How to choose your smartphone operator? Do you go with the company with the most coverage or do you choose the cheapest data plan? If you choose the latter, Mint Mobile has one of the best cheap plans around, and it’s about to get even cheaper. From a “best value for money” perspective, anyway.
Recently, Mint Mobile announced that it would be increasing data caps on all plans. (Well, technically Ryan Reynolds announced it via YouTube, but he co-owns the company, so it still counts.) Anyone on a 5GB plan will get 6GB per month; the 15GB plan now offers 17GB and the 20GB plan offers 23GB. Best of all, these increases won’t require any additional fees. Decisions like this are why users say Mint Mobile is one of the most reliable carriers on the market.
Granted, when we say that “every plan” gets a data upgrade, we don’t mean that literally. Obviously, you can’t increase the cap on Mint Mobile’s unlimited data plan. Instead, Mint Mobile doubles the amount of hotspot data you can use; subscribers with an unlimited plan now get 20GB of hotspot data, up from 10GB.
Is Mint Mobile really worth it?
If you’re not currently a Mint Mobile subscriber, you might be wondering if this free data upgrade might finally win you over. JD Power says Mint Mobile leads the way in customer satisfaction, but let’s do the math.
The lowest plan, 6 GB, costs $15 per month, with upfront payment; the amount you will need to vary depending on whether you choose a 3, 6 or 12 month plan. Compare that to Xfinity, which also costs $15 per month for unlimited data, but only for the first year. After that, it’s $45 per month. Meanwhile, Mint Mobile’s unlimited phone plan costs $30 per month. Seems obvious, right? Especially since many cell phone companies try to sell you service packages. Who needs a phone plan that works like cable TV if you’re just going to use streaming services like Netflix? Well, Mint Mobile is no stranger to limitations.
Although you’ll likely save money in the long run, every Mint Mobile plan requires an upfront payment, and the more data you request, the more the plan will cost. In addition, you must commit to the duration of the package: if you want to benefit from the best rates/savings, you must sign up for one year. However, the biggest problem that could hamper your enjoyment is the complete lack of in-person technical support. You can call for help, but if you need or want to see someone to solve your problem, you’re out of luck. Oh, and Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network, so if T-Mobile isn’t available in your area, paying for Mint Mobile will be a waste, even though its plans otherwise provide more data for less than other services.
