Ting Mobile and AT&T are some of the most popular carriers in the industry. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top.
In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:
Ting Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Ting Mobile is an MVNO of both Verizon and T-Mobile, so you can choose which network you use with Ting Mobile.
Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.
However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall.
Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Ting Mobile offers several limited and unlimited plans as well as a flexible data plan. AT&T offers both limited and unlimited plans, as well as premium data, which won’t slow down whether Both companies deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.
Ting Mobile offers varying unlimited and limited plans with the ability to include an unlimited number of lines on your plan. Any fast data you don’t use will roll over to the next month. Their QCI tier changes depending on which network you choose. If you choose T-Mobile, your QCI tier will be 7. It will be tier 9 on Verizon’s network.
Their unlimited plans also include varying amounts of hotspot data.
They also offer a pay-as-you-go, or flexible, plan, where you pay for the exact amount of data you use.
If you purchase your phone from Ting Mobile, your device will be sold to you already unlocked. The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price.
As a flexible plan, Ting Mobile allows you to pay for the exact amount of data you use. Any data you buy can be used as hotspot data.
The plan costs $10 per month, and each GB you use is $5. For example, if you used 1GB, you’d pay $15.
Ting Mobile gives you 5GB of data with this plan, and all plan data can be used as a hotspot data. After the cap, you can use unlimited slow data at 2G speeds, or 128 kbps. This allows you to send text messages and emails or browse websites, but not much else.
The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 5GB at $5 per GB.
Set 12 gives you 12GB of data, and all of it can be used as hotspot data. Again, data slows to 2G speeds after the cap.
The plan costs $35 per month. At this rate, you get 12GB at $2.92 per GB.
Ting Mobile’s unlimited plan gives you 22GB of full speed data before slowing down to 2G speeds for the rest of the month. The plan also gives you separate hotspot data, which stops after 12GB.
The plan costs $45 per month. At this rate, you get 22GB of full speed data and 12GB of hotspot data at $1.32 per GB.
Ollo Unlimited is Ting Mobile’s biggest plan, which gives you 35GB of full speed data before slowing down to 2G speeds. You also get an additional 18GB of hotspot data, which stops after you reach that cap.
The plan costs $55 per month. At this rate, you get 35GB of full speed data and 18GB of hotspot data at $1.04 per GB.
AT&T only offers one limited plan. The rest are unlimited plans with varying amounts of premium data.
If you purchase your phone from AT&T, your device will be locked for 60 days after activation.
The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price.
Each month, you get 4GB of full speed data and hotspot access included. Once you reach that limit, both your data access and hotspot access stop. Access begins again at the start of the next month. It’s important to note that this plan charges overage fees if you use more than the allotted amount.
The plan costs $60 per month at full price, and $50 with the Autopay discount. With this plan, you get 4GB per month for $15 per GB.
Value Plus gives you unlimited, but deprioritized, data. With this, you’ll have full speeds the whole month because the plan doesn’t have any data cap. Speeds will only slow down for high network congestion. It does not offer hotspot access.
This plan costs $60 per month at full price, and $50 with the included Autopay discount.
AT&T offers deprioritized unlimited data with this plan. Like their Value Plus plan, your speeds won’t slow down because of any data cap – only because of high network congestion. This plan also offers 3GB of hotspot data, which slows to 2G speeds once you run out. With 2G speeds, users can still send texts and emails or browse the internet. However, it’s difficult to stream video or play games without access to WiFi.
This plan costs $75 at full price, and $65 with Autopay.
Unlimited Extra is the first plan to offer premium data with AT&T’s services. You get 50GB each month, then unlimited deprioritized data afterwards. You also get 15GB of hotspot data, which slows down to 2G speeds after that cap.
This plan costs $85 per month before the $10 Autopay discount, and $75 per month after. You get 65GB per month for $1.30 per GB at full price.
AT&T offers users unlimited premium data. No matter what, whether it be the amount you use or the network traffic, your speeds will not slow down. They also give 50GB of hotspot data with this plan, and speeds slow to 2G once you run out for the month.
This plan costs $95 per month before the discount, and $85 with Autopay.
If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. Ting Mobile offers international connectivity at pay-per-use rates, and AT&T offers add-ons for their plans.
AT&T includes domestic roaming capabilities with all of their plans, and Ting Mobile offers domestic roaming with no specific limits.
Ting Mobile offers pay-per-use rates on talk, text, and data for both Mexico and Canada. Talk rates are $0.30 per minute, text rates are $0.12 per message, and data rates are $0.20 per MB. AT&T includes talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada included with all of their plans.
Ting Mobile offers varying pay-per-use rates depending on the country. AT&T offers international text, but calling and roaming data capabilities require an additional add-on.
All Ting Mobile plans offer 1080p High Definition streaming. All AT&T plans with the exception of Unlimited Premium stream at 480p Standard Definition, and Unlimited Premium streams at 4k Ultra High Definition.
Ting Mobile and AT&T do not offer this feature.
AT&T offers an add-on for cloud storage. Ting Mobile does not offer this feature.
If you buy a phone from AT&T, they allow you to pay for your device in installments over time. Ting Mobile does not offer this feature.
Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception.
AT&T offers AT&T Active Armor on all of their plans, which blocks spam calls. Ting Mobile does not offer this feature.
Ting Mobile and AT&T do not offer this feature.
Ting Mobile is a digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. They offer chat support 24/7 and phone support at the number 1-855-846-4389. AT&T offers thousands of brick-and-mortar stores across the country, and you can find one near you with their store locator. You can also call (800) 901-9878 on Mon. through Sat. from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
With the different offerings both carriers offer, the better plan depends entirely on what you need. If you’d like more features and premium data, a AT&T plan is a great option. Their unlimited plans also don’t put a cap on how much data you can use. If you need a limited data plan, however, Ting Mobile offers better plans.
We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.
Are you still unsure which carrier to choose, or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Really allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!
Yep, we offer premium wireless service on the the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network. If you are in our dewi coverage areas, you’ll also get access to our decentralized phone network powered by the people which will give you even faster speeds and better coverage.
Nope, it’s pay as you go.
Yeah! You put your card on file and prepay each month so that you never experience any disruption.
Yep, but it’s super easy to unlock your device as long as it’s paid off. Chat with us and a real human can help you here.
We have some recommendations on what we think you should get, from iPhones to Droids. Check out our list here which includes affordable places online to get a good deal.
It means we are building a phone network that is powered by the people. Your neighbors put small radios on their roof and help extend the phone network to cover deadzones™ and get even faster speeds. Right now our DeWi network is available in Austin, but we’ll be expanding to other cities REALLY soon. Learn more about DeWi here.
Great question. If you’re in Austin, TX, you’ll install 2 new SIMs. The REALLY nationwide SIM as your first SIM, which will give you voice / text & data on the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network powered by T-Mobile®.
Your 2nd SIM will give you access to the REALLY DeWi network in Austin, TX, which you’ll prioritize when available so that you get even faster speeds and better coverage.
Depending on your device, you may be able to install eSIMs via a QR code.
Yep, we are powered by T-Mobile®, the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network. If you are in Austin, TX you’ll also get access to our decentralized phone network powered by the people which will give you even faster speeds and better coverage.
The plan is unlimited, but once you reach 20GB you may experience slower speeds depending on network usage.
You get 10GB of hotspot data per month, but can add more if you need to.
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