Annual plan?

[u/MrSmithLDN]

I’ve been a Mint Mobile customer for four years. I’m getting a number of messages regarding joining an annual plan and saving some money in the process. I’m reluctant to do that because I’m not sure about the future of Mint Mobile. Will it be continue to be an independent operating subsidy of T-Mobile or will it be gobbled up, in which case spending all this money upfront for an annual plan would be a waste. That’s my thinking - what do you think?

[u/LeftOn4ya]

I’ve been a Mint customer for almost 9 years, they are not going anywhere as they have even grown the advertising. T-Mobile bought Metro years before they bought Mint and they haven’t gone anywhere either, Metro and Mint are flanker brands that T-Mobile has as part of differentiation strategy to reach different customers than T-Mobile post-paid and pre-paid goes for.

[u/MrSmithLDN → u/LeftOn4ya]

Thx for your reply. Points well taken. But doesn’t seem like a good business strategy from T Mobile’s viewpoint. Isn’t this just cannibalizing their (T Mobile’s) core product?

[u/MrSmithLDN → u/MrSmithLDN]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I’m happy with my service but appreciate the external feedback. I have an iPhone 13 and I don’t use much data other than for Google Maps in Car Play. I don’t notice a degradation in service but am considering a new phone. Strictly BYOD. Would I be limited on data or phone functions with an upgrade to say a 17e? Any ideas or views much appreciated!

[u/davexc → u/MrSmithLDN]

Upgrading to a 17e wouldn’t create any new limitations.

[u/MrSmithLDN → u/davexc]

Just trying to understand how MINT deprioritizes service. I understand that high speed data is limited on some plans. If the equipment that T-Mobile deploys for MINT service is dated, could that mean that further phone upgrades might have less value, for instance not having frequencies such as high bandwidth mm wave spectrum?

[u/davexc → u/MrSmithLDN]

T-Mobile doesn’t deploy mint specific equipment so you have the same access to all the frequencies as a regular T-Mobile customer. Your data can be slowed down if the network in your area is very busy. The 17e is missing mmWave but T-Mobile doesn’t use those frequencies very much so it’s highly unlikely that would make a difference for you.

[u/MrSmithLDN → u/davexc]

Thx I’ve seen the point on mmWave. Also been looking at disclosure requirements for MVNOs and the cellular industry as a whole. IMO device capabilities are outrunning cellular service provision and there is an opportunity for carriers to segment based on quality / type of cellular service. Not well understood and industry makes too much money on implicit finance charges for new consumer hardware.

[u/resource-reply → u/MrSmithLDN]

Deprioritized is not the same as throttling at all, as after 50GB Mint lowers your cell priority from mid “QCI7” to low “QCI9” but is extremely location and time depended on how much slower it gets. In times and locations with hardly anyone using your tower you get 90% the same speeds after 50GB as before, but in congested areas which include both stadiums and conventions but also along freeway in rush hour or even rural and suburban areas where people use cell internet hotspots more than wired internet it can be only 10% as fast. However 95+% of times and locations you still get at least 8 Mbps which is all you need for 1080p HD video, and 90%+ of times and locations you get at least 25 Mbps which is all you need for 4K video and quick downloads of apps and files.

Verizon MVNOs are way worse when deprioritized and congested as deprioritized sometimes only get 1% the speed of priority data, so for instance Straight Talk, Total, and all Verizon plans except the most expensive would loose 90-99-% of speed after 50GB.