Adventures with MVNOs

Adventures with  MVNOs

Mobile Virtual Network Operators are mobile phone carriers that use the big three networks and provide a reduced price phone service. There are many of these - search on verizon, t-mobile, or att and add "mvno".

I switched from Verizon to Reach Mobile a few months ago after Verizon added a surcharge to my bill. My monthly bill went from about $59 with 2Gb data to about $20 with 2Gb data. Reach uses T-Mobile's network which worked well for me. All was well.

Then a few days ago, around 4:00pm, my voice, text, and data stopped working. I informed Reach and the next morning voice and text worked. I can live without mobile data if I am not on a trip (using Maps). So I informed Reach of the situation, started researching other services, and waited.

US Mobile looked good - low price, Verizon or T-Mobile network, SIM or eSIM. eSIM would let me connect immediately. A SIM would take a couple of days to deliver, but handy to easily switch phones. I ordered a SIM. Then I found some reviews that made US Mobile look very bad.

Ting was recommended to me on Facebook. T-Mobile network, no eSIM support, three days to deliver the SIM, good price, good reviews.

T-Mobile - $50, including taxes and fees, for unlimited data, for old people (55+), using auto pay. Immediate connect with a SIM, supports roaming (MVNOs do not).

Next morning, no data. Since they handled voice and text, I decided to give them another day.

Next morning, no data. I lost my patience and decided that I needed to get past this issue as quickly as possible. Off to the T-Mobile store (just a mile away). The parking lot was almost full - 40 cars. I found a spot and went in, expecting a huge crowd. A couple of minutes to get someone to help - grand opening next door had filled the parking lot. 20 minutes later I had a functional phone. My stress level dropped 90%.

T-Mobile data is a lot faster than Reach/T-Mobile data. Maybe I will try Ting some day when I have forgotten the hell of having no phone.

So from my very limited experience - an MVNO can save you a lot of money, perhaps with noticeably slower mobile data speed, likely with noticeably longer problem resolution time, and with no domestic roaming.