The mobile wireless landscape in the U.S. is controlled by three main companies, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. However, there used to be four major competitors; that was until T-Mobile acquired Sprint for $26 billion in a deal that was finalized in 2020.
Read on to find out more about the self-branded Un-carrier that recently absorbed one of the biggest mobile carriers in the U.S. and find out what plans they offer below.
About
T-Mobile is a mobile wireless carrier operating in the U.S. which currently has the largest 5G network and whose largest shareholder is a German telecommunications company called Deutsche Telekom. It was founded in 1994 and has since grown its position in the U.S. acquiring Metro (now Metro by T-Mobile) and Sprint.
T-Mobile has branded itself as the “Un-carrier” for its outside-the-box thinking when compared to traditional telecom companies. It has tried to set itself apart by offering contract-free pricing, simpler plans, and added benefits.
Some of the Un-carrier moves it has made to date include, Netflix on Us, Taxes and Fees included in your price, unlimited video streaming from top services, a T-Mobile Tuesdays reward program, and more.
Plans
All the prices below are for plans with a single line with AutoPay and the Magenta and Magenta Max plans have taxes and fees included. Keep in mind you can often save money when adding additional lines, sometimes dropping the price to nearly half for each line.
- $60 – The Essentials plan offers unlimited minutes and texts with 50GB of Premium Data until your connection is throttled.
- $70 – The Magenta plan offers unlimited minutes and texts with 100GB of Premium Data after which your connection will be throttled. Netflix Basic is included for plans with two lines or more.
- $85 – The Magenta Max plan offers unlimited minutes, texts, and data no matter how many gigabytes you use. Netflix Basic is included for plans with one line and Netflix Standard for plans with two lines or more.
Can you bring your own device?
T-Mobile is bring your own device friendly, although it offers no guarantees that devices from other carriers will be supported. It does offer a simple way to check if your device is compatible by entering the IMEI number. Need help figuring that out? Here’s an easy way to find your IMEI.
Also, be aware that your phone must support the frequencies T-Mobile’s towers use in order to get service. Some devices may support more frequencies than others and therefore will give better coverage.
If you prefer, you can always buy a device directly from T-Mobile, and then you’re guaranteed that it will function properly on its network.
Where to learn more
Check T-Mobile’s website to learn more about T-Mobile, its history, and all the plans it offers.
