7 hours ago
1
With the three major carriers in the US, you’re using their infrastructure, and if there aren’t any high-speed towers in your area, you’re out of luck. By contrast, US Mobile calls itself a Super Carrier because, without a network of its own, it rides those three networks. They’re given special names -- no doubt to avoid advertising for the competition -- and they break down like this: Dark Star is AT&T, Warp is Verizon and Light Speed is T-Mobile.
That sounds convoluted, but it means you can switch to a better network for your area if needed without transitioning to an entirely new carrier. You still need to choose one, but you get two free network transfers and then pay $2 per transfer if you want to switch again after that -- it’s a good way to see which one works best in your area.
OK, to be fair, it can get more convoluted, depending on the network. Dark Star data speeds are at a reduced priority (dubbed QCI 9) in times of network congestion; for an additional $12 a month you can bump that up to a higher priority (QCI 8). With the Warp plan, data speeds are at that QCI 8 higher priority regardless of congestion. And the Light Speed level is even higher (QCI 7).
The Unlimited Flex plan gives you 10GB of high-speed data, then unlimited at 1Mbps, for just $17.50 a month if you purchase an annual plan (otherwise it’s $25 a month). Hotspot data is 5GB and then unlimited but throttled to 8Mbps and then 600Kbps if you use more than 200GB within a month. International calls and texts from inside the US are included, but if you’re traveling you’ll need to buy add-on roaming packages costing either $15 (1GB, 150 minutes, 150 texts) or $45 (5GB, 500 minutes, 500 texts).
Why we like it
It’s an inexpensive plan with taxes and fees rolled into the price, plus you get the ability to surf among the major carrier networks to find the one that works best for your area.
Who it’s best for
Someone looking for a simple phone line who doesn’t expect to use much data.
Who shouldn’t get it
If you’re frequently away from Wi-Fi, that data could go by in a hurry. It’s also not a great option if you need consistently high speeds, or you don’t want the complexity of choosing one of the three networks.
Customer service options
• Online: US Mobile
• Phone: 878-205-0088
• Store: n/a
• App: US Mobile iOS, Android
