Capital One data breach affects more than 100 million customers

A massive data breach at Capital One Financial Corporation is impacting more than 100 million people in the U.S. and Canada, the company said in a press release.

That would make it one of the 10 largest data breaches ever, according to data from security and risk management watchdog CSO.

Capital One data breach: Who’s affected and what to do if you’re a victim

Capital One says in the release that “there was unauthorized access by an outside individual who obtained certain types of personal information relating to people who had applied for its credit card products and to Capital One credit card customers.”

Based on analysis by the company, that includes around 100 million people in the U.S. and 6 million in Canada.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington State said Monday that Paige A. Thompson, a 33-year-old former technology company software engineer, was arrested for the data theft.

Capital One said it is “unlikely that the information was used for fraud or disseminated by this individual,” but the investigation is ongoing.

According to Capital One, the majority of customers affected were consumers and small business owners who applied for the company’s credit cards between 2005 and early 2019.

“This information included personal information Capital One routinely collects at the time it receives credit card applications, including names, addresses, zip codes/postal codes, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and self-reported income,” the company said.

Even more disturbing, the information accessed included 140,000 Social Security numbers of U.S. customers and 1 million Social Insurance numbers of Canadian customers, along with 80,000 linked bank accounts of secured credit card customers.

Capital One says it is alerting affected customers “through a variety of channels” and making free credit monitoring and identity protection available to those people.

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The company has set up a Frequently Asked Questions page regarding the incident here.

What to do if you were affected by the Capital One breach

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first massive breach of a financial services company in recent years and it almost certainly won’t be the last. Team Clark’s advice on what to do in these situations is multi-pronged:

With so many criminals out there eager to take advantage of people, there will be more data breaches in the future. But by taking these steps, you can at least protect yourself to some degree.

More stories you might enjoy from Clark.com:

Equifax data breach settlement: How to make a claim

Equifax says it will pay nearly $700 million for its role in a massive data breach that exposed the personal information of 148 million consumers.

When Equifax disclosed in September 2017 that hackers had exploited its website to steal consumer data, money expert Clark Howard was one of the most vocal proponents of reform. He also offered steps to take to protect yourself.

Equifax data breach settlement: How to claim your money

The agreement still has to be approved in court, but Equifax has set up a claims website at EquifaxBreachSettlement.com for consumers to use. File a claim online here.

If you are a class member, here’s what you’re entitled to:

In Money

In Services

• Up to $20,000, including:
• Up to 20 hours at $25 an hour for lost time
• Reimbursement of money spent buying credit/ID monitoring services
• Repayment for any costs associated with the data breach

• 10 years of free credit monitoring
• At least 7 years of free ID restoration services
• 6 free copies of your Equifax credit report beginning Dec. 31, 2019  and up to 7 years onward

If you don’t want to submit a claim electronically, you can download a claim form here, fill it out and mail it to:

Equifax Data Breach Settlement Administrator
c/o JND Legal Administration
P.O. Box 91318
Seattle, WA 98111-9418

You can also contact the settlement administrator to have a claim form mailed to you here.

If you choose to decline the free 10-year credit monitoring from Equifax, the agency says you can opt for a $125 cash payment instead. Clark says you should take the cash — not the credit monitoring.

Clark’s take: How do you prove identity theft via Equifax data breach?

As he looks back at the massive hack nearly two years ago, Clark says he has some key questions about the settlement:

“You’ll…be able to seek direct economic compensation from Equifax, but here’s the problem in the process: How do you prove that the identity theft problems you’re having are because of the Equifax data breach?”

“A lot of times there’s a lot of fuzziness, a lot of fog that surrounds identity theft,” he says. “I don’t know if you as an individual are going to be able to prove beyond hope that the actual data breach you’ve suffered is because of the Equifax data breach.”

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The Atlanta-based credit bureau says the $671 million settlement will resolve multiple federal and state investigations, including those by the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus, and attorneys general in 48 states.

More importantly, it could give millions of Americans a payoff for the stress and trouble the data breach caused.

Equifax also says it will fork over a quarter of the price consumers paid for credit and identity monitoring services up to a year before the data breach was announced.

As Clark always says: Freeze your credit

Clark says freezing your credit is the #1 way to protect your identity and financial information.

Before you freeze your credit, you should set up a way for you to monitor your credit. This is what he wants you to do:

Sign up for a Credit Karma or Credit Sesame account to get free credit monitoring and be notified when anyone tries to access your personal info. Here’s a step-by-step rundown of how to do it.

Ready to protect yourself? See Clark’s Credit Freeze Guide here!

7 things to know about Metro by T-Mobile

Are you thinking about switching to a low-cost cell phone carrier, but don’t know which one to choose? Metro by T-Mobile, formerly MetroPCS, offers plans and add-ons that give you flexibility and a predictable bill every month.

Everything you need to know about Metro by T-Mobile 

Nicole Carroll, Team Clark’s Social Media Manager, has been a MetroPCS and Metro by T-Mobile customer for 18 years! In this article, we’ll review the key features of this service.

Read on for everything you need to know before you sign up, plus Nicole’s video review.

Table of contents

1. Plans and pricing

Metro by T-Mobile offers several plans and add-on services with no annual contracts.

Currently, the company offers four plans, two with data caps and two with unlimited data. Pricing is as low as $30 per line but will vary depending on the plan and number of lines.

Higher-tier unlimited plans also include perks like Amazon Prime, hotspot data and Google One cloud storage.

You can also add on services to your plan, including hotspot data, international service and additional robocall blocking. Learn more about the plans and pricing here.

Currently, if you pay your bill in-store, you will be charged a $3 fee regardless of payment method. The same fee applies to paying a bill of more than $18 over the phone.

2. Network

When MetroPCS started, the service was only available in a few parts of the United States, but as time has gone on, its coverage has expanded. T-Mobile has owned MetroPCS since 2013 and changed the name to Metro by T-Mobile in 2018.

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Metro runs on (you guessed it) T-Mobile’s network and uses their towers to provide coverage. You can see Metro by T-Mobile’s coverage map and compare it to T-Mobile’s network coverage.

RELATED: Coverage maps: Find a cheap cell phone plan with the best coverage

3. Getting started

There are three quick steps to set up service with Metro by T-Mobile:

1. Choose a device from Metro or bring your own phone to the network
2. Buy a SIM card
3. Switch to Metro by T-Mobile

These steps can be completed by going to MetroByT-mobile.com or into a Metro by T-Mobile store. Note that some Metro by T-Mobile stores still have the old MetroPCS logo.

4. Phone options

Metro by T-Mobile lets you bring your own phone or purchase a compatible GSM device directly from the carrier. To check your phone’s compatibility with Metro by T-Mobile, click here.

You’ll need to know your phone’s IMEI number to check the compatibility. Here are a few ways to find it fast:

The company notes on its website that a “Phone must be unlocked GSM device. Certain device functionalities may not be fully available for BYOD customers. See store for details and information.”

If you choose to buy a phone from Metro by T-Mobile, you’ll have to buy it in-store. According to a customer service representative, the phones you see online are just a sample of what Metro by T-Mobile offers.

If you buy a phone through Metro, it may be best to pay for it in full to avoid finance charges.

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5. Call and text performance

Since Metro by T-Mobile runs on T-Mobile’s network, you’ll want to make sure that your area has a strong T-Mobile connection before you switch.

Nicole from Team Clark is based in Atlanta, where Metro by T-Mobile has a big presence so she experiences few problems with her service.

Overall, Nicole’s phones have performed well on MetroPCS and Metro by T-Mobile, but she has experienced a few troublesome situations.

Nicole bought an unlocked GSM phone from an independent retailer and experienced dropped calls almost every time she was on the phone longer than five minutes.

The in-store associates tried resetting the phone and switching the SIM card, among other things. By the third time she went to the store for help, they told her that the phone itself was the problem.

When she switched back to a phone from MetroPCS, she no longer had those issues.

Nicole also recently went on a road trip to Orlando and did not receive any calls or messages during the ride. When she arrived, she restarted her phone and received all the messages that she missed while she was in the car.

Other than these recent incidents, Nicole said she hasn’t had much trouble with calls or texts with her 4G LTE service.

6. Data speeds

Data speed is important for everything from web browsing to streaming music.

We conducted six speed tests on Nicole’s LG Stylo 3+ from the Team Clark headquarters in Atlanta. The average download speed was 18.8 Mbps and the average upload speed was 1.13 Mbps.

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That’s a decent average, especially if you stream video on a service like Netflix or YouTube.

7. Customer service

Nicole has been a MetroPCS and Metro by T-Mobile customer for 18 years and she’s had plenty of interactions with customer service. She says:

“Every time I’ve contacted customer service…I’ve had a great experience. They’ve always been very helpful, whether it’s been in the store in-person or over the phone.”

Team Clark member Chelsea also has Metro by T-Mobile and has had some billing issues.

She’s contacted customer service multiple times for some refunds. Although her problem was eventually resolved, she had to be persistent about her problem in order for the company to fix it.

You can get customer support in-store or by calling 888-863-8768.

Final thought

Metro by T-Mobile offers dependable and affordable service on a Big 4 network, plus in-person customer service at its stores.

If you’re looking for other options, Mint Mobile and Republic Wireless are also mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that run on T-Mobile’s network and offer competitive low-cost cell phone plans.

More Clark.com articles you may like:

Twigby Review: 6 things to know before you sign up

If you want to lower your cell phone bill to $25 per month or less, your options are limited with major wireless providers like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. But have you heard about Twigby?

Twigby is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that primarily relies on Sprint’s towers to provide cheap cell phone plans.

Twigby: Access to two cellular networks for a low monthly price 

I spent 30 days testing out Twigby to provide you with this summary of its pricing, network coverage, call and text performance, customer service and other key features.

In this article, I’ll share my Twigby review and everything you need to know before you sign up!

Table of contents 

1. Plans and pricing

When I first visited the plans and pricing page on Twigby’s website, I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the options. The carrier lets you customize your plan by selecting minutes and data. The more you use, the more you pay.

I opted for a plan that put my first month’s payment at around $20. Here’s what I bought:

• SIM card: $2.99
• 300 minutes and unlimited texting: $6.75
• 2GB of high-speed data: $7.50
• Shipping: $1.95
• Taxes: $1.84
• Grand total: $21.03

As you can see from the price breakdown, Twigby charges for the SIM card and shipping, plus taxes are extra. The total also reflects an introductory discount — 25% off for the first six months of service.

If you run out of minutes or data, you can move up to the next plan or choose not to with its “Overage Protection” feature.

2. Activation process

Along with a SIM card, Twigby will mail you detailed step-by-step instructions to activate your service.

I know that sounds so simple and like something every company should do, but I’ve found that setting up your phone with a discount wireless provider can sometimes be a real pain in the neck.

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Twigby’s instructions were clear and helped me get up and running quickly. I was able to make calls, send texts and use data in about 10 minutes.

3. Phone selection

For my 30-day test, I brought an unlocked Moto G6 smartphone to Twigby’s service. If your device isn’t compatible (check here) or you just want to buy a new phone, you can purchase a phone from Twigby.

The company says the selection will vary, but 25 phones were available when I last checked in June of 2019.

There was a phone sale taking place at the time. The cheapest smartphone available was an Alcatel Cinch for $15, and the most expensive smartphone available was a Samsung Galaxy S9 for $748.

The overall phone selection was decent, but you may be better off buying a compatible device elsewhere and bringing it to Twigby.

4. Call and text performance

Twigby primarily runs on Sprint’s network, but customers can use Verizon’s network for talk and text if they’re somewhere that Sprint doesn’t have coverage.

I had more than 200 minutes of talk time for the month and thought the call quality was solid. My family, friends and co-workers who helped me test the service agreed. Most of my calls originated from Broward County, Florida.

Twigby also offers calls to Canada, China and Mexico at no additional charge, but I didn’t get a chance to test this feature.

5. Data speeds  

Although Verizon is a backup network for talk and text, you only get Sprint’s network for 4G LTE data when you’re with Twigby.

If you live in an area where Sprint’s network is reliable, Twigby will likely be a good fit. Otherwise, you may be frustrated with slow data speeds. Here’s where you can go to check Twigby’s coverage map.

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From South Florida, Twigby’s data speeds were inconsistent. Some places I visited only had 3G data available.

However, when I traveled to Team Clark’s headquarters in Atlanta, it was a much different experience. The Speedtest by Ookla app confirmed an average download speed around 25 Mbps, which is perfect for surfing the web and streaming video.

6. Customer service 

Twigby is an online-only company, so there’s no store to walk into for customer support or even a phone number to call. Setup, billing and general account issues are handled through Twigby.com’s chat feature.

When I tested it out, a customer service representative responded almost immediately and was very helpful.

And when it came time to cancel my service at the end of the 30-day test period, that took place over a chat. The representative asked for my 4-digit security pin and processed the cancellation in a couple of minutes.

Final thought

Twigby’s mobile phone plans are priced competitively with some of the other discount cell phone providers. If this sounds like you, Twigby may be a great way to lower your cell phone bill:

• Sprint’s network is strong in your area
• You don’t use a lot of data or minutes per month
• You have a device compatible with Twigby’s network
• Chat-only customer support is fine with you

If you’re not sure about Twigby, we have a list of other cheap cell phone plans and deals that start around $10 per month. I’ve tested several of them, as well. Compare your options in Team Clark’s guide.

More Clark.com stories you may like:

Mint Mobile review: T-Mobile’s network for only $15/month

UPDATE: For a limited time, Mint Mobile is offering six months of service for the price of three. That’s only $60 total! Get unlimited talk, text and 8GB of 4G LTE data per month with this deal.

Mint Mobile, formerly known as Mint SIM, is a cell phone carrier that offers plans starting at $15 a month!

The mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) relies on T-Mobile’s towers to provide customers with the same coverage at a cheaper price, but is it worth the savings?

Everything you need to know about Mint Mobile

I signed up for Mint Mobile to find out. For the past 30 days, I used a Moto G6 smartphone to test Mint’s service in Atlanta, Georgia. In this review, I’ll detail my experience with factors like call quality, text performance and data speeds.

For some context, this was the first time that I’ve ever had service on T-Mobile’s network. Read on for my full review…

Mint Mobile review: Table of contents 

Plans and pricing

While T-Mobile and the other major wireless providers are now focused on unlimited data plans, many prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile have other data plans — often for a lower price.

But Mint Mobile doesn’t have a monthly payment option. Its plans are either for three months, six months or 12 months.

The regular price for a 3-month introductory plan starts at $45, which works out to $15 a month. That will get you 3GB of 4G LTE data per month and then unlimited data at lower speeds.

If you like the service, you can lock in the introductory pricing by signing up for a 12-month plan.

Other data options do exist. The 3-month introductory plan for 8GB of 4G LTE data per month is $60 ($20/month) or you can get 12GB of 4G LTE data per month for $75 ($25/month).

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I took advantage of a limited-time deal: $20 for three months of service. See the latest offers at MintMobile.com!

Activation process 

I signed up for Mint Mobile online and my activation kit arrived a few days later. It took about 15 minutes for me to get up and running. The kit includes user-friendly instructions.

Here are the basic steps that I followed:

• Inserted Mint SIM card into compatible device
• Went to MintMobile.com/activation from my computer
• Entered activation number from the back of the SIM card holder
• Chose whether to get a new phone number or keep the existing one
• Entered billing information and created an account
• Configured data settings from phone’s settings menu
• Restarted phone before using with Mint Mobile’s service

Phone selection

For my test, I used an unlocked Moto G6 smartphone. Most unlocked GSM phones (not CDMA) will work on Mint Mobile. You can check compatibility on Mint Mobile’s website.

If you don’t want to bring your own phone, here are some of the devices available for purchase:

• Apple iPhone XS
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9
• Google Pixel 3 XL
• Samsung Galaxy S9+
• Motorola Z3 Play
• LG V30 Plus
• Motorola G6

We didn’t see any great phone deals when we checked Mint Mobile’s phone store. If you need a new phone, you may be better off buying a compatible device elsewhere and bringing it to Mint.

Call and text performance 

If T-Mobile has good coverage in your area, you shouldn’t have trouble with Mint Mobile because it uses the same towers.

As I mentioned at the top of my review, I never had T-Mobile or a T-Mobile MVNO before I signed up for Mint. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I had only one dropped call and zero missing text messages throughout the 30-day testing period.

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Whenever I test cell phone services, I ask my family and friends to rate the call quality. There were no complaints with Mint Mobile. Everyone could hear me loud and clear.

To see if Mint Mobile works in your area, follow this link to its coverage checker.

Note: Mint Mobile supports Wi-Fi Calling on select devices. If you’re in an area with unreliable coverage, you can connect to Wi-Fi and use your phone to call or text over that connection.

Mobile hotspot 

Mobile hotspot is a feature that isn’t offered by all prepaid carriers, but Mint Mobile is an exception. Tethering is allowed.

I tested out the mobile hotspot function with Mint and had no issues. I was able to watch a YouTube video without buffering or pausing after using mobile hotspot with my laptop.

Keep in mind that any high-speed data that you use when mobile hotspot is turned on will count toward your monthly limit.

Data speeds

Mint Mobile’s data speeds weren’t the fastest I’ve tested, but they were fast enough. I was able to watch videos, stream music, use maps for navigation and load websites without disruptions.

I used the Speedtest by Ookla app to find out the download and upload speeds. Here are the results:

We also used the Speedtest app to see if there was a major difference between Mint Mobile and T-Mobile’s data speeds. Although we had separate test devices, the download speeds were nearly the same.

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From my experience, a download speed of 5-10 Mbps is perfectly fine for streaming video. Most of the download speed tests that I conducted with Mint Mobile were in the 20-25 Mbps range.

Upload speeds were less consistent with Mint, but that only matters if you regularly use your phone’s data to share files.

Customer service

My 30-day trial of Mint Mobile was problem-free, so I never had to call customer service. However, you can reach a customer service representative by dialing 213-372-7777.

If you don’t want to pick up the phone, there’s also chat and email support. The address is [email protected]

Although I found it easy to get started with this provider, you need to consider that there are no Mint Mobile stores. You can’t walk in anywhere and get customer service.

If that’s a priority for you, take a look at T-Mobile’s Metro brand for cheap wireless plans.

Pros and cons 

Pros and cons of Mint Mobile cell phone service

Pros Cons  Inexpensive data plans on T-Mobile’s network No unlimited high-speed data plan Mobile hotspot is allowed Some phones sold through Mint are overpriced Phone and email customer support No monthly payment option

Final thought

Over the past six months, I’ve tested Total Wireless, Unreal Mobile, Red Pocket Mobile and now Mint Mobile. I would probably rank Mint as my second favorite, behind Verizon MVNO Total Wireless.

Mint Mobile may be worth switching to if this sounds like you:

• You know that T-Mobile’s coverage is good in your area
• You don’t mind keeping track of your high-speed data (no unlimited plan)
• You have a GSM device or are willing to buy a new one
• You are willing to prepay for three, six or 12 months in advance

The price is right for Mint Mobile, but it’s not the only low-cost cell phone provider around. Learn about more of your options in Clark’s guide to the best cell phone plans and deals!

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Best prepaid unlimited plans: Metro by T-Mobile vs. Cricket vs. Boost Mobile

Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint aren’t your only options for unlimited data plans! You may be able to get the same network coverage at a much cheaper price by switching to a prepaid carrier.

For example, MetroPCS recently changed its name to Metro by T-Mobile and introduced two new unlimited data plans.

RELATED: Best cell phone plans and deals right now

Prepaid unlimited plan comparison: Metro by T-Mobile vs. Cricket vs. Boost Mobile

The new branding makes it clear that Metro is owned by T-Mobile, but many people don’t even realize that AT&T owns Cricket Wireless and Sprint owns Boost Mobile.

You could be missing out on hundreds of dollars in savings every year by overlooking these low-cost brands! Here’s an example…

When Clark.com recently compared unlimited plans from the Big 4 wireless providers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint), we noticed that the price for a single line of service ranges from $60 to $95 per month, usually before taxes and fees.

Meanwhile, Metro, Cricket and Boost are now offering cheap unlimited plans starting in the $50-a-month range — all in.

Money expert Clark Howard says the #1 benefit of an unlimited plan is that you don’t have to worry about bill shock anymore. There are no overage charges with unlimited plans.

However, some wireless providers will slow you down if you use too much 4G LTE high-speed data or the network gets busy.

“It’s really confusing when you try to pick a cell phone plan because unlimited doesn’t mean unlimited,” Clark says. “Everybody has restrictions or gotchas, depending on what you pay per month.”

All of the plans featured in this article offer unlimited talk, text and data, but you want to pay attention to the gotchas that Clark referenced, particularly reduced data speeds during times of network congestion.

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Which prepaid unlimited data plan is best for you? Read on for our plan-by-plan comparison…

Metro by T-Mobile (MetroPCS)

Priced at $60 a month for a single line of service, Metro by T-Mobile’s more expensive unlimited plan is packed with bells and whistles including 15GB of mobile hotspot, Amazon Prime and Google One cloud storage.

Metro by T-Mobile unlimited data plans

Plan name New plan #1 New plan #2 Monthly price 

• 1 line = $50
• 2 lines = $80
• 3 lines = $110
• 4 lines = $140

• 1 line = $60
• 2 lines = $90
• 3 lines = $120
• 4 lines = $120 (promo)

Taxes and fees Included Included Network T-Mobile (Coverage map) T-Mobile (Coverage map) Mobile hotspot 5GB LTE 15GB LTE Extras Google One Amazon Prime, Google One Bring your own phone Yes (Check compatibility) Yes (Check compatibility) Fine print

• MetroPCS customers’ data is prioritized below data of some T-Mobile-branded customers at times and locations where competing network demands occurs
• Customers using >35GB/month may notice reduced speeds due to prioritization
• Video streams at 480p

UPDATED: OCTOBER 2018

Cricket Wireless 

Cricket’s cheaper unlimited plan is only $25 per line for a family of four, but it limits data speeds to 3 Mbps on AT&T’s network. With both plans, mobile hotspot is an add-on feature that gets you 10GB for an extra $10 a month.

Cricket Wireless unlimited data plans

Plan name Unlimited Unlimited Extra Monthly price

• 1 line = $55 or $50 after Auto Pay credit
• 2 lines = $80
• 3 lines = $90
• 4 lines = $100
• 5 lines = $125

• 1 line = $60 or $55 after Auto Pay credit
• 2 lines = $90
• 3 lines = $120
• 4 lines = $150
• 5 lines = $180

Taxes and fees Included Included Network AT&T (Coverage map) AT&T (Coverage map) Mobile hotspot Additional $10/month for 10GB Additional $10/month for 10GB Bring your own phone Yes (Check compatibility) Yes (Check compatibility) Fine print

• Data speed limited to a max of 3 Mbps
• Video streaming at SD quality (about 480p)
• After 22GB/line per month, customers may experience slower speeds during network congestion

• Video streaming at SD quality (about 480p)
• Cricket may slow data speeds when the network is congested

UPDATED: OCTOBER 2018

Boost Mobile 

If Sprint has good coverage in your area and you rely on mobile hotspot, Boost Mobile’s plans may be worth a closer look. The carrier often advertises special deals on its website for unlimited family plans.

Boost Mobile unlimited data plans

Plan name Unlimited Gigs Boost Unlimited Plus Ultimate Unlimited Monthly price

• 1 line = $50
• 2 lines = $80
• 3 lines = $110
• 4 lines = $140
• 5 lines = $170

• 1 line = $60
• 2 lines = $100
• 3 lines = $140
• 4 lines = $180
• 5 lines = $220

• 1 line = $80
• 2 lines = $140
• 3 lines = $200
• 4 lines = $260
• 5 lines = $320

Taxes and fees Included Included Included Network Sprint (Coverage map) Sprint (Coverage map) Sprint (Coverage map) Mobile hotspot 12GB 30GB 50GB Bring your own phone Yes (Check compatibility) Yes (Check compatibility) Yes (Check compatibility) Fine print

• Video streams at up to 480p+ resolution, music at up to 500 Kbps, streaming cloud gaming at up to 2 Mbps
• Data deprioritization applies during congestion
• Customers who use more than 35GB of data during a billing cycle will be de-prioritized during times & places where the Sprint network is constrained

• Stream HD video up to 1080p
• Data deprioritization applies during congestion
• Customers who use more than 35GB of data during a billing cycle will be de-prioritized during times & places where the Sprint network is constrained

• HD video streams up to 1080p, music up to 1.5 Mbps, gaming up to 8 Mbps
• Data deprioritization applies during congestion
• International Connect PLUS (international calling and text)
• TIDAL Premium
• Priority customer care service

UPDATED: OCTOBER 2018

NEW: What about a cheaper unlimited plan on Verizon’s network?

Visible is a new cell phone provider that’s owned by Verizon and offers a $40 per month unlimited data plan, including taxes and fees.

With Visible, download speeds are limited to 5 Mbps, but you won’t be slowed down based on your data usage — only when the network gets congested.

During early access, Visible members will also get mobile hotspot with unlimited data at up to 5 Mbps.

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To keep costs down, Visible has no physical stores. Everything is done through the app, including paying your monthly bill. Customer service is primarily available via chat, text and social media.

Anyone with an eligible iPhone (no Androids) can sign up for the service. Get the details here!

Final thought 

To choose the best prepaid unlimited plan, Clark suggests making a list of the features that really matter to you: network coverage, the most high-speed data, HD-quality video, mobile hotspot, international calling, etc.

Of course, the monthly price of your unlimited plan will go up as you add more features to the must-have list.

To compare these prepaid plans to what Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint offer, see our roundup of the unlimited plans from the Big 4 wireless providers here.

Have you found a great unlimited data plan? Tell us about it in the comments below!

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

Best AT&T MVNOs: Cheap cell phone providers that use AT&T’s network

Millions and millions of Americans choose AT&T for its fast and reliable wireless network, but did you know that you can get access to the same cell phone towers at a much lower price?

Many people only stick with AT&T for its dependable service, which RootMetrics consistently ranks second behind Verizon.

Switch to an AT&T MVNO and cut your wireless bill in half! 

However, more than a handful of smaller wireless providers called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) partner with AT&T to offer cheap cell phone service. Take a look at the list below:

AT&T MVNOs

Wireless provider Network  Cricket Wireless AT&T Consumer Cellular AT&T, T-Mobile Unreal Mobile AT&T, Sprint H2O Wireless AT&T FreeUp Mobile AT&T Straight Talk Wireless AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint Red Pocket Mobile AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint

Unlike the rest of the MVNOs mentioned above, Cricket Wireless is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. The other MVNOs are independent of AT&T and only rent space on their network.

These low-cost providers are an obvious option to consider for people who are already happy with AT&T’s coverage.

An MVNO may not flat-out say which of the Big 4 networks that they partner with, but you can typically figure it out by comparing the MVNO’s coverage map to the major network’s coverage map.

For example, here’s a comparison of the coverage maps for AT&T and FreeUp Mobile:

You also need to consider your phone options. Some MVNOs that run on AT&T’s network sell their own phones and others will allow you to bring an unlocked GSM phone. Always check device eligibility on the provider’s website.

Many MVNOs are prepaid carriers, which means that you pay for service in advance with no credit check required.

Right now, AT&T is heavily promoting two new unlimited data plans that start at either $70 or $80 for a single line of service before taxes and fees. But how would you like to cut that bill in half?

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Here are three of your best options if you want to keep AT&T’s network and save money every month…

Cricket Wireless

Key details: 

• Cricket Wireless has 10 million subscribers
• Four lines of unlimited service for $100/month
• Taxes and fees are included
• Cheapest unlimited plan: Data speeds capped at 3 Mbps and SD quality video
• Bring your own device or buy one from Cricket; budget and high-end options
• Retail locations nationwide

For quite some time, AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless has offered four lines of unlimited talk, text and data for $100 per month. Taxes and fees are included. With its cheapest unlimited plan, data speeds are capped at 3 Mbps and you only get SD quality video streaming. Budget and high-end smartphones are available for sale, plus a few free device options if you transfer a number. Cricket Wireless has retail locations nationwide that offer in-person customer service.

TEAM CLARK REVIEW: 5 things to know before you switch to Cricket Wireless

Consumer Cellular 

Key details: 

• Top-rated “Non-Contract Value Carrier” by J.D. Power
• Two network partners: AT&T and T-Mobile (Check coverage)
• 5% discount for AARP members
• Products and plans available at Target locations nationwide
• Talk, text and data starting at $20/month
• Free activation and no contracts

Some of Consumer Cellular’s data plans cost about the same as Cricket, but there’s no unlimited option. Light data users can expect to pay around $30 per month. There are two network partners with this carrier: AT&T and T-Mobile. You’ll be assigned one or the other when you sign up. If you want to make sure that you get AT&T, you can visit a Target retail store and pick up a Consumer Cellular SIM card for AT&T’s network. Consumer Cellular targets the senior population and offers a 5% AARP discount, but it’s available to everyone.

Straight Talk Wireless 

Key details: 

• Owned by TracFone, America’s largest no-contract cell phone provider
• Straight Talk is available at Walmart locations nationwide
• Unlimited data plans start at $50/month with auto-refill discount
• Partners with all of the major networks (Check coverage)
• Bring your own device or buy a phone from Straight Talk

Available at Walmart, Straight Talk operates on all four of the major wireless networks, which makes it simple if you want to keep your own phone and bring it to the prepaid service. Straight Talk offers several affordable plan options, including 25GB of high-speed data per month for $45. Auto-refill discounts are available. When I tested the service for 30 days, I picked up a SIM Activation Kit from Walmart that included an AT&T SIM card. Customer service is available by phone and chat.

TEAM CLARK REVIEW: Straight Talk review: Is this cheap cell phone provider worth it?

Cheapest AT&T MVNOs 

Cheaper options do exist with AT&T MVNOs like Red Pocket Mobile, FreeUp Mobile and Unreal Mobile — with plans starting around $10 per month. However, customer support may be limited with those ultra-discount providers.

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I’ve personally tested Red Pocket and Unreal, and experienced mixed results. Many Clark.com readers have told me the same thing.

Ultimately, you have to look at what the AT&T MVNOs are offering and decide whether it’s worth switching from AT&T to any of these affordable alternatives. For me, I’ve been willing to give up the convenience of in-person customer service for a lower price.

And since these are all no-contract providers, you can switch back to AT&T or another MVNO if there’s an issue that can’t be resolved.

We’ve highlighted MVNOs that run on AT&T’s network, but many more carriers have arrangements with Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint that can also save you lots of money. I’ve had great experiences with Total Wireless and Mint Mobile.

If you live in an area where all of the Big 4 networks have good coverage, read about some of your options in Clark’s guide.

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

Unreal Mobile review: $10/month cell phone plan on AT&T’s network

Unreal Mobile is a FreedomPop spinoff that’s marketing “unlimited” cell phone plans starting at just $10 a month!

Money expert Clark Howard signed up for Unreal Mobile’s service shortly after it launched in mid-2018. He said it was “flawless” after two weeks of testing on the Sprint CDMA network.

A few months after Clark’s trial, Unreal added AT&T as a second network partner and began selling GSM SIM cards.

Unreal Mobile review: $10/month ‘unlimited’ cell phone plan

Unreal Mobile’s partnership with AT&T allows customers to buy a SIM card and bring any unlocked GSM-compatible Android or iOS smartphone to the low-cost wireless provider.

To add more context to Clark’s initial review, I ordered a SIM card to test Unreal’s service on AT&T’s network.

Unreal Mobile review highlights: AT&T’s network 

• Call quality: No dropped calls and clear reception
• Text performance: All texts delivered and received
• Data speeds: Around 10 Mbps download speed

Although Clark’s Unreal Mobile test was on the Sprint network and mine was using AT&T, we had similar experiences. I had no issues with call quality and text performance over my two-week trial period.

Downloads speeds weren’t blazing fast, but I was still able to stream video and surf the web without frustration.

For $10 a month, Unreal Mobile’s cell phone plan is a great value. But there are a few things the company could be more transparent about during the sign-up process. Here’s what you need to know…

1. Unreal Mobile’s plans are not truly unlimited

Unreal Mobile has “Unlimited Mobile Only $10/Month” front and center on its website. What that really means is that you get unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data for $10 a month.

After you’ve used 1GB of LTE data during a billing cycle, you’re reduced to unlimited data at 2G speeds — much slower.

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Unreal Mobile has several high-speed data plans that are more expensive than the $10/month plan. It website says the 3GB LTE data plan for $20/month is the most popular.

To see this list of plans online, Unreal will ask you to enter your email, mailing address and phone number.

2. AT&T SIM requires an app for VoIP 

There are a few words in the fine print that some people wish Unreal Mobile would be more clear about. The complaints I’ve read are related to the carrier’s use of VoIP, Voice Over Internet Protocol.

FreedomPop says it means data is used for calling and texting instead of the cellular network.

With Unreal Mobile, customers like me who have an AT&T SIM must download the Unreal Mobile app to make calls and send text messages — you don’t use your phone’s dialer.

This information is listed in the fine print online and more clearly laid out in the setup guide that you receive after paying.

Unlimited plans comparison: T-Mobile vs. AT&T vs. Verizon vs. Sprint

If you’re shopping for an unlimited data plan with one of the Big 4 wireless providers, how do you choose between T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint?

With plans changing from one week to the next, money expert Clark Howard suggests that you start by making a list of the things that matter most to you and your family. For example:

• Monthly price
• High-speed data
• HD-quality video
• Streaming TV
• Mobile hotspot
• International features

RELATED: 9 easy ways to lower your cell phone bill

Unlimited plans comparison: T-Mobile vs. AT&T vs. Verizon vs. Sprint

The monthly plans in this article offer unlimited talk, text and data, but the Big 4 wireless carriers may place limits on your high-speed data. If you use too much or the network is busy, your data speeds could be slowed down.

“It’s really confusing when you try to pick a cell phone plan because unlimited doesn’t mean unlimited,” Clark says. “Everybody has restrictions or gotchas, depending on what you pay per month.”

Before we get to the list of unlimited plans, we should point out that cheaper options do exist with discount cell phone carriers. If you’re willing to leave the Big 4, read our separate guide with the best cell phone plans and deals!

And if you see a plan that you like below, check the provider’s website for limited-time deals on service plans and devices.

Quick links: Unlimited data plans

T-Mobile Magenta is the newest unlimited plan, replacing T-Mobile One. Magenta adds 3GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot, but only Netflix’s cheapest plan is included for 2+ lines.

Taxes and fees are included with T-Mobile’s Magenta and Magenta Plus plans, but they’ll cost extra with Essentials.

T-Mobile unlimited data plans

Plan  T-Mobile Essentials T-Mobile Magenta T-Mobile Magenta Plus Price

• $60/month with auto-pay
• $120/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees extra

• $70/month with auto-pay
• $160/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees included

• Add-on to T-Mobile Magenta plan
• $85/month with auto-pay
• $200/month for 4 lines with auto-pay

Features 

• Unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data, which may be slowed during times of congestion
• Stream video at DVD-quality, 480p
• Unlimited 3G mobile hotspot data
• Unlimited talk, text and 2G data in Mexico and Canada

• Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data, which may be slowed after 50GB/line during times of congestion
• Stream video at DVD-quality, 480p
• 3GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, followed by unlimited 3G data
• Data and text included when traveling to 210+ worldwide destinations
• Unlimited talk, text and up to 5GB of 4G LTE data in Mexico and Canada
• In-flight texting and 1 hour of data on Gogo-enabled flights to, from, or within the U.S.

• Unlimited HD streaming
• 20GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, followed by unlimited 3G data
• 2x the data speed abroad in 210+ countries and destinations
• Unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi on Gogo-enabled flights
• Voicemail to Text and Name ID

Perks 

• T-Mobile Tuesdays

• Netflix Basic included if you maintain 2+ qualifying T-Mobile Magenta lines

• T-Mobile

   Tuesdays

• Netflix Standard included if you maintain 2+ qualifying T-Mobile Magenta Plus lines

• T-Mobile

   Tuesdays

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AT&T’s unlimited plans both come with AT&T WatchTV, a live TV streaming service with more than 35 channels. The more expensive unlimited plan also includes your choice of a premium service like HBO.

AT&T unlimited plans 

Plan AT&T Unlimited &More AT&T Unlimited &More Premium Price

• $70/month with auto-pay
• $160/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees extra

• $80/month with auto-pay
• $190/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees extra

Features

• Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data, which may be slowed during times of congestion
• 480p DVD-quality streaming
• Unlimited texts to 120 countries
• Unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, and free roaming

• Unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data, which may be slowed after 22GB/line during times of congestion
• 15GB of high-speed mobile hotspot
• 1080p HD-quality streaming
• Unlimited texts to 120 countries
• Unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, and free roaming

Perks

• Get 35+ channels of live TV with WatchTV (See the channel lineup)

• Get 35+ channels of live TV with WatchTV (See the channel lineup)
• Option to add one of several premium services: HBO, Cinemax, SHOWTIME, STARZ, VRV, Amazon Music Unlimited or Pandora Premium

RootMetrics consistently ranks Verizon as the best network in America, but you’re going to pay for that coverage. Monthly unlimited plans range from $75 to $95 for a single line before taxes and fees.

Verizon unlimited data plans 

Plan Go Unlimited Beyond Unlimited Above Unlimited Price

• $75/month with auto-pay
• $160/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees extra

• $85/month with auto-pay
• $200/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees extra

• $95/month with auto-pay
• $240/month for 4 lines with auto-pay
• Taxes and fees extra

Features

• Unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data, which may be slowed during times of congestion
• DVD-quality streaming (480p)
• Unlimited mobile hotspot restricted to speeds up to 600 Kbps
• Mexico and Canada talk, text and data included

• Unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data, which may be slowed after 22GB/line during times of congestion
• HD-quality streaming (720p)
• 15GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, followed by unlimited at speeds up to 600 Kbps
• Mexico and Canada talk, text and data included

• Unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data, which may be slowed after 75GB/line during times of congestion
• HD-quality streaming (720p)
• 20GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, followed by unlimited at speeds up to 600 Kbps
• Mexico and Canada talk, text and data included

Perks

• Apple Music free for 6 months

• Apple Music included

• 5 “TravelPasses” per month to use talk, text and data in more than 185 countries
• 500GB of Verizon Cloud
• Apple Music included

Sprint frequently offers limited-time deals on its unlimited plans. The Unlimited Basic plan starts at $60/month for a single line, but sometimes you can get five lines for as low as $100/month.

In addition to the plans below, Sprint offers a no-frills unlimited plan called Unlimited Kickstart for $25/month.

Sprint unlimited data plans

Plan  Unlimited Basic Unlimited Plus Unlimited Premium Price 

• $60/month with auto-pay
• Discounts for additional lines; sometimes $100/month for 5 lines
• Taxes and fees extra

• $70/month with auto-pay
• Discounts for additional lines
• Taxes and fees extra

• $80/month with auto-pay
• Discounts for additional lines
• Taxes and fees extra

Features

• Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data, which may be slowed during times of congestion
• 500 MB LTE mobile hotspot
• DVD-quality SD streaming (480p)
• Unlimited talk, text and 5GB of 4G LTE data in Mexico and Canada
• Global roaming for text and data in over 200 countries

 

• Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data, which may be slowed after 50GB/line during times of congestion
• Mobile hotspot: 50GB LTE, followed by unlimited data at 3G speeds
• HD video streaming (1080p)
• Unlimited talk, text and 10GB of 4G LTE data in Mexico and Canada
• Global roaming for text and data in over 200 countries

• Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data, which may be slowed after 50GB/line during times of congestion
• Mobile hotspot: 100GB LTE, followed by unlimited data at 3G speeds
• Full HD video streaming
• Unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data in Mexico and Canada
• Global roaming for text and data in over 200 countries

Perks

• One Hulu Limited Commercials plan per eligible Sprint account

• One Hulu Limited Commercials plan per eligible Sprint account
• Includes Tidal Premium music streaming

• Amazon Prime included
• Lookout Premium Plus
• One Hulu Limited Commercials plan per eligible Sprint account
• Includes Tidal Premium music streaming

Final thought 

Switching to a discount carrier is probably the best way to lower your cell phone bill, but we know that many people want to stay with T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. That’s why we created this guide.

Here are some things to consider if you want to save money with the Big 4:

• Have you thought about a family plan?
• Are you searching for phone deals?
• Do you take advantage of auto-pay discounts?
• Military, employer, senior discounts?
• Can you get free cell phone insurance?

Even if you apply just one or two of these money-saving strategies, you can save $20 a month or more on your cell phone needs. That adds up to $240 after one year and $2,400 after 10 years!

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Paying too much for mobile? Check out these $15 or less cell phone plans!

After Sprint announced a $15/month Unlimited Kickstart plan that quickly filled up and is now no longer available, there were a lot of people kicking themselves over the deal and wishing they’d gotten in on it.

Sure, $15 was just about the lowest price ever on an unlimited cell phone plan from one of the Big 4 players — a group that’s rounded out by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

Yet if you liked that $15 price point, Sprint wasn’t your only hope in the market. There are a lot of other smaller players doing the same thing.

The one thing to keep in mind is that you’ve got to know yourself and how much data you’re going to need, because some of the plans below are severely restricted on that count.

RELATED: Best cell phone plans and deals right now 

Check out these $15/month cell plans

There are some other great offers out there if you’re budget-conscious. The following list is in alphabetical order, not any kind of ranking.

FreedomPop

FreedomPop is a polarizing freemium service that offers 200 minutes, 500 texts and 500 MB of data each month for free. Just be sure to read the reviews out there before signing up!

FreeUP Mobile

With its starter data plan, FreeUP offers 500 Wi-Fi calling minutes and 1 GB of data for $15. But there are some caveats you should know about with this service, too. Read about them here.

Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile offers 2 GB of data and unlimited talk and text for $15/month…the only catch being that you have to buy a full year of service for $180 to get this rate.

Red Pocket Mobile

For $15/month, you get 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 1 GB of data with Red Pocket Mobile. It’s a wonder they didn’t call this one ‘Black Pocket Mobile’ instead — because you’ll be in the black with all the money you’re saving every month!

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Republic Wireless

The entry-level plan from Republic Wireless is $15 for unlimited talk and texting. You can add data for an optional charge, or you can just use WiFi-only data to maximize every bit of value out of this plan.

TracFone

TracFone offers one of the cheaper prepaid plans out there. Every 30 days, you get 200 minutes, 500 texts and 500 MB data for $15.

Senior citizens in particular seem to have gravitated towards this provider.

RELATED: Read this before you sign up for TracFone

Tello

For $14/month, Tello offers 1 GB of high-speed data, unlimited texting and unlimited talk. After you use your data allotment, your speeds are slowed to unlimited 2G data.

Twigby

For the light data user, Twigby gives you 500 minutes, unlimited texting and 200 MB of data for $14/month. And right now, Twigby is running an offer that gives you 25% off that price for the first six months.

U.S. Mobile

U.S. Mobile is also a member of the $14 club! You get 100 minutes, 100 texts and 300 MB of data for that price.

Xfinity Mobile

With Xfinity Mobile, you get unlimited nationwide talk and text and 100 MB of data for absolutely free. Then you have the option to bump that 100 MB up to 1 GB for $12/month. This service is available to Xfinity (Comcast) customers only. One of our staffers has tried Xfinity Mobile and loves it. Read his review here.

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