8.1.19 How to buy a home; Do you need cell phone insurance?; Working while in college

8.1.19 How to buy a home; Do you need cell phone insurance?; Working while in college

Clark's 13-year-old son was all over getting a cell phone protection plan. We're so connected to our devices that when in a cell phone store, we're susceptible to the pitch to buy their junk insurance product. Don't do it. Cell phone insurance is horrible, trashy junk. Don't do it. It's overpriced, and you have a big deductible for what's usually a refurbished replacement phone. Have wide insurance in your life disability. Use a credit card hat provides free cell phone insurance when you use it to pay your monthly cell bill. 

There's one thing higher and trade education students can do to boost their chances of good-paying jobs after school - work while in school. ?Working in college makes for higher paid grads. Northeastern University grads tend to easily get good jobs after school because working is built into the curriculum. Students alternate semesters with working full-time. The degree takes an extra year, going year-round. New grads have years of experience in their field of study. Having work experience provides maturity so valuable to employers. Clark was a full-time working night student in college and grad school. That work experience served him well, allowing him to retire (the 1st time) at age 31.

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People have issues with financing, builders, selling, and buying used homes. There are many confusing moving parts. Clark discusses 9 steps to buying a home involving credit, qualifying and shopping for loans, shopping homes, negotiating etc. Local communities have design rules that have crushed affordability for first time home buyers. In dense urban areas, the value of land drives the cost of homes. So out-of-date rules on land use create many inefficiencies, including affordability. The next wave of urban planning should take into account creating efficiencies that will allow more affordable, smaller single-family housing in metro corridors.Clark's 13-year-old son was all over getting a cell phone protection plan. We're so connected to our devices that when in a cell phone store, we're susceptible to the pitch to buy their junk insurance product. Don't do it. Cell phone insurance is horrible, trashy junk. Don't do it. It's overpriced, and you have a big deductible for what's usually a refurbished replacement phone. Have wide insurance in your life disability. Use a credit card hat provides free cell phone insurance when you use it to pay your monthly cell bill.There's one thing higher and trade education students can do to boost their chances of good-paying jobs after school - work while in school. ?Working in college makes for higher paid grads. Northeastern University grads tend to easily get good jobs after school because working is built into the curriculum. Students alternate semesters with working full-time. The degree takes an extra year, going year-round. New grads have years of experience in their field of study. Having work experience provides maturity so valuable to employers. Clark was a full-time working night student in college and grad school. That work experience served him well, allowing him to retire (the 1st time) at age 31.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Read more

T-Mobile and Sprint are merging: Here’s what it means for you

A deal approved Friday by the Department of Justice would merge T-Mobile and Sprint into one wireless carrier.

“There’s tentative approval with some very unusual conditions that shockingly turn out great for you and me as consumers,” says money expert Clark Howard.

According to Clark, the T-Mobile/Sprint merger is beneficial for consumers because it’s going to mean that people have more choices.

T-Mobile-Sprint merger: How consumers can benefit

The deal has been in the works for more than a year, but hit some snags and roadblocks over antitrust concerns.

A main sticking point throughout the process has been the Justice Department’s insistence on maintaining four major carriers in the marketplace for the sake of competition.

The negotiations led the government to insist that Dish, a satellite TV company, join the ranks of mobile carriers with a hand from T-Mobile and Sprint.

As part of the settlement, T-Mobile and Sprint would:

• Sell assets, including wireless spectrum, to Dish Network, according to Bloomberg
• Position Sprint’s prepaid service Boost Mobile as a fourth major wireless carrier
• Allow the new wireless service to run on T-Mobile’s network for seven years, the Wall Street Journal reports

After all is said and done, the four major U.S. wireless carriers would be Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile (combined with Sprint) and Boost Mobile.

Clark says that the T-Mobile-Sprint merger is actually a win-win for consumers.

“This crazy curve ball with us being able to stay at four cell phone providers — with the Dish Network folks coming in and creating a fourth competitor — is going to be great,” he says.

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“It means we as consumers win both ways: We keep the competition in the cell phone space AND it creates meaningful, real, wonderful competition to break the choke hold of massively high prices for home and small-business internet.”

What’s next?

An antitrust lawsuit from several states, including New York and California, intended to block the T-Mobile-Sprint merger still needs to be sorted out.

As the merger details cascade through the wireless industry, consumers looking for great deals won’t have to wait too long. In fact, you can expect AT&T, Verizon and even some of the smaller wireless providers to counter with more money-saving cell phone deals.

Team Clark actively checks for new and current cell phone deals across the industry so you can save more money on your bill. Check out Team Clark’s guide to the best cell phone plans and deals right now!

How I saved my father $283/month in one afternoon

During a morning coffee with my father, he mentioned that he would like my assistance with looking over a few bills to see if I could help him save a little more money every month.

At 62, he’s mostly preoccupied running his own small business and doesn’t have the time to track down the best deals or shop for cheaper services. Luckily, he has a daughter who is a member of Team Clark and spends her entire day helping others save more and spend less!

How I saved my father $283/month in less than one day

It took less than two hours to save my father more than $280 every month. Want to know my secret? Read on to see exactly how I did it…

Step 1: Review bank statements

I looked back at his bank statements from the last three months and pulled out the most expensive recurring charges:

• Cable
• Internet
• Cell phone

Step 2: Negotiate bills

Pay TV

First, I called the cable company. I explained that I was calling on behalf of my father who was present and wanted to explore opportunities to reduce his bill.

After some discussion, I realized there was no better deal they could offer than the streaming options I found in the Team Clark streaming guide.

We canceled the cable service and looked at the channel lineups offered by the top streaming services. My dad decided that YouTube TV was the best option, so he’s now paying just $49.99/month!

(I have this service and I love it so I was confident my father would be happy with it, too.)

Old cable bill New streaming TV bill $158.24/month $50/month Monthly savings: $108.24

Resources to save money on your pay TV bill:

Internet

Before I called the internet company to negotiate the rate, I asked my father how much he used his landline. We came to the conclusion it really was just something that was familiar — not an item that served a useful purpose (especially since it was really just a target for robocalls and scammers).

Once I knew we could eliminate that as a requirement, I searched for promotional offers in his area and found he could get 300 Mbps speed on fiber for $50/month. That is more than the minimum speed he needs to stream TV and do his work — sold!

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Old internet and landline bill New internet bill $171.50/month $50/month Monthly savings: $121.50

Resources to save money on your internet bill:

If you’re not keeping track, that’s already $229.74 in monthly savings so far!

Cell phone service

My father takes care of his elderly mother and her mobile line is also included in his plan. I called his cell phone provider to learn about the extra charges on his bill. I discovered that he was paying for cell phone protection even though one of his credit cards provided coverage!

In addition, he was paying for Verizon Call Filter as an added blocking tool for scams and robocalls. I requested the company to remove the filter. To ensure they are still protected from robocalls, I downloaded Hiya — a free robocall-blocking service — to both of their phones.

Looking over the bill, I noticed that there was a vehicle diagnostic and tracking device added to their account that was under a two-year contract. I was able to have it removed without an early cancellation fee because it was sold to my 84-year-old grandmother who had no understanding of what it was or how to use the product.

Finally, I negotiated my dad and grandmother into a prepaid plan with unlimited talk and text and 6GB of data for only $68/month.

Old cell phone bill New cell phone bill $121.37/month $68/month Monthly savings: $53.37

Resources to save money on your cell phone bill:

Final thought

While the idea of negotiating your cable, internet or cell phone bill with a company can seem complex, it’s not as hard as you may think when you have the right tools.

In fact, I spent one afternoon making a few calls and saved my father $283 every month — that’s $3,396 a year!

Old bills New bills Pay TV: $158.24/month Streaming TV: $50/month Internet and landline: $171.50/month Internet: $50/month Cell phone: $121.37/month Cell phone: $68/month

Total monthly savings: $283.11

Have you lowered a bill recently? Let us know in the comments below! We also invite you to sign up for our Clark’s Money Challenge newsletter for more ways to save money every month.

More Clark.com resources to manage your budget:

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:

7.5.19 Where people go when housing gets too expensive; Cheaper phone calls from prison

7.5.19 Where people go when housing gets too expensive; Cheaper phone calls from prison

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Some folks in San Francisco are living on boats. Others are making difficult choices about where to live in certain expensive housing markets; Prisons have profited off of prisoner phone calls for too long. Some states and municipalities are starting to make it easier and cheaper for prisoners to stay in touch with their loved ones.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Read more

SIM card fraud: What the major carriers are doing about it

Criminals are trying to steal personal information from your phone. That’s why scammers are taking to SIM card fraud like never before.

With all of the safety and security issues cell phone users face, you may be wondering what the major carriers are doing to combat SIM card fraud.

What is SIM card fraud?

SIM card fraud, also known as a SIM swap hack or phone account hijacking, is a form of identity theft in which the scammer is able to steal your mobile account and the personal data attached to it.

Criminals can gain access by targeting a weak two-factor authentication or even bribing or tricking a phone service representative.

The end result is that thieves can access your contact list, bank account and other personal data and some serious damage can be done.

Here’s what the major carriers are doing about SIM card fraud

The wireless carriers haven’t been as proactive as many of their customers would like when it comes to SIM card fraud. That’s why we contacted each of them to see if they had a plan:

Spokeswoman Kate Jay tells Team Clark that Verizon consumers need to be vigilant about protecting their personal information. For instance, Verizon will never make an outbound request for customers to provide personal account information.

“So even if you see an inbound call that looks like it’s from Verizon, if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. If you have questions, hang up and immediately dial Verizon’s customer service line at 1-800-922-0204 or *611 from your mobile device,” she says.

“To protect yourself from SIM swapping fraud, Verizon recommends you call its customer service line and put an administrative lock on your account,” Jay says.

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When you put an administrative lock on your account, “this means no changes can be made (including porting a number to another carrier) without you calling in to personally verify the transaction,” she says.

“We continually look for ways to enhance our policies and safeguards to protect against these sorts of scams,” an AT&T spokesperson told Team Clark.

“When our customers are victims of identity theft, we strive to reverse activity related to their account with us and restore service as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson says.

Customers can learn how to help protect themselves from this scam by going here.

When it comes to SIM card fraud, T-Mobile has had the most high-profile incident: The carrier was sued in 2018 after a customer’s account was hijacked and his bank account drained. After that, the company mass-texted some security steps to its customer base, including this writer:

A T-Mobile spokesperson tells Team Clark: “We encourage customers to add extra security features to their accounts, such as passcodes and security questions. Also, it’s important to note T-Mobile will never proactively reach out and ask you to provide information, like your passcode.”

“On our end, we never stop looking for ways to make our services even more secure,” the spokesperson says. “We encourage our customers to contact The T-Mobile Care team with any questions or concerns. They can dial 611 from their T-Mobile phone or call 1-800-937-8997.”

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Sprint didn’t respond to our inquiry about SIM card fraud, but the company requires all of its wireless customers to set up a PIN and create security questions to access their accounts.

On its website, Sprint says that one way they protect your account is that they’ll notify you “by email or text message” each time your PIN, security question or answer changes.

How to stop SIM card fraud: 4 steps you can take

1. Up your two-factor authentication game: Not just any two-factor authentication works though. If a hacker has already gained access to your phone, they will intercept any SMS-based code that is used for authentication. Instead use a strong two-factor authentication app (like Authy Microsoft Authenticator  or 1Password) to lock your account down. See these other password tools.

2. Create a PIN: Add a PIN or a passcode to your mobile phone account. This way, you have an added layer of security and protection.

3. Put a SIM PIN on your phone: A SIM PIN is a multi-digit code that you enter anytime your phone restarts or if you remove the SIM from your device. If someone steals your phone, it won’t work unless they know the PIN. AT&T users, get a PUK code here.

• If you have an iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > SIM PIN and turn it on.
• If you have an Android, go to Settings > Security & Location (or Security & Privacy) > SIM Card Lock (or More Settings, then Ecryption & Credentials) and turn it on.

4. Freeze your credit: Money expert Clark Howard is a big proponent of freezing your credit. This prevents crooks from taking out new lines of credit in your name. Here is his Credit Freeze Guide.

Here are more Clark.com articles you might enjoy:

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:

New report: The best cell phone providers in America

Consumer Cellular has been named the best cell phone provider for customer satisfaction, beating Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and a number of smaller carriers.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) June 2019 report, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) including Consumer Cellular scored higher than the major wireless providers like the Big 4.

ACSI report: Low-cost cell phone provider is #1 for customer satisfaction

An MVNO is a cell phone carrier that partners with one or more networks, but it doesn’t own any towers. Here’s an example…

Consumer Cellular is an MVNO that has relationships with AT&T and T-Mobile. Customers get access to one of those networks for talk, text and data. So, Consumer Cellular may be a good option if AT&T and T-Mobile provide reliable coverage in your area.

The ACSI report covers three categories of wireless telephone service providers:

Both categories of MVNOs are doing a good job keeping customers happy, while MNOs have room for improvement. Here’s a category-by-category breakdown of the latest ACSI rankings on a 100-point scale…

Mobile network operators 

Key takeaway: This is the lowest-performing category in the wireless industry and includes the biggest brands. T-Mobile ranks #1 for customer satisfaction for its value and ease of billing, while Sprint finishes last. T-Mobile is in the process of merging with Sprint to better compete against Verizon and AT&T.

Mobile network operators

Category average: 73 

Company  ACSI score  T-Mobile 76 U.S. Cellular 74 Verizon Wireless 74 AT&T 73 Sprint 65

Full-service mobile virtual network operators

Key takeaway: Full-service MVNOs rank much higher than the Big 4. The report found that AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless is the best full-service MVNO for customer satisfaction, followed by Metro by T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile. These prepaid carriers get high praise for ease of billing, mobile apps and in-person customer service.

Full-service mobile virtual network operators

Category average: 77 

Company  ACSI score  Cricket Wireless (AT&T) 79 Metro by T-Mobile (T-Mobile) 76 Virgin Mobile (Sprint) 76 Boost Mobile (Sprint) 74

Value mobile virtual network operators

Key takeaway: Customer satisfaction with value MVNOs is the highest among the wireless categories, with an average ACSI score of 81. Top-ranked Consumer Cellular stands out for its ease of billing. Subscribers also like its discounts for AARP members and no-contract, postpaid service.

Value mobile virtual network operators 

Category average: 81

Company  ACSI score  Consumer Cellular 85 Straight Talk Wireless 80 TracFone Wireless 77

Final thought 

MVNOs offer cheaper cell phone plans compared to the Big 4 wireless providers, which is probably why they scored so much higher in this ACSI report.

If you currently have Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint, you may want to consider switching to an MVNO to save money. Like your network? Start by looking for MVNOs that partner with your existing network and use the same towers.

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Here’s a partial list of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint alternatives, including links to reviews from Team Clark:

The ACSI Wireless Service and Cellular Telephone Report 2018-2019 is based on interviews with more than 19,000 customers. You can download the report to learn more about the findings by clicking here.

To compare your options, read Team Clark’s guide to the best cell phone plans and deals!

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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Speed test: Cheap cell phone plan that runs on AT&T’s network

Red Pocket Mobile is a low-cost wireless provider that relies on the networks of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint to provide cheap phone plans!

Red Pocket lets you keep your phone, your number and the network you’re already using.

Red Pocket Mobile speed test on AT&T’s network 

For example, if you have service with AT&T and want to switch to Red Pocket, you would choose the GSMA network because that’s the one that uses AT&T.

In the chart below, GSMT is T-Mobile, CDMAS is Sprint and CDMA is Verizon.

I signed up for Red Pocket Mobile with an unlocked Moto G6 phone and chose the GSMA network, which relies on AT&T’s towers. Sign up for Clark’s newsletter to get my full review in mid-December.

In the meantime, I’ve already started to use the service and test the network’s speed.

Using the Speedtest by Ookla app, I tested the download speeds three times and the average was around 20 Mbps. That’s plenty fast! You’ll have no trouble streaming video and browsing the web.

No matter what network you choose, Red Pocket Mobile says 4G LTE is available on all of them.

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Red Pocket Mobile’s 30-day prepaid plans start at $10, but I got the $30 plan that includes 5GB of high-speed data before being slowed to 2G speeds.

The cell phone provider sells annual plans through its eBay store. Note that they are frequently discounted.

Although I’m not prepared to share my full review of Red Pocket Mobile yet, I would suggest that you try out a monthly plan before purchasing an annual plan to make sure you like the service.

Have you switched from one of the Big 4 to Red Pocket Mobile? Let me know your experience in the comments below!

If you’re researching ways to lower your cell phone bill, we’ve put together a guide with Team Clark’s best cell phone plans and deals right now!

Your best shot at good airline customer service may be through social media

If you’ve ever had an issue with an airline reservation or flight, you know it can be quite a challenge reaching a real person. You may be able to get some results from customer service via social media.

A recent article in the New York Times says that more and more, airlines are providing customer service via social media, rather than phone. Because of its real-time capabilities, tweeting is especially effective, the Times indicates. Another advantage of social media is that airline “social care” teams can post helpful links for rebooking, lost and found and other things.

I recently noted an instance where Delta’s Twitter handle answered a request in about 8 minutes. Mind you, these are not usually expansive formal answers, but rather quick and dirty replies — oftentimes just what you need as a hurried traveler on the go.

How to reach your favorite airline via social media

Increasingly, if you’re in need of immediate help and aren’t keen on picking up the phone and waiting perhaps an ungodly amount of time on hold, all you need is a social media account on one of the major social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The social team for American Airlines, for instance, fields 4,500 tweets per day and has a 30-minute response time goal, according to the Times. Other major airlines have similar setups.

Here are the social media accounts of the major airlines

Now that you know how to contact customer service on social media, here’s money expert Clark Howard’s secret to finding the cheapest flight possible.

Here are some more travel-related articles you might enjoy from Clark.com:

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

How to Find the Best Deal on a New TV

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.