MVNO in USA: The Future Of Smart PhoneOwnership

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Oct 13, 2014 8:00:00 AM

Let's explore why the various MVNO in USA are the road to cell phone salvation!

How good would it be to feel free from the worry of large phone bills? Liberated from the tyranny ofdata allowances? Emancipated from the shackles of an interminably long 2 year phone contract?

First of all, let's explain what MVNO means:

Mobile Virtual Network Operators

These guys are the plucky underdogs to the mobile operator behemoths, and are increasingly lookinglike the best choice for anyone interested in saving money, and being free to use their phone as theysee fit (who isn't?).

In the past many phone users, especially those of us rocking the newest, most cutting-edgesmartphones, would instinctively choose a mobile phone contract from a big store, or operator.

The phone might even be 'free!'

But this was, is, and always has been, a con.

Keep reading to discover why millions are now starting to embrace the MVNO movement, andwhy you should be the next to jump on the bandwagon...

Why The Future Is MVNO In USA

The future is here...and it's cheaper.

MVNO use one of the bigger US carrier's networks, but sell their services at a cheaper price,undercutting the big boys.

This means that by using an USA MVNO package instead of one from, say, T-Mobile, you're getting thesame service as a T-Mobile subscriber, BUT paying less for it. Sounds good, huh?

Basically, your MVNO will be using the 5 large networks:

Verizon

T-Mobile

AT & T

Sprint

US Cellular

However, even though the network may be familiar, that's where the similarity ends!

Typically an MVNO will offer you lower prices for calls, SMS, and data; but also great customersupport, and a choice of either pre-pay, or flexible contracts!

Here are a few ways that MVNOs benefit their customers:

A la carte contracts where you define each detail, such as how many minutes, SMS, or data youneed each month.

Referral bonuses where you get savings if you introduce friends to their network

Many will allow you to join them with your current phone (as long as it is an unlocked phone) byhaving BYOD (bring your own device) plans

Hybrid calling, which will automatically switch your phone to using free WiFi (if it's in range) tomake calls and send messages, in order to lessen the burden on your minutes & data

Pre-pay for everything is a pretty standard option for most MVNO, although you can pay monthlytoo, or even bi-weekly. One thing you don't need to do is be locked into 18 month, or 2 yearcontracts. MVNO monthly plans can usually be canceled at any time.

"It Sounds Too Good To Be True!"

Well, did you honestly think that the biggest carriers in the US were charities? These guys are chargingyou more to make money.

They can get away with it because they're big, famous, have a larger advertising budget, and morelocal stores. As a result, many folks simply think that there really is no alternative. So they've got youover a barrel!

The good thing about each MVNO is that they really want your custom! This is because they're much

smaller at the moment. For instance, Verizon has more than 120 Million subscribers. Each MVNO inUSA may only have a couple of Million, because there are only around 30 Million or so subscribers forall of the MVNO in total!

In order to gain ground on the big names they need to go in cheaper, but they also want to make youhappy with good deals so that you stay with them.

"Are There Any Drawbacks To Using An MVNO In The States?"

Yes, there are a few issues that you need to be aware of when deciding if you're going to make achange. However, these aren't insurmountable, as you'll see:

Limited phone selection: Certain MVNO will only allow you to choose from a small selection ofphones, and won't allow you to bring your unlocked phone with you. There is a large choice(over 100 MVNO in USA) however, and many have either a large choice of phones, or do offera BYOD policy.

No 4G in some cases: Some MVNO don't offer 4G LTE coverage yet, and this is largely due tothe major carrier that they use. Check to see what's offered in your area if in doubt.

Poor network coverage: To be fair, this isn't exactly an MVNO problem. Rather it's based onthe carrier's coverage in your area. The States is vast, and it's quite possible that a certaincarrier doesn't have great reception in your area. If you know that Verizon, for instance, ispatchy in your area, then you may need to choose an MVNO that doesn't use Verizon's network.

Data can be throttled after a fairly low amount: If you're a big data user, then you need tocheck carefully what your MVNO offers in regard to data. Some pay monthly plans are throttledafter a fairly low amount, maybe even less than 1GB. This means that you lose super fastinternet, even on 'all-inclusive' plans.

No streaming of videos: It's possible that all-inclusive data packages on certain MVNO don'tinclude streaming. Check the fine print.

No free roaming: Whilst some MVNO do offer free roaming that will help you if you're goingstate to state, others don't, so you need to be sure to pick one that suits your circumstances.

Some packages don't support smartphones: In this case you'd need to choose one thatdoes, however this may be a little more expensive to account for the data you'd use.

These are indeed valid drawbacks, but the huge choice of MVNO for you means that you're almostcertain to find one locally that suits you!

Ready To Make The Move?

With prices going up, and life getting more difficult, isn't it refreshing to find a service that makes thingsmore simple, and cheaper too?

In my opinion it's time to give the major carriers one in the eye and turn to the light: an MVNO!

Best of all, you can take any unlocked smartphone along with you on many of them. So there's noreason to pay mega money for an upgrade that you don't want, need, or can't afford, from a big player!

Are you using an MVNO? Who are you with? Why do you like them?

Conversely, have you gone back to a major carrier from an MVNO? Why?

Let us know by leaving a comment.

Speaking of unlocked smartphones, AMGOO Telecom's range are perfect for each MVNO in USA.They're low cost, but have all of the features you expect from the Samsungs and Apples of this world.

You're already going to make a saving on an MVNO, so why stop there?

Click below to see our brilliant range of affordable smartphones:

Topics: Smart Phones, Mobile Industry, MVNO