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Phone plans have changed more than most people realize. Here are the biggest shifts in 2026 and how to decide if it’s time to switch or stay put.
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Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
If you're thinking about switching your
0:01
phone plan this year, this is the video
0:04
you need to watch. I've been helping
0:06
people lower their phone bills for more
0:08
than a decade now. And in the last
0:10
couple years, some big things have
0:12
changed. And that directly affects how
0:15
much you should be paying for wireless
0:17
service. So, let's start with number
0:19
one. Outdated network assumptions. And
0:23
there was a time when T-Mobile and all
0:25
the services that use its towers were at
0:27
the bottom of my list. That's just not
0:30
the case anymore. In many areas today,
0:32
the network is just as good as or even
0:35
better than Verizon and AT&T. And now
0:38
you're seeing T-Mobile win network
0:40
awards that used to almost always go to
0:44
Verizon. This matters because if all
0:46
three networks are good where you live,
0:48
you've suddenly got a lot more
0:50
opportunities to switch and save. Not
0:53
sure which network is best where you
0:54
are? Well, you can compare the coverage
0:56
maps directly on the carrier websites or
1:00
download free tools like this one, the
1:02
Open Signal app. Now that you know about
1:04
the best network options, let's talk
1:06
about where the savings are right now.
1:08
And it's the lowcost providers driving
1:11
the price war. And specifically, I'm
1:13
talking about discount brands that are
1:15
owned by the big networks as well as
1:18
independent carriers, sometimes called
1:20
MVNOs's that lease access to those same
1:24
towers. I'm going to use Visible as an
1:26
example, a service I've had since 2019.
1:29
This one is owned by Verizon and offers
1:32
unlimited plans starting at $25 a month,
1:35
even cheaper if you find a deal. And
1:37
pricing like that puts real pressure on
1:40
independent carriers. The CEO of Mobile
1:43
X, which also uses Verizon's network,
1:46
has talked about this publicly. It's
1:48
hard to compete when the network owner
1:51
itself sets the floor on pricing. So,
1:54
some independents have responded by
1:57
focusing on niches. Consumer Cellular
2:00
targets seniors and Google 5 focuses on
2:03
international travel and others like US
2:06
Mobile compete on both flexibility and
2:09
price. US Mobile lets users switch
2:11
between multiple networks and it
2:14
regularly runs aggressive promotions.
2:16
That means you'll often see deals from
2:18
US Mobile running at the same time as
2:21
discounts from carrierowned brands, ones
2:24
like Visible and Mint Mobile. That
2:27
competition hasn't just led to more
2:29
deals. It's also changed the type of
2:31
plans that lowcost providers are
2:34
offering. I might as well use Visible as
2:36
an example again because when it
2:38
launched, there was only one plan. Truly
2:41
unlimited data with speed slowed when
2:44
the network was busy. But now there are
2:46
three plans. The entry-level one still
2:49
gets dep prioritized during congestion,
2:52
but the higher tiers include premium
2:54
data as well as better video quality,
2:56
faster hotspot speeds, and more
2:59
international features. And Visible is
3:01
not the only one doing this. Far from
3:03
it. So, it's really not a choice between
3:06
cheap and premium anymore because almost
3:08
everyone is offering some version of a
3:11
premium plan. We're up to number four
3:13
today. And we can't talk about phone
3:15
plans without talking about phones.
3:18
Maybe you've noticed a lot of the
3:20
marketing for the big three focuses on
3:22
so-called free phones and not the plan
3:25
pricing. But the lowcost providers, even
3:28
if they do sell phones, tend to do the
3:31
opposite. Now, you're probably familiar
3:32
with how this works by now. Your free
3:35
phone is not actually free. It's
3:37
actually just a credit for the value of
3:39
the phone that is spread out over two
3:42
and now often three years. But the way I
3:45
see it, it's getting easier than ever to
3:48
ignore these promotions. The days of
3:50
upgrading to a new iPhone every year are
3:53
just over for most of us or something we
3:55
never did in the first place. Studies
3:58
back this up, too. Americans are keeping
4:00
their phones longer. When I buy a new
4:03
phone, I usually buy it unlocked and
4:05
directly from Apple. That way, I can
4:08
just bring it to any carrier I want to.
4:11
So, before you take advantage of a
4:13
carrier phone deal, run the numbers.
4:15
Compare the plan price for the carrier
4:17
that's offering you a free phone to a
4:19
lowcost provider and then see the
4:22
difference by month, year, or over
4:24
years. Number five, today. The major
4:26
wireless and cable companies are
4:28
battling over bundles. Here's how you
4:31
could benefit. For years, Exfinity and
4:33
Spectrum have partnered with Verizon to
4:36
offer phone plans. I tested Xfinity
4:38
Mobile when it first launched, and I
4:41
never expected the service to grow to
4:43
around 9 million subscriber lines. But
4:47
this right here explains the reason why.
4:50
Both Exfinity and Spectrum are giving
4:53
away free wireless service to customers
4:55
who sign up for an internet plan. And at
4:58
the same time, a growing number of
5:00
people are signing up for 5G home
5:02
internet from the wireless companies. In
5:05
some cases, leaving cable for 5G
5:08
internet. T-Mobile Home Internet, the
5:10
leader in this space, and it offers a
5:12
discount if you bundle phone and
5:15
internet service. And Verizon and AT&T,
5:18
they're doing the same thing. There are
5:20
even discount brands like Mint Mobile
5:22
that want your business for both
5:24
wireless and home internet. Let's talk
5:28
about customer service now. And the
5:30
biggest change I've noticed, it's
5:32
getting harder to avoid AI chat bots and
5:35
voice assistants when you really need to
5:37
get help. Sure, it saves the company's
5:39
money, but as customers, it can really
5:41
waste a lot of time. So, you have to
5:44
decide the level of support that you're
5:47
comfortable with. Knowing that some of
5:49
the cheaper plans have more limited
5:51
support options, my carrier Visible has
5:55
entirely digital support. You start with
5:57
a chatbot and you can chat with the
5:59
human, but there's no 800 number to call
6:02
or store to walk into. And I've accepted
6:05
that trade-off. It's why I've paid only
6:07
$25 a month since 2019. Now, Verizon,
6:11
AT&T, and T-Mobile, they have the most
6:14
options for instore support, but you can
6:17
also consider brands owned by them.
6:19
Total, Cricut, Metro, for example. Plus,
6:22
the cable companies offer in-person
6:24
support. And there are even some
6:26
independent carriers that have retail
6:28
stores or partner with other retailers
6:31
for sales and support. But hopefully,
6:33
once you're all activated, you won't
6:35
need customer service much anyway. That
6:38
brings me to number seven today.
6:39
Switching is easier than ever before,
6:42
but you don't need to keep doing it. If
6:45
you've got an unlocked phone that's
6:46
compatible with eSIM, you can get going
6:49
with a new provider in just a few
6:51
minutes, but I still recommend timing
6:53
your switch carefully. Give yourself a
6:55
few days of overlap and remember that
6:58
most carriers do not prorrate your final
7:01
bill. If you are overpaying for phone
7:03
service, there's a lot of options to
7:05
start saving money this month. My
7:08
approach to saving on phone plans is
7:09
different from the rotate and save
7:11
strategy that I talk about with
7:13
streaming services. You do not need to
7:16
constantly change phone plans. So,
7:18
here's the framework that I use. First,
7:21
compare network coverage where you live,
7:23
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Then, make
7:27
a list of the features that matter to
7:29
you, the ones you actually use. And
7:32
finally, evaluate cheaper options from
7:35
carrierowned and independent brands. And
7:37
if you want a shortcut, I track the
7:39
limitedtime deals on michaels.com.
7:43
Many people I've helped have been able
7:45
to cut their phone bills in half while
7:47
using their preferred network and not
7:49
missing out on any features. And once
7:52
you find a plan like that, you can stick
7:54
with it, move on, and save money in
7:57
another budget category. Let me know
8:00
your favorite phone plan in the comments
8:02
below.
#Mobile & Wireless
#Phone Service Providers