Data Plan Comparison: Unlimited Options From T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint

[MacRumors]

T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, the four major carriers in the United States, all offer unlimited data plan options as of last week, allowing customers to forget about traditional data caps.

With so many options now available for unlimited data, we thought we'd do an in-depth video comparing the plans offered by the four companies to figure out the best value based on price and coverage.

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Unsurprisingly, Sprint offers the lowest prices, but many people choose not to use Sprint because its LTE coverage is poorer than other carriers. Eliminating Sprint, T-Mobile offers the next best deal, while Verizon comes in third, and AT&T comes in at a distant fourth.

For a single individual, Sprint charges $50 for new customers (for a limited time -- it goes up to $60 next year). T-Mobile charges $70, Verizon charges $80, and AT&T charges $100, making it the most expensive unlimited plan of the four carriers for an individual user.

Prices even out a bit more with an increasing number of lines. At four lines, Sprint is charging $90 (new customers only -- and it's $160 next year), T-Mobile charges $160, and Verizon and AT&T both charge $180. Not all plans are equal though, especially in AT&T's case.

While Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile all offer high-definition video streaming by default, AT&T limits video streaming to 480p unless customers specifically opt out. Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile all also offer 10GB of tethering data per line for connecting your Mac or iPad to your phone, but AT&T offers no mobile hotspot functionality with its unlimited plan.

T-Mobile offers the same video streaming and hotspot option that Verizon and Sprint do, but its prices are better than Verizon and aren't much more than Sprint, while offering a better network. T-Mobile is also the only network that offers fee-free data plans, so the price listed -- $70 -- is what you pay. T-Mobile doesn't charge activation fees, but other carriers do, which is something to take into account.

All networks will "deprioritize" (aka slow down) data after a certain amount of data is used per month. T-Mobile's limit is 28GB, while AT&T's is 22GB, Verizon's is 22GB, and Sprint's is 23GB. When these caps are hit, data speeds are slowed down.

On paper, T-Mobile seems to offer the best value for the price, but it's always worth taking a look at coverage maps and getting the opinion of other cellular users in your area before choosing a provider. There are also other benefits to look into, such as coverage abroad -- another area where T-Mobile leads the pack.

Article Link: Data Plan Comparison: Unlimited Options From T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint

 

[yanksfan114]

Basically comes down to T-Mobile vs Verizon. Sprint sucks at coverage and ATT charges too much for not enough. I like the competition though.

 

[futbalguy]

Basically comes down to T-Mobile vs Verizon. Sprint sucks at coverage and ATT charges too much for not enough. I like the competition though.

Yea its definitely a choice between TMobile and Verizon. I just switched from TMobile to Verizon last week and I have noticed the improvement in speeds indoors in San Francisco.

 

[max2]

Thank you very much for this!

 

[Lancetx]

I would absolutely love to go with T-Mobile again, but even though I live in a major metro area, their coverage both at the location where I work and where I live is positively abysmal compared to AT&T so I'm stuck.

 

[YegorH]

These unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.

 

[kappaknight]

This unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.

Hrmm... this sounds like Affordable Care Act, except people actually want to jump on the Unlimited plan even if they won't use it all.

 

[yanksfan114]

These unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.

They still have data capped plans for those people

 

[ohio.emt]

Don't you have to opt. in to HD video on T-Mobile also? There was a big discussion about if you would have to toggle it once a day/month until T-Mobile stated you only had to turn it off once.

 

[JohnApples]

Basically comes down to T-Mobile vs Verizon. Sprint sucks at coverage and ATT charges too much for not enough. I like the competition though.

I've been saying for a while that eventually, it'll come down to Verizon vs T-Mobile.

T-Mobile is the 2nd cheapest and while they don't have the best coverage, they're constantly staying competitive and offer great speeds. Verizon, while pricey, will always have the best coverage and does make an effort to stay competitive at least with their speeds.

Meanwhile Sprint is... Sprint. And AT&T seems to have no interest in being competitive. They don't have the best speeds or coverage, yet they're the most expensive. Honestly I'm confused on how they remain the number 2 carrier.

 

[Aston441]

I've been saying for a while that eventually, it'll come down to Verizon vs T-Mobile.

T-Mobile is the 2nd cheapest and while they don't have the best coverage, they're constantly staying competitive and offer great speeds. Verizon, while pricey, will always have the best coverage and does make an effort to stay competitive at least with their speeds.

Meanwhile Sprint is... Sprint. And AT&T seems to have no interest in being competitive. They don't have the best speeds or coverage, yet they're the most expensive. Honestly I'm confused on how they remain the number 2 carrier.

Old people.

 

[YegorH]

They still have data capped plans for those people

Yes, but non of them are really inexpensive. I mean if they provide unlimited plan for four lines at $160, why not provide $100 plan for four lines let's say for 20GB allowance?

 

[naeS1Sean]

Very helpful. Thanks!

 

[MrW0rdsw0rth]

I'm with T Mobile now. I don't know how AT&T thinks they can charge what they do. T-Mobile's network recently surpassed AT&T's in strength and they have faster LTE speeds than Verizon (AT&T and T Mobile use GSM while Verizon and Sprint use the slower CDMA). Plus Tax and fees included. And Verizon's call conferencing is unbearably bad.

https://opensignal.com/reports/2016/08/usa/state-of-the-mobile-network/

But I guess it depends on the area you live and work in.

 

[tmiw]

I dunno, I consider T-Mobile's SIM card fee an "activation fee" of sorts. Though it's possible they got rid of that.

 

[JosephAW]

The FCC needs to force all carriers to stop using the word "Unlimited" and use a new word like: "Unthrotited", "Unlimitroted", "Unlimitediminished", "Undiminishlimited"

 

[bommai]

Cricket has $65 unlimited data plan. They do throttle the connection to 8Mbps over LTE and 4Mbps over HSPA. I have their 8GB plan but if I really wanted the unlimited plan, I could upgrade. Also, the $65 is the actual out of pocket - no taxes or fees.

 

[WannaGoMac]

I dunno, I consider T-Mobile's SIM card fee an "activation fee" of sorts. Though it's possible they got rid of that.

Sign up by calling them, the reps always throw in a free Sim Card
[doublepost=1487721561][/doublepost]

Cricket has $65 unlimited data plan. They do throttle the connection to 8Mbps over LTE and 4Mbps over HSPA. I have their 8GB plan but if I really wanted the unlimited plan, I could upgrade. Also, the $65 is the actual out of pocket - no taxes or fees.

Cricket doesnt seem like such a great deal anymore given they cap your speed... get a couple friends together and sign up for a family plan from Tmobile or Verizon.

 

[Apple_Robert]

@Matt Gonzalez Your video segment on Verizon is incorrect. They do not throttle after 22GB of phone data. Why is it so many people fail to read what the tos actually says? it isn't hard to understand.

@Juli Clover "All networks will "deprioritize" (aka slow down) data after a certain amount of data is used per month. T-Mobile's limit is 28GB, while AT&T's is 22GB, Verizon's is 22GB, and Sprint's is 23GB. When these caps are hit, data speeds are slowed down."

Deprioritization is not the same thing as throttling. If a user has reached x amount of data per carrier statement, said user may be deprioritized behind other users if the tower they are trying to access is congested. If it isn't congested, said users experience normal usage.

Sloppy reporting by you and Matt. Get the facts right, especially when you go to the trouble to create an article and video for your users.

 

[Solamar22]

And AT&T seems to have no interest in being competitive. They don't have the best speeds or coverage, yet they're the most expensive. Honestly I'm confused on how they remain the number 2 carrier.

The two person childless set. The two person is $70/month for both phones. No one else, even T-Mobile matches it. (I think T-Mobile is $75).

(To be clear this is not for unlimited, but I have yet to find a plan for two people that is not outrageous.)

 

[gugy]

AT&T gotta up their game. I like them due their coverage but their prices are definately a slap in the face.

 

[J InTech82]

Thank you very much for this!

Agreed! Thank you, this was very helpful and just what I have been looking for.

 

[dave90601]

does verizon allow you to be on the phone and the internet at the same time? i remember hearing that wasn't possible awhile back?

T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, the four major carriers in the United States, all offer unlimited data plan options as of last week, allowing customers to forget about traditional data caps.

With so many options now available for unlimited data, we thought we'd do an in-depth video comparing the plans offered by the four companies to figure out the best value based on price and coverage.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos​

Unsurprisingly, Sprint offers the lowest prices, but many people choose not to use Sprint because its LTE coverage is poorer than other carriers. Eliminating Sprint, T-Mobile offers the next best deal, while Verizon comes in third, and AT&T comes in at a distant fourth.

For a single individual, Sprint charges $50 for new customers (for a limited time -- it goes up to $60 next year). T-Mobile charges $70, Verizon charges $80, and AT&T charges $100, making it the most expensive unlimited plan of the four carriers for an individual user.

Prices even out a bit more with an increasing number of lines. At four lines, Sprint is charging $90 (new customers only -- and it's $160 next year), T-Mobile charges $160, and Verizon and AT&T both charge $180. Not all plans are equal though, especially in AT&T's case.

While Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile all offer high-definition video streaming by default, AT&T limits video streaming to 480p unless customers specifically opt out. Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile all also offer 10GB of tethering data per line for connecting your Mac or iPad to your phone, but AT&T offers no mobile hotspot functionality with its unlimited plan.

T-Mobile offers the same video streaming and hotspot option that Verizon and Sprint do, but its prices are better than Verizon and aren't much more than Sprint, while offering a better network. T-Mobile is also the only network that offers fee-free data plans, so the price listed -- $70 -- is what you pay. T-Mobile doesn't charge activation fees, but other carriers do, which is something to take into account.

All networks will "deprioritize" (aka slow down) data after a certain amount of data is used per month. T-Mobile's limit is 28GB, while AT&T's is 22GB, Verizon's is 22GB, and Sprint's is 23GB. When these caps are hit, data speeds are slowed down.

On paper, T-Mobile seems to offer the best value for the price, but it's always worth taking a look at coverage maps and getting the opinion of other cellular users in your area before choosing a provider. There are also other benefits to look into, such as coverage abroad -- another area where T-Mobile leads the pack.

Article Link: Data Plan Comparison: Unlimited Options From T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint

 

[gim]

These unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.

What is a fraction of "unlimited" (infinite)?
But yes, I agree with you. It's ridiculous that there are practically no usable plans for $20 or less in the U.S.

 

[C DM]

These unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.

So those people can select one of other non-limited plans that work better for them. How exactly does it make the unlimited plans a gimmick again?