The vast majority of Americans have a cell phone plan with one of the major carrier brands—AT&T T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless—or the slightly less popular UScellular. Customers in the United States looking for a good deal on the other hand have a lot more options. Dozens of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and prepaid carriers offer significant discounts by piggybacking on major networks to deliver lower prices.

Take note of these providers' customer service reputations as well as the networks they use. Some MVNOs allow you to switch between networks whereas others are tied to a single provider. One company Google Fi uses T-Mobile and UScellular networks interchangeably on some phones but for the rest you must choose which network you want when you buy your SIM card.

Now let’s talk about the top mobile network operators in the USA-

One of the more well-known MVNOs is Boost Mobile (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). Boost Mobile charges $25 per month for unlimited data talk and text.

Boost Mobile SIM cards are inexpensive and easy to use. Although you'll get the same features and coverage as a T-Mobile or AT&T plan Boost Mobile could save you up to $600 per year. You will not be required to sign a 12- or 24-month contract as a prepaid carrier. So if you're unhappy with your plan you can change or cancel it at any time because there are no contractual obligations.

Visible keeps things simple with a single unlimited plan and a large all-digital LTE & 5G network. It is not an MVNO but rather its own full-service wireless carrier. Because Visible is a subsidiary of Verizon it is essentially a Verizon extension rather than an MVNO. It currently offers one of the best-unlimited data plans in the United States and is an excellent choice for families. It recently launched a free 15-day trial of its service using your own phone. Visible provides excellent coverage while allowing users to forget about their data usage by leveraging the power of Verizon's network.

While Visible customers do not have access to the entire Verizon network they do have access to the vast majority of it because they do not have access to 3G or analog service. Visible has one of the best cell phone plans because of its unlimited talk text and data. It also includes unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps. You can even join a party right from Visible's community page to immediately lower your bill.

Keep in mind that Visible does not provide any kind of roaming so if you plan to travel to an area outside of the coverage map or outside of the country you will be without service.

LycaMobile is a low-cost carrier offering prepaid cell phones that works on T-Mobile’s network. LycaMobile offers affordable phone plans to those who want to make international calls and texting. It is an ideal Mobile Virtual Network Operator for ex-pats travelers and anyone else who needs to make international calls every day.

Lyca offers SIM-only prepaid plans and it allows you to Pay As You Go. with Lyca Mobile you get the flexibility of customizing the plans as per your needs. The objective of Lyca Mobile is to connect friends and family across the globe. They want to accomplish this by providing low-cost high-quality voice and data services in 23 countries.

There is also adequate 5G coverage in the majority of major cities and towns as well as numerous smaller areas. As all Lyca Mobile SIM plans include 5G at no additional cost you only need a 5G-capable device to get these speeds.

Tello is an MVNO or Mobile Virtual Network Operator. T-5G Mobile and 4G LTE wireless networks power this alternative carrier.

Tello has excellent value plans and a stellar customer service reputation. Because Tello SIM starter kits are available online they are easy to select and purchase. Once your SIM card arrives it's simple to set up and you'll be up and running in a matter of minutes. With their plans Tello SIM cards provide value and simplicity. Although Tello offers the same features and coverage as a T-Mobile plan it can save you up to $600 per year. You can expect the same nationwide coverage because the T-Mobile network powers it. Check the Tello coverage map to see if T-network Mobile has the best coverage in your area.

Tello 5G plans include free access to the fast 5G network (where available) if you have a 5G smart mobile device. If you want to buy a new cell phone you can find a variety of the best Tello phones to choose from. Similar to a phone and plan bundle from a major network but with more affordable options.

Mint is what's known as a mobile virtual network operator or MVNO for short much like the majority of other prepaid carriers. MVNOs run their businesses by using the infrastructure of pre-existing networks; in the instance of Mint that network is T-Mobile.

Mint Mobile provides customers with a range of options across four different data plans. The only difference between the available plans is the maximum quantity of high-speed data but all of them include an unlimited allowance for both voice and text communications.

There is an introductory discount for the first three months of each plan but after that the plan will renew for another three months at the regular price unless you upgrade to a 12-month plan at the same time. For the introductory price a three-month commitment is required.

The following are some of Mint Mobile's most notable value-added features and perks:

1. Make unlimited phone calls to Canada and Mexico at no cost.
2. Hotspot for free to use on mobile devices (5GB cap with the Unlimited plan).
3. Communication through text and phone calls via WiFi.

Ultra Mobile founded in 2011 is a low-cost carrier that uses the national T-Mobile 4G LTE & 5G network.

They provide a variety of plans to fit any budget. All plans (except the basic talk and text) include unlimited talk and text unlimited international talk to 80+ countries and mobile hotspot capability. If you're staying close to home you can select the appropriate amount of data including up to 60GB of high-speed data with the largest unlimited plan.

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is supported by Ultra Mobile but it is limited to phones that support the technology. VoLTE provides users with faster call connections and higher-quality voice calls than traditional cellular audio. The use of tethering for Wi-Fi hotspots is prohibited by Ultra Mobile's terms of service. SMS between four and six-digit shortcodes similar to those used by banks and information services is supported by Ultra Mobile. Ultra Mobile operates on T-native Mobile's network which is comparable in size to the Sprint network but much smaller than the networks of Verizon and AT&T.

US Mobile has been in business since 2014 making them one of the country's seasoned MVNOs.

US Mobile is a low-cost carrier known as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator that offers prepaid cell phone plans (MVNO). They use the T-Mobile and Verizon networks to provide low-cost plans with reliable coverage. US Mobile plans are backed by robust and proven nationwide coverage as they rely on the T-Mobile and Verizon networks.

The extreme flexibility of US Mobile's cheap cell phone plans is well known. There's something for everyone with a wide range of plan combinations available. US Mobile offers plans starting at 75 minutes and progressing all the way to unlimited talk text and data. US Mobile is an excellent choice for an emergency or backup phone. It also implies that you can create that plan if you don't require a large number of minutes or texts but do require up to 15GB of data. When you sign up with US Mobile they will assist you in selecting the best network based on your location or device. Both networks should serve the majority of Americans well.

Metro by T-Mobile formerly MetroPCS launched its service in 2002 and has since expanded across the United States. T-Mobile purchased MetroPCS in 2013. T-Mobile had 32 million subscribers at the time of the acquisition and absorbed MetroPCS' nine million subscribers in the merger. Since then Metro by T-Mobile has offered customers low-cost prepaid plans that include T-Mobile network coverage.

Metro by T-Mobile is a "big little" brand owned by you guessed it T-Mobile. Metro cell phone plans are absolutely fantastic with excellent coverage great perks and low prices. T-Mobile purchased MetroPCS years ago and rebranded it as Metro in 2018. Many Metro deals entail customers signing up for wireless service switching from another wireless carrier or purchasing new Metro cell phones and activating them with wireless service. T-Mobile stores in Metro handle all plan sign-ups. Customers must also stay with Metro for 180 days before their devices can be unlocked. Metro by T-Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator that provides prepaid plans over T-4G Mobile's network which is second only to Verizon in terms of coverage in the United States.

Since 2006 this Miami FL-based Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) has offered prepaid no-contract cell phone plans.

Tracfone connects to all major US networks so you don't have to give up coverage to save money on your cell phone bill. In addition TracFone plans can be purchased online or in-store unlike most low-cost carriers. TracFone which was recently acquired by Verizon also owns a number of other low-cost carriers including Straight Talk Walmart Family Mobile and Net10 Wireless. TracFone is not data-hungry as it does not offer unlimited data plans. However we do not believe you require unlimited data and believe you could save hundreds of dollars per year by only paying for what you require.

Tracfone has a good selection of plans with limited data allowances and most monthly plans include unlimited talk and text. There are numerous options to suit all budgets. TracFone which is powered by AT&T Verizon and T-Mobile has good coverage. Other MVNOs on the other hand offer the same features at a lower cost.

Cricket became a much more appealing option this fall when it removed data speed caps from its plans. Previously only Cricket's most expensive unlimited plan had no speed cap. That means Cricket's reasonably priced plans are far superior to the competition. Cricket Wireless provides low-cost pay-as-you-go cell phone plans with no long-term contracts. In addition all of their cell phone plans include unlimited talk text and data. Cricket became a much more appealing option this fall when it removed data speed caps from its plans.

Previously only Cricket's most expensive unlimited plan had no speed cap. That means Cricket's reasonably priced plans are far superior to the competition. Cricket Wireless provides low-cost pay-as-you-go cell phone plans with no long-term contracts. In addition all of their cell phone plans include unlimited talk text and data. Cricket customers use AT&T's towers because the company owns Cricket. As a result Cricket Wireless customers with compatible devices will be able to access 5G service anywhere AT&T-owned 5G towers exist. The customers will have access to the much larger LTE network in areas where 5G is not available.

PureTalk which was founded in 2004 operates as an AT&T MVNO which means if you get a PureTalk plan you’ll get a solid network all across the United States. It offers 7 standard phone plans that come with basic features like unlimited talk data and text along with mobile hotspots and more. Customers can expect high-speed data in the range of 1 to 35 MBps.

As it relies on the AT&T network to provide a signal you’ll get ample coverage regardless of where you are in the USA. PureTalk also offers cheaper plans if you avail of family plans as compared to other network providers.

Verdict

Saving money does not have to imply sacrificing quality. Choosing an MVNO will provide you with a low-cost cell phone plan and save you money in the long run, while still providing the same excellent service you are accustomed to. While keeping your extra cash in your pocket.

Whatever network you prefer, there is still plenty to be had. Understanding your actual cell phone usage can assist you in securing an even better deal by only paying for what you require and use.