Articles by Samuel Contreras

Best answer: Boost Mobile now supports the T-Mobile and Sprint networks for coverage. Most unlocked phones will work on one of Boost’s networks, though many Sprint devices aren’t compatible.

Up to 35GB of high-speed data: Boost Mobile (From $10 per month at Boost Mobile)
Unlocked with a huge battery: Moto G Power ($235 at Amazon)

Introducing the Expanded Network

With T-Mobile’s purchase of Sprint, Dish now owns Boost Mobile and has begun pushing customers towards what it’s calling the Expanded Network based on T-Mobile. For most people, this network will offer greater speeds and more consistent coverage than its old network. It also comes with T-Mobile 5G support with a compatible phone.

In theory, this network should work with most phones but for now, Boost is only supporting a handful of models, including most newer iPhones and some Samsung Galaxy devices. Boost Mobile has been consistently adding more support and lists the current models on its Extended Network page. It may …

The best Wi-Fi 6 routers get us closer to 5G speeds at home. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) has arrived and promises to push Wi-Fi speeds over 10Gbps by combining 2.4GHz and wider 5GHz bands to provide a better experience and much wider coverage in the home. The new Wi-Fi standard is becoming increasingly common in phones and laptops and now is the right time to invest in one of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market.

Asus RT-AX88U

Incredible Wi-Fi 6 speeds
Great included software
Premium build

$300 at Amazon

Linksys MAX-STREAM Mesh

Ultra affordable
Mesh-compatible
Easy setup

$130 from Amazon

Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers:

1. Asus RT-AX88U
2. Linksys MAX-STREAM Mesh
3. Asus RT-AX86U
4. Asu…

Google Fi is one of the easiest carriers to sign up with. Once you have your SIM card and Google account set up, you can complete the setup on your phone in the Google Fi app. Google Fi is one of the best MVNOS around and will be a nice fit for most people thanks to a Flexible plan that keeps prices low for light users and an available Unlimited plan for heavy users.

Products used in this guide

Create your Google Fi accounts and review your options: Google Fi (From $20/mo. at Google Fi)
Get the full Fi network experience: Google Pixel 4a ($350 at Amazon)

How to setup for Google Fi

You’ll need an internet connection and Google account to set up and use Google Fi. Google Fi has two plans: Flexible and Unlimited. The unlimited plan makes the most sense for people that know they’ll use more than 15GB of data each month.

Navigate to fi.google.com to get started.
Click Join Fi.
You will be asked to sign in to your Google account. Make sure this is your account and the one you want …

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. The best overall cheap Wi-Fi 6 router is the Asus RT-AX56U thanks to its great price and advanced features, including easy mesh expansion and AX1800 speeds.

Best Overall: Asus RT-AX56U

The RT-AX56U manages to find a balance of features that are an excellent fit for the majority of homes without packing in unnecessary speed or features. While it’s not the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 router around, its increased speed, as well as access to additional features, makes it a great buy. A critical consideration of Wi-Fi speed is that it makes up ground over AX1500 routers on the 2.4GHz band. This router can deliver speeds up to 574Mbps at 2.4GHz…

Best answer: Yes, you may upgrade your existing Mint Mobile to the Unlimited plan by paying the difference in price. All you need to do is log into your account.

35GB of high-speed data with a 5GB hotspot: Mint Mobile Unlimited (From $30/mo. at Mint Mobile)

Upgrade to a fresh new plan mid-cycle on Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile originally came with three data sizes and three plan lengths, which would work for most people. While 12GB is fine for the majority of smartphone users, especially if they make good use of Wi-Fi networks, some people just need more.

Luckily Mint Mobile now has an unlimited plan that comes with 35GB of high-speed data. This plan helps Mint Mobile to become one of the best MVNOs with unlimited data.

If you’re using any one of Mint Mobile’s three smaller data plans, you can upgrade to any larger plan mid-cycle by paying the difference in price. Note that you cannot downgrade your plan until the end of your current term.

There are a couple of things to keep in mi…

If you’re thinking of leaving AT&T’s prices behind but still like its coverage, then check out these alternative carriers.

We’ve compiled the complete AT&T Wireless MVNO list so that you don’t have to go searching all around the web for a great wireless deal. A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is an “alternative carrier” that leases network coverage from one of the large carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon). Much of the time, these carriers can offer cheaper service by targeting smaller markets or removing features that many people won’t need.

Thanks to the size and quality of AT&T’s 3G and LTE network as well as its support for most unlocked phones, AT&T is an easy choice for an MVNO. Still, many of the best MVNOs use one of the other networks, or even multiple networks, and may be a better fit for you.

You need to make sure that your phone has the following GSM bands to work with an AT&T-based MVNO. Alternatively, you can check your IMEI on the websit…

There’s always some new technology coming out promising to make out internet performance faster and more consistent with improved coverage. Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax, does all of those things but it does require all new equipment to get the full benefit. You’ll need both a router capable of Wi-Fi 6 and a device that can take advantage of it. The problem with Wi-Fi is that we continue to ask more of it all the time and the older versions just don’t have the capacity to keep up a seamless online experience.

Nearly any older Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) router will be able to deliver plenty of speed for just about anything you could reasonably do on your phone. The major advantage that comes with upgrading is increased capacity. That is, a decent Wi-Fi 6 router will be able to handle more traffic without slowing down compared to a Wi-Fi 5 router of about the same speed rating.

As people continue to ask more of their networks with things like online work meetings and even at-home schooling…

Plan ahead

Mint Mobile

From $15/mo. at Mint Mobile

Pros

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

Cons

Must buy in bulk
Only one network

Buy in bulk to save money for service on T-Mobile’s network with Mint Mobile. Buy service with data in 3GB, 8GB, or 12GB chunks per month and save more when you buy more months in advance. You can also get 35GB of data with an unlimited plan. Calls and texts are unlimited, and calling to Mexico and Canada is included.

Pay for what you use

Ting Mobile

From $6/mo. at Ting Mobile

Pros

Pay only for what you use
Two networks to choose from
Cheap entry price

Cons

Gets expensive
Data prices

For a light user or a backup phone, it’s hard to find a lower barrier to entry than Ting. With Ting, you only pay for what you use, but the price can grow quickly with heavier use, especially with data. If you are using more than a few megabytes in a month, you lose value.

If you only use y…

The best MVNOs that use the T-Mobile network deliver great data speeds and solid coverage on one of the nation’s fastest-growing networks. The T-Mobile network has been one of the biggest surprises in recent years especially with its huge focus on 5G deployment. Metro by T-Mobile manages to be one of the best prepaid carriers to use the network with tons of data and even great roaming partner access.

Best Unlimited: Metro by T-Mobile

Metro by T-Mobile has three main plans starting at 10GB with unlimited music streaming for $40 per month for one line. This is a great plan for most people with regular access to Wi-Fi and even comes with $10 off each additional line. This works out to $70, $100, $130, and $160 per month for two, three, four, and five lines, respectively. Users will also get access to T-Mobile’s 5G network if they have a compatible phone.

The next plan up is an unlimited plan with 5GB of hotspot data and 100GB of Google One cloud storage. Coming in at $50 per month …

What you need to know

Schools and parents can sign up for Project 10Million today.
Students and schools will get 100GB per year and a free hotspot
T-Mobile is offering low-cost internet options for school districts to offer internet to students.

T-Mobile announced Project 10Million last year as part of its merger with Sprint with the intent of connecting 10 million households without access to the internet. Part of its larger 5G for Good initiative, the goal was to reduce the homework gap that left many students with poor access to education resources. With its network, T-Mobile hopes to get students connected even if they don’t have access to internet infrastructure thanks to its wireless network.

T-Mobile is offering free wireless hotspots with 100GB of high-speed data per year. They will also get access to at-cost tablets and laptops which T-Mobile values at approximately $500 annually per student. Your student must be enrolled in the National School Lunch Program to qualify….