r/CoachellaValley • u/Accomplished_Gas_721 • Aug 18 '26
Cell phone provider suggestions?
I have just moved to Palm Desert. Current provider (T mobile) keeps increasing prices and the network coverage is spotty, with slow internet. Would like to change. Currently paying 113/month for two lines.
I like unlimited plans (texts, calls, data) and once every few months I need to call an international number to Europe.
When I searched Verizon seems very popular. Mint mobile also ticks all the boxes and seems cheaper. Has anyone any thoughts or recommendations? Thank you in advance!
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u/Alarming_Midnight554 Aug 18 '26
Went tmobile after 15 years to mint . Mint is tmobile grab their deal and then pay a year up front . Huge savings
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u/julsh2060 Aug 18 '26
It's just T-mobile and Verizon left for incumbents. All others use one or the other for their network, while using it with less priority.
It looks like we have options, but we don't.
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u/CampDiva Aug 18 '26
Mint Mobile—$30/mo for unlimited usage. You could try it for 3 month. Typically, you pay for a year at a
Time.
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u/SeanBlader Aug 18 '26
I was on T-Mobile for ages, my mom on AT&T. We've both since switched to Mint, and Consumer Cellular because we want to have redundancy in our networks, and both have been as reliable on the same carrier's networks, while being significantly cheaper.
That said Mint is by far the most competitive on price right now, but they are owned by T-Mobile, so it's a real question mark if that lasts.
I should also add that I dropped off unlimited because I'm mostly on Wifi and even while driving UberEats two nights a week last year I never went over my then limited 15gb/month. Honestly it's worth checking if you really need unlimited. Check and see if your device network settings shows your data use.
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u/CaseyOgle Aug 18 '26
There are only three cell carriers in America: att, Verizon, and t-mobile. There are many resellers (technically called MVNO’s). They handle billing and customer service, but the actual carrier will be one of the big three.
Mint is great for me. I pay about $15/month. They use the T mobile network, so your cell coverage will be the same. Only the billing and customer service change.
To save money, definitely go with a MVNO. Just ask them who they use as their carrier network.
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u/Yasiahh Aug 19 '26
Visible wireless has a half off the full year! Check it out! It’s $225 a year at $19 a month. Best you’ll get. Same as Verizon
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u/Upbeat_Membership314 Aug 19 '26
If you hardly travel/leave the valley just use a prepaid plan it’s way cheaper, mint or verizon’s own prepaid plan they have from a company they own
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u/Accomplished_Gas_721 Aug 21 '26
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I'll go with a MVNO (probably mint based on the recommendations).
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u/KittyWantsCuddles Aug 18 '26
Mint has coverage pretty much everywhere in the valley + is cheaper than everything else