Articles by Samuel Contreras

Data focused

Mint Mobile

From $15/month at Mint Mobile

Pros

Unlimited talk and text
5G support
Unlimited 2G data
Hotspot included
Free calls to Mexico, Canada

Cons

Only uses T-Mobile
All plans require data

Mint Mobile makes a lot of sense for most smartphone users with good T-Mobile coverage thanks to three data sizes that work for most people. With 3, 6, and 12-month options available, you save money the more you’re willing to buy in advance. All plans come with unlimited talk and text, including free calls to Mexico and Canada

Max flexibility

Republic Wireless

From $12.50/month at Republic Wireless

Pros

Sprint or T-Mobile network
Unlimited talk and text
Hotspot included
Plan flexibility

Cons

Data can get expensive
No international calling
Can’t choose your network

Republic Wireless has a plan that can grow with you without the risk of buying more than you need. Data can be added to plans at $5 per 1GB with base plans starting at 1GB, 2GB, or with no…

Kicking off the next generation of wireless.

All of the major U.S. carriers are hard at work on their 5G strategy. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have launched 5G networks and are aggressively expanding those networks through 2019 and into 2020. Recently, Sprint’s 5G network was devoured by T-Mobile and taken offline as T-Mobile refarms Sprint’s spectrum. 5G service not only provides faster speeds but also reduced response times allowing for new services and cloud computing not previously available. For now, the major difference between LTE and 5G will be speed but as coverage continues to roll out to new areas, more services that rely on instant connectivity should become possible.

Jump to:

Verizon
T-Mobile
AT&T

Frequencies and coverage

Carrier
Bands

Verizon
n261 (28GHz)

T-Mobile
n71 (600MHz) n260 (39GHz) n261 (28GHz) n41 (2.5GHz) from Sprint

AT&T
n5 (850MHz) n260 (39GHz)

Building a 5G network is a balance between capacity and c…

Students have a lot of things to pay for from books to party supplies. Whether you need a lot of data or can get by on Wi-Fi, there is a plan that fits your needs. If you haven’t been keeping an eye on phone carriers, you may have some room to save some money or get a better service for less with these carriers. Visible is the best wireless carrier for students thanks to its unlimited data, mobile hotspot, and Party Pay features.

Best Overall: Visible

One of the most important things for a student is a constant and reliable data connection. Visible is one of the simplest solutions with a truly unlimited connection. Nearly every carrier has an unlimited option, but with Visible, there’s no credit check, and the monthly price stays constant. So, you’ll know exactly how much to set aside each month. Not only that, but you can also bring your price down to as low as $25 per month when you join a Party Pay group of four.

Visible uses Verizon’s LTE network so you can be confident you’…

5G connectivity is now available to millions of people in the United States thanks to improved support from phone makers and sub-6 5G networks. T-Mobile and AT&T have used low-band 5G to offer similar coverage to LTE with improved capacity while continuing to build a high-capacity millimeter-wave (mmWave) network. T-Mobile has the best overall 5G network thanks to its wide sub-6 coverage alongside its mmWave network.

Best overall: T-Mobile

According to T-Mobile, its 5G network now covers more than 200 million people. This is mostly thanks to T-Mobile’s low-band 600Mhz spectrum that offers excellent coverage and speeds comparable to fast LTE. T-Mobile is also continuing to improve its 5G network with Sprint’s mid-band 2.5GHz spectrum in addition to its own high-band mmWave spectrum.

With this setup, T-Mobile can achieve greater capacity to dense urban areas while offering strong coverage in suburban and rural areas. You can check out T-Mobile’s 5G coverage, and if you have a …

AT&T has one of the most developed 5G networks out right now with millimeter-wave coverage alongside low-band coverage in several cities. Both networks are available to customers with phones capable of connecting to both networks. AT&T has been aggressively expanding its 5G network and now approximates coverage for 120 million people with 190 markets. 80 Million are covered by the more accessible low-band network. Here’s what you need to know if you are considering switching to, or upgrading your phone on AT&T.

When will my area get 5G?
Which phones work with 5G?
Which plan do I need?
What tech is AT&T using?
What is 5Ge?
Is 5G worth it for most people?

When will my area get 5G?

As far as true 5G goes, AT&T is building two networks. One network is a low-band sub-6 5G deployment at 850Mhz. The majority of customers will see 5G on this network. The other network is a high-band mmWave network that is capable of very fast speeds but has a much more limited range….

Kicking off the next generation of wireless.

All of the major U.S. carriers are hard at work on their 5G strategy. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon have launched 5G networks and are aggressively expanding those networks through 2019. 5G service not only provides faster speeds but also reduced response times allowing for new services and cloud computing not previously available. For now, the major difference between LTE and 5G will be speed but as coverage continues to roll out to new areas, more services that rely on instant connectivity should become possible.

Verizon
Sprint
T-Mobile
AT&T

Frequencies and coverage

Carrier
Bands

Verizon
n261 (28GHz)

Sprint
n41 (2.5GHz)

T-Mobile
n71 (600MHz) n260 (39GHz) n261 (28GHz)

AT&T
n5 (850MHz) n260 (39GHz)

Building a 5G network is a balance between capacity and coverage. With the high-frequency bands, known as mmWave, seen on all but Sprint, carriers get access to huge chunks of spectr…

Best answer: Almost any unlocked phone will work on Fi, but phones that weren’t specifically designed for Fi may miss out on certain features like Google’s VPN and network switching.

Unlocked with pure Android and full Fi compatibility: Google Pixel 3a ($350 at Amazon)
Flexible plans on nearly any phone: Google Fi (From $20 per month at Google Fi)

What phones are designed for Fi?

When Google Fi initially launched under the name Project Fi back in 2015, it was only available for the Nexus 6. Google Fi has continued to add its own phones, including the Nexus 5X, 6P, and all Pixel devices. Even Google phones purchased from carriers are fully compatible with Google Fi. Of course, they will need to be unlocked.

These phones are all designed for Fi, which means they will work with Google Fi’s VPN as well as automatic switching between Google Fi’s three networks. These phones can also connect to over two million approved hotspots to save on data and improve speed. Designed for Fi ph…

Best answer: Yes, if you have an unlocked phone that is compatible with T-Mobile’s 5G network, you can access 5G with Google Fi where there is coverage.

One of the best networks with 5G: Google Fi (From $20 per month at Google Fi)
5G out of the box: Samsung Galaxy S20 5G (From $800 at Samsung)

Flexible data and coverage

T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network on its low-band 600MHz spectrum has helped it shoot to the top in 5G available in the U.S. It has also allowed all of its customers including most MVNO users to get access for no additional cost.

Google Fi isn’t fully a T-Mobile MVNO. It makes use of Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular for its network. You can bring two types of phones to Google Fi: Designed for Fi phones and Compatible with Fi phones. Designed for Fi phones will be able to access all of the available networks but currently, only work with 4G LTE connections. If you want to use 5G you will have to use a Compatible with Fi phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G. …

A good Wi-Fi signal is a fight against physics, with radio signals attempting to travel through walls and objects without major degradation. While your signal will eventually fade in any scenario, there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re getting the most out of your router. Whether you find a better placement or just need to make sure your equipment is running efficiently, these are some steps you can take to improve your signal.

Products used in this guide

Defeat dead zones with a mesh network: Nest Wifi Router and Point ($269 at Best Buy)
More consistent coverage with Wi-Fi 6 tech: Asus RT-AX58U ($160 at Best Buy)

Check the software

One of the first things to do is to make sure your software is up to date on both your phone and router. While not directly related to signal, using a VPN, for example, can make your internet feel slower. If you’re on your home Wi-Fi, you probably don’t need to use a VPN.

Newer routers can connect to a phone app so you can choose a…

Enough for most

Kaspersky Security Cloud – Free

Free at Kaspersky

Pros

Virus protection
Protects from suspicious sites
VPN included
Account monitoring

Cons

Always connected service
Limited privacy protection
Not a lot of VPN data

Kaspersky’s free option is now part of its Security Cloud line, which brings new features beyond pure antivirus software. It also includes VPN data, a password manager, the ability to scan for weak settings, and monitoring for your online accounts. For most people, this is a great level of protection to keep browsing safe and machines clean of infection.

Privacy focused

Kaspersky Security Cloud – Personal

From $54/year at Kaspersky

Pros

Virus protection
Protects privacy online
Blocks tracking and webcam spies
VPN included
Account monitoring
Home Wi-Fi monitoring

Cons

Expensive upgrade
Not much VPN data

Upgrading your Security Cloud account comes with some great extras like the bonus privacy protection and home Wi-Fi monitorin…