium SIM Only Plan with net you a generous 200GB of data per month for only AU$49 p/m (around AU$0.24 per GB) for the first 12 months, then back to its full price at AU$63 p/m (just AU$0.31 per GB).

Of course, if you really want to make the most of your first year on Vodafone, you could opt for the Large SIM Only Plan, which gives you a ridiculous 400GB of monthly data to play with at the discounted rate of AU$59 p/m (or roughly AU$0.15 per GB). Once those initial 12 months are up, however, the Large plan will return to its usual cost of AU$73 p/m (or AU$0.18 per GB).

Vodafone Summer Switch sale: Prepaid plan deals

Vodafone Summer Switch sale: Save AU$14 p/m across all SIM Only Plans for the first 12 months

New Vodafone customers can save AU$14 p/m on all SIM-only mobile plans for the first 12 months, amounting to a total saving of AU$168 over the year before prices revert to their standard rates. The three available plans offer varying amounts of monthly data at different price points during this introductory period, offering great value for data usage.View Deal

If prepaid is more your speed, you're in luck — Vodafone's Summer Switch sale has slashed prices on three of its prepaid plans, starting with the $35 Prepaid Plus SIM plan, now only AU$12 per 28 days for the first 3 recharges, and offering a data boost to 70GB instead of the usual 25GB during that initial period.

Next up is the $55 Prepaid Plus SIM plan, now only AU$25 per 28 days for the first 3 recharges, and offering a whopping 125GB of data instead of the 50GB per recharge.

That said, if you'd rather pay for your entire year up front, you may want to consider the $250 Prepaid Plus SIM plan with 12 months expiry period for 200GB of data, now only AU$179 for the first year, which averages out to AU$14.91 per month and 16.6GB per month. After that initial year, however, the price will go back to AU$250 with 12 month expiry and 150GB over the year.

Vodafone Summer Switch sale: Big savings on select Prepaid Plus SIM plans

Vodafone's Summer Switch sale is offering significant discounts on three of its prepaid plans, making it a great time for customers to switch. The $35 Prepaid Plus plan is reduced to AU$12 for the first three 28-day recharges, with a data boost from 25GB to 70GB. Similarly, the $55 Prepaid Plus plan is now AU$25 for the first three recharges, offering 125GB instead of 50GB. For those preferring an annual plan, the $250 Prepaid Plus 12-month plan (200GB total) is discounted to AU$179 for the first year, averaging out to AU$14.91 per month, after which it will return to AU$250 and 150GB per 12 months.View Deal

A strong 50% discount pushes TPG’s 50GB mobile plan to the front of the pack — it's my pick of the week

Stephen Lambrechts — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:18:15 +0000

It may not be the latest deal out there, but as someone who's always on the hunt for the best value SIM-only mobile plans, I keep coming back to TPG’s 50% off introductory period as arguably the best bang-for-your-buck offer you can get this week.

TPG's pricing was already very reasonable to begin with, thanks to the solid cost-to-data ratio across all three of its SIM-only plans, but when you cut those prices in half for the first 6 months, you get truly exceptional value.

In my opinion, the best TPG mobile plan for most people is the telco's Medium Plan, which provides 50GB of monthly data and is priced at just AU$17.50 p/m (that's only AU$0.35 per GB) for the first 6 months, after which the price returns to AU$35 p/m (or AU$0.70 per GB).

TPG (50GB Medium Plan) | 50GB data | AU$17.50 p/m (first 6 months, then AU$35 p/m) | Vodafone 4G/5G network | 150Mbps speed cap

TPG has been running this excellent half-price promotion on its 50GB Medium SIM-only plan for a while now, but hey, we're not going to look a gift horse in the mouth! For the first six months, you can get 50GB of data, unlimited national calls and texts, and 100 international call minutes to 31 select countries, all for just AU$17.50 p/m. After this initial period, the plan reverts to its (still reasonable) standard price of AU$35 p/m.

Total minimum cost is AU$17.50 | Total cost for first year: AU$315, then AU$420 each year after thatView Deal

However, for those willing to drop an extra tenner per month, I would absolutely recommend TPG's Large Plan from a value standpoint, priced at just AU$22.50 p/m for the first 6 months.

For starters, it offers 100GB of data per month (twice as much as the Medium Plan), which at the discounted introductory rate works out to around AU$0.22 per GB. Even after this plan goes back to its usual AU$45 p/m price point, that's only AU$0.45 per GB.

Additionally, TPG's Large Plan is also the fastest mobile plan that the telco offers. While the Medium Plan is speed capped at 150Mbps, the Large Plan has a 250Mbps limit, which can make a noticeable difference in day-to-day use.

TPG (100GB Large Plan) | 100GB data | AU$22.50 p/m (first 6 months, then AU$45 p/m) | Vodafone 4G/5G network | 250Mbps speed cap

Like the Medium Plan above, this offer has been on the table for ages, but it's still an excellent deal. TPG is offering a whopping 100GB of data per month for just AU$22.50 p/m. Of course, there's a catch — that price is only for the first 6 months, after which the price goes up to AU$45 p/m (or AU$40 p/m if you bundle it with a TPG internet plan). If that price is too rich for your blood, you can just cancel and switch to another provider or plan. Also, note this offer is only available to new connections.

Total minimum cost is AU$22.50 | Total cost per year: AU$405, then AU$540 each year after thatView Deal

Whether you think TPG's 50GB Medium Plan or its 100GB Large Plan is better suited to your needs, I can confidently say that you'll be getting excellent value for money —especially if you're a new customer and can take advantage of the 50% discount during your first 6 months.

It's also worth mentioning that you can save an additional AU$5 p/m (after the introductory period) if you bundle your mobile phone plan with a TPG internet plan.

That's not to say that TPG is perfect for everyone — in my TPG mobile phone plans review, I noted that while the telco provides terrific value for money and big data allowances, its customer service reputation was far from great, and there were no real perks to speak of.

Still, if you’re on a budget and don’t mind skimping on customer support or extra perks, TPG should work just fine.

Felix Mobile phone plans review

Stephen Lambrechts — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:20:44 +0000

Felix Mobile is one of Australia’s most affordable telcos, offering SIM-only plans that provide more data than you'd expect for their cost – and there's even an unlimited data plan, albeit with a 40Mbps speed cap. Felix's simplicity is a major part of its appeal, especially compared with the more complex and expensive offerings from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

Price is where Felix most clearly undercuts the big three. Like many other mobile virtual network operators (or MVNOs), Felix keeps costs low by capping speeds and avoiding premium extras. For everyday browsing, streaming and social media use, most Aussies will probably find its value hard to beat.

Felix operates on Vodafone’s 4G/5G network, which performs reliably in metro and suburban areas. However, users who reside in Australia's especially remote regions may experience weaker signals (or sometimes no service at all) despite Vodafone's recently expanded reach, courtesy of a network-sharing agreement with Optus.

Customer service feedback for Felix ranges from mixed to positive, though it's worth noting that the telco operates entirely online, which means dealing with automated chatbots in most situations, and no option to speak to someone on the phone.

In many ways, Felix's simplicity can be considered both a strength and a weakness. Its simple plans, affordable price points and carbon‑neutral positioning could be very appealing for environmentally minded users. However, the lack of high‑speed data, roaming value or premium extras will probably turn off heavy users or frequent travellers.

In short, Felix Mobile is a strong fit for Aussies who want low‑cost unlimited data and live in areas with solid Vodafone coverage. That said, it’s probably not ideal for speed‑hungry users, especially if they live in remote areas. Still, for metro customers prioritising affordability over premium performance, it remains one of the most compelling budget options.

Felix Mobile plans and pricing

Affordable pricing
50% off introductory offer
Unlimited data plan

In keeping with its ethos of simplicity, Felix Mobile offers just three SIM-only plans, all charged on a per-month cycle. The first is its 25GB Mobile Plan, which is priced at AU$25 p/m (that's AU$1 per GB), followed by its 50GB Mobile Plan, which is far better value at AU$30 p/m (just AU$0.60 per GB).

Of course, the Felix Mobile plan that's grabbed the highest number of headlines is surely the Unlimited Mobile Plan, which is priced at AU$40 p/m and has no set data allowance, but comes with a significant caveat: download speeds are capped at just 40Mbps.

The result is an Unlimited Mobile Plan that's over three times slower than Felix's 25GB and 30GB Mobile Plans, which are both capped at 150Mbps. In other words, users will have to decide whether excess data charges are more of a concern than slowed download speeds.

Additionally, new and approved Felix customers will get a 50% discount on any of the telco's mobile plans during your first 3 months of connection. That brings prices across its three main offerings down to just AU$12.50 p/m, AU$15 pm and AU$20 p/m. This offer is valid until withdrawn.

Felix Mobile coverage

Access to Vodafone's expanded network
Still behind the Telstra network in regional Australia

Since Vodafone's parent company and Optus began their network-sharing deal in February 2025, the Vodafone network, which Felix uses, has greatly expanded its coverage, improving its reach significantly in regional Australia.

Previously reaching 96% of Australia’s metropolitan population (note the wording used), this network-sharing agreement means that its coverage has now surged by 150%, expanding from 400,000 to over 1,000,000 square kilometres. This boost puts Felix Mobile’s reach at 98.4% of the entire Australian population, just a hair behind Optus at 98.5%.

Even though Felix Mobile's regional coverage is comparable to Optus and Vodafone, it still falls short of Telstra’s reach in Australia’s more remote areas. It’s also worth noting that Vodafone’s 5G rollout has been slower than that of Optus and Telstra. That means you should expect to be on 4G most of the time when you're outside of a major city.

Felix Mobile plans: Extras, perks and offers

Unlimited calls and text included
Unlimited data banking
Trees!

As you'll no doubt have noticed by now, Felix Mobile keeps costs down by doing away with the bells and whistles offered by some of the larger Aussie telcos. Because of this, you shouldn't expect too many extras or perks.

That said, all of Felix’s mobile plans include unlimited talk and text within Australia as standard, and the 25GB and 50GB plans even come with unlimited data banking (naturally, there’s no need for it on the Unlimited plan).

Of course, the biggest (and most unique) perk that comes with being a Felix Mobile customer is one that won't necessarily impact your plan but will absolutely impact our planet — for every month that you stay connected to Felix Mobile, the telco will plant a tree in your honour, which is honestly a brilliant incentive to make the switch.

Felix Mobile plans: customer service and community reviews

Overwhelmingly negative online user reviews
Offshore call centres

Felix Mobile has earned fairly positive reviews on Product Review, with an overall score of 3.3 stars out of 5. Users on this site are typically pleased with their Felix Mobile experiences, though several reviews note frustrating customer service interactions and resolved technical issues as their main grievances.

However, user reviews are far more negative on Trustpilot, where the telco scored a dismal 1.7 stars out of 5. Complaints here are mostly linked to coverage quality, customer service and number transfers.

Felix Mobile plans: Bottom line

There's no doubt that Felix Mobile delivers impressive value for money, pairing low‑cost SIM‑only plans with a refreshingly simple approach that outperforms many bigger telcos on price alone. Its unlimited data option, even with a 40Mbps speed cap, will suit everyday users who mainly browse, stream and message, provided they live in areas with strong Vodafone coverage. That said, the online‑only support model and reliance on chatbots won’t suit everyone.

Environmentally minded users and budget‑focused metro customers will appreciate Felix's carbon‑neutral stance and straightforward plans, while heavy data users and those in remote regions may find its speed caps and network reach a touch too restrictive.

Best Telstra network mobile plans from resellers

Tangerine's juicy SIM-only summer sale slashes 50% off Telstra 5G plans — prices from just AU$15 a month

Stephen Lambrechts — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:00:08 +0000

Looking to squeeze some extra value out of your phone plan in 2026? Tangerine's ripe for that right now, thanks to its deliciously juicy summer sale on mobile plans, which provide Telstra 5G network access at prices that are almost too good to be true.

New customers who sign up to one of Tangerine's 5G SIM-only plans before March 1, 2026 can currently score a 50% discount for the first 4 months of service. That means its 30GB plan will cost you just AU$15 p/m during that promo period, before reverting back to AU$30 ongoing.

But that's not all! New customers can also benefit from a separate Double Data promotion that Tangerine is currently running, so long as you activate your plan before February 3, 2026.

Best plan for most people: 60GB* SIM only plan | 30GB + 30GB bonus data for first 6 months | AU$15 p/m for first 4 months, then AU$30 ongoing | Telstra 5G network

New customers who sign up for a Tangerine 5G SIM-only plan before March 1, 2026 can halve their monthly bill for the first 4 months, reducing the price of the 30GB plan from AU$30 p/m to just AU$15 p/m. Not only that, but by activating before February 3, 2026, you can also capitalise on a concurrent Double Data offer, boosting your allowance to a total of 60GB per month for the first 6 months. Tangerine's half-price promotion is available until March 1, 2026, while its Double Data promotion ends on February 3, 2026. T&Cs apply.

Total minimum cost is AU$15 (1-month) | Total cost for first year: AU$300View Deal

Taking the cheapest 5G plan (AU$30 for 30GB a month) as an example, savvy shoppers can net themselves 30GB of bonus monthly data (or 60GB total for those who don't have an abacus within reach) for the first 6 months of connection. And you'll only pay ~~AU$30~~ AU$15 p/m during the initial 4-month period.

Need more perspective? The entry-level 5G plan detailed above works out to a total first-year cost of just AU$300 for 540GB of data — that's an average of AU$25 for 45GB a month — and that includes a 1000GB databank, so any unused monthly data will continue to accrue to use later on. Talk about an exceptional bargain!

Of course, those same half-price/double data promotions work across every other 5G SIM-only plan that Tangerine offers, meaning you can currently lock down 320GB of total monthly data for the staggeringly low price of ~~AU$60~~ AU$30 p/m during those initial 4 months.

Take our word for it — prices this low that include this much data don't come around often (especially on the Telstra 5G Wholesale Network), which is why we'd seriously consider jumping on these deals before they expire!

Thinking of a new phone? This carrier just swept the awards for best performance and reliability

richard.priday@futurenet.com (Richard Priday) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:39:00 +0000

The scores are in for the U.S.A.'s Big 3 mobile carriers in Ookla RootMetrics's State of the Mobile Union Report for the second half of 2025. And it's clear that Verizon comes out on top this time.

Reports like this can be a good way to judge which of the best phones carriers is going to be the best for where you live. And given that RootMetrics' findings are based on 3 million tests conducted from July to December 2025 across the country, and in 125 major urban areas, it's safe to say it's pretty thorough.

The big winner is Verizon, which won five of RootMetrics' eight headline awards outright, and tied for another two. Its haul of trophies includes wins for overall performance and reliability, plus it scored best for general 5G performance, while also improving its download speeds in metro regions.

AT&T tied for three awards, putting it in second place. It came second on a state-by-state basis too, and managed to improve both its metro test results, managing to meet gold standard of 100 Mbps download speeds in the 125 metro test regions for the first time.

A table of results from RootMetrics' testing, showing current scores for the Big Three carriers compared to what they scored in H1 2025 (Image credit: RootMetrics/Ookla)

T-Mobile shares just one award - U.S. Network Speed - with AT&T, earning it the bronze medal. That said, the UnCarrier still managed to have the highest 5G availability nationally, while also improving on a state and metro level too. City-dwelling T-Mo users do especially well, as it's the only carrier of the three tested to manage 100 Mbps download speeds in every metro tested, with all but one of those also hitting the 200 Mbps mark.

In the 1H 2025 report by RootMetrics, AT&T earned four outright wins and tied Verizon for data performance and text performance. And Verizon won for network responsiveness and video performance.

Good to know — especially if you're in the market for a new phone

(Image credit: Technizo Concept/YouTube)

While anyone subscribed to Verizon is probably feeling a little smug right now, none of the big three did disasterously badly in this set of testing, so don't feel like you need to immediately escape your contract to sign up to Verizon if you're not already a member. However, it's perhaps worth keeping in mind as phone releases for 2026 start to get into gear.

The big one to keep in mind is the Samsung Galaxy S26, which is should be revealed by the end of February and go on sale in March. But the crystal ball suggests we may see the Google Pixel 10a, and perhaps an iPhone 17e, shortly after that. If you're planning to upgrade, it could be worth investigating if buying any of these phones with a Verizon contract is the best option for you, or maybe T-Mobile if you live in one of the city regions where the network fared particularly well.

Verizon outage is 'resolved' — latest updates and Verizon to offer $20 account credits

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:00:07 +0000

As a new day dawns, Verizon's cell services seem to be back to normal. But we're still waiting for answers on what happened the day before.

Verizon's wireless network service abruptly went down around 12:30 pm Eastern/9:30 am Pacific on January 14th, forcing phones into SOS mode for customers up and down the eastern seaboard of the United States.

The company quickly acknowledged the issue on X, but didn't give an estimate for repair time - understandable, but frustrating for its users.

On the outage tracking site Down Detector, reports hit an initial peak of 115,000 before surging to over 180,000. Reports went into a steady decline starting around 2:30 pm ET, but didn't level off until 9:30 pm ET.

Several readers reached out to Tom's Guide, saying service is affected from South Florida to Albany, New York, as far west as Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. New York City appears to be a hot spot as well. Later emails shifted the outage out to Texas and Missouri

We saw reports that AT&T and T-Mobile were affected, but those seem related to Verizon's outage and company reps have confirmed that those networks remain stable.

At 9:00 pm ET/6 pm PT, Verizon finally provided a new statement that wasn't just a reiteration of its "We're working on it" message that was repeated throughout the day. The company apologized for the outage and promised to "make it right."

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that service will see a complete recovery soon. "We are working non-stop and making progress. Our teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers."

Account credits and updates have been promised but concrete details have yet to be shared.

Follow along with Tom's Guide as we provide live updates on the fallout from the Verizon outage.

@tomsguide
♬ original sound - Tom’s Guide

Huge spike in reports

(Image credit: Down Detector)

Down Detector received a sudden spike of outage reports around 9:30 am Pacific and the coverage map appears to show the majority of issues is affecting the eastern half of the United States.

People are not happy

I pay Verizon $200+ a month for it to have an outage and not work at all ???? pic.twitter.com/MkEmZXHeEsJanuary 14, 2026

We're seeing a ton of comments on social sites like X, Reddit and the Down Detector comments with people complaining about the outage.

Other carriers spiking

(Image credit: Down Detector)

I am seeing spikes in reports for T-Mobile, AT&T and US Cellular (on MVNO that uses T-Mobile's network), but they're much smaller and it's possible it's because people are trying to contact Verizon customers.

Verizon status page down!

(Image credit: Verizon)

When it comes to outages we recommend checking the official status pages of sites or companies (if they have one), but we can't even do that with this outage.

Verizon's network status page is not loading. When I try to use it I just get the spinning loading wheel.

Likely it's crashing as Verizon customers try to check their status but it could be related to the outage.

Verizon is aware

We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience.January 14, 2026

On the official Verizon News X account, the company posted that it is aware of the outage.

"We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience," the post reads.

Verizon has a separate Customer Support channel that is responding to people about the outage with the same message.

East of the Mississippi down

(Image credit: Geo Block)

I found a site called Geo Block which appears to show every state east of the Mississippi river affected by today's Verizon outage.

It also shows outages throughout Texas with scattered reports in California, Washington, Arizona and Colorado.

What to do if you see SOS on your phone

(Image credit: Apple/Shutterstock/Tom’s Guide)

If you are seeing SOS in the status bar of your iPhone it means you have no network connection.

iPhones after the iPhone 14 do have built-in satellite connectivity (more on that in another post).

Here's a guide on how to troubleshoot your phone if the SOS status appears.

How to send messages via satellite on an iPhone

(Image credit: Apple)

If you have an iPhone that is running iOS 18 or later you can send messages via satellite. It's an expansion of the SOS feature introduced with the iPhone 14.

If you're on Verizon, have an iPhone and need to communicate here's how to send messages via satellite.

If you have a Galaxy S25 or Pixel 9 or 9A, you should have satellite messaging.

T-Mobile rep says network is okay

As mentioned, I am seeing spikes for AT&T and T-Mobile, though those may be related more to people trying to connect with Verizon customers.

A rep via the T-Mobile Help X account responded to a customer saying, "Hi, we're not currently showing any service concerns."

Are you affected?

@tomsguide
♬ original sound - Tom’s Guide

For what it's worth my colleague, Mike Prospero, is based out of New Jersey but close enough to New York to potentially be affected. He says service is still up.

However, comments on Down Detector and social media show people from around Philadelphia, New York City and New Jersey don't have service.

Let us know on the TikTok video in the comments or email me at scott.younker@futurenet.com to let us know if this outage is affecting your phone.

Tom's Guide readers report in

(Image credit: TippaPatt / Shutterstock)

After our last post, Tom's Guide readers reached out.

On TikTok, central Florida, south Florida and a couple of people in Manhattan said they have no service.

I received messages from readers in Albany, New York, New Jersey, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, and central Massachusetts.

At least one person said their phone has been stuck in SOS mode for over an hour. Another reported they had 5 minutes of service return before it dropped out again.

Thank you for sharing and we'll keep you posted on what's happening with Verizon.

Down Detector reports dropping but significant number of people still showing issues

(Image credit: Down Detector)

After a peak of just over 180,000 reports on Down Detector, the rush has started to decline, but it's still showing over 110,000 concurrent reports, so a significant number of people are still affected.

And as readers shared, it's still widespread.

Verizon statement

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

A Verizon spokesperson tells me that the company is continuing to work on the outage.

"Verizon engineering teams are continuing to address today's service interruptions. Our teams remain fully deployed and are focused on the issue. We understand the impact this has on your day and remain committed to resolving this as quickly as possible," they said in a statement.

Unfortunately, they did not provide clarity or an ETA on how long it will take to get service back up and running.

Where we stand after 2 hours

(Image credit: Verizon)

Here's where we stand two hours into the outage:

Verizon's outage is impacting voice, text, and data for cellular users. Impacted phones are displaying an SOS icon instead of the network bars and 5G or 4G in the corner.

The outage appeared to start around 12:30 pm ET, with Verizon acknowledging the issue at 1 pm ET.

It appears to be affecting customers in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and as far west as Kansas and Texas.

iPhone 14 or later owners should be able to use satellite services including the SOS-related Messages via Satellite.

MVNOs seem to be okay

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

Interestingly, it appears that MVNOs that utilize Verizon's network have not been impacted.

These include services like Total Wireless and Visible, which my colleague John Velasco says are still working for him. I'm also not seeing spikes for those services on Down Detector.

Xfinity Mobile and Straight Talk have small amounts of reports, but they're so low that issues may not be related. Those are two of the biggest MVNOs that piggyback on the Verizon network.

New York's Emergency Notification system weighs in

Nationwide @Verizon Wireless Outage: Outage may affect some users trying to call 911. Call using a device from another carrier, a landline, or go to a police/fire station to report emergencies. To find your precinct: https://t.co/QtknvNamrXJanuary 14, 2026

For those who live in the New York City, the NYC Emergency notification system, Notify NYC, has commented on the outage on X.

"Nationwide @Verizon Wireless Outage: Outage may affect some users trying to call 911. Call using a device from another carrier, a landline, or go to a police/fire station to report emergencies," the post reads.

It also has a link to help New Yorkers find their fire or police precinct.

Steep decline on Down Detector

(Image credit: Down Detector)

Reports on Down Detector have been on a steady decline since its initial peak of over 180,000.

Currently, as of 3 pm ET, reports sit around 67,000. I am seeing comments on the Verizon outage page with some saying they've had no service the whole time, with others reporting service has been intermittent. One person claimed their service had fully returned in the last 30 minutes.

Official T-Mobile statement

(Image credit: ehrlif/Shutterstock)

Earlier we shared a statement that customer service rep for T-Mobile shared in response to a customer on X.

We now have an official statement from T-Mobile:

T-Mobile’s network is keeping our customers connected, and we’ve confirmed that our network is operating normally and as expected. However, due to Verizon’s reported outage, our customers may not be able to reach someone with Verizon service at this time.

Likely any disruption T-Mobile customers are seeing are probably related to them trying to connect with people on Verizon's network.

A cheekier statement from AT&T

Our network? Solid. If you’re experiencing issues, it’s not us.....it’s the other guys. Some things are just out of our hands! - BUT if you're interested in giving us a try - https://t.co/xftQXpUcjwJanuary 14, 2026

AT&T put out their own statement on X that's a bit cheekier than the one from T-Mobile.

"Our network? Solid. If you’re experiencing issues, it’s not us.....it’s the other guys. Some things are just out of our hands! - BUT if you're interested in giving us a try," the post reads.

Again, any issues you may have with T-Mobile or AT&T right now are probably related to Verizon's ongoing issues.

SOS Mode from a colleague

(Image credit: Future / Michael Desjardin)

If you haven't seen it, here's what SOS mode can look like for iPhone users.

My colleague Michael Desjarden has been stuck with SOS mode for a while now. "SOS mode stinks," he said, adding that he needs cellular data, not SOS.

We have entered hour three of the outage.

Holding pattern

Verizon's team is on the ground actively working to fix today’s service issue that is impacting some customers. We know this is a huge inconvenience, and our top priority is to get you back online and connected as fast as possible. We appreciate your patience while we work to…January 14, 2026

Verizon has not provided a substantial update for more than two hours.

The most recent post on the Verizon News account has similar language to previous updates, but it does mention crews are on the ground, suggesting the issue is related to a wiring or station problem. We've reached out to Verizon for clarification.

A tour of Tom's Guide lock screens

Future

Future / Michael Desjardin

Several Tom's Guide writers and editors are on Verizon's service, but surprisingly, only one of us has actually been hit by the SOS interruption.

To be fair, three of us, myself included, are located on the West Coast in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, where Verizon seems to be operating without issue.

Others work in our Manhattan office or live around Brooklyn.

Krispy Kreme offers free donuts to Verizon customers

A post shared by Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (@krispykreme)
A photo posted by on

Krispy Kreme is offering free "Original Glazed" doughnuts to customers between 5 and 7 pm local time.

"SOS got you down? We can hear you now — and we’re serving up.
Swing by today, 1/14, from 5–7pm for a FREE Original Glazed® doughnut 🍩 — because some days need a sweet backup plan you can rely on," the company posted on Instagram.

A representative told a local Fox affiliate that you don't need to provide proof that you use Verizon and that no purchase is necessary to get a doughnt.

Silence from Verizon

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Since the outage started, Verizon has had periodic updates saying largely the same thing. Here's the most recent from an hour ago:

"Verizon's team is on the ground actively working to fix today’s service issue that is impacting some customers. We know this is a huge inconvenience, and our top priority is to get you back online and connected as fast as possible. We appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this issue."

I've reached out to Verizon for more clarity on the situation and to see if they have an ETA or what the company's policy is regarding providing relief to customers when service goes down like this. If I receive a response I will provide an update.

The outage just the 5 hour mark

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Reports on Down Detector took a steady dive after its initial peak, but slowed down to the current 48,000 reports.

As mentioned, Verizon has been largely silent beyond recurring messages stating that they are working on it. We just don't know what caused the disruption.

We don't have a timeline for resolution.

Tom's Guide readers have reported in from up and down the eastern seaboard and as far west as Texas. Those in the West seem to be better off, even though outage maps are showing some reports spread across the Pacific states.

Coming back online?

(Image credit: Down Detector)

A couple of readers have reported that their devices have started to get service back. One out of D.C. said her iPhones gained service first but her Android phones finally kicked on about an thirty minutes later.

Since around 2:30 p.m. ET, reports on Down Detector have been on a slow but steady decline. Currently, reports are holding at 45,000 on DD.

The comments in the DD page have devolved into insanity but a few people are saying that they've received service again. Though more are still reporting they still can't make calls.

Did you get a donut?

As a reminder, Krispy Kreme is offering free Original Glazed donuts between 5 and 7 pm today in response to the Verizon outage.

If you're on the East Coast you have an hour to get one.

So, did you get a sweet treat?

Latest Verizon Statement

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I just received a new statement from Verizon regarding today's outage. It's the first communique in the last five hours.

Simply, the company apologizes for the outage, they have teams working on whatever caused service to go down and affected customers will get credits.

"Today, we let many of our customers down and for that, we are truly sorry. They expect more from us.

We are working non-stop and making progress. Our teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers.

We will make this right - for any customer affected, we will provide account credits and share updates soon."

I was not told what kind of credits or when to expect more updates. And it does mean we may be several hours away from full restoration.

People are not happy

Verizon posted a version of the statement I received on its Verizon News X account and if the replies are anything to go by, people are not happy.

"Define "credits" like not having to pay in 2026?" one person wrote. A common theme, though mostly people mocking that at best Verizon would only give out 5 cents.

Several other replies demanded transparency about what happened today. A common belief is that the company has been hacked and that customer data was breached.

"Will you be paying our wages for those that were unable to work and lost money??? Transparency would be a start. Who hacked Verizon????" a user named Rev1621 demaned.

A few warned that they would decamp to T-Mobile.

Those were some of the nicer, and less...political responses.

Service returning?

(Image credit: Down Detector)

Outage reports on Down Detector took a sudden dive recently. Reports were sitting around 30,000 but are now at 11,000, the first time we've been close to a four digit number all day.

I am seeing comments from people saying that they've got some "bars" back. A few emails from Tom's Guide readers came in recently with people indicating that they've been able to make phone calls and send texts

Similar and worse than last outage

The last Verizon outage we tracked happened in May 2025 and similarly affected people on the east coast of the U.S. However, that outage only last for a couple of hours and Verizon never really acknowledged it.

NYC-area friends and family are still reporting Verizon outages

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

As we cruise past 7 pm on the U.S. West Coast, I'm still getting reports from friends and family — especially those located in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — that their issues with Verizon cellular service persist. This includes both folks located in urban and suburban areas. While Down Detector is showing improvements, the outage is apparently not quite over.

T-Mobile sends a message acknowledging (throwing shade at) Verizon's struggles

(Image credit: Future)

I'm a T-Mobile customer located in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and even though I've had no issues with cellular service today, about an hour ago, I got this message acknowledging the crisis over at Verizon. Is this T-Mobile throwing shade or being helpful? Maybe a little bit of both.

Verizon outage reports drop to less than 7,000

(Image credit: Down Detector)

As of 7:30 pm PST, Down Detector is showing fewer than 7,000 Verizon users reporting issues with the network. Now, this could be the result of exhausted customers having given up on a solution and gone to sleep, with hopes of better days ahead. Or, it could actually mean the crisis is close to being resolved. I'll continue monitoring the situation and post an update if/when things change.

Fewer than 5,000 Verizon customers now report issues... but we still don't know the cause

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

As we approach 8 pm PST, the number of Verizon customers reporting issues with their service has dwindled to under 5,000. Of course, we still have no word on what caused the outage and if it's actually resolved (or close to being wrapped).

As for the cause... Did an intern trip over a server cable? Maybe an office pup chewed through an important power cord? Or was the massive blackout the result of something more nefarious/concerning? We may never know. (I'm going with the pup theory).

Verizon says the outage is now 'resolved'

(Image credit: Verizon)

As of 8 pm PST, Verizon is reporting that the outage has been 'resolved,' but I'm not so sure. According to Down Detector, roughly 4,000 Verizon customers continue to report connectivity hiccups. Are you still experiencing issues with Verizon? Share your experience with me, dan.bracaglia@futurenet.com.

A new day dawns

(Image credit: Verizon)

Good morning early risers - it's the 15th of January! And hopefully, a regular, normal day for Verizon users.

There's still a high baseline of complaints about Verizon's service on Down Detector compared to a regular day, but it's nothing compared to the spike we saw yesterday. Let's all cross our fingers and hope that, as more Verizon customers wake up and check their phones, that they will see full bars, and not the dreaded SOS icon.

Verizon promises to offer credits following massive outage — 'we will make this right'

(Image credit: Verizon)

Here's Verizon's latest statement on the matter, which is both an apology and a promise of account credits as a peace offering to unhappy users.

"Today, we let many of our customers down and for that, we are truly sorry. They expect more from us.

We are working non-stop and making progress. Our teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers.

We will make this right - for any customer affected, we will provide account credits and share updates soon."

An increase - but let's not panic just yet

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / Downdetector)

Verizon reports remain well above the baseline as the U.S. east coast starts to wake up. They're increasing in volume too, compared to a few hours ago.

But let's not jump to conclusions. While some users may still be having trouble connecting to the network, hopefully this is because of residual problems or mis-diagnosis of other issues. We don't need to worry until we start to see a spike like yesterday's.

Verizon's advice to people still experiencing problems — restart!

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you're among the small but still notable section of Verizon users still struggling to get a cell connection - remember the company's advice from its earlier statement on the outage:

"If customers are still having an issue, we encourage them to restart their devices to reconnect to the network."

It's not clear why this will help users' devices if this was an issue on Verizon's end, but it's worth a try if you can't get mobile internet!

Are you staying with Verizon?

(Image credit: Verizon)

Now that the Verizon outage is all sorted, what do you do going forward? Has this outage soured you on using the popular phone carrier, or is the company's promise to "make this right" enough to make you happy?

Verizon's offering is...

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Verizon has officially revealed the make-good for its customers. Here's what the company said in an X post:

"Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence you expect and that we expect of ourselves. To help provide some relief, we are giving you a $20 account credit that can be easily redeemed by logging into the myVerizon app to accept. On average, this covers multiple days of service. Our business customers will be contacted directly about their credits.

This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging your time and showing that this matters to us.

If you’re still having trouble connecting, please restart your device (power down and power back on). This is the fastest way to reconnect your phone to the network.

We are sorry for what you experienced and will continue to work hard day and night to provide the outstanding network and service that you expect from Verizon."

Lingering reports

(Image credit: Downdetector)

While Verizon has told users still experiencing issues to restart their phone, it seems not everyone is aware, as there are still around 1,600 outage reports on Downdetector.

Presumably, these are people who are having problems due to the outage or even unrelated Verizon issues. Either way, for the people still reporting problems, this must be frustrating.

How to redeem your $20 credit

(Image credit: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Verizon announced that impacted customers will receive a $20 credit that can be redeemed through the myVerizon App. Business customers will be contacted directly by Verizon.

We've put together a guide on how to redeem the $20 Credit and when it will be available.

T-Mobile gets spicy

(Image credit: T-Mobile/YouTube)

T-Mobile has been pretty clear that its networks were not affected by the Verizon outage beyond an inability for T-Mobile customers to call or text contacts on Verizon.

This morning, I received an email form T-Mobile touting a J.D. Power award that rated T-Mobile has having the highest network quality in the U.S.

"This matters because customer experience has finally caught up to years of performance data. After massive network investment, perception has shifted and the old narrative just broke," T-Mobile said in the email.

Shots across the bow.

Credit is per account, not per line

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

To clarify the $20 credit, we have confirmed that it will be $20 per account, not per line.

So, if you have a family plan the credit will go to the overall account not the individual phones associated with it.

Verizon confirms the outage was caused by a software issue

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We finally a little bit of an idea of why Verizon's network went down yesterday.

According to a Verizon spokesperson, the interruption was caused by software issue that the company is still investigating.

We were told it was not a cyberattack.

We were not provided with more specific details.

Let us know how you're feeling

(Image credit: Future)

Verizon's multihour outage induced a ton of outrage online with tons of frustrated customers threatening to switch to T-Mobile, but never AT&T.

As one Tom's Guide reader commented yesterday, "Verizon can choke on a egg."

Now that the dust has settled a little bit, how are you guys feeling about Verizon's handling of the issue, what do you wish was different. Are you considering switching to another carrier? Let us know.

Verizon alternatives

If yesterday's outage put you off Verizon, we do have a list of the best phone carriers where Verizon is our runner-up option behind T-Mobile.

However, there are also MVNO carriers that piggyback off of the big carriers like Visible and Mint Mobile.

We also have our list of the best unlimited data plans, which include offerings from even more services like Cricket and Total Wireless.

There are options if you're looking to switch. One potential drawback is the upfront cost of a new phone that services like T-Mobile and Verizon semi-subsidize by spreading it out over the life of your contract.

Turn it off and back on

(Image credit: Future)

On X, I've seen some people saying that they're still stuck in SOS mode.

As a reminder, Verizon recommends that you turn your device and turn it back on again. That should restore your service back to normal.

That's all for today

Well, folks, that's all I have for you today, but if more information comes out we'll be sure to update you.

Enjoy your evenings and I hope your service has full bars.

Want massive data? This brilliant Exetel mobile deal gets you 260GB for only AU$40 on your first six recharges

Stephen Lambrechts — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:31:23 +0000

It's the start of a new year, so why not celebrate by rewarding yourself with stacks of data at an alarmingly low price? Exetel’s Plus One prepaid eSIM plan is providing exactly that, offering new and upgrading residential customers double data on their first six recharges.

Exetel’s Plus One plan was already terrific value, offering 130GB of data for just AU$40 per recharge. Add an extra 130GB on top — taking the total to 260GB — and it turns into an outright steal.

To put its immense value into perspective, that works out to just AU$0.15 per GB, which is the cheapest per GB rate I've seen from any telco lately. And once that introductory period has ended, you're still only paying AU$0.30 per GB, which is still a bargain.

Exetel Plus One Plan | 130GB + 130GB bonus data (first 6 recharges) | AU$40 per 30-day renewal

Exetel’s Plus One prepaid eSIM is offering an unusually generous deal, doubling its already strong 130GB-for-AU$40 recharge to 260GB for your first six recharges and delivering data at just AU$0.15 per GB — the cheapest rate around. Even after the intro period, the cost stays low, and no long‑expiry plan comes close to matching the sheer volume on offer.

Total minimum cost is AU$40 (30 days) | Total cost for first year: AU$480View Deal

Long‑expiry plans are often seen as the gold standard for value, but none I’ve come across deliver anywhere near this amount of data. Even with Exetel’s Plus One plan limiting its double‑data perk to your first six recharges, you still walk away with 2,340GB in your first year for just AU$480.

In terms of other plan inclusions, you get 5G access on Telstra's Wholesale Network (speeds capped at 150Mbps), unlimited standard calls and texts within Australia and to 15 select countries, and a 1000GB data bank.

Awesome deal, right? Of course, you won't want to wait too long to jump on it, because orders for this offer must be placed before February 3, 2026 and activated by February 17, 2026.

Verizon customers will have to wait to unlock their phone going forward — here’s why

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:01:27 +0000

You could be stuck with Verizon on your prepaid phones longer than you want after the Federal Communications Commission agreed to waive the carrier's 60-day phone unlock requirement.

It means Verizon no longer has to unlock smartphones 60 days after activation, as reported by Ars Technica. Instead, Verizon will have to abide by carrier-friendly voluntary guidelines set by the CTIA wireless trade group. The CTIA suggests carriers unlock prepaid phones one year after activation, while postpaid plans can be unlocked after the contract ends or after an early termination fee.

The change comes after Verizon petitioned the FCC in October 2025, at the time asking the FCC and the Trump administration to allow the carrier to lock phones for up to six months. Verizon argued that the 60-day requirement "benefits bad actors and fraudsters."

FCC rejects shorter unlocking periods

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In the decision, the FCC said the Verizon waiver will remain until the agency “decides on an appropriate industry-wide approach for the unlocking of handsets.”

Additionally, the FCC rejected the 6-month locking period, saying that the CTIA policies are “an adequate threshold of ensuring Verizon consumers have competitive options and that granting this waiver will not impede those competitive options. We thus decline to limit today’s waiver to a period of 180 days.”

Unlike AT&T and T-Mobile, Verizon has had this requirement since 2008, when the company purchased 700 MHz licenses and again in 2021 when it bought TracFone. The FCC required Verizon to unlock phones faster as a condition of approving the mergers.

“Today, criminal networks are specifically targeting Verizon handsets due to the company’s unique unlocking policies,” the FCC’s filing says.

60 Days likely won't become the norm

In 2024, the Biden Administration version of the FCC proposed a rule to make automatic 60 Day unlocking an industry standard.

"When you buy a phone, you should have the freedom to decide when to change service to the carrier you want and not have the device you own stuck by practices that prevent you from making that choice," former FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said at the time.

Of course, T-Mobile and AT&T quickly responded, claiming that the rule was more harmful to consumers than carriers. "A handset unlocking mandate would also leave providers little choice but to limit their handset offers to lower cost and offer lesser performing handsets," T-Mobile's response read.

Opposition and "fraud"

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Verizon's initial filing was opposed by a number of consumer groups like Public Knowledge, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, iFixit and Consumer Reports.

“It facilitates the resale and reuse of mobile devices, reduces e-waste, and enables low-cost carriers and MVNOs to compete on a more level playing field," a counter filing reads. "The opposite, which Verizon seeks through its waiver request, merely serves as a way to keep customers locked in one provider.”

The FCC under President Trump has been more amenable to corporations, though it couched the waiver decision in terms of concern over fraud. The agency claimed that 60 days is insufficient to deter bad actors.

“The FCC’s action will end bad actors’ ability to exploit the FCC’s unlocking rules to profit from easier access to expensive, heavily subsidized devices in the US that they traffic and sell to other parts of the world,” Verizon said in a statement seen by Ars Technica.

I switched to Mint Mobile for 3 months — here's my pros and cons

Philip Michaels — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 05:30:00 +0000

If you've listened to a podcast or watched a YouTube video, you've probably come across an ad for Mint Mobile. So chances are good that you know this phone carrier promises lower monthly rates than what you'd pay for service from a higher-profile wireless provider. But do you know how reliable Mint's service actually is?

To find out, I spent a few months as a Mint Mobile customer, trying out its wireless coverage and measuring what kind of service it provides. In this Mint Mobile review, we'll look at whether the low-cost cell phone plans offered by this carrier get you stellar service in return.

Mint Mobile review: What you'll pay

(Image credit: Mint Mobile)

Before I talk about my experience using Mint for wireless coverage, let's go over Mint cell phone plan pricing since that's the factor that likely drew you to the carrier in the first place. Mint offers plans with talk, text and data that cost a fraction of what you'll pay at some of the best phone carriers.

Specifically, Mint offers four different plans, starting at an entry-level option with 5GB of data and scaling up to an unlimited data plan. For the first three months of service, you'll pay Mint's lowest rate — that's $15/month for the 5GB plan, $20 for a 15GB option, $25 for the 20GB offering and $30 for unlimited data.

Truth be told, unless you do a lot of mobile streaming, 5GB is more than enough data each month, though I like the multiple options to fit different needs. On tiered data plans, you're not hit with a charge should you go over your limit; your data speeds will simply slow down, though you do have the option of adding on more data.

Note that you'll pay for that first three months of data in one installment. That means a $45 total payment should you try out the 5GB plan. Get used to paying for service in advance at Mint — it's a key part of the carrier's approach to offering low-cost plans.

Mint Mobile review: Getting the best rate

When those first three months of service are up at Mint, you've got a decision to make — commit to the carrier's service for a full-year or opt for a shorter obligation of three or six months. Go for the full year, though, and you'll get to keep the low introductory rate from before — $15/month in the case of the that 5GB plan or $30 for unlimited date.

You do have to pay all of that money up front. In other words, the 5GB plan requires a $180 payment while unlimited customers pay $360. While that means not having to remember to make a monthly payment, it can be a big chunk of change to pay in one sitting.

Mint plans after 3-month introductory rate
Mint plan	Three-month plan	Six-month plan	12-month plan
5GB	$25	$20	$15
15GB	$35	$25	$20
20GB	$45	$35	$25
Unlimited data	$40	$35	$30

Still, there are advantages to opting for Mint's year-long plan, namely bigger savings over time. If you were to go for the six-month option for the 15GB plan you'd pay $20/month ($120 total). That's $5 more each month than annual customers are putting up, meaning you're saving $60 over the course of a year.

Mint Mobile review: How Mint's prices compare

You'll definitely pay less for data at Mint than you would at one of the major carriers. T-Mobile, which owns Mint, charges $60/month for one line of its bare-bones unlimited plan — that's double the cost of unlimited data at Mint. A T-Mobile Connect plan charges $15/month for 5GB of data without Mint's upfront payment requirement. But when you run out of data on a T-Mobile Connect plan, you can't use any more for the rest of the month, compared to Mint's slower data speeds.

Comparisons become trickier when you stack up Mint against its fellow discount carriers. Verizon-owned Visible offers the best unlimited data plan by my reckoning, with a $35/month option. That's $5 more than what Mint charges, but Visible lets you go month-to-month with your bill.

Unlimited data plan	Monthly cost
Mint Mobile unlimited plan	$30 (requires $360 upfront payment)
Visible Plus unlimited plan	$35
Tello unlimited plan	$25
T-Mobile Essentials unlimited plan	$60
Verizon Unlimited Welcome plan	$65

If you want to pay less for data, Visible also has a $25/month unlimited plan as does Tello. So Mint's not necessarily the cheapest option in addition to requiring a big upfront payment for its best rate.

Mint Mobile review: What about family plans?

Mint doesn't specifically offer family plans, where you get escalating discounts as you add more lines. That's in stark contrast to a service like Total Wireless, where a single line of the carrier's Total 5G Unlimited plan costs $50/month, but adding three more lines drops the per-line cost to $27.50.

However, at Mint, each line of data is subject to the same discount if you sign up for a year of service, and you can mix-and-match plans — setting up a 5GB plan for your kid, for example, while you sign up for Mint's unlimited option. Still, having to pay for a year of service covering multiple lines makes the upfront payment even steeper, which is why it's hard to include Mint among the best family plans.

Mint Mobile review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

Even before T-Mobile's purchase of Mint closed in 2024, Mint was using T-Mobile's towers to provide its wireless service. This is pretty common practice among mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs, that turn to other carrier's networks for their coverage.

Even in less robust conditions, Mint's 67.7 Mbps download speeds topped the 45.7 Mbps result I recorded on Verizon in the same location.

In Mint's case, that's good news, as T-Mobile is currently regarded as the top-performing network by testing firms like Ookla and Opensignal. If T-Mobile's coverage is strong in your area, you should expect equally robust coverage from Mint, with the caveat that your data speed can be slowed down — the technical term is "deprioritized" when there's a lot of traffic on T-Mobile's network.

That said, I didn't experience any noticeable slowdowns during my time on Mint. I was able to surf the web, stream and even engage in some online multiplayer gaming with PUBG Mobile, relying entirely on Mint to stay connected.

In general, speeds on Mint's network as measured by Ookla's Speedtest.net app were on par with what I normally see from my regular coverage through Verizon (with the caveat that my speed under Verizon's Unlimited Welcome plan is subject to slowdowns if there's a lot of traffic).

In one test, Mint hit upload speeds of 155 Mbps on my Galaxy S25 Plus, compared to 151 Mbps on an iPhone 17 connected to Verizon. Even in less robust conditions, Mint's 67.7 Mbps download speeds topped the 45.7 Mbps result I recorded on Verizon in the same location.

The bottom line: if you think Mint's lower rates doom you to slower service, you're very mistaken. Mint's coverage is every bit as good as what you'd get from a bigger name carrier.

Mint Mobile review: Perks

Mint coverage map (Image credit: Mint)

I've been using Mint's unlimited data plan in my tests, which recently doubled the amount of hotspot data available — it's now 20GB. Last February, Mint said it was doing away with a speed cap on its unlimited data plan, though as of this review, the Mint web page notes that unlimited data speeds can slow after 50GB of use. That's at least consistent with the caps on the Visible Plus and Tello unlimited data plans.

Otherwise, perks are the same on Mint's unlimited and tiered data plans, with customers getting free calling to Mexico, Canada and the U.K. Tiered data plans can also their data allotment for hotspotting. If those perks seem minimal, well, that's the trade-off for most of the best cheap cell phone plans.

Mint Mobile review: Customer service

(Image credit: Future)

Another way Mint is able to charge less for its service is by having no physical retail presence — this is an online-only operation. That applies to customer service, too, as there's no retail store to turn to work out any issues with your service. You're left to find the answers to your questions either through Mint's website or its mobile app.

Besides FAQs, Mint has a chatbot both online and in its app. For those times you need to talk to a human, Mint offers an 800-number, that's available from 8 a.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET seven days a week.

Besides the big upfront payment, the lack of in-person service is the biggest hurdle some people will face in making Mint their wireless carrier. If you're uncomfortable seeking out help online, you'd best look elsewhere for service, whether that's from a more established carrier or a lower-cost option like Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket or Total Wireless.

Mint Mobile review: Verdict

Mint's service proved reliable in my testing, so if you're comfortable with coverage on T-Mobile's network, turning to Mint is an appealing option for lowering your monthly costs.

To me, the biggest obstacle for potential Mint customers would be how comfortable you are making the year-long commitment required to get the carrier's best rate. There's also the not insignificant matter of ponying up anywhere from $180 to $360 for a full year of service in one payment. Mint's three-month introductory period at least gives you a chance to try out the service at a lower rate, but the question of a big annual payment is going to come down to what your budget can bear.

If you can make a big upfront payment, you'll certainly find a lot of value in Mint's service given its robust coverage via T-Mobile. And if not, other low-cost carriers like Visible and Tello offer cheap plans of their own without the year-long commitment.

Win! Get a free Apple Watch SE with your iPhone purchase at Visible

louis.ramirez@futurenet.com (Louis Ramirez) — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 07:19:04 +0000

The holidays are upon us and practically every phone carrier is offering epic discounts right now. However, few of them are as tempting as this deal from Visible.

For a limited time, Visible is offering a free Apple Watch SE (40mm) when you purchase any iPhone. The Apple Watch SE is no longer Apple's flagship watch, but it's still a great entry-level smartwatch if you've never owned one. It's also one of the best Visible deals we've seen. (For more deals, check out our guide to the Visible Promo codes).

Visible: free Apple Watch SE w/ iPhone purchase @ Visible
For a limited time, Visible is offering a free Apple Watch SE (40mm) with the purchase of any iPhone. Just use coupon code "APPLEWATCH" at checkout to get this deal. Your new iPhone and a Visible annual plan must be purchased in the same transaction to qualify for the free watch. Note: Apple Watch data plans are included with the Visible+ Pro annual plan. This offer ends December 31st at 11:59pm ET. View Deal

Visible debuted in 2018 and is available nationwide. There are three plans: the base Visible plan for $19/month, the Visible+ plan for $26/month, and the Visible+ Pro plan for $33/month.

Visible is full cellular service owned by Verizon. That means Visible customers can take advantage of Verizon's 5G service if they're living in an area where 5G is available and they've got a compatible phone. The carrier is particularly appealing as a phone service because both of its plans deliver unlimited data at a fraction of what you'd pay for an unlimited data plan at a major carrier, such as Visible parent Verizon, where unlimited data plans start at $70 a month.

There are some restrictions to know. For instance, they can slow down your connection if Verizon's network is congested. In addition, Visible caps video streaming at 480p resolution on the base plan.

Win! T-Mobile’s offering 4 lines for just $25/month per line

louis.ramirez@futurenet.com (Louis Ramirez) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:31:38 +0000

T-Mobile is saving one of its best deals for last. If you're looking for a new family plan that includes free phones and an epic discount on data, you'll want to check this deal out.

Right now, you can get 4 iPhone 17 smartphones for free when you port 4 lines to T-Mobile's Essentials 4 Line plan. There's no trade-in required and you'll pay just $25/month for each line. That's one of the best cell phone deals I've seen.

Essentials 4-Line Plan: $25/month per line @ T-Mobile
Port four numbers to T-Mobile's Essentials 4-Line Plan and you'll get four iPhone 17 smartphones for free. Plus, you'll pay just $25/month per line. It's one of the best carrier deals I've seen. You'll receive up to $830 back via 24 monthly bill credits for each phone. Note: There's a $35 device connection charge per device. View Deal

Paying $25/month per line is an excellent deal considering you're also getting four free iPhones in the process. The base iPhone 17 includes a multitude of upgrades like a larger and brighter 6.3-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. You also get an A19 processor, upgraded 256GB of storage, 48MP main camera, and a new 48MP ultrawide camera.

There's also a new Center Stage 18MP front camera. Finally, battery life is improved and there's now 25W Qi 2.2 charging support. In our iPhone 17 review, we said it offers one of the best bang-for-the-buck deals in recent memory.

For more gift ideas and sales, check out our holiday gift guide and best Christmas deals roundup.

Best cell phone plans in 2026: the best options for your monthly phone service

richard.priday@futurenet.com (Richard Priday) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 16:02:39 +0000

It's always worth checking out the latest best cell phone plans. Chances are, you can save money on your monthly cell phone service, especially if you've had the same plan for a while.

Phone carriers are constantly updating their service offerings, so even if you're not looking to change wireless providers, there's a chance you can find a better option that costs less while providing more data in return.

The trick to finding great plans? Look beyond the big names like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, and turn to some off-the-beaten path choices for options.

You should also ask yourself when picking cell phone plans is how much data you would be getting for my monthly payment. Also, weigh network performance along with the perks that come with a plan when sorting through various options.

The 6GB plan at Mint Mobile for people is a strong pick for who don't need a lot of data and one of the unlimited data options at Visible for those who do.

The best cell phone plan overall

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/Mint Mobile/Shutterstock)

1. Mint Mobile

Best cell phone plan right now

Monthly cost: $15 | Data: 6GB | Network provider: T-Mobile | When you hit your limit: Data slowed to 128 Kbps | Perks: Mobile hotspot data, free calling to Canada and Mexico

Affordable monthly rates

Dependable coverage on T-Mobile's network

No fees for going over data limit

Big upfront payment required

No in-person tech support

Note: Mint's data increase for all its plans in June 2026 means that you now get more for your money. Even the unlimited plan now offers more hotspot data without a price increase.

Mint Mobile offers very competitive rates on cell phone plans for anyone willing to pay for a year of service up front. Now that we've had a chance to test out the carrier's service, we can confirm that the low-cost coverage (and our no.1 pick of our best cheap cell phone plan guide) comes with very reliable performance from T-Mobile's network. (T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile.)

Because most people don't need that much data, Mint's 6GB plan, available for a low introductory rate of $15/month for the first three months. (That's an upfront payment of $45.) After your three months are up, you need to pay for a full year in advance — a $180 payment — to keep that low monthly rate.

Mint believes its service is strong enough to convince you to make that commitment, and we're inclined to agree, having gotten reliably fast speeds when testing the network. In my experience, if you've got good coverage from T-Mobile in your area, you'll get that same strong coverage from Mint, with speeds only slowing if the network is congested. That didn't really happen in my time using Mint's service, though.

Mint has other plans that you can read about in our best Mint Mobile plans guide, if you want more or even unlimited data.

The best unlimited data plan

(Image credit: Future)

2. Visible

Best unlimited data plan

Monthly cost: $35 | Data: Unlimited | Network provider: Verizon | When you hit your limit: Speeds deprioritized after 50GB | Plan perks: Mobile hotspot, Ultra Wideband 5G, coverage in Mexico and Canada, 1 Global Pass day each month

Low price for unlimited data beats many other carriers

Uses Verizon's extensive network

Rate includes taxes and fees

Minimal discounts on multiple lines

Best perks require the most expensive plan

You can check our full best unlimited data plan guide for more detail, but we like Visible's options the most. Visible offers three cell phone plans, each of which delivers unlimited data courtesy of Verizon's network. (Verizon owns Visible.) You can opt for Visible's cheapest plan at $25/month for a bare-bones offering or get multiple perks for international calling with the $45/month Visible Plus Pro plan. But the $35/month Visible Plus plan is just right for most people.

Like Visible Plus Pro, the Visible Plus plan gives you access to 5G service on Verizon's super-fast Ultra Wideband network, where available. (The standard Visible plan includes 5G, but on the slower nationwide network.) You get 50GB of high-speed data with Visible Plus, and you can use your phone as a hotspot with high-speed data. Additional perks include the ability to use your plan when traveling in Mexico and Canada and one Global Pass day per month that covers international travel.

Regardless of which Visible plan you pick, taxes and fees are baked into the price, so you always know what you'll pay each month. These are the best unlimited data plans for most people, with a lower rate than Mint's regular $30/month unlimited option and no requirement to pay for a full year in advance to get that great rate.

It's been a while since we tested Visible's service, but my experience has been that it's every bit as reliable as direct coverage from Verizon. My colleague John Velasco uses Visible as his carrier of choice and swears by its service.

The best family plan

(Image credit: Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock)

3. T-Mobile

Best cell phone plan for families

Monthly cost: $170 (4 lines total) | Data: Unlimited | Network provider: T-Mobile | When you hit your limit: No limit on data | Plan perks: Free Netflix and Hulu, lower rate for Apple TV, 30GB of high-speed data overseas, in-flight texting and Wi-Fi, 250GB of hotspot data

Includes streaming and travel perks

Well-rated network performance

Limited-time offer could disappear

Only available for three lines of data or more

Sitting atop our best family cell phone plan list, T-Mobile has a new unlimited data plan, and it's the best option for families who want lots of data and perks to go with their cellular service — at least for as long as current pricing remains in place. The new Better Value plan at T-Mobile matches the price of four lines of the carrier's Experience More plan with better perks.

Better Value customers get subscriptions to Netflix and Hulu included with their plans; Experience More customers can only get free Netflix. The Better Value plan also includes double the high-speed data when you travel overseas along with virtually unlimited hotspot data. And you get access to T-Mobile's satellite service when you're not in range of cellular towers, something that normally is included with just the very expensive Experience Beyond option.

It's worth taking a look at the best T-Mobile cell phone plans to see what else you can choose, especially if you're a senior, with T-Mo's 55+ Savings option being the leader in our best cell phone plans for seniors guide. Also, check out the Experience More plan if you're planning on jetsetting a lot in the future, as that's our best international phone plan pick.

The best budget family plan

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

4. Total Wireless

Best low-cost family plan

Monthly cost: $110 (4 lines total) | Data: Unlimited | Network provider: Verizon | When you hit your limit: No limit on data | Plan perks: 15GB of hotspot data, roaming in 15-plus countries, $200 discount on your next phone

Free fourth line

Hotspot data included

6 months of Disney Plus

Limited to 480p video streaming

If you don't mind turn to a less heralded carrier for your coverage, Verizon-owned Total Wireless has a compelling offer for families. The carrier's Total Max 5G plan starts at $50/month for a single line of data. But as you add data, that per-line cost drops, helped by Total throwing in the fourth line of data for free.

That means a family of four pays $27.50 for each line of data — a monthly cost of $110.

Perks include no caps on data speeds, 15GB of hotspot data and free roaming in Canada and Mexico. Total also lets you make calls to 85-plus countries while texting 200-plus places. And you're eligible for a $200 discount on your next phone purchase after a year of payments. Throw in six months of Disney Plus streaming, and you've got a pretty sweetened pot at Total Wireless.

My colleague John Velasco hasn't used the family plan option at Total, though he did try the carrier's $40/month Total Base 5G plan for a month, finding service reliable with no real slowdowns compared to Verizon's network. A bonus for Total is that it has physical retail stores in case you need in-person help.

The best prepaid data plan

(Image credit: Verizon)

5. Verizon

Best prepaid cell phone plan

Monthly cost: $35 | Data: 15GB | Network provider: Verizon | When you hit your limit: Speeds slow to 3Mbps on 5G/600Kbps on 4G | Plan perks: Hotspot data included, plan works when traveling in Canada and Mexico

Unbelievably fast speeds

Competitive rate for base unlimited plan

Sprawling coverage

Premium data access

Performance drop-offs outside of 5G UW

No subscription service perks

Verizon's best prepaid option offers a reasonable 15GB of data for $45 a month ($35 a month with autopay), with that price locked in for at least three years. There aren't any additional perks, beyond the ability to use your data allowance for hotspotting.

This offer means you can get a plan from a major carrier without any annual commitment, and the price you see is the price you’ll pay each month — there are no big upfront bill or hidden fees to trip you up down the line.

Coverage is where Verizon’s prepaid plans stand out: you get the carrier’s massive, reliable nationwide 5G network, and in our reviewer's experience, everyday data speeds have been entirely usable at home. Indoors, our test phone bounced between standard 5G and Ultra Wideband, averaging 69 Mbps down and 12.6 Mbps up—a practical speed for streaming and hotspot use in most neighborhoods.

The biggest catch? Access to Verizon’s blazing-fast 5G Ultra Wideband is limited to the pricier Unlimited Plus and Ultimate plans, so the Welcome tier can be slower during congestion. And in our rural speed tests, average downloads dropped to just 29.5 Mbps. That makes this plan best if you value predictability and reliable coverage over top speeds or extra perks—check out dedicated unlimited or family plans if streaming, travel, or constant high-speed data top your list.

Read our best Verizon phone plans guide for more.

The best annual data plan

(Image credit: SOPA Images)

6. AT&T

Most affordable annual plan

Monthly cost: $20 | Data: Unlimited | Network provider: AT&T | When you hit your limit: Speeds slowed after 16GB | Plan perks: 10GB of hotspot data

Lowest monthly cost for unlimited data

Coverage on AT&T's network

Big upfront payment

Cap on high-speed data

As Mint makes clear, you can save big by paying for all your cell phone service up to a year in advance. And the best value for one of these annual plans comes from AT&T's prepaid service. For an upfront payment of $240, you get a year's worth of unlimited data. That works out to a monthly cost of $20, which is less than what Mint charges for its unlimited service.

There are some caveats to AT&T's plan. You get 16GB of high-speed data, which should be enough for the average user. But go over that amount and your speeds will slow down for the rest of the billing cycle. (The caps at Mint and Visible are more generous.) That $240 payment is non-refundable, so once you've signed up for this plan, you're committed to AT&T for the next year.

Perks include 10GB of hotspot data each month and unlimited texting to more than 230 countries. You also get unlimited talk to Canada and Mexico with AT&T's plan.

See what else AT&T offers on our best AT&T phone plan guide.

Best cell phone plan price guarantee

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

7. Boost Mobile

Lifetime price guarantee

Monthly cost: $25 | Data: Unlimited | Network provider: Boost | When you hit your limit: Speeds are slowed after 30GB of use | Plan perks: None significant

Lifetime price guarantee

Nationwide coverage

30GB cap on high-speed data

Boost Mobile is no longer a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, relying on someone else's towers to provide its phone service. Relaunched as its own service to compete with the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, Boost has built out a network of its own — well, with the help of AT&T and T-Mobile to extend coverage where its network doesn't quite reach yet. And to draw attention to the its status as a national carrier, many of the best Boost mobile plans are unlimited options, with one in particular standing out at a time of fluctuating prices.

The carrier charges $25/month for its standard unlimited plan, matching Visible's lowest rate for month-to-month unlimited service. But that's not what makes this Boost offering so noteworthy. Rather, it's the fact that customers who sign up for that plan will always pay $25/month so long as they stick with Boost as their carrier.

You get 30GB of high-speed data; after using that much in a billing period, your speeds will slow down. The plan doesn't have many perks, even compared to other Boost offerings that include taxes and fees in their rate. Still, that's a fair trade-off for the certainty that your rate will stay the same well into the future. And as John Velasco found out when testing Boost's service, you get reliable and speedy coverage comparable to more established phone carriers.

How we pick the best cell phone plans

(Image credit: Tint Media / Shutterstock)

What goes into picking the best cell phone plan? We specifically take these factors into consideration when making my picks.

Price: How much a plan costs is the first thing to look at. That doesn't necessarily mean cheaper plans are better or that more expensive plans shouldn't be considered — there are cheaper options out there than AT&T's Unlimited Extra plan for families, for example. But it's important to know upfront what a phone carrier is charging you and how that compares to the competition.
How much data comes with each plan: A big part of how much value a plan delivers hinges upon the ratio of data to price. A lot of data for a lower price is a winning combination, which is why we tend to favor low-cost unlimited data plans. Even with unlimited data you have to be careful, though — some carriers put caps on the amount of high-speed data you get. So look for a bigger number, or no limit at all.
Coverage: How a network performs varies widely based on where you happen to be, so you should figure out which carrier offers extensive coverage in your area by talking to friends and neighbors. That said, you can still take third-party testing data into account. And the current numbers tell me that T-Mobile's service is generally the fastest — Ookla ranks T-Mobile as the fastest U.S. network as of this writing — and it's got the farthest reaching 5G coverage. That said, Verizon continues to offer an extensive network of its own.
Perks: Plans that pack in a lot of perks are more valuable than bare-bones offerings. Look for things like hotspot data, overseas coverage and whether streaming service subscriptions come with your plan. 5G coverage should be standard, though some plans get faster 5G service than cheaper options (such as the Visible Plus plan). Perks are a nice-to-have, not a must-have, but they can give one plan an edge over the other.
Commitment: One of the reasons we include Verizon's prepaid plan is that it's a month-to-month plan — if a better option comes along, you can easily switch. As good as the Mint Mobile plan is, it does require a year commitment to get the best rate. It's good to know things like that when you're picking your phone service.
Price guarantees: More carriers than ever include price-lock guarantees with their plans, like the Boost, Verizon and T-Mobile options we cite above. And of course, the advantage of committing to annual plans like the Mint and AT&T offerings is that your wireless expenses are set for the full year, with no worries about monthly rate changes.

Best cell phone plans compared

So that you can better see how much each of the best cell phone plans cost, we've put them in one chart, with their monthly rate for one line of data. We've noted where plans like the Mint's require annual payments, and the notes field also lists the family price for multiple lines of the AT&T and Total Wireless plans.

As you can see, Boost and Visible all have the lowest rate for unlimited data on a monthly basis, though AT&T's annual plan offers a lower monthly cost if you pay for a full year. Mint's 15GB plan is the cheapest of all.

As for family plans, the appeal comes from the discounts that you get as you add lines. For Total's plan, contrast the per line prices for one, two and four lines of data. (T-Mobile's Better Value plan requires at least three lines so the discounts aren't as pronounced.)

Plan	Data amount	Monthly price, 1 line	Notes
Mint Mobile 5GB plan	5GB	$15 (requires $180 annual payment)	$180 annual payment required for $15 monthly rate
Visible Wireless Visible Plus plan	Unlimited data	$35	Other unlimited plans at Visible cost $25 and $45
T-Mobile Better Value	Unlimited data	Only available for three lines or more ($47/line for 3 lines)	T-Mobile says this is a limited-time offer
Total Wireless Total Max 5G	Unlimited data	$50	2 lines of data costs $85 ($42.50/line) while family of four pays $110 ($27.50/line)
Verizon Prepaid 15GB plan	15GB	$35	Rate reflects $10 autopay discount
AT&T Prepaid unlimited plan	Unlimited data	$20 (requires $240 annual payment)	Annual plan requires upfront payment
Boost Mobile Unlimited plan	Unlimited data	$25	Rate is guaranteed for as long as you remain at Boost

How to choose the best cell phone plan for you

Price is a big consideration when looking for the best cell phone plans, especially if you’re getting more than one line for other members of your family. Most carriers offer escalating discounts as you add lines, so you’ll want to compare the total cost of your plan based on the number of lines that require service.

Cell phone plans are about more than just the amount on your bill each month, though. As mentioned above you also need to consider who offers the best coverage in your area and whether they support the phone you’ll want to use. Our guide to the best phone carriers can answer many of those questions, but you’ll also want to ask around about how a specific carrier’s coverage is at your home and office if you’re looking to switch wireless providers.

Speaking of switching carriers, the major carriers are all willing to pick up some of the cost to get you to switch. These promotions can vary over time, so we'd suggest keeping an eye on any new carrier deals when you're mulling a switch, as you could find extra ways to save money.

Wireless carriers have spent the past several years building out their 5G coverage, and if you’ve got the right 5G phone, you can benefit from faster speeds if a carrier offers 5G service in your area. T-Mobile includes 5G coverage with all its plans, and that coverage extends to carriers like Metro By-T-Mobile, Mint Mobile and others that use T-Mobile's towers for coverage. AT&T now includes 5G with all its plans, including prepaid options. Verizon does, too, though only some plans include access to that carrier's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network.

What kind of cell phone plan do I need?

(Image credit: AndreyPopov)

As you would expect, there is no simple answer to this and the question is more about what is the best plan for you. This will obviously depend on a wide variety of factors.

For those on a budget and looking for some flexibility, a prepaid cell phone plan will be an excellent way to go. These are often the cheapest options and the lack of contracts is going to be a massive bonus, especially if you like to change up carriers frequently.

If you frequently stream Netflix on the go, like to play games on your phone or just generally drain your data at impressive speeds, an unlimited plan is an excellent way to go — especially as 5G becomes more common.

For more on picking a plan, check out our guide on how much data you need in your cell phone plan.

Family cell phone plans are an excellent way to save money on each phone line, since many carriers drop the per-line cost for each additional line. Some carriers, such as Verizon and AT&T, let you mix and match plans, so parents can get an unlimited line with greater perks, while giving kids a cheaper line of data to save money overall.

If you are simply after the lowest price possible, carriers including Visible and Boost Mobile can offer you really low costs if you don't mind settling for fewer perks and lower caps on data (even high-speed data in the case of some unlimited plans). In some cases, you can get a lower rate by paying for a full year of service ahead of time, as is the case at Mint Mobile.

MVNOs vs other carriers

MVNOs are a slightly strange concept but they do offer an excellent way to get a cell phone plan on a budget. So what are they and how do they differ from the main carriers?

First, it's important to note the main carriers. These are: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, which absorbed Sprint in 2020. Boost Mobile is trying to establish itself as another nationwide provider, building out its own network.

MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), on the other hand, don't own and operate their own technology and instead piggyback off of the services of one of the above brands. This allows them to be far cheaper than the main carriers but does mean they are the first to be restricted during peak usage periods and don't get access to as many additional benefits.

We explain more about this in our MVNO guide, but the main players are:

Mint Mobile runs on T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile runs on T-Mobile
Tello runs on T-Mobile
Cricket Wireless runs on AT&T
Visible runs on Verizon
Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon

Verizon's epic Black Friday deal offers a new phone, watch and tablet for free

louis.ramirez@futurenet.com (Louis Ramirez) — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:28:26 +0000

Planning on treating yourself this Black Friday? Nothing beats a new phone and if you've been waiting for the right time to upgrade — now would be it. Verizon Black Friday deals are live and I'm seeing huge discounts on our favorite phones.

Verizon is rated as one of the best phone carriers in the US and it's latest batch of deals is pretty epic. For example, you can get the iPhone 17 Pro with an Apple Watch 11 and iPad (A16) for free. Or you can get the Galaxy S25 Ultra with a Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Tablet for free. As with most carrier deals, requirements may include an eligible unlimited data plan and/or trade-in. But these are the best deals I've seen from Verizon all year.

For more ways to save, make sure to read our guide to the best Black Friday deals and the best Verizon promo codes.

Quick Links

shop all Verizon Black Friday deals
$200 Verizon gift card: free w/ eligible phones
iPhone 17 Pro: free iPad + Apple Watch 11 w/ unlimited
iPhone Air: free w/ new line + unlimited
Pixel 10 Pro: free w/ new line + unlimited
Galaxy S25: free phone w/ unlimited

iOS

Free Apple Watch 11 & iPad

iPhone 17 Pro: free w/ trade-in + unlimited @ Verizon
Verizon is offering the iPhone 17 Pro on the house. Simply open a new line with an eligible unlimited data plan and you'll get your iPhone 17 Pro for free. Plus, you'll get a free Apple Watch 11 and iPad A16. (Note: Both free devices will require their own data plans with Verizon). The iPhone 17 Pro features a 6.3-inch OLED 120Hz display (2622 x 1206), A19 Pro chipset, and 256GB of storage. You also get a 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP w/ 4x zoom telephoto lens. The front camera is 18MP. In our iPhone 17 Pro review, we said its its upgraded 48MP telephoto camera, 18MP Center Stage front camera, and vapor cooling chambers are significant changes to reaffirm its status as Apple's premium phone.View Deal

iPhone Air: free w/ new line + unlimited @ Verizon
Put those $999 back in your wallet. Verizon has the iPhone Air for free with trade-in and an eligible data plan. The iPhone Air is Apple's slimmest phone to date at just 0.22 inches in depth. It includes a 6.5-inch 120Hz display, A19 Pro processor, 256GB of storage, 48MP Fusion camera, and an 18MP Center Stage front camera. In our iPhone Air review, we said it's a remarkable piece of engineering that doesn’t have the graphics might or sustained performance of the iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, but it’s faster than the Galaxy S25 Edge.View Deal

iPhone 17: free w/ new line + unlimited @ Verizon
Verizon is offering some of the best iPhone 17 deals I've seen. Simply open a new line with an eligible unlimited data plan and you'll get your iPhone 17 for free. The base iPhone 17 includes a multitude of upgrades like a larger and brighter 6.3-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. You also get an A19 processor, upgraded 256GB of storage, 48MP main camera, and a new 48MP ultrawide camera. There's also a new Center Stage 18MP front camera. Finally, battery life is improved and there's now 25W Qi 2.2 charging support. In our iPhone 17 review, we said it offers one of the best bang-for-the-buck deals in recent memory. View Deal

Android

Free Tablet & Watch!

Pixel 10 Pro XL: free w/ trade-in + unlimited @ Verizon
Verizon is offering the Pixel 10 Pro XL for free with trade-in and eligible unlimited data plans. You'll also get a free Pixel Watch 4 and Galaxy Tab A9+ 5G. It features a 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED display (1344 x 2992) 120Hz display, Tensor G5 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Rear cameras include a 50MP (f/1.68) main, 48MP (f/1.7) ultrawide, and a 48MP (f/2.8) 5x telephoto. On the front there's a 42MP (f/2.2) lens.View Deal

Galaxy S25: free w/ unlimited @ Verizon
Verizon is offering the Galaxy S25 for free with eligible unlimited data plans. The Galaxy S25 features a 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display w/ 120Hz refresh, Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. You also get a 50MP wide, 12MP Ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto lens and a 12MP front camera. In our Galaxy S25 review we said the performance and battery life boosts alone make this year's upgrade worthwhile.View Deal

Pixel 10 Pro: free w/ new line + unlimited @ Verizon
Verizon is offering the Pixel 10 Pro for free with a new line and eligible unlimited data plans. It features a 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED display (1280 x 2856) 120Hz display, Tensor G5 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Rear cameras include a 50MP (f/1.68) main, 48MP (f/1.7) ultrawide, and a 48MP (f/2.8) 5x telephoto. On the front there's a 42MP (f/2.2) lens. View Deal

Galaxy S25 Ultra: free w/ new line @ Verizon
Verizon has the Galaxy S25 Ultra for free when you open a new line with an eligible unlimited data plan. The phone features a 6.9-inch QHD+ display w/ 120Hz refresh, Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. You also get a 200MP main (f/1.7), 50MP telephoto (5x, f/3.4), 10MP telephoto (3x, f/2.4), 50MP ultra wide (f/1.9) lens. There's also a 12MP (f/2.2) front lens and 5,000 mAh battery, which is the largest battery of all the S25 phones. In our Galaxy S25 Ultra review, we called it the ultimate Android phone.View Deal

Black Friday phone deals are the perfect reason to switch wireless carriers — here’s the best offers right now

Philip Michaels — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:01:00 +0000

You've got a lot going on in your life at the moment — holiday prep, social engagements and the ongoing demands of daily life. Do you really want to add switching phone carriers to your list of to-dos?

A number of wireless providers are betting that you will, tweaking their Black Friday deals to convince you that it's time to move your wireless service elsewhere. And they may have a point.

You'll find deals aimed at would-be cell service switchers throughout the year, but those offers seem to ramp up around Black Friday. So long as you're looking for a new phone, the thinking goes, why not consider a new phone carrier, too?

The answer, of course, is that switching phone carriers can be a hassle, particularly if you're still paying off your current phone. (To that end, most carriers are willing to pick up that balance, either in part or in total, if that's what's preventing you from switching.) If your life feels pretty hectic right now — and whose doesn't — switching your phone service feels like One More Thing where the stress outweighs the benefit.

As someone who monitors the best cell phone plans and best phone carriers for Tom's Guide, I think there's a few reasons why now is the perfect time to consider a change in wireless service.

The best deals favor switchers

(Image credit: Future)

Peruse the best Black Friday phone deals, and you'll notice a trend — a lot of the top offers through phone carriers require you to open a new line of data. That covers current customers expanding their wireless plans to add a new person — say, a parent getting a phone for a child — but it really benefits someone coming over to a new carrier for the first time.

Take Verizon, which is currently offering a free iPhone 17 Pro even if you don't have a device to trade-in, so long as you open up a new line of service with one of the carrier's myPlan unlimited data options. Similarly, T-Mobile drops its trade-in requirement for a free iPhone 17 Pro when you bring an existing phone number and sign up for its Experience Beyond plan. (Opting for the less expensive Experience More plan nets you a steep discount on the iPhone.)

iPhone 17 Pro: Free with new line of service @ Verizon
You don't need a trade-in to get a free iPhone 17 Pro at Verizon — just a new line of data on one of the carrier's MyPlan unlimited data options. In exchange, you'll get a 6.3-inch iPhone that's Apple's most complete camera phone with full support for Apple Intelligence features.View Deal

iPhone 17 Pro: Free with trade-in @ T-Mobile
The iPhone 17 Pro is available for free when you trade-in an eligible device and sign up for T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan. The cheaper Experience More plan gets you an $830 credit on the $999 phone. You're committed to 24 months of service with T-Mobile.View Deal

At lower-profile carriers, you can save without even having to purchase a phone. Mint Mobile is currently running a promotion where you pay just $15/month — $45 total — for your first three months of service on any plan, not just the cheapest 5GB offer. That means you can pay $45 for three months of unlimited data through Mint, half-off the carrier's usual rate. And if you're winning to commit to Mint for a full year, an upfront payment of $180 locks in 12 months of unlimited data for that 50% discount.

Unlimited data: was $30/month now $15/month @ Mint Mobile
Mint normally charges a pretty low monthly rate for unlimited data — a $30 monthly option when you pay for the full year in advance. But currently, that rate is cut in half, meaning you can lock in coverage for $15/month for the next year. That requires a $180 upfront payment, but it keeps wireless costs under control for 12 months, with service coming over T-Mobile's excellent cellular network.View Deal

Visible is running a promotion off its own, where new customers can use code 'SWITCH26' to lock in a lower rate on any of the carrier's unlimited data plans for 26 months. I think the Visible Plus plan is the best unlimited data plan you can get right now, and Visible's promotion lowers the rate by $9/month to $26. That saves you $234 over the next two years and change.

Unlimited data plan: Save $9/month for 26 months @ Visible
The best unlimited data plan at Visible is the Visible Plus option, which normally costs $35/month. But sign up with code 'SWITCH26' and the rate falls to $26/month for the next 26 months. Visible Plus customers get 50GB of high-speed data with no slowdowns and access to the fastest 5G coverage on Verizon's network.View Deal

The bottom line is that there are savings to be had — either with devices or services themselves — if you're willing to change carriers.

Switching is not the nuisance you think it is

(Image credit: T-Mobile / YouTube)

The rise of discount phone carriers without a brick-and-mortar outlet has meant that getting started with new phone service has gotten a lot easier. After all, when your customer service is limited to online interactions, you've got to remove as many roadblocks as possible.

I'm currently testing Mint Mobile's wireless service, and without tipping my hand, I was able to get service up and running on a Galaxy S25 Plus without a sweat. I had the same experience earlier in the year setting up service on an older iPhone to review Twigby Mobile.

The bigger carriers are starting to take notice. Earlier this month, T-Mobile unveiled changes to its switching process in which the carrier claims you'll be able to complete a move to its service in 15 minutes. Using an app, you'll be able to share your current plan from AT&T or Verizon to get a competing offer from T-Mobile. You can also defer a decision on upgrading your hardware.

T-Mobile's expedited switching program launches December 1 — Cyber Monday in the U.S.

Starting the year off with a smaller cell phone bill

The timing of Black Friday sales means you're getting your new phone — and potentially, a new phone carrier — right at the start of a new year. That's a time of self-assessment and making changes, so signing up with a new carrier that's charging you less for phone service gets you a head start on turning over a new leaf for the new year.

Admittedly, this is more of a vibes-based reason for switching carriers. But if there's one thing I've learned from tracking cell phone plan prices, it's that there's usually a cheaper wireless plan out there compared to what you're currently paying. If a Black Friday phone deal is what pushes you to lower your monthly bill, then all the more reason to go for it.

Black Friday mobile plans: I'm rounding up all the best discounts from Australia's top telcos

Stephen Lambrechts — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:48:41 +0000

Be honest: when was the last time you checked what you're paying for your phone bill? If it’s been more than 12 months, you could be basically donating money to your telco and paying more than you need to. In other words, customers who set-and-forget are generally not getting the best value plans on the market. Luckily, Black Friday 2025 offers a timely opportunity to change that.

For the next week, many providers are offering incentives like waived first-month fees, doubled data allowances, or discounted recharge costs – 365-day SIM only plans, for example, can be up to 60% off. All the big players, such as Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, are getting in on the action, though you can expect some of the best offers to come from smaller providers, like Kogan Mobile, Boost Mobile and more.

To help you lock down the best savings on your phone plan this sales season, we've scoured all the Black Friday mobile plans deals currently available and have hand-picked the ones we think provide the most bang for your buck. OK, enough talk — here's a guide to the best Australian prepaid and postpaid phone plan deals available for the 2025 Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales period, which comes to a halt on December 2.

Black Friday mobile plan deals: the big three

Vodafone

Vodafone is currently offering some excellent deals on its month-to-month SIM-only plans, so for the first year you get:

• AU$14 p/m discount
• Double data allowance

With those applied, we reckon the Small Plan should suit most people perfectly, as per month it comes down to just AU$39 for a generous 120GB. Meanwhile, the Large Plan features an astounding 800GB of monthly data for only AU$59p/m over the same period, which should be more than enough for even the most data-hungry user.

Small Plan (60GB+60GB bonus): AU$39p/m (usually AU$53p/m)
Medium Plan (200GB+200GB bonus): AU$49p/m (usually AU$63p/m)
Large Plan (400GB+400GB bonus): AU$59p/m (usually AU73p/m)

Optus

For Black Friday 2025, Optus is discounting rates on select plans for the first 12 months of connection. This is an online-only deal.

• 30% off the Small and Medium Choice Plus Plans

For the first 12 months, users on the Small Choice Plus Plan will pay just AU$38.50p/m for the usual 50GB of monthly data. After this introductory period, the price will revert to AU$55p/m. Those selecting the Medium Choice Plus Plan will receive 200GB of monthly data and pay AU$45.50p/m for the first 12 months. Following the initial year, this plan will return to its standard price of AU$65p/m.

Small Choice Plus Plan (50GB): AU$38.50p/m (usually AU$55p/m)
Medium Choice Plus Plan (200GB): AU$45.50p/m (usually AU$65p/m)

Telstra

Telstra is offering discounts of up to AU$20p/m for the first year of connection on its SIM-only plans, depending on which plan you opt for.

• Save AU$10p/m for 12 months on Basic or Essential Upfront plans
• Save AU$20p/m for 12 months on Premium Upfront plans

To receive the AU$10p/m discount on Telstra's Basic or Essential Upfront plans for the first year, simply apply the code FRIDAY10 at checkout. Alternatively, those opting for Telstra's Premium Upfront plan can save AU$20p/m over 12 months by applying the code FRIDAY20 at checkout.

Basic Upfront plan (50GB): AU$60p/m (usually AU$70p/m)
Essential Upfront plan (180GB): AU$70p/m (usually AU$80p/m)
Premium Upfront plan (300GB): AU$79p/m (usually AU$99p/m)

Black Friday mobile plans: best MVNO deals

Of course, the big three telcos aren't alone in serving up tasty deals this Black Friday, and a number of smaller Australian providers (more formally known as mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs) are also offering compelling discounts – and as is often the case, they can be substantially cheaper than what you'll find from Optus, Telstra or Vodafone.

Superloop (Telstra wholesale network)

Superloop is rolling out some terrific mobile plan deals for Black Friday, including double data and sweet extra perks if you bundle your mobile with a Superloop internet plan.

• Double data for first 6 recharges
• Free 2nd recharge when bundled with a Superloop internet plan (existing customers)
• Save up to AU$15p/m when you bundle mobile SIMs with an internet plan

The combination of double data for the first six recharges and the option to save at least AU$5p/m when bundling extra SIMs (with a maximum saving of AU$15p/m) makes even the most budget-friendly choices highly attractive, especially for those who are also willing to switch to a Superloop internet plan.

Essential 5G (35GB+35GB bonus): AU$35 per recharge (first 6 recharges)
Choice 5G (75GB+75GB bonus): AU$40 per recharge (first 6 recharges)
Plus 5G (130GB+130GB bonus): AU$50 per recharge (first 6 recharges)
Max 5G (160GB+160GB bonus): AU60 per recharge (first 6 recharges)

Dodo (Optus network)

Dodo is cutting right to the chase this Black Friday, offering half-price plans for half a year.

• 50% off for the first 6 months on its Medium and Large plans

Dodo is positioning itself as a price leader rather than focusing on data incentives like many rivals, making it one of the cheapest entry points on the Optus network this Black Friday. At these prices, we recommend the Large plan, as 80GB for AU$20 is frankly unbeatable.

Medium 40GB: AU$15p/m (usually AU$30p/m)
Large 80GB: AU$20p/m (usually AU$40p/m)

Felix Mobile (Vodafone 4G and 5G network)

Felix is offering select plans at half price for the first 3-4 months.

• Unlimited Data: 50% off for the first 4 months
• 50GB Plan: 50% off for the first 3 months

Although the promotional period for these plans is shorter than some other options featured, they still offer considerable savings: you can save up to AU$80 over 4 months on the Unlimited Plan, or AU$45 over 3 months on the 50GB Plan.

Unlimited: AU$20p/m (usually AU$40p/m). Code: UNL4
50GB Plan: AU$15p/m (usually AU$30p/m)

Kogan Mobile (Vodafone 4G and 5G network)

Kogan Mobile is currently offering its best discounts on its long-term 365-day prepaid plans, which also include bonus data.

• 17% off its Small 365 days prepaid plan
• 29% off its Large 365 days prepaid plan
• 37% off its Extra Large 365 days prepaid plan

While the company does offer price reductions on the first month of its Medium and Large monthly plans, these aren't as significant as the savings on the annual options.

Small 365 days prepaid plan (140GB+110GB): AU$149 (usually AU$179.90)
Large 365 days prepaid plan (300GB+100GB): AU$169 (usually AU$240)
Extra Large 365 days prepaid plan (500GB+150GB): AU$189 (usually AU$300)

Exetel (Telstra wholesale network)

Exetel doesn’t have the largest Black Friday offering, opting instead to push one "hero" deal that offers massive data on the Telstra 5G Wholesale network.

• Double data for first 6 recharges on Plus One 5G Plan

For the first six recharges, the Exetel Plus One 5G Plan is an exceptional deal, offering a massive 260GB of data for only AU$40 per recharge. Even after this initial period, the plan continues to be highly competitive, providing 130GB of data for the same AU$40 recharge price.

Plus One 5G Plan (130GB+130GB bonus): AU$40 per recharge (first 6 recharges)

Black Friday mobile plan deals: our top picks

Vodafone's Black Friday data deal is exceptionally strong, offering a massive 400GB of monthly data for the first year on its Medium Plan for just AU$63p/m. This represents outstanding value, especially when compared to Telstra, which provides only 50GB of data for a similar monthly cost.

Alternatively, if saving money is your top priority, Dodo's Large 80GB plan offers incredible value. For the first six months, it costs only AU$20 per recharge.

Mint Mobile’s unlimited data plan is 50% off for Black Friday — here’s how to lock in that low rate for a whole year

Philip Michaels — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:11:16 +0000

With Black Friday deals kicking into high gear, you're doubtlessly thinking about saving on a new handset via one of the many phone deals floating around out there. But don't forget to find a good deal on wireless service for that phone. In that case, Mint Mobile has a pretty compelling offer to keep monthly wireless costs in check.

Sign up for a full year of service with Mint, and the T-Mobile-owned discount carrier will give you 12 months of unlimited data for a total of $180 — or $15/month. That's half off the rate Mint normally charges for its unlimited data plan.

The catch with Mint is that you have to pay for your service up front — in this case, that's a one-time payment of $180 to cover the full year of service. But when that's $180 less than what you'd normally have to pay, the discount may be too compelling to ignore.

Mint is one of the best phone carriers for low-cost service for a couple of reasons. First, as a T-Mobile-owned operation, it uses the extensive network of its parent company, and as T-Mobile is fond of pointing out, testing firm Ookla rates the carrier's network as tops for the first half of this year.

Mint customers benefit from that performance, and while traffic from Mint is subject to slowdowns if T-Mobile's network is congested, I haven't noticed drops in performance when I've given Mint a try.

Second, that reduced rate compares favorably to what you'll pay for the best unlimited data plans at other low-cost carriers. Normally, Mint's regular rate on unlimited data is undercut by Boost, Visible and Tello, which all have unlimited plans that start at $25/month. Mint's current offer drops the cost of its plan below that of its competitors.

Mint's unlimited plan isn't packed with perks — the best cheap phone plans rarely are — but there are some noteworthy things included in the plan. Mint doesn't place a cap on data, so your speeds won't drop even if you use a lot of data each month. You get 10GB of high-speed hotspot data with the unlimited plan, and calls to Mexico, Canada and the U.K. are covered.

If you need more than just a new phone carrier, you can stack Mint's unlimited data plan discount with additional deals that let you save on phones. As of this writing, Mint is taking $450 off the Galaxy S25 lineup, with additional savings of up to $200 with a trade-in. Mint has deals on the latest Pixel 10 models, too.

For more discounts, check out our Black Friday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
Best Buy: laptops from $149
Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
Lululemon: top picks from $9
Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Score! Visible is taking up to $12/month off its plans — here’s how to get it

louis.ramirez@futurenet.com (Louis Ramirez) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:02:21 +0000

The holidays are on the horizon and phone carriers are starting to join in on the Black Friday deals frenzy. If you're looking for an affordable carrier that's also reliable, you need to see the latest deal from Visible.

For a limited time, Visible is taking up to $12 off its monthly plans for your first 26 months via coupon code "SWITCH26". After discount, prices start from $19/month for the Visible plan, $26/month for Visible+, or $33/month for Visible+ Pro. It's one of the best Visible deals we've seen. (For more deals, check out our guide to the Visible Promo codes).

Visible: up to $12 off/month for 26 months@ Visible
For a limited time, Visible is taking up to $12 off its plans via coupon code "SWITCH26". The discount is applicable for your first 26 months of service on any of Visible's plans. After discount, prices are $19/month for Visible, $26/month for Visible+, or $33/month for Visible+ Pro. All plans offer unlimited talk, text, and 5G data, but only the Plus and Plus Pro plans include 5G Ultra Wideband. Additionally, the Plus plan includes 1080p streaming video quality, whereas the Plus Pro plan offers 4K quality. View Deal

Visible debuted in 2018 and is available nationwide. There are two plans — Visible and Visible Plus — which cost $25/month and $45/month, respectively. You can purchase phones from Visible or bring your own.

There are some restrictions to know. For instance, they can slow down your connection if Verizon's network is congested. In addition, Visible caps video streaming at 480p resolution and music streams at 500 Kbps.

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon duke it out in TV ads over network performance — which one is telling the truth?

Philip Michaels — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You can't turn on your TV these days without clapping eyes on an actor touting the merits of one of the Big Three U.S. phone carriers. And in each one, the actor looks right into the camera to tell you the wireless carrier they're representing has the best network.

The latest instance features Luke Wilson strolling around a wind-swept prairie and declaring AT&T to be the phone network to beat. This ad echoes a T-Mobile spot that debuted a few months earlier, in which Billy Bob Thornton strolls around a different wind-swept prairie while singing the praises of the Uncarrier.

Meanwhile, Verizon offers neither wind-swept prairies nor late '90s leading men in its ads, but it does include the claim that its network happens to be the best.

Three ads for three phone carriers all claiming to offer the fastest, most reliable wireless service — so which one is correct? The answer depends on whose data you're using.

Comparing the phone network ads and their claims

Let's start with the T-Mobile ad, since it was the one that triggered this latest round of "My network is better than yours" back and forth. T-Mobile rolled out the spot in June around the same time it was previewing its soon-to-launch satellite connectivity, and the ad featured Billy Bob Thornton proclaiming that the Uncarrier had overtaken Verizon in the network performance rankings.

"Now the best mobile network in the U.S. is T-Mobile," Thornton says in the ad. "Some fancy experts finished a network test, and T-Mobile sort of opened a can of whoop-up."

The fancy experts in question are from Ookla, a mobile testing firm, which had just released its Speedtest Awards for the first half of 2025. In that testing period, T-Mobile posted the best Speedtest Connectivity score, which measures speed, video streaming and web browsing performance. T-Mobile scored 79.95 in that metric, compared to 75.49 for Verizon and 72.47 for AT&T.

If you thought AT&T was going to take that lying down, you were badly mistaken. The carrier dispatched Luke Wilson to tell its side of the story in an ad that's airing regularly during this month's World Series coverage.

"AT&T is America's first network and it's still the best," Wilson assures us. "That's not me talking, that's the scoreboard."

Or rather, that's the word from Rootmetrics and its testing report covering the first half of 2025. In that report, AT&T gets the nod for best overall network performance, while also winning top honors for network reliability, network speed and call performance. AT&T and Verizon were joint winners in Rootmetrics' data performance and text performance categories.

T-Mobile didn't exactly come up empty in the Rootmetrics report. It's cited for having the best 5G availability, meaning you're most likely to get a 5G signal in more locations. Rootmetrics also called out T-Mobile's "stellar speeds in major cities."

As for Verizon, its current ads are more focused on a promotion that lets AT&T and T-Mobile customers bring in their bill to see if Big Red can offer them a better deal. But the carrier does include a nod to its own network performance in those commercials.

"Better deal, best 5G network," the ad notes, with the fine print in the commercial pointing to the same Rootmetrics report cited by AT&T. And that report does recognize Verizon for offering the best 5G experience along with the fastest and most reliable 5G performance.

And the winner is ... everybody?

Normally, when you have three different companies claiming the same thing, you'd have to assume that two of them are incorrect. But in this instance, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon can all point to third-party reports that back up their claims.

(Image credit: Rootmetrics)

Verizon is paying $100 million in settlements — here's how to check if you're getting paid

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:45:00 +0000

Verizon has begun distributing $100 million to customers from its class-action settlement over undisclosed fees. The payments started rolling out in mid-2025 via direct deposit, Zelle transfers, and physical checks. Individual amounts vary from $5 to $100, with higher payments going to customers who paid these disputed charges for longer periods.

At issue were "Administrative Charges" and "Telco Recovery Charges" that Verizon added to postpaid wireless bills between January 2016 and November 2023 without adequate disclosure. Though Verizon didn't admit wrongdoing, they agreed to settle rather than face continued litigation expenses.

For customers who submitted claims before the April 15, 2024 deadline, there are several ways to check payment status and understand what comes next.

1. Check your claim and payment status

Review your email for confirmation from the Verizon Administrative Charges Settlement Administrator. If you submitted a claim before the April 15, 2024 deadline, you should have received a confirmation email or letter. Without this confirmation, you likely didn't file a claim and won't receive payment.

Visit the official settlement website through consumer protection portals like Top Class Actions or ClassAction.org to verify your claim status. Contact the settlement administrator directly using information on the official site — they can confirm whether your claim was approved and when payment should arrive.

Check your selected payment method. Monitor your bank account if you chose direct deposit or Zelle, or watch your mailbox if you selected a mailed check.

2. Payment amounts and distribution methods

Each approved claimant receives a base payment of $15, plus $1 for each month they paid the disputed fees, up to a maximum of $100 per person. Your actual amount depends on how long you paid the fees, the total number of valid claims, and administrative costs deducted from the fund.

Payments are being distributed via Zelle, direct deposit, or mailed checks depending on your selected method. Zelle and direct deposit payments arrive within days of processing, while mailed checks take several weeks due to postal delivery.

3. Who was eligible and why it matters

Customers with postpaid wireless or data plans between January 1, 2016 and November 8, 2023 qualified if they were charged administrative or telco recovery fees and filed claims by the deadline. Customers who opted out of the settlement are not eligible.

The case highlights billing transparency issues in telecommunications. Verizon agreed to clearer billing disclosures going forward, and the settlement sets a precedent that could encourage greater oversight of postpaid billing practices across the industry.

How to contact the settlement administrator

Visit the official settlement website through established consumer protection portals to find verified contact information. Have your claim confirmation number ready when contacting them for faster assistance.

Do not respond to unsolicited emails or calls about the settlement. Scammers target settlement recipients. Only use official channels verified through the settlement website to avoid fraud.

AT&T settles $177 million data breach lawsuit — here's how you can claim your share up to $7,500

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 22:38:39 +0000

Two data breaches that resulted in a class action lawsuit against AT&T are coming to a resolution, with the phone carrier agreeing to pay $177 million. AT&T agreed to pay the sum to avoid a trial.

The settlement was preliminarily approved by a Texas judge in August. Under the terms of the deal, affected customers may be able to claim up to $7,500. A settlement website from Kroll, the risk and financial advisory firm acting as the settlement administrator, is now available.

How we got here

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The class action lawsuit was filed against the telecom giant over two different breaches from 2019 and 2024. The 2019 breach was not reported by AT&T until 2024, when data from that breach was being sold on the dark web.

That breach involved the personal data of more than 73 million former and current AT&T customers. Sensitive data included Social Security numbers, legal names, and birth dates. AT&T was forced to reset passcodes for millions of its customers.

The second breach hit in 2024 with hackers getting into data stored in AT&T's cloud-based data warehouse, Snowflake. Reportedly, that breach affected 109 million AT&T customers.

The stolen data mostly surrounded call information like mobile and landline numbers, calls and texts sent over AT&T's network, aggregate call duration and some cell site identification numbers. This data could be enough to figure out the identities of AT&T customers.

Separate lawsuits were filed over both data breaches before being consolidated into a single class action lawsuit.

"Parties have settled the actions in their entirety without any admission of liability or wrongdoing," the settlement website says.

How to know if you have a claim

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The agreed-upon settlement is being split into two tiers: AT&T 1 Settlement Class and AT&T 2 Settlement Class.

The first tier covers the 2019 breach and is eligible for $149 million of the payout. The second tier covers the 2024 breach and is eligible for the remaining $28 million.

The Kroll Settlement Administration should send you an email if you qualify for the settlement. So keep an eye on your mailbox, including the spam folder.

If you believe you qualify but haven't received communication, you can reach out.

You can call (833) 890-4930 or send an inquiry letter to:

AT&T Data Incident Settlement
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 5324
New York, NY 10150-5324

How to file a claim

A claim can be filed on the Kroll website or through the mail using the address above. You'll need to have a Class Member ID to file a claim, which should be provided by Kroll once it reaches out to you via email or otherwise.

If you don't want to submit online, you can print out the claim form and mail it.

These are the forms you'll need:

The claim must be submitted or postmarked by December 18, 2025.

What the settlement could pay

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

For those affected by the 2019 data breach you have to prove documented financial loss because of the breach. If so, you're eligible for up to $5,000. If you were affected by the 2024 breach you can qualify for up to $2,500.

Technically, you may qualify for both, but you might need to provide Kroll with proof for each incident.

If you can't prove that the breach directly led to financial loss but you still qualify, you'll receive a pro rata share of the remaining money. This will depend on how many people make claims.

Vodafone outage recap — network 'recovering' after mass UK outage

richard.priday@futurenet.com (Richard Priday) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:44:46 +0000

Vodafone UK is recovering after a major outage struck the network at 3:30pm on Monday, October 13, spiking quickly on outage monitoring site DownDetector.

The initial flood of reports began to taper off after roughly two hours, but even five hours after the initial issue, thousands of people were still having issues. To make matters worse, Vodafone's own website as well as its network status checker were also unresponsive for large parts of Monday afternoon.

Vodafone offered the following statement following the outage: “On Monday afternoon, for a short time, the Vodafone network had an issue affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services.

"This was triggered by a non-malicious software issue with one of our vendor partners which has now been resolved, and the network has fully recovered. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers.”

Vodafone outage — how it played out

Vodafone's network started to experience problems just after 2.30, according to DownDetector
Providers that use Vodafone's network, including Voxi and Lebara, also experienced outages
Vodafone confirmed it is aware of "a major issue" and is "working to resolve this as soon as possible"
Other broadband providers, like Virgin Media, Sky and BT also saw a spike in outage reports but these are likely as a by-product of Vodafone's problems — possibly because users are tethering off these other providers.
After more than three hours, issues seem to have been resolved for some. But many users are still reporting problems.
Five hours in, complaints were still dripping through, but Vodafone issued a statement to say the outage had been fixed.
The next morning (October 14), Vodafone issued a new statement blaming the fault on a "non-malicious software issue with one of our vendor partners".

LIVE: Latest updates

Network and web page both seem to be MIA

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Having held a quick poll of TG UK’s staffers, we have one confirmed report of a Voxi customer (one of Vodafone’s sub-brands) being unable to access mobile data. Add that to the pile visible on Down Detector’s Vodafone page.

Concerningly, I can’t access Vodafone UK’s website either. Hopefully this is due to a sudden increase in traffic flooding the servers, as if it’s down due to the same issue that is afflicting the network, this could be a big problem.

Three and easy

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Vodafone recently completed a merger with Three, another mainstay of the UK’s carrier market. But whatever integration has happened since then doesn’t seem to apply to all their infrastructure, as Three users are not reporting outages in nearly the same quantities. There's still been a spike, but the raw numbers are nowhere near close to Vodafone's.

All Three users on TG’s staff are still connecting to the internet, which is a good sign that the problem is localised. Not that this is much comfort for Vodafone’s own customers.

Bad news for Lebara and Talkmobile users too

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Similar to the issue with Voxi, Lebara and Talkmobile users are also impacted by Vodafone's outage as it piggybacks off of the same network as an MVNO.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Lebara's identity as a carrier is all about calls abroad to keep in contact with distant family members, while Talkmobile focuses on well-priced SIM-only contracts. But it seems nobody's going to be enjoying their international calls or competitively priced SIMs for the forseeable, as the Down Detector report graphs above show.

The word from Vodafone HQ

(Image credit: Vodafone)

In a statement given to our friends at TechRadar , a Vodafone spokesperson says of the outage:

"We are aware of a major issue on our network currently affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services. We appreciate our customers' patience while we work to resolve this as soon as possible.”

We've asked for a statement too, in case Vodafone has anything more to say since the last update. But this is the best we have for now.

Vodafone: ex-X user (or ex-Twitter user, if you prefer)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Normally in times like this, a company's social media is the ideal place to look for information about what's happened and when the outage may be over. But sadly Vodafone doesn't seem to be that chatty online.

Vodafone seems to have abandoned its X profile since March this year, other than a single post in July about a problem with its customer service. The carrier is similarly quiet on Bluesky, and nothing has appeared on Instagram, Threads or Facebook yet either.

Stable - but not yet fixed

(Image credit: Down Detector / Tom's Guide)

Returning to the Vodafone Down Detector page, we can see that complaints of levelled off - having sat at around 30,000 complaints for the past hour or so.

Without further confirmation from Vodafone about a timeline for fixing whatever problem has happened, this drop off isn't really good news. But hopefully it means that the vast majority of impacted users are now aware of the problem, and can now take steps to connect to the internet via other means.

Some good news?

(Image credit: Talkmobile / Tom's Guide)

While the Vodafone site itself has been down, I've been refreshing the Talkmobile status page (who use Vodafone's network) to see if I can find answers. And while it's been dead for the past hour or so, it's suddenly sprung back to life, saying that, at least in the area surrounding TG's London office, connectivity's OK for both 4G and 5G.

Whether this applies to Vodafone and other carriers' customers, users in other areas, or is even accurate in the first place, is not clear. But it's encouraging to see all the same.

Are you entitled to compensation?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

According to Sabrina Hoque, a telecoms expert at Uswitch, customers may be entitled to compensation as a result of an outage like this one.

“If your broadband connection goes down for more than two days, you could be entitled to compensation of £9.76 for each calendar day that the service is not repaired," she told Tom's Guide in a statement. “Ofcom advises that compensation for mobile signal outages is ‘dependent on the circumstances.’ But in extreme cases where repairs take much longer, you may be entitled to an additional refund or account credit."

Although this outage has been going for over two hours now, it's pretty unlikely Vodafone won't have it fixed by Thursday.

Reports continue to decline

(Image credit: DownDetector)

Some positive news is that, according to DownDetector at least, reports of issues are falling quickly. At time of writing, it's down to under 10,000 reports and I'm hearing anecdotal evidence that some people have their broadband and mobile signal back up and running.

No such luck for the Vodafone network status checker, though. That's still failing to load. So we're not out of the woods yet...

Vodafone says the network is "recovering"

(Image credit: Vodafone)

According to an updated statement provided to the BBC, Vodafone says the issue is resolved and the network is "recovering".

"This afternoon the Vodafone network had an issue affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services," a company spokesperson said.

"2G voice calls and SMS messaging were unaffected and the network is now recovering.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers."

Reports falling fast and Vodafone's website is back

(Image credit: DownDetector)

The latest reports on DownDetector are continuing to fall precipitously and it looks like Vodafone's own website — which was knocked offline for most of the outage — is now back up and running.

It looks like, for most of us, the outage could be coming to an end.

Just keep in touch!

(Image credit: Vodafone)

I'm crossing my fingers that the worst of this outage is behind us. But it doesn't remove the fact that Vodafone's been a little to quiet about this whole thing.

As handy as it is for a company to talk to the press (so we can then pass the news on to you), the expectation these days is that consumers can be directly addressed via social media when there's a problem. And Vodafone hasn't done so. Something to think about next time, guys!

Vodafone's partner brands recover

(Image credit: Down Detector / Tom's Guide)

After peaking 1,017, 2,251 and 2,395 hourly reports respectively, Talkmobile, Lebara and Voxi users seem to be doing alright again, according to the latest Down Detector figures.

This does not mean there are zero issues remaining with these networks. But it's another encouraging sign.

A further update from Vodafone

(Image credit: Vodafone)

Here's the latest we have from a Vodafone spokesperson:

“This afternoon, for a short time, the Vodafone network had an issue affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services. 2G voice calls and SMS messaging were unaffected and the network is now recovering. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers.”

Five hours in...

(Image credit: Down Detector / Tom's Guide)

As the day draws to a close, here's how things look on Down Detector for Vodafone, roughly five hours after all the trouble began.

The complaints from users still haven't completely disappeared, not dropping significantly since about 6pm UK time. Hopefully anyone still facing trouble will find themselves reconnected soon enough.

Cause of the outage revealed

The following day on from the major Vodafone outage and it looks like all has been resolved for both the mobile and broadband networks. Vodafone has provided an updated statement, explaining that the cause of the issue was a non-malicious software issue from one of its partners.

Here's the full statement, from a company spokesperson:

“On Monday afternoon, for a short time, the Vodafone network had an issue affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services. This was triggered by a non-malicious software issue with one of our vendor partners which has now been resolved, and the network has fully recovered. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers.”

Hurry! Get the iPhone 13 for only $49.99 at Total Wireless

Paul Hatton — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 14:57:51 +0000

Total Wireless is known for its no-contract, prepaid mobile services, including high-speed data on the Verizon 5G network. There are no data limits, and fees are guaranteed for five years. All of this combined makes Total Wireless one of the best phone carriers around.

For a limited time only we have two deals, one that will get you an iPhone 13 for an unbeatable price and one that gives customers 50% off the Base 5G Unlimited plan when they bring their own device.

The iPhone 13 might not be the latest iPhone, but it's still an excellent offering. The A15 Bionic chip offers incredibly fast and efficient performance while the battery is able to last a full day for most users. The camera system isn't the latest and greatest, but it's still capable of delivering pro-grade photography.

Our deal picks from Total Wireless

Get the iPhone 13 for only $49.99

All you have to do is port-in, switch, and purchase a 3-month Total 5G+ Unlimited plan. It couldn't be simpler.

Requires new activation, external port in, and ID verification with a limit of 2 devices per account.

Deal expires January 7, 2025View Deal

Get 50% off the Base 5G Unlimited plan

That's just $20/month when you bring your own device. The plan includes unlimited data, 5 GB hotspot, calling to 85+ countries, texting to 200+ countries, and roaming in Canada & Mexico.

For maximum peace of mind and for those who are concerned about price hikes, Total Wireless guarantee this price for five years.View Deal

Total Wireless plans are low-cost and feature-rich. We love the inclusion of unlimited 5G data and international calling to over 85 destinations. There's also double roaming coverage to more than 30 countries and over 90 countries for international calling. Total Wireless has you covered!

These offers end on January 7, 2025, but if that date has passed, you can find other ways to save by using our dedicated Total Wireless Coupons Hub.

LTE’s days could be numbered at T-Mobile — what that means for your wireless phone coverage

scott.younker@futurenet.com (Scott Younker) — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:48:01 +0000

The death knell for 4G networks may be ringing soon as T-Mobile is reportedly going to phase out 4G coverage starting in 2026, making LTE-only devices obsolete.

According to a leaked document discovered by The Mobile Report, the network carrier is set to transition away from 4G next year, which will include ending support for 5G non-standalone (5G NSA) devices as well.

The older 2G and 3G networks started shutting down in 2022, with T-Mobile only just ending its 2G network in February of this year. Doing away with the older networks opened up frequencies for 4G and 5G migration, improving the reach of the newer networks.

Per the document, T-Mobile has already started dismantling its 4G network with plans to use those frequencies for 5G over the next two years to support 5G Standalone (5G SA). Currently, 5G SA is the main version of 5G and doesn't rely on 4G infrastructure.

The document notes that LTE will exist on T-Mobile networks until 2035 to support legacy devices, likely IoT products and industrial applications, but performance will be significantly degraded.

How does this affect your device?

(Image credit: Samsung Galaxy S10)

The first 5G phones started showing up in 2019, and most handsets available today are built for 5G. If you've bought a new phone in the last three to four years, the disappearance of 4G shouldn't affect your device at all since it's likely already 5G-capable.

During the 2G/3G transition, T-Mobile offered compatible devices, so it could do something similar for people on 4G or 5G NSA phones. What the dismantling of 4G should do is speed up 5G, giving the network access to more channels and frequencies.

Currently, T-Mobile's network has 600 MHz n71 (low-band 5G) and 2500 MHz (mid-band 5G) frequencies. The older 4G network uses 2, 4/66, 12, and some 71 frequencies; removing 4G opens those up to new 5G bands.

One example of an older device (which I still have) is the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, which supports 5G NSA and requires an LTE and 5G signal to work, but does not support 5G SA.

Additionally, many 'dumb' phones like flip phones only support LTE. T-Mobile currently sells a TCL flip that cannot connect to 5G.

A stepping stone to 6G

(Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

The retirement of 4G on T-Mobile's network should be mostly completed in 2028, just in time for the arrival of 6G. Qualcomm has already promised that it will have 6G devices ready by 2028. Though the standard isn't expected to take effect until 2030.

Apple has reportedly been working on 6G since at least 2021. And a study from October of 2024 found that 6G is 9000 times faster than 5G, capable of sending 1TB of data per second over the network.

It's expected that 6G will most likely be built on top of existing 5G infrastructure. That said, reportedly, T-Mobile didn't use legacy 4G infrastructure to bring 5G to its customers starting in 2020. This means that it will be easier for T-Mobile to switch off 4G in favor of 5G.

As for AT&T and Verizon, those companies did use legacy 4G infrastructure so it may take them longer to transition the network.

T-Mobile's response

Tom's Guide reached out to T-Mobile for comment on its plans for LTE and the veracity of the document. A spokesperson did not comment on the document itself but implied that an LTE phase out is not coming in the near future.

"Someday far in the future – years and years from now – we’ll likely consolidate older technologies like LTE to make room for the latest and greatest, including 5G and beyond," Anushka Bishen, senior communications manager for T-Mobile, said. "For now, the T-Mobile network...has more than enough capacity to handle the heavy data demands of the modern wireless user."

Verizon is giving away thousands of free World Cup tickets — here's how you can get them

tom.pritchard@futurenet.com (Tom Pritchard) — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 15:10:59 +0000

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, and while the first games won't kick off until next year, Verizon is already getting ready to hype up the tournament. How, you might ask? By giving customers free tickets to the games, as part of what it's calling Verizon Ultimate Access.

The 2026 World Cup will take place all across Canada, Mexico and the United States, with Verizon being one of the key sponsors. So North American soccer fans will be able to experience the action on their home turf — and perhaps even without the pain of trying to purchase the tickets for themselves.

Naturally, the carrier has signed on soccer legend David Beckham to help promote all this free stuff.

Thousands of free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis in the My Verizon app via the Verizon Access rewards program. The first ticket drop starts this Thursday (October 2) at 9.00 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT.

New tickets will be dropped hourly, with the final one taking place at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. Following this, Verizon will have daily ticket drops at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT from October 3 to 13. All those games are scheduled for June 13-16, and will take place in locations across the U.S.

(Image credit: Verizon)

November will also see the launch of new sweepstakes, giving customers the chance to win hundreds of "Golden Tickets" that come with pitchside access. Plus, there will be additional giveaways at various points leading up to the tournament, which officially starts in Mexico City on June 11.

Various all-star players will also be on the road with Verizon in the run-up to the World Cup, offering meet-and-greets and surprise events along the way. Those players include Tim Howard, Alyssa and Giselle Thompson, Chucky Lozano and Sergio (Kun) Agüero.

So long as you're a Verizon customer, you can sign up for Verizon Access and be in with the chance to get those tickets for yourself. Membership also makes you eligible for all the other giveaways that happen throughout the year.

If you're not a member of Version Access, joining up is simple. Either head to the My Verizon website, then click Account > More > myAccess. Alternatively, from the My Verizon app, head to the Me tab > myAccess. Then be sure to keep an eye on the myAccess area for the next big giveaway.

6G is coming sooner than you think — Qualcomm is ready to have 6G devices 'as early as 2028'

Darragh Murphy — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 03:02:53 +0000

Qualcomm is gearing up to reveal its next set of products at its Snapdragon Summit 2025, with rumors about its Snapdragon X2 chip heating up. But in a kickoff to the event today (September 23), the company brought up another next-gen technology — 6G connectivity

During the Vision Keynote presentation at its annual event, CEO Cristiano Amon revealed that Qualcomm will be ready to have the first set of devices with 6G connectivity "as early as 2028."

That's pre-commercial devices, by the way, which means test devices that will be able to show off 6G's capabilities, so don't start budgeting for your 6G phone now. Still, it's an important milestone as industry leaders like Qualcomm turn their attention to the upcoming 6G wireless standard.

This would be the next step over 5G connectivity, which is now commonly seen in the best phones today. In the U.S., 5G launched commercially in 2019.

"We have been very busy working on the next generation of connectivity...which is 6G. Designed to be the connection between the cloud and Edge devices," Amon said.

(Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

"The difference between 5G and 6G, besides increasing the speeds, increasing broadband, increasing the amount of data, it's also a network that has intelligence to have perception and sensor data," Amon added. "We're going to have completely new use cases for this network of intelligence — connecting the edge and the cloud.

"We have been working on this for a while, and it's sooner than you think. We are ready to have pre-commercial devices with 6G as early as 2028. We're going to have context-aware intelligence at scale."

Looking ahead at the future of devices, Amon noted that 6G would play a key role in the evolution of AI technology, with AI models becoming hybrid. This includes a combination of cloud and edge devices (like user interfaces, sensors, etc). According to Qualcomm, 6G will make this happen.

While Apple has already talked about working on 6G as far back as 2021, we're now seeing how 6G will be implemented and when it will start to arrive. While Amon states the next-gen connectivity will be seen in "pre-commercial" devices first, we're sure to see companies adopt 6G not long after — potentially before the end of this decade.

That's still a while away, but seeing as how we could buy the first 5G phones six years ago, it's now time for the next level of connectivity in 6G. We're sure to see faster network speeds with higher amounts of data, but it's also set to help bring more out of AI in devices.

Again, it's still early days, and we won't know the full extent of 6G until it arrives. But according to Qualcomm, we'll start to see what it can achieve as soon as 2028. We're on the ground at Snapdragon Summit 2025, so stay tuned for even more updates from Qualcomm (fingers crossed for next-gen chips).

Belong mobile phone plans review

Stephen Lambrechts — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:28:32 +0000

Belong is one of two mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) owned and operated by Telstra, the other being Boost Mobile. That might make you think the two provide near-identical services, like TPG and iiNet, but they are actually quite different.

To begin with, Belong provides flexible month-to-month SIM-only mobile plans, whereas Boost Mobile operates solely on prepaid options. Another major difference is that Belong operates on Telstra's wholesale network, while Boost Mobile offers access to Telstra's full network. This means Belong users might get spotty coverage in Australia's more remote areas. Thankfully, all of Belong's plans offer 5G access.

Belong's prices are quite similar to other Telstra resellers, with its more expensive plans offering the best value for your data needs. Great inclusions are also part of the package, such as unlimited data banking and the option to share data with other Belong customers. However, international calls and texts are considered add-ons for all but the telco's highest-tier mobile plan.

Regarding customer service, Belong has a mixed reputation — though some of the telco's support team is based in Australia, the company does use overseas call centres, which will never compare to speaking with a locally based representative.

Overall, Belong provides a solid alternative to the major telcos with its data-friendly plans, affordable pricing, and the dependable coverage of Telstra's wholesale network. Here's how Belong stacks up in 2026.

Belong mobile phone plans: pricing

Data-friendly plans
Budget-friendly rates

Belong offers just four SIM-only mobile plans, all of which offer 5G network access. Pricing starts at AU$30p/m for the 25GB plan, which works out to AU$1.20 per GB.

The plan that follows provides a significant boost in value, and not just because it currently delivers double data for the first 12 months. Belong's 40GB plan is priced at AU$35p/m, which works out to AU$0.87 per GB. Factor in the double data bonus, and you'll be paying AU$0.44 per GB for the first year of connection.

Next up is the 100GB plan, which is priced at AU$45p/m and also comes with double data for the first 12 months. That's an incredible price to pay for 200GB of monthly data, which works out to AU$0.22 per GB during your initial year.

Finally, there's the 160GB plan, priced at AU$55p/m. Unlike the other two plans, this one doesn't include double data, but you do get 80GB of bonus data each month for the first year, bringing the total to 240GB. That means you'll be paying just AU$0.23 per GB during that initial 12-month period.

Unfortunately, Belong will be hiking those prices shortly — from May 5, 2026, each of Belong's four SIM-only mobile plans will be going up by AU$4 each month, meaning pricing will soon start at AU$34 p/m for the 25GB plan.

Just like many other smaller telcos, Belong regularly offers bonus data deals for new customers, typically double the data during the first 12 months of connection, after which the monthly data allowance goes back to normal.

Generally, Belong's pricing is aligned with what other carriers on the Telstra wholesale network are offering, give or take a buck or two. For example, Tangerine's 25GB plan is priced slightly lower at AU$29p/m, while its 150GB plan offers less data than Belong's 160GB plan (even before the bonus data) and is slightly more expensive at AU$58p/m.

Belong mobile phone plans: coverage

Access to Telstra's wholesale network
Coverage is better in metropolitan areas

Belong offers the reliability of Telstra's wholesale network, which, while not as extensive as Telstra's full network, still provides slightly more coverage than Optus and Vodafone.

Overall, Belong's network reaches about 98.8% of the Australian population, covering all major metropolitan areas, though getting a good signal in remote regions might be challenging.

In terms of download speeds, Belong's first three plans are capped at 150Mbps, while its top plan is fastest at 250Mbps.

As previously noted, Boost Mobile is the only reseller providing full access to Telstra's network, covering 99.6% of Australia's population. However, Boost Mobile operates solely on a pre-paid basis, which might not appeal to everyone.

Belong mobile phone plans: extras, perks and offers

Unlimited data banking
Data gifting to other Belong customers

Belong is a great choice for your data needs. With unlimited data banking as long as you pay your bills on time and generous data limits on the top two plans, running out of data might become a thing of the past.

Additionally, you can share data with friends or family on Belong up to five times a month in 1GB chunks, which is pretty handy in a pinch.

Belong's biggest drawback when it comes to extras is that international calls and texts are excluded from three out of the telco's four plans. This means that unless you’re on the 160GB top plan, you’ll have to pay an additional AU$5p/m for unlimited standard calls and texts to 30 selected destinations.

It's also worth mentioning that Belong's international roaming rates are outrageously high, costing AU$30 for just 3GB of data, usable in 45 selected destinations for only 15 days. At AU$10 per GB, it fares even worse than Telstra, which offers 2GB of data for AU$5 per day.

Belong mobile phone plans: customer service and community reviews

Mixed customer reviews
Overseas call centres

Based on online reviews, Belong's service seems to be a mixed bag. Belong holds a disappointing score of 2.6 out of 5 on Product Review, and an even lower score of 1.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot. While some customers praise the telco's affordability, others criticise its service quality and complain about the lack of customer support.

Regarding Belong's service quality, that largely depends on the customer's location. While Telstra's wholesale network is generally reliable, its coverage isn't as extensive as Telstra's full network, which could lead to poor reception in rural areas.

The complaints about Belong's customer support likely stem from the use of overseas call centres. Although the exact location of these offshore teams isn't publicly disclosed, many user reviews highlight issues with their quality, citing scripted responses and lack of escalation as key concerns.

Belong mobile phone plans: bottom line

Belong offers flexible SIM-only plans with a focus on affordability. Pricing is competitive, with higher-tier plans offering better data value, unlimited data banking, and data sharing, though international calls and texts will cost you extra, and its roaming charges are absurd. It's also unfortunate that customer service quality isn't up to snuff, likely due to the use of overseas call centres. However, Belong is a good alternative to major providers, offering competitive plans, reasonable pricing, and reliable coverage in metropolitan areas via Telstra's wholesale network.

Best Telstra network mobile plans from resellers

Moose Mobile's got some buckin' good deals on SIM-only plans right now — from AU$12.40p/m for 40GB

Stephen Lambrechts — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:27:45 +0000

Looking to cut down on mobile costs? You're in luck — Moose Mobile just slashed prices on all its SIM-only plans, and not only that, its cheapest option now comes with bonus data. Just a heads-up, these deals are for new customers only, or existing customers transferring to a new number.

Right off the bat, the Moose 27GB SIM Plan is now just ~~AU$26.80~~ AU$12.40p/m for the first 6 months, which is a discount of AU$14.40p/m (or AU$86.40 over the whole 6-month period). On top of that, the plan also includes 13GB of bonus data per month, which brings the total amount to 40GB to use each month during this time.

For now, we recommend skipping the next plan up, as it offers the same data at a higher cost. However, the Moose 100GB SIM Plan is an incredible offer: a scorching AU$29.80p/m for the first six months, down from AU$41.80. This is an unbelievable price for 100GB of monthly data!

Of course, the best value is reserved for the Moose 220GB SIM Plan, which is now priced at ~~AU$55.80~~ AU$$45.80 — that’s an incredible AU$0.20 per GB during the initial six months.

In addition to all of this, each of Moose Mobile’s plans offers 200GB data banking, unlimited standard calls and texts within Australia, no lock-in contracts and access to the Optus 4G and 5G networks.

You’ll have to get a wriggle on, though — these deals are only available until August 31, 2025. You also have to be at least 18 years old and hold a valid Australian residential address.

Forget Verizon — one of my favorite cheap carriers is bringing back family plans

Philip Michaels — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:36:51 +0000

As the person responsible for evaluating the best phone carriers at Tom's Guide, I find that there's a lot to like about Visible, the Verizon-owned wireless service that offers lower-cost coverage on its parent company's network. But if there's a knock against Visible, it's the carrier's lack of family plans offering discounted rates when you add more lines.

That's about to change later this month, as Visible announced a new Inner Circle program that allows groups of people to save money on their monthly cell phone bills. Best of all, the people included in your Inner Circle plan don't even need to be family members — anyone can link together their Visible data plans and reap the benefits of lower rates.

Starting August 21, customers can pool together up to seven lines at Visible on a single account, with Visible offering discounts on its two premium plans for accounts with two or more people. With Visible Inner Circle, you can save $5 on the cost of either a Visible Plus or Visible Plus Pro plan, two unlimited data offerings that normally cost $35 and $45 a month, respectively.

The standard Visible unlimited data plan keeps its $25/month cost, even on Inner Circle plans.

	Regular monthly cost	Monthly cost with 2 or more Visible Inner Circle accounts	Plan details
Visible plan	$25	$25	Unlimited data
Visible Plus plan	$35	$30	Unlimited data with no speed caps, fastest 5G service
Visible Plus Pro plan	$45	$40	Unlimited data with no speed caps, fastest 5G service, 4k video streaming

The potential to lower the price of the Visible Plus plan via Visible's new family plan offering seems especially intriguing, since I consider Visible Plus to be the best unlimited data plan you can get right now. The regular $35 rate is already pretty low for unlimited data — it's a fraction of what you'd pay for comparable plans at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — and Visible stopped putting a cap on the amount of high-speed data you can enjoy with Visible Plus. Even modest savings of $5/month through Visible Inner Circle make a great plan already more appealing.

Visible says that Inner Circle members can mix and match different plans. In this scenario, I could have three other people in an Inner Circle group, with one of us subscribed to the standard plan, while two others pay for Visible Plus and the fourth signs up for Visible Plus Pro. The first person would pay $25/month, the Visible Plus subscribers would pay $30 each for their service, and the Visible Plus Pro subscriber would pay $40.

Visible Inner Circle family plans: Available August 21 @ Visible
Starting August 21, you'll be able to pool up to seven different lines of data in an account, with $5 monthly discounts on Visible Plus (normally $35) and Visible Plus Pro (normally $45) unlimited data plans. Each account can handle its own billing and manage its own account, giving you greater flexibility than more traditional family plans.View Deal

Besides the discounted rates, the other noteworthy thing about Visible Inner Circle is the ability to add anyone — not just family members — to your family plan. That means anyone from roommates to distant relatives can pool their wireless plans together. Even though the accounts are connected, billing can be assigned separately, with each member of your Inner Circle responsible for their own plan.

It all sounds very similar to the old Visible Party Pay program the carrier offered half a dozen years ago, where accounts could be grouped together for significant discounts. Visible dropped its Party Pay program as it expanded to offer more plan options, so it's good to see a similar program return, even if the per-line discounts are more modest this time around.

The ability to create family plans that aren't necessarily restricted to family members will make the new Visible offer appealing to some customers when it debuts next week. That said, the best family cell phone plans I've found offer more significant discounts the more lines you add. For example, a four-line plan at Total Wireless — another Verizon-owned carrier — reduces the per-line cost of unlimited data to $27.50, totaling $110 per month.

Still, in this day and age, flexibility counts for a lot, and Visible's soon-to-launch Inner Circle program certainly offers that to a wider audience than just immediate family members.

I ditched for Verizon for three months for unlimited data at a fraction of the cost — here's how it went

Philip Michaels — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:50:34 +0000

Turning to a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, has proven to be a dependable way to lower your monthly wireless bill without compromising service and connectivity. And Twigby Mobile is one of the many MVNOs vying for your wireless business with the best prepaid phone plans.

MVNOs offer wireless service through the networks of other carriers — in Twigby's case, that's Verizon's nationwide network. Because MVNOs don't have to maintain those towers, they can offer lower rates than what you might have to pay at a larger carrier, though some perks and extras might be scaled back.

The question you have to ask yourself when considering any MVNO is whether those sacrifices justify the lower monthly bill. In this Twigby Mobile review, based on my use of the service over the last three months, we'll answer the question of whether the carrier delivers enough in exchange for its low rates.

Twigby Mobile review: What you'll pay

Twigby currently lists four plans with talk, text and data on its site, with options starting at 2GB and ranging all the way up to an unlimited pool of data. There's also a talk-and-text-only plan that costs $10/month.

(Image credit: Twigby)

Each of Twigby's plans comes with a three-month introductory rate before the real rate kicks in — think of it as a way to try Twigby's service at a discount. The introductory rate is usually $10 less than what Twigby regularly charges. For instance, you'll pay $5/month for the first three months of Twigby's 2GB plan before the regular $15 monthly rate goes into effect.

In addition to the 2GB offering, you'll pay $20/month for 5GB of data and $25/month for the 10GB plan. Twigby's unlimited data plan costs $35/month.

Hit your data cap, and Twigby will slow down your speeds to 64 Kbps with data protection enabled on your account. Otherwise, you get moved to the next tier of Twigby's plans. You also have the option of buying additional data if you hit your limited. Unlimited plan customers get 20GB of high-speed data before their speeds are slowed.

Each plan comes with hotspot data that draws from your regular allotment. You also enjoy unlimited texting to other countries with free calling to 80-plus countries. Otherwise, there are very few perks, which is common for plans from low-cost carriers.

Twigby does offer phone service for families, though there's no discount as you add extra lines to your account. You are able to mix and match different plans, though — unlimited data for parents, for examples, while your kids get a lower-cost plan with less data.

Unlimited data for $35/month @ Twigby Mobile
Twigby's most generous data plan offers unlimited ata for $35/month, though you only have to pay $25/month for the first three months of service. Your plan comes with 20GB of high-speed data; after that, data is slowed for the rest of the billing cycle. Twigby's unlimited data plan costs a fraction of the Unlimited Welcome plan from Verizon, which provides Twigby's LTE and 5G coverage.View Deal

Twigby Mobile review: How Twigby's rates compare

Twigby's rates are certainly competitive when compared to what larger carriers charge, especially for unlimited data. Among the best Verizon phone plans, for example, the entry-level Unlimited Welcome plan starts at $65/month for one line — $30 more than Twigby's unlimited data rate. AT&T's bare-bones Value Plus VL plan is one of the cheaper postpaid unlimited data options at $51/month, and even that's more expensive than what Twigby charges.

It's when you broaden your search to other discount carriers that Twigby's low rates lose some of their luster. You'll also pay $15/month for the cheapest plan at Mint Mobile, but that carrier will give you 5GB of data — double the amount in Twigby's plan. The catch, though, is that T-Mobile-owned Mint requires a year's worth of payment upfront for its best rate, as opposed to Twigby's month-by-month service.

Unlimited data plans compared
Carrier	Monthly cost	High-speed data cap
Twigby Mobile	$35 ($25 for first three months)	20GB
Mint Mobile	$30 (requires upfront annual payment of $360)	None
Visible	$25 (Visible plan); $35 (Visible Plus plan)	Visible plan speeds can be slowed at any time; there's no cap on Visible Plus speeds
Tello	$25	35GB
Boost Mobile	$25	30GB
AT&T	$51 (Value Plus)	AT&T Value Plus plan speeds can be slowed at any time
T-Mobile	$50 (Essentials Saver)	50GB
Verizon	$65 (Unlimited Welcome)	Verizon Unlimited Welcome speeds can be slowed at any time

But not every discount carrier requires the same commitment as Mint. Tello charges $19/month for its 10GB plan, a savings of $6 from Twigby's rate. And one of the best unlimited data plans I've found comes from Visible, another carrier that uses Verizon's network, where you'll pay the same $35/month for unlimited data as you would at Twigby, but it's eliminated its cap on high-speed data. Visible has an even cheaper unlimited data plan that costs $25/month, though data speeds can be slowed at any time.

In other words, Twigby's rates are certainly competitive. But you can find similarly priced plans with more data if you know where to look.

Twigby Mobile review: Setting up service

(Image credit: Future)

You can buy a phone directly from Twigby, though selection is limited, even compared to other discount carriers. The only iPhones in stock at the time of this writing — the iPhone 16, iPhone 15 and iPhone SE (2022) — are certified used models. The selection of Android models are all new, with the focus on midrange and budget devices like the Google Pixel 9a, Moto G 5G and Samsung Galaxy A16.

Honestly, you're more likely to bring your own device to Twigby, which is what I did for the purpose of this review. Twigby has a compatibility checker on its website where you can enter your phone's IMEI number. If your phone supports eSIM technology, you can activate a device instantly.

Indeed, that's how I got started with my Twigby service. It was simply a matter of creating an account with Twigby, getting a notification that the eSIM was ready to set up and following the instructions. I found the setup process to be very simple. That said, if you're more comfortable with having your phone service set up in person at a carrier's store, that's not an option with Twigby — getting your service here requires some comfort with handling things like setup yourself.

Twigby Mobile review: Performance

(Image credit: Twigby)

To reiterate, Twigby doesn't operate its own cellular network. As an MVNO, it turns to someone else's towers — specifically, Verizon's — to offer wireless coverage.

That's potentially good news for Twigby subscribers, as Verizon's network is extensive, with both LTE and 5G coverage across the U.S. Third-party testing firms like Ookla and Opensignal believe T-Mobile has the fastest network, but in OpenSignal's testing, Verizon provides the most consistent coverage. And another third-party testing firm, RootMetrics, says that Verizon has the fastest and most reliable 5G coverage.

But how much benefit does that prove to be to Twigby customers in real-world use? After all, a risk you take with MVNOs is that your traffic can be deprioritized in favor of the parent network's own subscribers.

Speedtest results conducted on Twigby (left) and Verizon (right) (Image credit: Future)

In my experience with Twigby, though, that hasn't been the case. In fact, when I ran the Speedtest.net app on my test iPhone 14, I often registered faster speeds than with my everyday device, an iPhone 12 with service directly from Verizon. While there are some caveats there — the iPhone 14 is going to benefit from a faster modem and my Verizon coverage is on an Unlimited Welcome plan, which is subject to slower speeds when the network is busy — but it's still an impressive look for Twigby.

In one instance, I was sitting in a restaurant where my Twigby phone posted a very impressive download speed of 294 Mbps, compared to 101 Mpbs for my Verizon device. And the Twigby device posting faster speeds was the rule, not the exception. A few times, my Verizon phone did pull ahead in testing, but I was impressed by what I saw from Twigby's service.

Phone calls made through Twigby sounded just fine on my iPhone 14, and texting went off without a hitch. Basically, anywhere Verizon offers coverage, you can expect similar performance with a Twigby service plan.

Twigby Mobile review: Customer service

Because Twigby doesn't have physical brick-and-mortar outlets, the only customer support is available online through the Twigby website. Annoyingly, the Twigby mobile app (Android, iOS) doesn't appear to have any tech support features; you simply use the app to manage your account by doing things like paying your bill or ordering more data if you've run out.

There's a fairly extensive FAQ section on the Twigby website to field questions about Twigby's service, billing and some phone basics. That does require some troubleshooting moxie on your part to track down the correct topic.

There is a live chat feature on the Twigby website, which proved pretty responsive when I posed a question about using my Twigby account overseas. The support agent noted that Twigby doesn't offer that kind of coverage, but did walk me through how to set up Wi-Fi calling on my phone so that I could make calls when connected to a wireless network. On TrustPilot, the majority of user reviews praise the customer service from Twigby.

Twigby Mobile review: Verdict

If you live, work or travel in an area with strong Verizon coverage — and given Verizon's reach, you probably do — Twigby is a strong alternative as a wireless carrier. Service proved reliable in my testing, and you'll definitely pay less for Twigby's service than you would at a larger carrier.

The comparisons become less compelling if you look at other lower-profile operators, especially Verizon's own Visible service. In those cases, Twigby's price edge is either minimized or overtaken entirely.

Even with the pricing edge, Twigby won't be for everyone. If you want the comfort of being able to turn to in-person troubleshooting help, you should look elsewhere. But if you're comfortable handling your own phone setup and aren't looking for a lot in the way of perks, Twigby's low prices and extensive coverage may fit your wireless needs.

eSIM cards: What they are and how they’ll help you on your next trip

Emily Long — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 18:39:33 +0000

If you’ve ever upgraded from one cell phone to another, you have likely had to swap your SIM card: the tiny chip that pops into a storage slot in your device to connect you to your carrier’s cellular network. Increasingly, though, phone manufacturers and carriers are skipping physical SIM cards altogether in favor of a digital alternative.

eSIM — or embedded SIM — is a digital SIM card that is built into your device and can be activated virtually, no manual switch required. Most flagship smartphones in 2025 support eSIMs.

Here's what you need to know about eSIMs, and how they can be a real help when you travel overseas.

How does an eSIM work?

Unlike a traditional SIM card, which must be removed and swapped out from an old device to a new one or replaced if you want to change numbers or service providers, an eSIM is programmed remotely to give you instant access to your carrier network upon activation.

You can download your eSIM over Wi-Fi instead of heading into a carrier store or waiting for a physical chip to arrive in the mail. With an eSIM, you no longer need to worry about different SIM card sizes or the process of locating and opening the card slot.

eSIM technology also allows you to seamlessly switch between multiple numbers — such as a personal and business line — on the same phone as long as your device supports this feature.

Why you should choose an eSIM for your next trip

Since eSIMs can be purchased and activated remotely, they’re a convenient way to stay connected on your next trip. If your existing carrier plan isn’t particularly travel-friendly, you can get an eSIM with more affordable international options, such as unlimited data for the countries or regions you’re visiting.

Some providers also offer eSIMs with local phone numbers in the event you need one for calls, texts, or other services. You typically don’t need to commit to a long-term contract with travel eSIMs, as you can purchase plans for as little as a few days (though you can get extended coverage if you’re a frequent flyer).

With an eSIM, you can continue using your current phone as normal without interrupting your existing carrier plan, and you don’t need to obtain and keep track of multiple SIM cards as you cross borders. In fact, you can purchase and install an eSIM before departure so it is ready to go when you arrive at your destination.

If your device supports dual SIMs, you can toggle between them in your phone’s settings. Note that your device will need to be unlocked to use an eSIM from another carrier, so be sure to check before buying an eSIM.

Dodo is offering 50% off its three top mobile plans for the first 4 months — grab this deal before it goes extinct

Stephen Lambrechts — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:20:56 +0000

If you're looking to save money on your mobile phone plan, Dodo has a great deal right now that gets new and returning customers a 50% discount on its best plans for the first 4 months.

Kicking things off is the 30GB plan, which is just ~~AU$28~~ AU$14 p/m during the initial 4-month period, after which it will revert to its regular price. It's also worth noting that this plan is limited to the Optus 4G network, while the rest of the discounted plans get 5G access with a 100Mbps speed cap.

Dodo's next discounted plan offers 40GB of monthly data and costs just ~~AU$33~~ AU$16.50 p/m for the first 4 months. That's followed by the 60GB plan, which is priced at ~~AU$38~~ AU$19 p/m during the same introductory period.

All three plans come with unlimited data banking, unlimited standard calls, text and MMS, no lock-in contracts, no excess data charges and access to Dodo's international roaming day pack, which is priced at AU$10 per day for 1GB of data. The plans also come with varying amounts of international call credit.

That's a significant amount of value for anyone looking to cut down on costs for the next four months. Of course, this offer is only available until September 30, 2025. In other words, it would be a good idea to grab Dodo's deal now before it goes the way of... well... the dodo.

Tangerine Telecom mobile plans review

Stephen Lambrechts — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 06:14:57 +0000

Tangerine Telecom is one of Australia's fastest-growing mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), using Telstra's wholesale network to provide an affordable alternative to major carriers like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

If you're after a simple SIM-only mobile plan, Tangerine's a great choice, offering just six postpaid plans that are all about value. Many plans offer attractive bonuses, such as data banking of up to 1000GB, unlimited international calls and texts to specified countries, and reduced rates when bundled with Tangerine NBN.

Tangerine's plans offer significantly more data than comparably priced Telstra plans. However, unlike Telstra's uncapped speeds, Tangerine's plans have speed caps ranging from 100-250Mbps. Thankfully, all Tangerine plans outside of its entry-level option include 5G access.

In terms of customer support, Tangerine has a fairly decent reputation, earning more positive online user reviews than many of its rivals. That said, the telco's support team is based overseas, which can result in frustration due to long wait times and unresolved issues.

Still, if you're after the reliability of Telstra's network without paying Telstra prices, and you have a preference for postpaid plans, Tangerine is a great, cost-effective option.

Tangerine Telecom mobile plans and pricing

Affordably priced plans
Decent data allowances

Refreshingly, Tangerine's six postpaid plans all feature transparent pricing that, unlike many smaller Australian telcos, does not increase after an initial six-month period. So, while other telcos may advertise cheaper plans at the outset, they don't always represent great value once that introductory period is over.

Firstly, you should completely avoid Tangerine's entry-level 14GB plan, which frankly sucks from a value standpoint at AU$25 p/m. Apart from being the only Tangerine mobile plan limited to 4G network access, its download speeds are capped to just 100Mbps, and its rollover databank maxes out at 500GB — half of what every other plan offers. On top of these drawbacks, it's the only Tangerine mobile plan which doesn't offer unlimited international calls and texts to 15 specified countries.

By comparison, the 30GB plan is only slightly more expensive (AU$30 p/m) and offers over twice the monthly data (working out to AU$1 per GB), double the databank (1000GB), 5G network access, shared number functionality (more on that later) and the aforementioned international inclusions. That's an awful lot to sacrifice for the equivalent cost of one cappuccino per month.

As the monthly data allowance of each plan increases, so does its cost-effectiveness, with Tangerine's top-tier 160GB plan offering the best value at AU$60 p/m, equating to around AU$0.37 per GB. Not only does this plan provide amazing value for money, but it also boasts the fastest download speeds of any Tangerine mobile plan, reaching up to 250Mbps.

It's worth noting that new customers can receive a a AU$10 p/m discount for the first three months of connection, after which the price will go back to the full amount.

Tangerine Telecom mobile coverage

Access to Telstra's wholesale network
Coverage is better in metropolitan areas

Thanks to its access to Telstra's network, Tangerine boasts a broader coverage footprint than many comparably priced rivals using Optus or Vodafone networks, reaching around 98.8% of the Australian population.

Of course, Tangerine operates on Telstra's wholesale network, not it's full network. That means Aussies can expect Tangerine's coverage to match Telstra's service in metropolitan areas but will likely encounter weaker mobile signals throughout Australia's more rural regions.

If, however, you still want the 99.6% coverage promised by Telstra's full network, Boost Mobile is the only reseller offering complete access. Just know that Boost's plans are strictly prepaid-only.

Tangerine Telecom mobile plans: extras, perks and offers

Databank offers up to 1000GB of rollover data
10% discount when bundled with Tangerine NBN

Tangerine's mobile plans provide a range of additional perks, starting with the ability to bank up to 1000GB of unused data on all but its entry-level postpaid offering. That's great value when you consider that many other providers just let that unused data go to waste, even though you've technically paid for it.

Those same plans also provide unlimited calls and texts to 15 select countries, including Bangladesh, Canada, China, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UK and USA. You can add more countries with international calling add-on packs, which are priced at AU$5 and offer between 60 and 300 minutes of talk time based on the pack you choose.

Those who smartly avoid Tangerine's entry-level 12GB plan will also get Shared Number functionality, which essentially shares your mobile plan's data and call inclusions with a compatible LTE-enabled smartwatch, allowing it to receive calls and use data without the need for your phone to be nearby. Honestly, we don't know why this isn't a standard offering on every phone plan.

On top of all of this, Tangerine also offers a 10% discount on your phone bill when you bundle your mobile plan with one of its NBN plans. Sure, that really only saves you a few bucks per month, but every dollar counts these days.

Tangerine Telecom mobile plans: customer service and community reviews

Better than average customer reviews
Offshore call centres

Although Tangerine does have some local customer service representatives, the company's support team is primarily based in Manila, Philippines.

Online reviews suggest that Tangerine's customer service is typically polite and often helpful, however, some customers have complained of long wait times, unresolved issues and the feeling that you're getting scripted, generic responses from its help team.

In terms of online user feedback, Tangerine holds an impressive score of 4.2 on Product Review, but falls short with a less than stellar rating of 2.0 on Trustpilot. Admittedly, there's quite a gulf between those two scores, but if you average them out, they're still leagues ahead of major telcos like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

Tangerine Telecom mobile plans: bottom line

If you're after an affordable, data-packed mobile plan on Telstra's reliable network, Tangerine Telecom has plenty to offer. The plans include practical perks like data banking and international calls. However, the capped download speeds and offshore support might not suit everyone. Even so, Tangerine stands out with competitive pricing and a solid customer reputation, making it an easy choice to recommend.

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