Depending on what part of the country you live in, there are going to be certain cellular phone service companies that are available to you, while others are not. If you don’t know very much about them, though, then it can be hard to choose between them. In the following article, we are going to examine a couple of the more popular ones, Mint Mobile and MetroPCS. When we’re finished, you ought to be able to figure out which one is going to work for you based on which features you consider to be most critical.
Before we get into a detailed breakdown of each of these companies, we’re going to list some of the bullet points that you may find to be the most useful in making your decision.
Mint Mobile
- With Mint Mobile you get free calls to Canada and Mexico
- You can enjoy unlimited text and talk
- Their coverage area is equal to that of MetroPCS, as both operate on T-Mobile’s network, second-best in the nation
- There are low international roaming charges, useful if you travel frequently
- There are no brick-and-mortar stores to offer you support, and there are no discounts for multiple lines
MetroPCS
- Has notable perks, including Netflix, exclusive vouchers and trip deals, and in some cases, Amazon Prime and Google One storage
- They have rapid data speeds, which means you get faster page and website downloads
- Though their coverage network is not the best in the nation, it is equal to that of Mint Mobile
- You can choose from a wide selection of phones with them, including many iPhone and Galaxy models
- Their $30-per-month base plan is extremely popular
Mint Mobile’s History
Mint Mobile was launched in January of 2018. They are a subsidiary of parent company Ultra Mobile. Ultra Mobile is a virtual mobile network operator, also known as a VMNO. They sell low-cost prepaid mobile phone services, and they operate on T-Mobile’s cellular network in the United States.
Mint Mobile offers cellular plans that are based on a prepaid, tiered system. You pay in advance for monthly, quarterly, or yearly terms. They focus on discounted pricing to try and coach customers over from some of the more prevalent names in the industry, such as Verizon and AT&T.
In 2019, Mint Mobile started operating as their own company, serving customers under the name Mint Mobile LLC. This was intended to separate them from Ultra Mobile. At the same time, it was publicly announced that actor Ryan Reynolds had come on board with them, purchasing an ownership stake.
The History of MetroPCS
MetroPCS recently became Metro by T-Mobile. It used to be General Wireless Inc. It was founded back in 1994, and they are a prepaid brand as well. In 2013 they executed a reverse merger with T-Mobile USA. The service they offered was merged under their 4G and LTE networks.
At the time of the merger with T-Mobile, they had around 9 million subscribers, which were added to T-Mobile’s 32 million. They offered some of the earliest unlimited data plans, which is something that the public had been eagerly anticipating. Metro by T-Mobile was officially launched in September of 2018. This rebranding effort has led to many new customers, some attracted by aggressive marketing via a TV and radio blitz.
Their newest unlimited plans come bundled in some cases with Amazon Prime and Google One as incentives. They also are working on implementing 5G for their entire network. In 2018, their subscriber count hit 18 million, alongside an overall T-Mobile customer number of 75 million.
Mint Mobile vs. MetroPCS Coverage Areas
Both of these services operate on T-Mobile’s network at the moment. That means you can get reliable service in most parts of the country, though not the best. That distinction goes to Verizon, while T-Mobile comes in second. Since both of these are T-Mobile subsidiaries, though, neither one has a notable edge in this regard.
Pricing Structure and Deals
If the price is what you are focused on the most when you’re looking at these two brands, then you’ll find that MetroPCS is the winner, with a base plan of $30. If you need a lot of data, then you are almost certainly going to want to sign up with them. You also get discounts for putting more lines on your plan, so if you have a larger family, it makes sense to give them some strong consideration.
Mint Mobile, meanwhile, has their cheapest plan set at $15 per month, and you must sign up with them for a minimum of three months at a time. There are no overage charges, and you get unlimited talk and texting capabilities. That might sound like a fantastic deal, but keep in mind that you only get 3GB of data. That’s also only the introductory rate. After the first three months, the same plan costs you $25 a month going forward.
Where you really start to save money with Mint Mobile, though, is if you are willing to buy in bulk. If you sign up with them for six months or twelve, you’ll probably find that the cost is better than with MetroPCS. The main question is whether you are willing and able to shell out that money all at once rather than parceling it out in one-month or quarterly increments.
Data Speed Comparison for Mint Mobile and MetroPCS
The data speed for Mint Mobile and MetroPCS is going to be virtually identical in most cases. That is because both of them are using T-Mobile’s network. Most users agree that the data speed for both of these services is excellent. Downloads of websites and mobile pages are smooth and fast, making for a highly enjoyable browsing experience.
Which Phones Can You Use on these Two Networks?
You can use most of the better-known brands of phone on both of these networks. That includes Samsung Galaxy and other Android models, and also iOS models such as the different iPhones. You can either get a new phone through either of these services or else you can bring your own. If you don’t have one yet, then how much you will pay depends on how new of a model you want. There are often regional specials that are worth your while to investigate.
If you like Google Pixel phones, then you might be a bit disappointed by the selection. Neither one of these companies offers a wide variety, so if there is a specific one that you want, you might have to purchase it and bring it to them yourself.
Perks Offered by these Companies
There are perks offered by both of these providers if you sign up with them, but MetroPCS has better ones, according to most consumers. If you get at least two of their “Magenta” lines, then a Netflix subscription comes with it. If you cohabitate with someone or you have a dependent, this might be appealing to you.
You get Amazon Prime with some packages and Google One storage with others. You also get lots of exclusive trip deals and vouchers, as MetroPCS partners with many different airlines and cruise companies.
With Mint Mobile, most of the incentive comes from the money you can save if you sign up with them for a year at a time. You can keep your number when you become a customer. You get a free SIM card, and you can also try out any of their plans for seven days before you commit. If you are not satisfied when that time ends, then you can cancel, no questions asked.
It seems pretty clear that MetroPCS is more creative and diverse with their offerings if you’re looking for extra benefits and add-ons.
Customer Service for Both Companies
Both of these companies offer Live Chat features on their websites, and you can also call and speak to someone via their help numbers. The real difference here, though, is that there aren’t any brick-and-mortar locations for Mint Mobile. If you need the option of going and speaking to someone in-person, you will only be able to do that with MetroPCS. You’ll have to take a moment to consider how vital that is to you.
Which Service Provider is for You?
At this point, you should have plenty of information about both of these companies. Which one you choose is going to depend entirely on your priorities. If you travel a lot and you make frequent international calls, then it’s probably going to be Mint Mobile. You get T-Mobile’s excellent coverage with them, and you also get some considerable savings if you are willing to commit to a six-month or one-year contract.
On the other hand, MetroPCS has perks that are hard to beat, especially if you are getting more than one line. If you have a family with kids, then you can satisfy their entertainment and storage needs with Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Google One storage. You can also peruse their cruise and airline offers when you’re signing up to see if any of those appeal to you.
It’s helpful if you still can’t choose to make a side-by-side comparison of each of the plans offered by these service providers in your area. Based on whether money, perks, or some other criteria is foremost in your mind, you should be able to come to a decision.
