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Best mobile plan add-ons for international travel

Posted by Marc Lagace on 29 May 2017 10:00 am
Don't let your wireless bill spoil your summer vacation! With summer just around the corner, you've likely finalized your travel plans before you set for a summer vacation. If your travels are going to take you out of the U.S., you'll want to know your carrier's international roaming plans and policies before you accidentally rack up a massive bill. We've broken everything down in terms of...

Best Small Data Plan

13 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 16 May 2017 1:00 pm
A good small data plan does exist, even if nobody advertises them. Unlimited plans get all the press and all the glitter, but most people don't need one. That's why small data plans still exist and are popular options. Shopping for a phone plan is unnecessarily difficult, especially now that all four big U.S. carriers want to force you to the more expensive unlimited data offering. But there...

Best Unlimited Data Plan

81 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 12 May 2017 8:00 am
Unlimited plans are back, but which one is the best? All four major U.S. carriers offer an unlimited data plan again. After years of hearing how they were unable to provide unlimited data to every customer and maintain the quality of service they wanted, new technology and a more competitive market means an 180-degree turnaround was in order and here we are. We've previously written about how...

Your unlimited plan is probably ripping you off: How much data Americans actually use

71 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 26 Apr 2017 3:00 pm
The numbers are in and you probably don't need an expensive unlimited data plan. Unlimited data plans are back. Here's some insight into why that happened as well as a look at how much data we really use every month. We've recently seen all four major U.S. carriers introduce or revamp their unlimited LTE data plans. Multiple times. For some of us, this is great news: The folks who use upwards...

US Cellular: Everything you need to know

10 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 20 Apr 2017 10:00 am
What you need to know about America's fifth largest network provider. When people talk about post-paid nationwide cell phone networks in the U.S. they usually mean the Big Four: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. But there is a fifth company who offers full-service nationwide contract plans that are as good or better than the bigger corporations: US Cellular. It stands to reason. As of...

These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.

Posted by Mike Tanasychuk on 7 Apr 2017 5:22 pm
Have a carrier in mind or just looking for a cheap plan? Here are the cheapest plans you can get from every one. All prices valid as of April 6, 2017 If you're hellbent on saving money on your wireless plan, then you have to get away from the Big Four carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon). Smaller carriers, called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) or alternative carriers, lease...

Shopping for phones is still a mess of hidden details

22 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 25 Feb 2017 5:56 pm
They get you with the fine print, then make the fine print hard to find. I spent the better part of last week digging through websites, calling representatives and generally pulling my hair out trying to sort out all the details about cellular phone service from the Big Four. I came to a couple of conclusions, the clearest of which is that all four of them do whatever they can to hide the tiny...

What do I need to jump from the Big Four to an alternative carrier?

33 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 23 Feb 2017 3:00 pm
Mint LTE
Making the change to an alternative carrier can save you money and give you better service, but you need to know a few things before you do it. When you port out your number and switch away from one of the Big Four to a carrier that might work better for you, nothing is hard. You either click a few buttons online and enter a few details or make a phone call from someone else's phone and a...

What you need to know about U.S. carrier plans and subsidies

59 Comments
Posted by Florence Ion on 9 Sep 2016 12:38 pm
Can I still buy a smartphone with a carrier subsidy? I forgot what it's like to actually buy a smartphone. I've been living in a bubble because of my privileged position as a former smartphone reviewer and I missed out on the fact that carrier subsidies aren't really a thing anymore. Back in the day—that is to say, a mere two years ago—you could purchase the latest smartphone at a significant...

3G and 4G coverage in the UK: Everything you need to know

20 Comments
Posted by Alex Dobie on 9 May 2016 1:13 pm
SIM cards
How to make sure your chosen network has you covered. A smartphone is only as good as the data network it's connected to. And even if you live in a major city, speedy 3G and 4G service isn't always a given. So-called "not-spots" can hobble your phone, particularly if service is poor where you live or work. Fortunately there are a bunch of options at your disposal for checking coverage before...

This week's sidebar poll: How satisfied are you with your wireless service?

171 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 15 May 2014 10:07 pm
Roam sweet roam
Can you hear me now? If you have a smartphone, chances are it's become more of an attachment than just another piece of electronics. You'll go to the store to grab a loaf of bread without your iPod or your laptop, but I'll bet you don't leave the house without your phone in your pocket. I'm not judging — I do the same — I'm just commenting on just how much our phones can become part of our...

T-Mobile adds 2.5 million new customers in Q1 2014

83 Comments
Posted by Rich Edmonds on 1 May 2014 8:35 am
T-Mobile adds 2.5 million new customers in Q1 2014
T-Mobile US has published its Q1 2014 report. The company has reported its best ever quarterly performance in branded postpard net customer additions. A total net of 2.4 million customers were added, including over 1.3 million branded postpaid net customers. This report marks the first quarter the carrier has had with more than 2 million net customers added to plans. It's a stark contrast to...

US carriers confirm Galaxy S5 release

52 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 24 Feb 2014 3:06 pm
Samsung Galaxy S5
Details about when you can get the new Galaxy S5 You know every carrier here in the states will be carrying the new Galaxy S5. It will probably be the biggest seller of 2014 on the Android front, and both Samsung and the folks you pay each month will be pushing this one hard. From what we've seen so far, that sounds like a good thing. We know we can't wait to get our own! Here's the skinny on...

Vector 8: Sascha Segan on the fastest mobile networks

4 Comments
Posted by Rene Ritchie on 2 Sep 2013 10:54 am
Vector 8: Sascha Segan on the fastest mobile networks
Vector is Mobile Nation's newest show. It takes the most important topics in technology today, focuses on them from interesting angles, and then discusses the hell out of them. On this episode Sascha Segan, lead mobile analyst at PC Magazine, talks to Rene about the evolution of data connections, the annual Fastest Mobile Networks survey, the triumphs and tragedies of modern carriers, and why we...

European roaming fees to cease from next year

34 Comments
Posted by Alex Dobie on 15 Jun 2013 8:13 am
Galaxy S3, passport
From July 1, 2014, Europeans traveling within the EU will no longer pay expensive roaming rates Europeans will be able to use voice, texts and data within the EU for the same prices as their domestic service, following a ruling by the European Commission. The commission, which last year imposed significant caps on roaming rates charged to EU customers, will push the legislation through before...

HTC One carrier availability

55 Comments
Posted by Alex Dobie on 19 Feb 2013 10:30 am
HTC One.
The newly-announced HTC One is HTC's most-ranged handset ever, debuting from this March on some 185 carriers in 80 territories. That includes T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T in the U.S. and all the major UK networks. But if you're wondering exactly which networks around the world will be selling the device, then we've got a big ol' list after the break.

U.S. carriers react in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

14 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 4 Nov 2012 3:31 pm
Hurricane Sandy Map
Our phone and network infrastructure is a critical part of the recovery efforts following a natural disaster. In an age where the only connection to the outside world for many people is a smartphone, the effects of a hurricane can be devastating. Luckily, the big four carriers in the U.S. are working hard to restore critical infrastructure damaged by the storm. Each is doing something different...

Skyfire launches Horizon browser extensions, but only for certain carriers

2 Comments
Posted by Simon Sage on 27 Sep 2012 12:08 pm
Android Central
Third-party browser developer Skyfire has launched a new plug-in framework, allowing other apps to drill deeper into your everyday mobile web experience. Readability is one of the launch partners for this Horizon framework, which includes options to quickly see your reading list, mark pages to read later, or translate web pages into a readable format right away. A less well-known service called...

Three UK sees average monthly data usage more than double in 12 months

8 Comments
Posted by Richard Devine on 24 Jul 2012 6:00 am
Three UK
Here's a fun fact for a Tuesday morning, Three UK has shared their customers average monthly data usage. How much would you say -- 500MB? 750MB? Not even close. In just a year Three has seen average data usage more than double, and it now sits at 1.1GB of data per month. Further still, 95% of Three's smartphone customers use data on a daily basis. 12 months ago, the average was just 450MB. But,...

Late-night poll: Which carrier will offer the best Samsung Galaxy S III?

103 Comments
Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand on 23 May 2012 2:22 am
SGS III
There's a neat discussion going on in the forums about the Samsung Galaxy S III, and how carriers will screw it up -- or not screw it up. To our pals in Europe and elsewhere who may not know, in North America carriers have pretty much had their way with all the previous Galaxy phones. Different shapes and sizes abound, and I don't think any of them have the same software as any of the others....

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