Ting Mobile Review
Product Name: Ting Mobile
Product Description: Ting Mobile is a discount cellular phone carrier that offers flexible plans and works off of the Verizon and T-Mobile networks. You’ll never pay data overages with Ting Mobile.
Summary
Ting Mobile is an MVNO cellular service provider founded in 2012. Purchased by Dish Network in 2020, It offers flexible plans, including a pay-as-you-go data plan. All plans include unlimited talk and text, but international calling and texting cost extra.
Pros
- A wide array of plans to choose from
- Access to 5G and 4G LTE coverage
- No overage fees
Cons
- International calling can be costly
- Slower speeds possible
Ting Mobile is a discount cellular service provider founded in 2012. Purchased by Dish Network in 2020, It offers flexible plans, including a pay-as-you-go data plan. All plans include unlimited talk and text, but international calling and texting cost extra. We compare Ting Mobile plans and features to other popular discount cell phone service providers.
At A Glance
- MVNO discount operator
- Access to 5G and 4G LTE speeds
- Flexible plans
- Mobile hotspot
- No contracts
- Change plans at any time
Who Should Use Ting Mobile?
Ting Mobile is a solid choice for those looking to save money through a discount cellular service. However, other discount carriers provide cheaper options for higher data plans.
We don’t recommend Ting if you have to make a lot of international calls, including to Mexico and Canada.
In addition, because Ting limits referral bonuses to three per year, you may want to choose another service if you like earning income via referrals.
For example, both Tello and Twigby offer customers unlimited referral bonuses.
Ting Mobile Alternatives
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| Pricing | $5-$25 per month | $15-$35 per month | $25-$45 per month |
| Payment Plan | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Network | T-Mobile | Verizon | Verizon |
| Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
What Is Ting Mobile?
Ting Mobile is an independent discount cellular service provider. It’s a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), meaning it doesn’t own its own cellular network. Instead, it purchases access to the T-Mobile and Verizon networks.
Ting Mobile customers have access to 5G and 4G LTE speeds; however, as your cellular service provider, you may be deprioritized to lower speeds when the network is busy.
Ting offers a selection of service plans to satisfy a wide range of users, but prices may be higher on some plans than what you can find with other discount mobile service providers.
✨ Related: 10 Easy Ways to Lower Your Cell Phone Bill
Ting Mobile has several plans to choose from, depending on your usage and data needs:
- Flex Plan: $10 per month, per line, $5 per shared GB of data
- Set 5 Plan: $25 per month, per line, 5GB of data for each line
- Set 12 Plan: $35 per month, per line, 12GB of data for each line
- Unlimited Data Plan: $45 per month, per line, 22GB of data for each line
Mobile Hotspot
All Ting Wireless plans come with mobile hotspot data. However, the amount of hotspot data you have depends on your plan. If you use the Flex plan, all your data may be used as a mobile hotspot. Set 5 plan members can also use their data as a hotspot.
Set 12 plan members can use up to 8GB of data as a hotspot, while unlimited plan members can use up to 12GB of their data as a hotspot.
International Calling
Ting Mobile offers international calling, but you will sometimes pay extra for this feature.
For example, you can send and receive free international texts to and from your Ting Mobile phone when you’re inside the U.S. However, if you’re outside the U.S., you will pay to send texts. International roaming is available for Ting customers in certain countries.
Expect fees and surcharges for most international usage.
Nationwide Coverage
When you use Ting Mobile, you can expect nationwide 4G LTE coverage as long as it’s available. You may get 5G coverage as well.
If you run out of data, your phone will function with 2G data. As with most MVNOs, Ting Mobile users will be subject to deprioritized data during busy and high usage times.
Referral Program
Ting Mobile offers a referral program. When you refer your first customer to Ting Mobile, you’ll earn a $50 credit to your account, provided they sign up with your personalized referral link. Your referral will earn a $25 credit to their account.
All subsequent referrals who sign up using your personalized referral link will receive a $25 billing credit for both you and the referral.
Note that Ting Mobile customers are limited to three referral bonuses per year.
Multi-Line Option
Ting Wireless doesn’t have designated family plans. However, you can sign up for multiple phones and plans, whether shared data phones with the Flex or individual data plans.
However, if you choose to get multiple lines on your account, they must all have the same plan.
If you want different plans for each family member of your circle, each type of plan requires a separate account.
✨ Related: 8 Cheapest Family Cell Phone Plans
Ting Mobile vs Alternatives
Tello
Tello is an MVNO like Ting but offers mix-and-match, customizable plans. You can choose the amount of data and talk minutes you want.
For example, you can choose:
- $5 per month for no data and 100 talk minutes
- $8 per month for 2GB of data and 300 talk minutes
- $13 per month for 5GB of data and 500 talk minutes
- $15 per month for 10GB of data and no talk minutes
- $25 per month for unlimited (35GB) data and unlimited talk minutes
Or any number of other mix-and-match combinations. All plans come with free text. Tello is an MVNO that uses 4G LTE/5G speeds on the T-Mobile network.
There are no data overage charges; after you’ve used your allotted data, your phone will function at 2G speed.
Tello doesn’t require contracts or advance payments. Although it offers a family plan, each line is billed separately.
Tello phone plans come with free talk and text to 60+ countries. For more details, check out our full Tello review.
Twigby
Twigby is an independent MVNO operator on the Verizon network. It offers 5G/4G LTE speeds.
You can choose from five different Twigby plans:
- $10 per month for unlimited talk and text
- $15 per month for 2GB of data and unlimited talk and text
- $20 per month for 5GB of data and unlimited talk and text
- $25 per month for 10GB of data and unlimited talk and text
- $35 per month for 20GB of data and unlimited talk and text
Twigby allows unlimited talk to over 80 international countries. However, the feature is limited to 15 phone numbers. Twigby also offers unlimited global text.
Mobile hotspots are included with Twigby plans, but usage is deducted from your allotted monthly data. See our full Twigby review for more information.
Visible
Visible is a discount cellular service that is owned and operated by Verizon. Available speeds with Visible include 5G/4G LTE and 5G Ultra Wideband.
Visible offers two different plans to choose from: Visible and Visible+
- $25 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data with 5G/4G LTE speeds
- $45 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data with 5G Ultra Wideband speeds
Both plans offer unlimited mobile hotspots at the speed designated on the plan. Unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada is also included with both plans.
The Visible+ plan includes calling to 30+ countries and unlimited text to 200+ countries. As with any discount phone service, you may experience slower speeds during busy usage periods.
Visible+ also offers one complimentary Global Pass day per month, during which you can enjoy unlimited talk and text in over 140 countries while abroad. Your Global Pass also includes high-speed data usage.
Visit our full Visible review to learn more.
FAQs
Can I bring my phone and phone number to Ting Wireless?
Yes, you can bring your own phone to Ting Mobile if it’s unlocked and compatible. You can also transfer active phone numbers to Ting.
What happens if I run out of data?
If you run out of data on Ting Mobile, you will be reduced to 2G data speeds for the remainder of your billing period at no extra cost. You can also pay to add data to your plan.
Does Ting Mobile allow different plans on the same account?
No. You can have as many lines as you want on a singular account, but the plans must be the same. If you want different plans for each person in your circle, you must open different accounts.
What are Ting Mobile’s customer service options?
You can contact Ting Mobile via chat, phone, or email. Standard phone and chat hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Can I buy a new phone from Ting Wireless?
Ting offers deals on new and refurbished phones from brands such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola, etc. In the Ting Shop, you search for phone deals by brand, new or used, etc.
Summary
Ting Mobile offers attractive prices on a variety of cell phone plans. However, higher data plans may be more expensive with Ting Mobile than with other discount carriers. Ting Mobile can be a great choice for those who don’t use much data and make most of their calls and texts in the United States.
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About Laurie Blank
Laurie Blank is a blogger, freelance writer, and mother of four. She’s psyched about teaching others how to manage their money in a way that aligns with their values and has been quoted in Bankrate.
She’s a licensed Realtor with Edina Realty in Minneapolis, Minnesota (also licensed in Wisconsin too) and has been freelance writing for over six years.
She shares powerful insights on her blog, Great Passive Income Ideas, that will show you how you can create passive income sources of your own.
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or financial institution. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
