See also: The best phone deals. Before you run out to switch your phone, you may want to double-check that you have the right band support. After all, the bands are the real end-all, be-all when it comes to making the switch.
Check the table below for a full rundown. Simple Mobile buyer's guide: Prices, plans, and more Looking for an affordable cellphone plan? Look no further than Simple Mobile. Features By Ryan Haines. Simple Mobile. Simple Mobile at a glance Simple joined the Tracfone umbrella in , which began its life as Topp Telecom in Truly Unlimited plan As we mentioned before, Simple Mobile offers two very similar unlimited plans — the first of which is called Truly Unlimited.
Truly Unlimited Plus plan Truly Unlimited Plus is for you if you were all set to sign up for Truly Unlimited coverage until you saw the hotspot limit. Cost Benefit Hotspot plans Cost:. Hotspot plans If you want to stream data to your laptop often, or you work remotely most days, it may be worth your while to invest in a hotspot subscription. Simple Mobile vs the competition. Highlights: Access to all of the major networks International calling cards included with each plan.
Tracfone Last but not least is the parent of them all — Tracfone. Highlights: Most affordable plans, although no unlimited options Contracts with all major carriers for top-end service. Frequency Band Network Supported Frequency:. Truly Unlimited Plan: International calling to 69 destinations International roaming in 16 countries International calling credit available.
Truly Unlimited Plus Plan: International calling to 69 destinations International roaming in 16 countries International calling credit available. Simple Mobile - Truly Unlimited: Up to standard definition p. Simple Mobile - Truly Unlimited: International calling to 69 destinations International roaming in 16 countries International calling credit available.
Straight Talk - Ultimate Unlimited: Global calling cards available. All plans include unlimited international calling to 69 destinations and international roaming in 16 Latin-American countries. As far as coverage is concerned, when I used Simple Mobile in the Atlanta, Georgia area, I had very few connectivity issues.
It arrived in less than a week. Unfortunately, the Simple Mobile activation process got a bit difficult, so I called customer service to help port my phone number. I mistakenly thought that because Simple Mobile was on the T-Mobile network it would be a cinch to switch over, but it turns out I had to jump through a few hoops.
Once I drove to the local T-Mobile store and retrieved the number yes, I had to drive to T-Mobile I came back home, called Simple Mobile and stayed on the phone for an additional 15 minutes. After several frustrating minutes, I remembered my PIN and finally was able to port my number. If you want to bring your phone to Simple Mobile, they allow you to see if it will work on their network. You can do a compatibility check here.
The good news is that most every unlocked phone works on GSM. Simple Mobile has a compatibility checker on its website, though it doesn't feature the ability to plug in your phone's IMEI number; instead, you're simply asked if your phone works on a GSM network.
You can then pop it into any unlocked phone that can work on a GSM network. If you don't want to bring your own phone to Simple Mobile, you can buy one from the wireless provider's website or one of its authorized stores around the country. On offer are new and open-box-discounted models of everything from budget Android devices to the new iPhone XS.
Phones cost about the same as they do at other carriers, but be sure to buy your phone outright, as Simple Mobile's installment plans include a financing charge. Run through that allotment, and you'll be slowed to 2G speeds for the remainder of the billing period.
A Simple Mobile rep told us that when you re-up your plan after March 31, that extra data won't be an option. Simple Mobile had boosted that tiered plan to 12GB for a while, but that was part of a limited-time promotion — something that seems to happen a lot with Simple's assorted plans.
But wait — it gets more complicated. Like some other carriers, Simple Mobile offers discounts on your monthly rate when you enroll in its automatic-payment program. But the size of these discounts varies with each plan, and Simple Mobile offers promotional discounts on some plans that expire after a few months. Simple Mobile's two unlimited plans have their own complications. Even for unlimited data plans, each carrier reserves the right to throttle your speeds after you cross a certain threshold.
Simple Mobile sets that limit at 60GB a month, a company representative said. In comparison, T-Mobile sets the bar at 50 GB, which is pretty tough to hit under normal usage.
Unlike some carriers — Boost and Metro, notably — Simple Mobile's monthly rates don't fold in taxes and fees.
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