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!

Cheap cell phone service provider adds Verizon as network partner

Ting, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that currently partners with Sprint and T-Mobile, is adding service over the Verizon network later this year.

“We expect that combining the best-rated cellular network in the U.S. with Ting’s award-winning customer service will further enhance our already very compelling offering,” said Tucows CEO Elliot Noss. Ting is a division of Tucows.

Ting customers will be eligible to use the Verizon network following integration with the Verizon system later in 2019.

Ting is adding service on Verizon’s network, dropping T-Mobile 

Meanwhile, Ting has extended its network provision agreement with Sprint through September 2020 and informed T-Mobile that it won’t renew its agreement effective December 19 of this year.

As a result, Ting will migrate away from the T-Mobile network by December 19, 2020.

Two Clark.com team members have used Ting in the past. The provider has a “pay for what you use” model that’s best for people who don’t use their smartphones a lot. There’s no unlimited data plan option.

We don’t know what, if any, changes Ting will make to its rates once Verizon becomes an option for customers.

In the meantime, Ting is offering a limited-time deal that breaks from its typical pricing structure. If you sign up by July 31, you can get unlimited talk, text and 20GB of data for $20 through 2019. Service is on Sprint’s network.

Want to find a Verizon alternative now? Visible, Total Wireless and Xfinity Mobile are three of your best options. Learn about them here! 

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

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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: 

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: 

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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