AT&T MVNOs: What are they and which is the best option?

AT&T MVNOs
(Image credit: Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

AT&T MVNOs include a lot of wireless providers you've probably heard of, even if you didn't know that they were an MVNO — or what an MVNO even is.

Put simply, AT&T MVNOs are carriers that use the speeds, coverage and reach of AT&T, allowing them to offer leading coverage to wireless phone customers without developing their own network.

This is by no means unique to AT&T. There are Verizon MVNOs and T-Mobile MVNOs as well. In fact, MVNOs — mobile virtual network operators — handily outnumber the major wireless carriers.

By using another carrier's networks, an MVNO is able to offer lower-cost coverage with the same speed and reach that a major carrier can provide. Go with an AT&T MVNO, and along with the speeds of AT&T. you could get other perks from that specific carrier.

While there aren't anywhere near as many AT&T MVNOs as the number that use Verizon or T-Mobile, you can still find a wide range of cell phone plans, including Consumer Cellular for seniors and Cricket which is a cheap alternative to low-cost carriers like Mint Mobile.

What is an MVNO?

As we said above, MVNO stands for mobile virtual network operator. It describes a phone company that doesn't own a cellular network of its own. Instead, it turns to another larger wireless provide to use its network.

For the most part, an MVNO will feature the same speed and coverage as the parent network, though there's a mighty big exception. The core network — in this instance AT&T — gets priority over everyone else. That means when there is a lot of traffic or the AT&T network is in a peak period, its MVNOs will be slowed down to help ease up AT&T's customer's and allow them priority.

While the lack of prioritization of MVNOs is frustrating, these discount carriers usually offer better cheap cell phone plans and tend to make up the majority of the best prepaid phone plans.

AT&T MVNOs

Compared to Verizon and T-Mobile, there aren't a huge amount of MVNOs that operate under AT&T. Some solely use AT&T and others include AT&T among multiple options.

For example, Net10 is an MVNO that uses AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. This doesn't mean it uses all four; instead, it will connect to the best network for where you live.

Below is a full list of both MVNOs that solely use AT&T and ones that could be on AT&T:

The best AT&T MVNOs

Why choose an MVNO over AT&T?

Considering AT&T MVNOs use the same network as AT&T, why not just opt for AT&T instead? There are a few benefits to choosing an MVNO instead but mostly, it's around price.

Because they don't have to run their own networks, MVNOs can charge lower prices for their plans. This means you can get a very affordable price while still holding onto the benefits of AT&T.

The other big benefit is that MVNOs can add their own incentives on top of monthly phone rates. For example, if you sign up for Consumer Cellular, you can get an AARP discount — something AT&T doesn't have. (That's why Consumer Cellular offers some of the best phone plans for seniors.)

However, the biggest issue with MVNOs centers around slower speeds as we mentioned above. When you sign up for an MVNO, you'll potentially be on a throttled network if a lot of people are connecting to AT&T's towers. 

Alex Hughes
AI Editor

Alex is the AI editor at TomsGuide. Dialed into all things artificial intelligence in the world right now, he knows the best chatbots, the weirdest AI image generators, and the ins and outs of one of tech’s biggest topics.

Before joining the Tom’s Guide team, Alex worked for the brands TechRadar and BBC Science Focus.

He was highly commended in the Specialist Writer category at the BSME's 2023 and was part of a team to win best podcast at the BSME's 2025.

In his time as a journalist, he has covered the latest in AI and robotics, broadband deals, the potential for alien life, the science of being slapped, and just about everything in between.

When he’s not trying to wrap his head around the latest AI whitepaper, Alex pretends to be a capable runner, cook, and climber.