Ting still good as a low cost carrier?

[Grande]

My wife and I have used Ting for several years. We are pretty happy with it. We pay $25-30/month for each, not both. My wife's iPhone 5 (yes, 5) is on the way out. It was losing some functionality due to age but last week she cracked the screen. It's seven years old and she got every nickel out of it.

Before going ahead and purchasing a new phone, likely refurbished iPhone and bringing it to Ting does anyone have any suggestions of options better than Ting. A few years ago we went to Ting because they and Republic seemed to be the best of the low cost options. But I don't know what's up these days. Better options than Ting?

Advice? 

[Scotland2016]

Also interested in replies. We are thinking of switching to Ting in February.

[terran]

We switched from Ting to Red Pocket last summer, and so far so good. We're very low users (usually around $21 for both with Ting) thanks to most of our texts going through iMessage, using google voice for calls, and most of our data use happening over wifi. The thing that frustrated me with Ting is we'd get like 1 non iMessage text in a month (often spam) and that would push us into the $3 bucket -- that's one expensive text.

We're now each on a 100 min / 100 text / 500Mb plan with red pocket for $60/year, so we're paying about half what we did, we don't have to worry about bumping into a new bucket, and haven't come close to using up our alotment. Red pocket also lets you sign up for any of the 4 major networks, although I chatted with them and it sounds like Verizon and iPhone don't always play nicely, so we went with AT&T and coverage is a little better than when we had T-Mobile through Ting.

I would take a look and see how the pricing would work out for your usual usage patterns. The annual plans that you buy through ebay are an especially good deal (it looks like you renew these through red pocket for subsequent years, although we haven't done that yet): https://redpocket.com/plans/ebay

[ShastaFire]

I switched to Ting from VRZ a few months ago and really like it.  No data though, as I moved to a flip phone (due to heavy smart phone addiction).  I find Ting cheap, simple, good customer service.

My spouse has a smart phone and just switched to Mint Mobile - unlimited talk/text with 3MB data for $15/month.  No issues so far.  You have to buy months of service in bulk though.

We are saving $45/month now compared to being on VRZ. 

[terran]

My spouse has a smart phone and just switched to Mint Mobile - unlimited talk/text with 3MB data for $15/month.  No issues so far.  You have to buy months of service in bulk though.

It looks like that's an intro price and then it goes up to $25/month after the first 3-month order, is that right?

[ShastaFire]

My spouse has a smart phone and just switched to Mint Mobile - unlimited talk/text with 3MB data for $15/month.  No issues so far.  You have to buy months of service in bulk though.

It looks like that's an intro price and then it goes up to $25/month after the first 3-month order, is that right?

If you buy the 12 month plan, it's the same price.  The intro price for us expires in March, then we'll probably buy a 12 month block to maintain the $15/month.

[Buffaloski Boris]

Visible is related to Verizon.  Uses their system.  All you can eat phone, text, and data for $40 month including taxes.  If you do their friends discount, you can get it cheaper. 

[jpdx]

What about Mint?

[Valhalla]

It is really helpful to identify the 4 major carriers behind these mobile virtual network operators (MVNO).

I found this video very helpful - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fOeYSkLX5A

I have no relation tho this person, but he breaks it down by the service and MVNO clearly.

For me, the carrier coverage comes first, and then the service.

For some of my elderly relatives, Tello has been wonderful, assuming you're in a good Sprint area.  They have some of the cheapest plans with unlimited talk, as elderly tend to talk more with their landlines and now mobile.  Tello's customer service is also top rate, in my experience as well.

[Peach]

We've been happy Twigby customers for a few years now.  You configure your account so that you get the talk, text, and data you need.  They mainly use Sprint but Verizon is a backup when Sprint isn't available.

Husband's monthly bill is $13.93, which includes tax.  He has 300 minutes talk, unlimited text, and 200MB data.  My monthly bill is $18.76, which includes tax, and I have unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 200MB data.

You can choose to have it automatically upgrade you to the next level should you go over your allotted time.  We've had great luck with them.

[Bradlinc4]

If you have internet through Xfinity/Comcast you may try them for wireless as well. I am paying about $13.50 a month with tax which gives me 1GB of data. I have been using them for a few months and been pleasantly surprised.

[sui generis]

I've been on Google FI for over a year now and I like their plan where you just pay for what you use.  So some months I use 1GB, then my bill is $30 ($20 for unlimited talk and text, $10 for the 1GB).  If I use 2.6GB, my bill is $46.  Very easy.  I also like that it's full international coverage.  I remember when my husband had Google FI while I still had T-Mobile (with included international coverage) and his coverage and speed was so much better in other countries than mine. 

The problem is I'd recently had a lot of coverage issues at home.  Since it uses 3 networks (it looks like most others use only 1), I thought it would always be excellent.  And I'd never had a problem with T-mobile at home.  So why, whenever I left the house, would I have no coverage?  One time I was stuck because I needed to call a Lyft (in central Oakland, CA!) and there was not enough coverage for the app to work.  So that's a pretty big bummer.

It's been a little better recently, but that gave me pause.  The (effective) 1 cent/MB data plan with no long-term commitment is nice and seems reasonable.  I'd love to pursue something cheaper but would really miss the seamless international experience.

[afox]

Note that deprioritization is now a real thing for any MVNO and even for different levels of service purchased directly from a network operator. Ie usmobile is a verizon mvno but its leaps and bounds worse service than that which you would actually get if you purchased from verizon and verizon postpaid is better service than verizon prepaid, etc, etc. And they are not just deprioritizing data anymore, its also voice service. Since deprioritization "levels" are not published its impossible to shop based on level/quality of service, ugh.

[RyanAtTanagra]

I've been on Ting for several years and am happy with their service and customer support when needed (they're not robots reading an impersonal script, which means a lot to me).  I am a heavy user so it's not a lot cheaper than a normal plan for me (I use way too much data, but it's also used for work and they pay my bill, so *shrug*), but if you were a light user it would definitely still be cheap.

[jeninco]

I've been unable to get the ting website to load since around Jan 1 -- has anyone else had this problem? I can't login, which is an issue...

[RyanAtTanagra]

I've been unable to get the ting website to load since around Jan 1 -- has anyone else had this problem? I can't login, which is an issue...

Weird, I just tested and it loaded fine and I was able to log in.

[jeninco]

I've been unable to get the ting website to load since around Jan 1 -- has anyone else had this problem? I can't login, which is an issue...

Weird, I just tested and it loaded fine and I was able to log in.

Using which browser? I've tried safari and firefox, and I am getting nowhere, still.

[RyanAtTanagra]

I've been unable to get the ting website to load since around Jan 1 -- has anyone else had this problem? I can't login, which is an issue...

Weird, I just tested and it loaded fine and I was able to log in.

Using which browser? I've tried safari and firefox, and I am getting nowhere, still.

I tested and can get to the site and sign in with Safari, Firefox, and Vivaldi (Chromium)

[roomtempmayo]

What about Mint?

We switched from Ting to Mint a few weeks ago.  So far the service seems the same.

I was motivated to switch because my wife uses more than a minimal amount of data (not a battle I'm going to pick), and Mint is significantly cheaper than Ting for someone using 6-8 gigs a month.

[jeninco]

I've been unable to get the ting website to load since around Jan 1 -- has anyone else had this problem? I can't login, which is an issue...

Weird, I just tested and it loaded fine and I was able to log in.

Using which browser? I've tried safari and firefox, and I am getting nowhere, still.

I tested and can get to the site and sign in with Safari, Firefox, and Vivaldi (Chromium)

Thanks! I'll contact customer service.

[jeninco]

I've been unable to get the ting website to load since around Jan 1 -- has anyone else had this problem? I can't login, which is an issue...

Weird, I just tested and it loaded fine and I was able to log in.

Using which browser? I've tried safari and firefox, and I am getting nowhere, still.

I tested and can get to the site and sign in with Safari, Firefox, and Vivaldi (Chromium)

Thanks! I'll contact customer service.

Turns out 1) the interface works better on Chrome, and 2) I had the window too small to get the menu on the top bar. Sheesh! (Customer Service was quite helpful and responsive, though.)

[GreenSheep]

We're been happy Ting customers for several years. The only problem we've had, which we don't think is Ting's fault, is that although I have great service at home, my husband has almost no service at all. Usually a text can squeak through on his phone, but a call almost never works. We think it's due to the phone itself; he's had two different Androids, and they both have had this problem. My iPhone SE has been just fine.

Otherwise, great customer service, clear billing practices, and cheap!