Spectrum Mobile Review – Plans, Pricing, Coverage & More

Spectrum Mobile Review
Plans, Pricing, Coverage & More

  • Review
By the Gig

$14.00/mo.

for 12 mos.*

  • 1 GB Data
  • Available in 41 States
  • Unlimited Calls & Texts

Call to Order

(877) 654-4997
Unlimited

$29.99/mo.

for 12 mos.*

  • Unlimited Data
  • Available in 41 States
  • Unlimited Calls & Texts

Call to Order

(877) 654-4997
Unlimited Plus

$39.99/mo.

for 12 mos.*

  • Unlimited Data
  • Available in 41 States
  • Unlimited Calls & Texts

Call to Order

(877) 654-4997

For most of the 21st century, the three telecom titans (TTT), also known as the Big Three, have dominated the cellular phone networks in the United States. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile collectively offer countrywide 4G and 5G wireless phone service to over 320 million Americans. 

At a very early stage, small and medium-sized mobile service providers realized that clashing with the Titans was a fruitless bet. So instead of competing with the Big Three, mobile virtual network operators forged partnerships and bought access rights to their nationwide long-term evolution (LTE) towers. 

Spectrum Mobile is a classic example of such a collaboration. It stuck a deal with Verizon Wireless to launch its 5G mobile service in the country. Continue reading our Spectrum Mobile review as we deep dive into the world of wireless communication and deconstruct Spectrum mobile plans, coverage, and related services.

Table of Contents

Spectrum Mobile Services Review 

Spectrum Mobile is an affordable prepaid cell phone service, offered exclusively to Spectrum Internet subscribers. The service includes fixed and unlimited mobile data plans with domestic and international calling and texting. 

In June 2018, Spectrum signed a deal with Verizon Wireless to become its official mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). As per this deal, Spectrum customers could access Verizon’s 4G and 5G LTE cellular towers to enjoy uninterrupted handphone coverage in all 50 states. Their service starts at $14 per month, and you can get unlimited data, calls, and texts to any network within the country. 

Spectrum Mobile Unlimited plan, which normally costs $29.99 per month, is now available for free for first-time Spectrum Internet® customers under the Spectrum One bundle. But for now, let’s look at the pros and cons of Spectrum Mobile to evaluate whether or not this low-cost phone service is worth the hype. 

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 Pros:

  • Low-cost prepaid phone plans 
  • Uses Verizon’s ultra-wideband 5G network 
  • Countrywide coverage
  • Fixed and unlimited mobile data plans 
  • Unlimited calling and texting on every plan 
  • Allows international calls and texts
  • No-contract service


 Cons:

  • Service is only available for Spectrum Internet customers.
  • Data prioritization on unlimited plans.

Spectrum Mobile Plans Review

Spectrum offers a convenient, easy-to-follow, cell phone service to its existing internet customers. Instead of having a dozen options to choose from, Spectrum provides three streamlined monthly prepaid plans, all of which include international texting, talk time, and roaming. Spectrum customers are not required to sign annual contracts or undergo a credit check. They can choose between the three mobile data plans to get fixed or unlimited data throughout the month. 

Customers can add up to 10 lines on a primary account. All the Spectrum Mobile plans come with unlimited calls and texts to local numbers, and hotspot access. You can surf the web, browse social media feeds, stream videos in SD and HD quality, play online games, or share data on their Unlimited and Unlimited Plus plans without worrying about data overage charges. 

Below, we have listed all three Spectrum Mobile Plans for an honest review.

Plan  Price  Mobile Data  Talk and Text
By the Gig  $14.00/mo.  1 GB  Unlimited, countrywide 
Unlimited  *$29.99/mo.  **Unlimited  Unlimited, countrywide 
Unlimited Plus  *$39.99/mo.  **Unlimited  Unlimited, countrywide 
*The monthly charges stated in the table above are after multi-line savings.
**Spectrum follows a policy of data prioritization. After exceeding the 5G data cap on Unlimited plans within the same billing cycle, your speeds will be reduced to 3G for the remaining month.

Note: You will need a compatible 5G smartphone to enjoy Spectrum’s superfast wireless connection. 

“By the Gig” Plan Review

Spectrum By the Gig plan is the cheapest mobile data plan. The plan costs $14 per month and includes 1 GB of mobile data and unlimited calls and texts to domestic numbers. You can add up to 10 lines to your account and share mobile data, through hotspot connectivity, with your friends and family for zero surcharges. After exceeding your 1 GB data cap, you can purchase an additional 1 GB of data for an extra $14 charge. Spectrum By the Gig customers can purchase up to 5 GB of data in 1 GB blocks in the same billing cycle. After surpassing the 5 GB monthly data limit, subscribers will experience reduced speeds until the next billing cycle. 

Spectrum’s fixed mobile data plan includes free calling and texting to Canada and Mexico and international roaming service in more than 160 countries. Spectrum Mobile’s By the Gig plan is perfect for those who mostly rely on private and public WiFi networks to access the internet on their phones. 

Unlimited Plan Review

Spectrum Mobile Unlimited is a prepaid phone plan that guarantees unlimited internet connectivity, and non-stop calling and texting to all local numbers. The unlimited mobile plan costs $29.99 per month when you purchase more than 1 line on your account. The price of this plan increases to $45 per month when a single line is added to an account. This Unlimited Mobile plan includes 20 GB of data at 5G speed. You can surf the web, stream videos in 480p DVD quality, use social media platforms and even play online games on your Unlimited 5G phone plan. However, after hitting the 20 GB data cap, your internet speed will be reduced to 3G (up to 5 Mbps) until the next billing cycle. 

Spectrum customers subscribed to the unlimited mobile plan can upgrade to the Unlimited Plus plan anytime to get more 5G data per month, per line. 

Unlimited Plus Review

Spectrum Mobile Unlimited Plus is a top-tier mobile phone plan that is offered to Spectrum Internet® customers on request. A single line of this Unlimited Plus plan costs $55 per month, but when you add more lines to the account, the price drops to $39.99 per month, per line. 

All Unlimited Plus subscribers get up to 30 GB of 5G data, unlimited calls, texts, and international service in more than 200 countries. Spectrum’s Unlimited Plus plan is perfect for heavy data users. It allows streaming in HD quality and promises clear audio/ video during on-the-road Zoom meetings. 

International Plans

Spectrum’s fixed and unlimited mobile data plans include international service to over 200 countries. The holistic mobile plans, starting at $14 per month, per line, allow you to make free calls to Canada and Mexico for up to 2000 minutes. You can also send an unlimited number of texts to any country, for free.  

All Spectrum customers subscribed to their mobile service can now stay connected to their loved ones while traveling through the international roaming service. Spectrum has signed roaming agreements with local telecoms in more than 160 countries, allowing subscribers to automatically connect to the network and make calls for as low as $0.02 per minute. International roaming includes free texting from any country and data usage for a minimum $0.01 charge. 

Refer to the table below to find the internet roaming rates for the five most visited countries by US citizens. 

Host Country  Calling Rates  Texting Rates  Data Usage Rates 
Canada  $0.01 per minute  Free  $0.01 per megabyte
Mexico  $0.02 per minute  Free  $0.01 per megabyte
United Kingdom  $0.05 per minute  Free  $0.01 per megabyte
Italy  $0.06 per minute  Free  $0.01 per megabyte 
France  $0.06 per minute  Free  $0.01 per megabyte 

Family Plans 

Spectrum Mobile subscribers can add up to 10 lines on a single account and get a $15 discount on each line, every month. Spectrum By-the-Gig customers get 1 GB of high-speed data on each line which can be shared between all 10 family members. On the other hand, Spectrum Unlimited and Unlimited Plus subscribers can reduce the cost of their monthly plans by $15 when they add more members to their accounts. 

Plan  Mobile Data per Line  Price for 1 Line/line  Price for 2+ Lines/line   Savings per Line 
By the Gig  1 GB  $14.00/mo. $28.00/mo.  –
Unlimited  Unlimited  $45.00/mo.  $29.99/mo.  $15.01/mo. 
Unlimited Plus  Unlimited  $55.00/mo.  $39.99/mo.  $15.01/mo. 

Family members can also mix and match their mobile plans to get unlimited mobile data (through hotspot tethering) for rates as low as $14 per month. 

Best Mix and Match Mobile Bundle

Price  $71.99 per month 
Plans  2 By the Gig plans + 1 Unlimited plan 
Lines  3
Members  3
5G Mobile Data  20 GB + 2 GB 
Mobile Data  Unlimited 
Hotspot Allowance  Unlimited 
Calls and Texts  Unlimited 
Total Savings  $63.01 per month

Spectrum Mobile Coverage Review

Spectrum Mobile plans are available in most parts of the USA. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact coverage area of their Mobile service primarily because Spectrum uses Verizon’s wireless cellular network infrastructure to transmit reliable phone service to its customers. Verizon boasts nationwide mobile phone coverage, including the states of Hawaii and Alaska. Going off on that information, some reviewers classify Spectrum as a national wireless phone service provider that is available in all 50 states. But some reviewers believe that Spectrum’s Mobile service is only accessible in the 41 states where Charter Communications operates. For your ease, we have listed these 41 states in the table below:

Spectrum Mobile’s 41-state Footprint 
Alabama Indiana Missouri Oregon
Arizona Kansas Montana Pennsylvania
California Kentucky Nebraska South Carolina
Colorado Louisiana Nevada Tennessee
Connecticut Maine New Hampshire Texas
Florida Maryland New Jersey Vermont
Georgia Massachusetts New Mexico Virginia
Hawaii Michigan New York Washington
Idaho Minnesota North Carolina West Virginia
Illinois Mississippi Ohio Wisconsin
Wyoming

Following are the 27 best states for Spectrum Mobile’s ultrafast 5G data coverage:

Best States for 5G Mobile Data Coverage
Alabama  Florida  Maryland  North Carolina 
Arizona  Georgia  Massachusetts  Ohio 
Arkansas  Illinois  Michigan  Oklahoma 
California  Indiana  Minnesota  Pennsylvania 
Colorado  Iowa  New Jersey  South Carolina 
Connecticut  Kansas  New York  Tennessee 
Texas  Utah  Washington 
**The availability of 5G wireless technology may vary within the state. The United States of America is still in the process of installing 5G data towers for countrywide connectivity. Due to this work in progress, 5G data coverage may be spotty across the country.

Bring Your Own Device

Spectrum Mobile BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) offer allows you to experience the best of 5G mobile data on your beloved, portable smart device. You can activate Spectrum’s Mobile phone service on your smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch without losing your current number.

Trade-in Your Device

But what can you do if your current device is incompatible with the Spectrum Mobile 5G service? Spectrum Mobile Trade-in Option is the best low-cost solution for device non-compatibility. You can exchange your old device for the latest phone, tablet, or smartwatch in the market and get an extra $100 (on top of the trade-in value) to pay for your new device. You can choose a new phone from a wide variety of Spectrum Phones for Sale.

The average trade-in value for phones manufactured between 2020 and 2022 is $600. All Apple, Samsung, Google, LG, Motorola, HTC, Kyocera, and Alcatel devices are accepted for this trade-in offer. 

Contract Buyout 

Spectrum’s Contract Buyout Program is not available for Spectrum Mobile plans. However, if you are thinking about switching to Spectrum’s Internet, TV, or home phone service, but are currently under a contract, then Spectrum is offering an ingenious way to save you from incurring hefty early termination charges. Spectrum is covering up to $500 of cancellation fees and giving you a golden opportunity to instantly enroll in Spectrum’s whole-home digital solutions without waiting a year or longer for your contract term to end.  

Number Porting 

Spectrum understands how bothersome it can be to memorize a new cell phone number when you already have a thousand other important things occupying your headspace. To save you from the trouble of remembering a new number and informing your friends, family, and colleagues about the number change, Spectrum offers a number porting service to its new subscribers. Follow these instructions to transfer your current number to Spectrum Mobile service.

  1. Select “Keep My Phone Number” when placing an order for a SIM card. 
  2. Fill in the details about your current service provider. State the Account Number and Number Transfer PIN issued to you by your carrier (Usually these details are mentioned on your phone bill).
  3. After reviewing your application, Spectrum will issue a request to your current provider and transfer your number to Spectrum’s network. 

Number porting can take between 10 and 15 business days, depending on the volume of requests and your service provider’s policies. 

Spectrum Mobile Customer Service Review

Spectrum Mobile plans are seen as a promising alternative to Verizon’s comparatively expensive 5G phone plans. Customers were asked to rate Spectrum’s Mobile service based on price, coverage, network reliability, and interaction with the representatives. Overall, Spectrum Mobile received a 3.96-star rating out of 5 stars and subscribers appreciated the service for “good value for the money”, “great connectivity”, and “best quality of service”. 

Spectrum customer care representatives are available over call 24/7 to assist you with your queries, account management, and technical problems. You can also visit your nearest Spectrum store to get instant help from the on-site staff.

Spectrum Mobile Versus Competitors

In just five years since its launch, Spectrum Mobile has emerged as a worthy contender for the prominent wireless network providers in the country. Take a look at this comparison table to see how they fare in terms of affordability, coverage, and service.  

Company  Min. Price  Network Provider  Coverage Area  Rating 
Spectrum  $14.99/mo.  Verizon  42 states  3.8/5 stars 
Verizon  $25.00/mo.  Verizon  48 states  4.5/5 stars 
AT&T  $25.00/mo.  AT&T  50 states  3.8/5 stars
T-Mobile  $10.00/mo.  T-Mobile  50 states  4.0/5 stars 
Straight Talk  $15.00/mo.  Verizon  48 states  3.5/5 stars 

Final Verdict – Is Spectrum MobileGood?

Spectrum Mobile is an innovative solution for those who want the reliability and coverage of Verizon’s nationwide wireless 4G and 5G network but at half the prices. Spectrum Mobile is a prepaid phone service that uses Verizon’s cellular network to offer fixed and unlimited mobile data plans to its customers. For a starting price of $14 per month, you can get up to 30 GB of ultra-wideband 5G data (at speeds as fast as 5 Gbps), unlimited talk time, texting, and international service. Spectrum’s no-fluff mobile service is available for all Spectrum Internet® customers and has been recognized as one of the most “budget-oriented, unlimited 5G mobile data” services in the USA.  

We hope that our honest-to-the-bone Spectrum Mobile review will help you select the best network carrier for your phone. 

FAQs

Spectrum Mobile plans are only available for the existing Spectrum Internet®

customers. The prepaid cellular phone service is bundled with a high-speed internet connection when you purchase the cost-saving Spectrum One offer. 

Spectrum’s Contract Buyout Program does not apply to Spectrum Mobile plans.

Spectrum’s Mobile is not offered as a standalone cellular phone service. Spectrum’s unlimited phone plan is offered for free for the first 12 months along with Spectrum’s high-speed and reliable internet service.

Spectrum uses Verizon’s countrywide fixed wireless towers for transmitting 5G mobile data to its customers.

Spectrum is a wireless phone service provider that is available to those who are already subscribed to a Spectrum Internet® plan. Spectrum has signed a partnership with Verizon Wireless, allowing it to purchase access rights to Verizon’s 4G and 5G LTE towers throughout the USA. You can choose between three Spectrum mobile plans to enjoy calling, texting, and data usage at the most affordable rates.  

Spectrum Mobile service is consistently reliable. You will most likely get reception in more than 95 percent of the country and around the globe in 160 countries through Spectrum Mobile’s roaming agreements with local network providers. Within the USA, Spectrum uses Verizon’s 4G and 5G LTE towers to offer uninterrupted network coverage to customers. Spectrum is one of the most affordable cell phone service provider for glitch-free voice communication and on-the-go 5G data connectivity.

Spectrum offers 4G and 5G LTE cellphone coverage throughout the country. It uses Verizon’s nationwide wireless network to offer mobile phone services in all 50 states of the USA. Spectrum Mobile’s 5G network coverage is the strongest and most reliable in the 41 states that fall under Sepctrum’s national footprint. 

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