When it comes time to activate a new or gently used phone with wireless service, most people are all too familiar with the major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. But for budget minded shoppers looking for the biggest savings on wireless service, an MVNO might be the smartest way to have your cake and eat it too.
What’s an MVNO?
MVNO simply stands for mobile virtual network operator. It’s a term used for companies that offer wireless phone and data services using existing networks provided by one or more major US carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and/or Sprint. By selling cell phone plans powered by these major networks at more value-friendly prices, it’s a great way to provide consumers with more plan options when shopping for affordable wireless services.
What network does Tello use?
Of the four major US carriers, Tello uses Sprint’s network to power their services. This means you can expect nationwide 4G LTE coverage wherever Sprint is already present, at a fraction of the cost of Sprint’s official unlimited plans. For a quick look at Sprint’s 4G LTE coverage at a glance, see the above image or check out Sprint’s coverage map for more details.
Is Tello any good?
Tello is a relative newcomer in the prepaid MVNO space. The prepaid carrier, which launched in late 2015, offers some of the cheapest unlimited data plans starting at only $6 a month. If you’re wondering if Tello is any good, you have to consider the value proposition and the network they use for their phone services: Sprint.
The fourth largest carrier in the US, Sprint currently has over 54 million customers and boasts the “fastest average LTE download speeds in over 100 cities.” Although they don’t offer the quite same 4G LTE coverage as some larger carriers, Sprint — and by extension, Tello — should be fine for most people in the most densely populated areas of the US.
Tello is all about customer satisfaction. They pride themselves on providing real human customer service — no chat bots robots or endless links to FAQs — and speaks 4 different languages to help answer questions. If you’re looking for unbiased reviews from Swappa users, check out our very own Tello Reviews page where users base their reviews on speed, support, and coverage. Or you can also check out Tello’s own customer reviews page where they’ve garnered a solid 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
Tello plans and prices
| Talk | Text | Hotspot | Data | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tello (base) | 100 min | Unlimited | Included | 500 MB | $6 |
| Tello Economy | Unlimited | Unlimited | Included | 1 GB | $10 |
| Tello Value | Unlimited | Unlimited | Included | 2 GB | $14 |
| Tello Smart | Unlimited | Unlimited | Included | 4 GB | $19 |
| Tello Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Included | 12 GB | $39 |
With Tello, there are technically no predefined phone plans. Customers can build their own custom plans based on the amount of minutes or data they plan on using in a given month. It’s a great amount of flexibility and quite frankly and gives customers the freedom of customizing plans according to their own individual use.
Mobile data can be configured by 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12 GB, along with 100, 300, 500, or unlimited minutes & texts (+$1 per each increment). Here’s a breakdown of the costs for each data increment when added to a $5/mo, 100 minute plan…
- 500 MB (+$1)
- 1 GB (+$1)
- 2 GB (+$4)
- 4 GB (+$5)
- 6 GB (+$5)
- 8 GB (+$5)
- 12 GB (+$10)
You could potentially be paying $35 a month for 12GB unlimited data, with no minutes. That’s entirely doable with modern messaging apps and VOIP calling using services like Facebook Messenger, Telegram, or WhatsApp. Or you can ditch data altogether and get the kids something like a straight phone and text plan for only $8/mo. Not too shabby…
Of course, Tello also offers several “Build Your Own Plan” options, ranging from $5 – $39. Whether you build your own or go with one of Tello’s ready-made plans, all of them include calls to Canada, Mexico, and China without any fees or contracts. With no early termination fees and no activation fees. Looking for a Tello discount? There’s also a Tello referral program where they give both current and new customers $10 for each new sign up.
So what happens once you’ve hit you’ve exceeded your data for the month? Tello will simply provide you with unlimited 2G data for the remainder of the month. Again, you won’t have to worry about receiving any penalties or surcharges if you happen to watch too many YouTube videos in a given month.
It’s also worth noting that tethering is included in all of their phone plans, so you can share your monthly data with an extra device or laptop if you’d like.
Tello phones
Almost all MVNOs allow users to bring their own phone for activation and Tello is no different. Tello is powered by Sprint’s network, any (CDMA) phone already compatible with Sprint’s network will work on Tello. This includes some unlocked devices that support most major carriers, you’ll just have to double check to make sure it’s compatible with Sprint’s network bands and frequencies. Here’s a quick list of some low-cost favorites:
- iPhone 7 (starting at $165)
- iPhone 7 Plus (starting at $200)
- Samsung Galaxy S9 (starting at $235)
- Samsung Galaxy S9+ (starting at $240)
- Google Pixel 2 XL (starting at $145)
- Google Pixel 3 (starting at $260)
Since you get the option of bringing your own device, Tello allows consumers to potentially save hundreds of dollars by bringing their own phone (BYOP) or by purchasing discounted phones already for sale on Swappa. Although Tello does offer new and refurbished phones on their website, you may want to compare prices with those on the Swappa marketplace. We have a wide variety of used Sprint phones (as well as unlocked models) that are perfectly compatible with Tello’s network only at a fraction of what they’d cost brand new.
Who should get Tello?
Anyone who values transparency from their carrier will love Tello. Phone plans are easy to configure and with upfront pricing, you don’t have to guess how much your monthly cell phone bill will be every month. With the ability to customize plans based on only calls/text, data-only, or both — Tello is perfect for kids or seniors who don’t consume a lot of data, or even as a secondary line for a backup phone or LTE-enabled tablet.
Sign up is easy with no contracts or credit checks and Tello gives you the ability to upgrade or downgrade your plan whenever you like — even in the middle of the month with no extra fees. This makes Tello a solid pick for frugal shoppers searching for the absolute lowest monthly payment on their wireless bill. Looking for Tello customer service or tech support? Head on over to our Tello contact info page for more.
