Latest news with #prepaid
Android Authority
5 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Cricket revamps its lineup and unlike some competitors, its an improvement
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Cricket Wireless has refreshed its plan lineup with four new options starting at $30 a month, featuring lower pricing and a few other tweaks. Taxes and fees remain included in Cricket's advertised prices, unlike some competitors. Overall, these plans appear to be an improvement, assuming network priority and other factors remain the same. This has been a big year for prepaid shakeups, with several brands refreshing their lineups, including Metro by T-Mobile and Google Fi. Now it seems Cricket is also set to overhaul its offerings with the introduction of four new plans starting at $30 a month. The new lineup isn't dramatically different from the old one, but it makes some notable tweaks to pricing and features. Here's a quick breakdown: Sensible 10GB Plan : Previously, Cricket offered 5GB and 10GB plans, but this new offering replaces the former while retaining its lower $30-a-month pricing. : Previously, Cricket offered 5GB and 10GB plans, but this new offering replaces the former while retaining its lower $30-a-month pricing. Select Unlimited Plan : This is a complete rebrand of the Simply Unlimited Plan, but now starts at $35 a month, which is $5 less than before. This plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data, as well as international calling and texting to Canada and Mexico, starting at $35 a month. That's $5 less than the old basic unlimited plan. : This is a complete rebrand of the Simply Unlimited Plan, but now starts at $35 a month, which is $5 less than before. This plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data, as well as international calling and texting to Canada and Mexico, starting at $35 a month. That's $5 less than the old basic unlimited plan. Smart Unlimited Plan : This includes everything in the Select plan, as well as international texting to 200 countries. You'll also get 100GB of cloud storage and 15GB of hotspot access, starting at $45 a month. : This includes everything in the Select plan, as well as international texting to 200 countries. You'll also get 100GB of cloud storage and 15GB of hotspot access, starting at $45 a month. Supreme Unlimited Plan: For $55 a month, you get everything from the Smart plan in addition to HBO Max with Ads, 35GB of extra hotspot data, and 50GB of extra cloud storage. As you might have guessed, prices can drop even further for those with multiple lines. Cricket has yet to update its official pages with all of its discount breakdowns, but we do know a little about what to expect. For example, you can get two lines of Smart Unlimited Plan for $75, or what works out to $37.50 per line. This drops even further for four lines, with Smart Unlimited dropping down to $25 per line. These new plans might not be as big of a shakeup as we've seen from some other players, but the lower pricing is very much welcome. I honestly half expected Cricket to advertise lower prices while quietly excluding taxes and fees for the first time — yes, I'm jaded from T-Mobile's move. Thankfully, that's not the case here, and Cricket's rep made it clear that taxes and fees are still baked into the advertised pricing. Still, what's less clear is what network priority these plans are on and how that will compare to before. For those who aren't aware, Cricket is owned by AT&T, and over the years, its various plans have danced around the priority ladder a bit. For example, despite no marketing to point it out, its now-retired highest-end plan had the same priority as postpaid AT&T, while the rest of the plans were on a lower tier. It's unclear what priority the new plans have, and unfortunately, these aren't things that AT&T or Cricket easily divulge, so for now, all we can do is guess until a third party does some deeper network testing to find out. I can take an educated guess and say I'm fairly confident that if any of the plans still have high priority, it would be the Supreme Unlimited Plan. It's possible the Smart plan could also see higher priority, but I'd say it's much less likely. Assuming no major changes to priority or other surprises, these new plans really seem like an improvement, which is always nice to see in a world where I duck and cover every time I hear a postpaid carrier is getting ready to announce new plans — because I know it will only mean bad news. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Cricket Wireless just dropped new plans that challenge their prepaid rivals
By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Are these new plans enough to get you to switch carriers? Yes. The value is worth it. No. The prices aren't low enough. Yes. The value is worth it. 0% No. The prices aren't low enough. 0% Cricket has consistently provided straightforward and competitive prepaid options. These new plans strengthen that position, offering something for everyone, from simple connectivity to extensive data packages and entertainment benefits. Cricket's latest plans appear to offer good value for customers who want more from their prepaid service without committing to long-term contracts. Of course, customers should always consider their specific needs to choose the best plan, but these refreshed options ensure Cricket remains competitive in the prepaid market. Cricket has consistently provided straightforward and competitive prepaid options. These new plans strengthen that position, offering something for everyone, from simple connectivity to extensive data packages and entertainment latest plans appear to offer good value for customers who want more from their prepaid service without committing to long-term contracts. Of course, customers should always consider their specific needs to choose the best plan, but these refreshed options ensure Cricket remains competitive in the prepaid market. All plans include monthly taxes, so customers won't face hidden fees. This is one of the key advantages of prepaid plans, as most already have taxes and fees factored into their advertised price. This transparency ensures customers aren't surprised by additional charges each month, a common issue with many post-paid plans where extra fees and taxes can unexpectedly increase the bill. Cricket emphasizes transparent pricing and no long-term contracts, offering flexibility and ease for users who prefer predictable monthly costs.
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman sees 118% jump in Internet of Things subscriptions
Muscat - The latest statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicated that active postpaid mobile phone subscriptions increased by 5.6 percent to 1,239,509 by the end of May 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Active prepaid mobile phone subscriptions also recorded a growth of 3.1 percent to 5,335,847, while Internet of Things (IoT) subscriptions achieved exceptional growth of 118.7 percent, reaching 1,554,999 by the end of May 2025. Statistics show that the total number of mobile service subscriptions in the Sultanate of Oman reached 8,130,355 by the end of May 2025, registering a 15.2 percent increase compared to the end of May 2024. The total number of active mobile broadband internet subscriptions reached 5,414,124 by the end of May 2025. Statistics show that the number of active subscriptions to fixed broadband internet services increased by 2.6 percent to reach 588,015 subscriptions by the end of May 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Regarding fiber optic services, they witnessed an 11.4 percent increase, reaching 339,279 subscriptions. Fixed 5G subscriptions also increased by 2.1 percent, reaching 215,850 subscriptions by the end of May 2025, while fixed 4G subscriptions declined by 38.1 percent, recording 19,654 subscriptions. Digital subscriber line subscriptions also decreased by 50.8 percent to 11,806, and satellite subscriptions decreased by 2.1 percent to 653. Other subscriptions—which include internet via power lines, Ethernet, and leased internet lines—declined by 12 percent to 773 by the end of May 2025, compared to the same period last year. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
CNET
16-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
You Can Now Score a Mint Unlimited Phone Plan for Just $15 Per Month for 12 Months
If you're looking to save a few dollars each month, switching to a new cell phone plan can help. Nowadays, many major carriers are offering perks to people who switch that can help you cut your monthly expenses. However, you can save even more by opting to prepaid cell phone plans. Though these require an upfront payment, they can slash your cell phone bill by hundreds a year -- a boon to your budget, now that everything else seems to be going up in price these days. We've spotted this Mint Mobile deal that offers its unlimited plan for just $15 per month for 12 months. This deal is live until Sept. 13 until 11:59 p.m. PT. This deal provides 5G and 4G LTE coverage and saves you 50% over the regular price of $30 per month for this cell phone plan. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. To switch to this Mint Mobile plan, all you need to do is is choose Mint's Unlimited Plan, decide whether or not you want a regular SIM card or an eSIM. If you already have an eSIM on your phone, you can get coverage from Mint Mobile if your phone is compatible. Finally, you'll have to pay for the entire 12 months of service upfront, which amounts to $180. This plan's $15 per month price is only for the initial period and it will renew at the regular price of $30 per month. Taxes and other fees are extra, but even then you'll still save hundreds over other competing plans. Note, however, that those who use over 35GB of data per month might experience lower speeds, and video streams are 480p resolution. Why this deal matters Mint Mobile's prepaid phone plan costs $180 upfront, but it means you'll get unlimited cell phone service and data for just $15 per month for 12 months. You can start using the service right away if you have a compatible eSIM, or choose one from Mint Mobile. This deal is live until Sept. 13, but acting fast is a great way to start saving. If you're looking for a new cell phone provider but aren't sure if this deal is for you, check out our list of the best cheap phone plans so you can find something that works for you.
Android Authority
12-07-2025
- Android Authority
I almost lost my phone number of 20 years, and here's what I learned
Megan Ellis / Android Authority Earlier this month, I received a notification to make a chargeable call on my prepaid SIM card to avoid my number being de-activated. The notification comes whenever I've almost gone 90 days without making a chargeable transaction on the network and it serves to keep my number alive. I've been able to reliably do this since 2017 when I first switched my mobile plan from a contract to prepaid. But between switching phones and no longer having a copy of the SMS notification, as well as traveling for a launch event, I forgot to make the call in time. When I woke up the following Monday and remembered to make the call, I was greeted with the grim realization that my number had been deactivated. While I was eventually able to get my number reactivated, the hours I spent panicking over losing access to a number I've had for over 20 years made me realize a few things. How attached are you to your current phone number? 1 votes Very, I use it for multiple apps and services. 100 % I wouldn't mind changing it if I had to. 0 % Not attached at all. 0 % So many accounts rely on my phone number Megan Ellis / Android Authority At first, when I realized that my number was deactivated, I thought about simply changing my secondary SIM to my main number. After all, I would receive fewer spam calls since this number hadn't been used during the days of aggressive data harvesting when it was legal to sell lists of phone numbers to marketing services. It's thanks to a privacy law that went into effect in 2020 in South Africa that the ability for companies to use your number without your consent has been drastically reduced. But by that point, I had been using the same phone number for over 15 years — since I was a teenager. But then I remembered all the accounts linked to my phone number. It's easy enough to change your WhatsApp phone number — but then I considered the 2FAs linked to multiple accounts, as well as the logins for multiple services I use. For example, in South Africa, Disney+ is registered to your phone number and requires you to verify sign-ins using a code sent via SMS. My Uber account, as well as various delivery apps, also require my number to log in. Evening switching my Steam Guard device required an SMS one-time password. After initially being nonchalant, I remembered all the accounts and verifications linked to my phone number. It's one thing when you still have access to the old number to switch over and receive the OTPs you need to transition to a new number. But with my SIM card deactivated, I couldn't receive any messages or calls. I also quickly realized how many services sent me SMS reminders — messages from my pharmacy to let me know when my medication was ready to collect (as well as the code needed to access my medication in a locker), as well as reminders from the vet when it was time to get my cats vaccinated or when my arthritic cat's medication was ready to collect. The initial nonchalance quickly turned into panic, and I contacted the customer service of my mobile network to get my number reactivated as soon as possible. It was a pain to get my SIM registered again Megan Ellis / Android Authority After a few hours of back-and-forth with customer service via online chat, my number was reactivated. This calmed me, as I knew that my number wouldn't be reallocated to someone else. But the process wasn't over. While my number was active again on the network, I still couldn't receive messages or calls. I had to register my number to my identity again, despite only being deactivated for a day or two. A local law called RICA requires people to register their SIM card by providing ID and proof of address before they can use it. Due to a local law, called RICA, people need to register their SIM card by providing ID and proof of address. Some mobile networks have been trying to make the process easier by allowing users to RICA their SIM card through digital channels. But when I tried to do this on the mobile network's app, the app delivered an error. I was then told that I would have to register my SIM in person at one of the network's stores. It's because of RICA that I haven't switched to an eSIM, because with chronic pain, fatigue, and migraines; the busy malls that host these network stores are the last place I want to be. Proof of residence can also be difficult to get if you don't have water and internet accounts in your own name. Since the app wasn't working, and I was stricken with anxiety over the work-related calls and important messages or courier notifications I might be missing, I went to the network store in the closest mall. This disrupted my entire day, pushing back work I had planned to do. But luckily, once I was in the store, the rep helping me was able to re-activate my old SIM card so it would start working again. It's probably a better idea to get my number ported Megan Ellis / Android Authority I've been using a dual-SIM setup for years now, mainly to keep my old number active while also using the more affordable data and voice plan I get from another network on my secondary SIM. Having two SIMs has also been useful in the past when in remote areas where one network may have a signal but not the other. It's part of why I always get dual-SIM Android phones. But after nearly losing my number, I've realized it's probably a better idea to get my old number ported to the network I use more actively. This way I don't risk losing it when missing the recharge notification during a busy week. At the same time, porting my number also comes with its own challenges. I will need a new SIM card, which again requires RICA registration. There will also be a period where my number is offline on the old network while it is ported to the new network, presenting the same challenges as having my number deactivated. I won't be able to receive OTPs, receive calls from delivery drivers, or get SMS reminders. Porting my number also comes with its own challenges. I also don't trust the process to be as painless as online guides state. For example, the app for my mobile network is frequently touted as the best way to register your number. But when I went into the store to register my SIM again, the rep told me that the app never works for registration. So this also makes me wonder if the process for porting my number will be as seamless as the network's online resources claim. I've been saying I need to get out more, but rushing to a busy mall when I'm supposed to be doing work is not what I had in mind. I thought that my reliance on my phone number would have diminished over the years due to authenticator apps and the high use of email verification. But when I was faced with losing the number I've had for more than 20 years, I realized I don't only use it to keep in touch with contacts. It remains an integral part of my life and I think we don't realize just how much we rely on it until we risk losing it. In fact, the last time I lost access to my number was in university, when my phone was stolen — and I think I was actually less reliant on it then.
