Moving to another wireless plan?

April 23, 2021 2:44 AM

Covid has significantly changed my wireless habits. I have an expensive unlimited everything Verizon phone but multiple workplaces since Covid has expected Teams/Zoom calls with video and don't like when you're at a coffee shop. I'm simply not texting or using my hotspot like I used to. What's the best metered or non-metered plan that would allow me (iPhone) to keep my number, move from my high cost Verizon plan and have those options available to me at a cost if I need them?

I keep thinking the pandemic will be over and we'll go back to normal conference calls and the like, I doubt this is going to happen. I've used less than 60 minutes of talk, nearly no data and my texts are less than 100. I do not need an unlimited everything plan. I looked at Cricket but didn't know if going to T-Mobile or something similar was feasible. No contract obviously in case things go back to normal over the summer and I'm stuck in airports having to work or start texting/calling heavily again. I'm willing to take a heavy hit if I have to use my hotspot for 30 minutes, simply because I'd likely need to and it just doesn't happen anymore.

posted by geoff. to Technology (16 answers total)

google fi has a plan that starts at $30 and ramps up with Data usage

It also has the benefit of hopping in to new networks while you travel.
posted by jander03 at 4:10 AM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]

Mint Mobile is pretty cheap and allows mobile hotspot use. The not-unlimited-data plans would be actually a better bet for you anyway because (IIRC) the unlimited plan limits hotspot data to 5gb while the limited plans let you, in theory, use all of your montly data allotment as hotspot data.
posted by needs more cowbell at 4:19 AM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]

Also my experience with MVNOs that use Verizon's towers (Page Plus) at least a few years ago was that they don't allow phone hotspot usage (that option was greyed out on my iphone after I switched to Page Plus at one point--same phone, same number, different carrier, change in options). I think it's a Verizon thing, specifically.
posted by needs more cowbell at 4:22 AM on April 23, 2021

I've been a content T-Mobile prepaid customer for many years. They have some super-cheap plans available that would definitely fit your usage right now. T-Mobile Connect plans have unlimited talk/text (I know you don't use that but it's not like having extra hurts); the $15 plan gives you 2.5GB of data/month, or the $25 plan gives you 5.5GB a month. And each year, they say they'll bump up the amount of data you get per month (so next year it will be 3GB and 6GB, then 3.5 and 6.5, etc.)

Oh and as far as ramping up when necessary - when I've run out of data on my plan in the past (I have an older plan that gets me 5GB/month), I just start my next month early. But I don't know if that would work out for your usage - depends how much of your "unlimited" data you would be using.
posted by mskyle at 4:38 AM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

Due to how accessible Verizon towers are, you may want to just move to one of their lowest plans -- I'm on a Verizon 2GB/mo plan with my wife which I think is around $75 total for service (I'm still paying off the phones so the actual bill is large), and the few times I've gotten close to the max by forgetting to turn wifi back on it's $15/gig -- but it also lets you rollover unused data, so I haven't had to do that in quite a while.

(Edited for correct amounts)
posted by AzraelBrown at 4:45 AM on April 23, 2021

I also use Mint. $15/ month for unlimited texts and voice, 4GB data with hotspots allowed. There are also options for more data.
posted by metasarah at 6:35 AM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

I like Fi but historically its support for iPhones has been problematic. It looks like many of the issues have been ironed out but do research before leaping. Some of the fixes look like they might depend on how recent your phone is.
posted by Candleman at 6:40 AM on April 23, 2021

I use an iPhone on Google Fi and it works great / is officially supported now. I use my phone as a hotspot regularly, not sure what the options are like if you need a standalone device. You can get an extra sim or add a line cheaply if that helps.

Check coverage since IIRC, they don’t use Verizon towers.
posted by momus_window at 7:04 AM on April 23, 2021

Google Fi announced some new pricing today.

I just moved to Visible, had a phone, but they had some discounts, service runs on Verizon network, support is (not stellar)chat-only. The gimmick is that if you join a 'party' of 4 or more subscribers the plan is 25/month, no cap, not sure when it slows. If you decide to try it, and I refer you, I'd get a free month of service. There are very helpful subreddits where you can easily find a party to join; I chose one that had a neutral name and 100+ members. So far, service has been just fine.

Spectrum has a new service, 25/mo., that uses Verizon's network, but the company and their genuinely awful support makes me feel stabby and hate the universe, so I was happy to find an alternative.
posted by theora55 at 7:38 AM on April 23, 2021 [3 favorites]

If you like Verizon service, just switch to Verizon prepaid! I’m on a contractless Verizon prepaid plan with 5 GB of data that I can never use all of and unlimited talk/text that costs $25 a month. It’s a $40 plan, with a $5 discount for having autopay turned on and a $10 loyalty discount for being on the plan more than a few months. There might even be cheaper options with less data? The service is the same quality as the postpaid Verizon I’ve had in the past. It was the same amount of minor hassle at the Verizon store as any other wireless plan switch I’ve navigated but no issues since then.
posted by moonbeam at 7:54 AM on April 23, 2021 [8 favorites]

What moonbeam said. I've been on Verizon prepaid for ages. I pay slightly more (or, rather, don't get the discounts from the same base) because I have a (no longer available) grandfathered plan that technically doesn't allow me to be throttled. I'd be happier paying $25, of course, but $40 is fine.
posted by praemunire at 8:16 AM on April 23, 2021

Thanks to moonbeam for letting me know about the new, cheaper Verizon prepaid plans. I've just switched. There was no publicity from those suckers about the opportunity to switch from $40 down to $25 with no change in service. OP, Verizon prepaid is the simplest way to go.
posted by JimN2TAW at 8:37 AM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

If you were on Verizon, Visible is probably a better choice. Visible is a Verizon MVNO, so you're using the same network and the phone should transfer right over.
posted by kschang at 9:31 AM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

I was in the exact same situation, and I made the jump to Google Fi a few months ago. I originally had a T-Mobile post paid plan.

No regrets from my end; I like the flexibility. My phone bill right now is really inexpensive because I'm not using any data. But, if that changes and I'm using a lot of data again, I can switch to one of their Unlimited plans seamlessly. That I can go back and forth between different plans on a month to month basis is really valuable to me.

If you want to try it out, PM me and I can give you a promo code.
posted by spinifex23 at 9:46 AM on April 23, 2021

Another happy Visible user. The one time I had to chat with support they were great. Definitely join one of the groups.
posted by kathrynm at 11:57 AM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

I’ve been happy with Ting for a long time now. They have a bunch of different things that maximize flexibility, and are an older player in the pay as you go cellphone landscape. Some months my phone bill is about twelve bucks, sometimes more like thirty five. I’ve had to do a few different customer service interactions with them and it was always really straightforward and never manipulative. Memail me for a referral discount if you like.
posted by Mizu at 2:08 PM on April 23, 2021