How Much Is T-Mobile's Cheapest Plan & What Features Does It Include?
If you're looking for the cheapest mobile plans, several providers have some appealing offers with access to top 5G data speeds. T-Mobile is one of these providers, offering some of the fastest download speeds and excellent coverage across the US, with plans as little as $10 per month. But before jumping ahead to buy the cheapest plan, it's important to assess what's included in each plan, so you're not left stuck without mobile data weeks before it refreshes.
T-Mobile Connect was initially launched in 2020 in response to COVID-19, offering an affordable option to those cutting expenses. Two years later, T-Mobile expanded its Connect service by adding new prepaid plans, including the incredibly cheap $10 per month option. As part of the Connect plan, users are promised access to T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network and extra benefits like Scam Shield Protection. Other options include a $15, $25, and $35 per month plan, with the highest plan offering 12GB of data. But how does its cheapest plan hold up against its other plans, and is it worth it?
What is T-Mobile's cheapest plan?
Part of the T-Mobile Connect range, the company's $10 per month plan (excluding tax) is the best on offer, including 1000 minutes of calls and 1000 texts. The less appealing part of the plan is it only allows 1GB per month. This means if you run out of data before the next billing period (each cycle lasts 30 days), you'll have to either wait for the next cycle, use Wi-Fi, or purchase a data pass.
The included minutes exclude any international calls. If you want to make international calls, you can add T-Mobile's Stateside International Talk to your plan for $15 per month to get unlimited calls to landlines in over 70 countries. The plan also includes a feature called Data Maximizer, which automatically limits video streaming quality to SD to reduce data usage.
The plan is available for both new and existing T-Mobile customers. If you're already on a T-Mobile prepaid plan, you can switch to Connect by T-Mobile at any time.
Is it worth it?
Offering high data speeds and trusted by millions of US subscribers, it may be tempting to take this $10 per month offer while it's around. The minutes and calls are likely enough for most to get by. The main problem is the lack of data provided, which can be a large issue by today's standards.
1GB of data can roughly provide 8 hours of streaming music. The same amount can send approximately 1,000 emails. Streaming movies can be problematic, however. According to Netflix, 1 hour of streaming on the default quality setting will use up one-quarter of your monthly data. Watching at the highest quality available can use up to 1GB per 20 minutes of streaming. Therefore, this plan is recommended for only essential data usage, such as checking emails, sending messages, and occasional music streaming.
There are steps you can take to limit your data usage, however, if you're still looking to grab the $10 bargain. For instance, Netflix offers a Data Saver option which can allow up to 6GB of video streaming per 1GB. Another data-saving strategy is being aware of common smartphone apps that are draining your data. Some social media apps offer a Lite version such as Facebook Lite (available for Android users only) which lets you use a condensed version of the app for less data usage.
Deciding on whether to accept the T-Mobile Connect $10 monthly plan largely depends on your specific requirements and usage patterns. If you're using your phone as a simple communications device, you shouldn't run into any problems. But for music streaming, watching videos, or frequent social media usage, it may be worth reconsidering and choosing a plan that offers more data.