Articles by Samuel Contreras

Plan ahead

Mint Mobile

From $15/month at Mint Mobile

Pros

Lots of data
Unlimited calls and texts
Compatible with most phones
Discounts in bulk

Cons

Must buy in bulk

Buy in bulk to save money for service on T-Mobile’s network with Mint Mobile. Plans come in 4GB, 10GB, and 15GB packages with an unlimited plan with up to 35GB of high-speed data. Calls and texts are unlimited, and calling to Mexico and Canada is included.

Start small

Ting Mobile

From $10/month at Ting Mobile

Pros

Low cost of entry
Lots of hotspot data on the unlimited plans
Cheap entry price
Compatible with most phones

Cons

Gets expensive with lots of data

Ting is a great value for many people, especially light users that are looking for a plan that starts cheap but can still use data without getting too expensive. Ting also has great options for those that need a lot of data with two unlimited plans that come with 22GB or 35GB of data.

Ting’s Flex plan is a great starting point for …

The best Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers take whole-home wireless speeds to the next level. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) has allowed mesh systems to deliver full gigabit speeds with ease throughout a large house by getting even more performance out of the available spectrum. Wi-Fi 6 lets compact routers hit gigabit speeds on their own and over 500Mbps while deployed as a mesh. With more phones than ever, including Wi-Fi 6 support, and families asking more of their internet connections than ever, it’s a good time to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6.

What are the best Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers?

The Linksys MX10 Velop is the best Wi-Fi 6 router for people looking to take advantage of a fast connection throughout their home. With Alexa support and great parental control options, this is a great mesh system for families.

The second best option is the Netgear Nighthawk MK62 which is designed for people who want a compact mesh system with enough speed for most people. A compact router and satellite design allow you to blanket yo…

Verizon 5G is growing fast as with one of the largest mmWave networks paired with a growing nationwide network using spectrum sharing. The mmWave network is called Ultra Wideband and has been around for quite a while now but the coverage was very limited. On October 13, 2020, Verizon launched its nationwide 5G network and is looking to catch up to T-Mobile and AT&T, both of which launched nationwide 5G networks in late 2019. With coverage in most big cities, Verizon now covers more than 230 million people.

Understanding how each carrier will deploy 5G can be confusing but we’ve been keeping tabs on all of them. Here is everything you need to know about Verizon’s newest and fastest wireless network.

Jump to:

When will my area even get 5G?
What tech is Verizon using?
Which devices should I get to be 5G ready?
Which plan do I need for access?
Does it do home internet?
Is 5G worth it for most people?

Unlimited data

Verizon Play More Unlimited

From $80/mo. at Verizon

…

T-Mobile’s new plans make the most of its 5G capacity.

T-Mobile is upgrading its Magenta plan with more premium data and more hotspot data. It’s also introducing a new Magenta Max plan to replace its current Magenta Plus plan. This plan adds unlimited premium data as well as upgrading mobile hotspot data to 40GB. T-Mobile is calling Magenta Max a 5G consumer smartphone plan so customers don’t get slowed down even with very heavy usage. This is a great upgrade for the largest 5G network with the fastest overall speeds, but is it reason enough to switch to T-Mobile’s new plans?

5G Magenta Plans:

How much do they cost?
Didn’t T-Mobile already have 5G?
What is premium data?
Do you get free Netflix?
Are taxes and fees included?
How much data does Magenta come with?
Is Mangeta Max the same as Plus
Is Magenta Max it truly unlimited?
Is 40GB enough for hotspot data?
Can a phone even stream 4K?
Should you upgrade your T-Mobile plan?
Should you switch from AT&T or Verizon?

How mu…

Data savings

Mint Mobile

From $15/month at Mint Mobile

Pros

Bulk savings
Cheaper data
No overages
Compatible with most phones

Cons

International roaming is extra
Minimum of three months
Unlimited is slowed at 35GB

Mint Mobile can save you money on data with three months of service and can save even more with six and 12-month plans. With plenty of data options for most people and no risk of overage fees, data can be cheaper than ever. You also get T-Mobile’s huge LTE and 5G network behind you.

Worldwide coverage

Google Fi

From $20/month at Google Fi

Pros

Free roaming data in 200+ countries
Data is free over 6GB
Unlimited plan available
Multiple networks

Cons

Expensive data
Few phones support full network
Data slowed at 15GB on the Flexible plan

Google Fi is a great premium option with no contracts. You get the benefit of more than one network with a supported phone that keeps speeds and coverage higher than many other carriers. You can also take that d…

A stronger mesh

TP-Link Deco X60

$211 at Amazon

Pros

Fast AX3000 speeds
Wi-Fi 6 supported
Dual gigabit Ethernet ports
Compact size
HomeCare is included

Cons

Dual-band isn’t optimal for mesh

The TP-Link Deco X60 is a solid mid-range mesh system with two nodes covering up to 5,000 square feet with AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 for plenty of mesh speed. TP-Link includes its robust HomeCare software for free with advanced parental controls and enhanced security making it a great choice to get your family connected.

Greater flexibility

TP-Link Deco X20

$250 at Amazon

Pros

AX1800 is fast enough for most
Wi-Fi 6 supported
Dual gigabit Ethernet ports
Compact size

Cons

Dual-band isn’t optimal for mesh
Not fast enough for gigabit

AX1800 speeds should be more than enough for most people even though mesh speeds will be closer to 500Mbps. Still, with three nodes providing up to 5,800 square feet of coverage, the Deco X20 is a great choice for someone looking to cover a large hou…

The next generation of Wi-Fi, known as Wi-Fi 6, is making its way to a lot of new phones and wireless devices. This new tech brings with it the fastest speeds, more consistent coverage, and support for more devices. Wi-Fi 6 has finally made its way to the cheaper routers that most people are interested in without losing the best features that come with it. One of the best cheap Wi-Fi 6 routers is the TP-Link Archer AX21 thanks to its solid dual-band speeds and good software offering with app-based setup and OneMesh support.

Best Overall: TP-Link Archer AX21

Many people don’t have gigabit internet connections in their homes and even if they do, they don’t need all that speed on their wireless devices. The TP-LInk Archer AX21 is a great choice for most people looking to get a wireless router that offers great speed for mobile devices that support Wi-Fi 6 without paying for features they can’t fully utilize. With an AX1800 connection, this router offers 574Mbps at 2.4GHz and 1201Mbp…

Buy in bulk

Mint Mobile

From $15/month at Mint Mobile

Pros

T-Mobile LTE network
Unlimited talk and text
Free calls to Canada and Mexico
Hotspot on every plan
5G on all plans

Cons

Minimum term is three months
Unlimited plan is slowed at 35GB

Save money by buying in bulk. Plans come with unlimited talk, text, and have no overages after you’ve used your data. Speeds are lowered, but you can upgrade your plan mid-cycle or easily add more data.

One month at a time

Cricket Wireless

From $30/month at Cricket Wireless

Pros

AT&T LTE network
Service in Canada and Mexico (unlimited plans)
Unlimited talk and text

Cons

SD quality videos (unlimited plans)
Speed limits
5G is only on the most expensive plan

Take advantage of the massive AT&T network without the contracts. You can start as small as just talk and text, then go all the way up to unlimited data with 15GB of hotspot data.

Cricket has an advantage in travel to Canada and Mexico with its unlimi…

The best Wi-Fi routers can be lifesavers. The difference between good Wi-Fi in your house and poor connectivity can be the difference between a good day and a bad one. Whether you need something with a ton of speed and connections or just want to make sure you don’t drop connection when you move around your home there’s a router that’s right for you.

What are the best Wi-Fi routers?

The TP-Link Archer AX21 is the best Wi-Fi router thanks to its AX1800 speeds being enough for most people, along with offering the capacity for future Wi-Fi 6 devices. It also has an easy setup procedure thanks to the TP-Link Tether app for smartphones. If you’re looking for something to keep up with most households without going overboard, the AX21 is a great fit.

The best value option is the TP-Link Archer A7. While there are cheaper routers available, the AC1750 speeds should keep up with HD media streaming and browsing without slowing you down. It also has great support for Wi-Fi 5 devices with up to…

What you need to know

Visible is launching 5G with a 200Mbps speed cap.
Calling to Canada, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico is now included with Visible’s plan.
eSIM support has been added so users can now activate from their devices starting with iPhone.
Party Pay has been expanded to an unlimited number of people alongside the launch of a community platform to help people join meet up and join a party. A new referral program can bring your next bill down to just $5.

Prepaid phone service Visible launched several new features for its service starting with 5G. Visible operates using Verizon’s network and has started adding support for this new network with the iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, and ZTE Blade X1 5G. 5G is included with your Visible plan with support for up to 200Mbps without increasing the price of your plan.

Visible has also expanded its calling to include calls to Canada, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Like the rest of Vi…