T-Mobile’s Ultra Mobile brand revamps its plans
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Ultra Mobile has updated its plans to include more data and enhanced international calling and roaming features.
- Customers can save even more by choosing 3, 6, or 12-month payment options, which offer discounts of up to 30% per month.
- Ultra Mobile is a strong option for those who frequently call or travel internationally, though there are other options that might be worth considering, like Google Fi.
For those unfamiliar, Ultra Mobile was acquired along with Mint Mobile last year, but until recently, it largely operated as it always had. Early signs of change appeared when Mint Mobile started encouraging some customers to transition to T-Mobile, but these new Ultra Mobile upgrades represent the most significant change yet.
While the new Ultra Mobile plans aren’t dramatically different, here’s a quick breakdown:
- 500MB Plan (replaces 250MB plan): $15/month includes unlimited talk and text, 500MB of data, unlimited calling to over 90 international destinations, and unlimited texting to over 200 destinations.
- 4GB Plan (replaces 3GB plan): $19/month includes all benefits from the 500MB plan plus unlimited talk and text from Mexico and Canada, a $1.50 monthly international calling credit, and a $5 international roaming credit.
- 8GB Plan (replaces 5GB plan): $24/month provides the same benefits as the 4GB plan, with double the data.
- 12GB Plan (replaces 10GB plan): $29/month includes all previous plan features, plus additional data and an extra $5 monthly international calling credit.
- 24GB Plan (replaces 12GB plan): $39/month offers 24GB of data plus 5GB of high-speed data in Mexico.
- Ultra Unlimited Plan: For $49/month, you’ll get unlimited data, 10GB hotspot access, 5GB of high-speed data in Mexico, $10 monthly international calling credits, $10 international roaming credit, and up to 100 minutes, 500 texts, and 500MB of roaming data for global travel.
- Ultra Unlimited Plus Plan: At $59/month, this plan matches the Unlimited features but upgrades hotspot access to 25GB and adds an extra $5 monthly each in international calling and roaming credits.
For additional savings, Ultra Mobile offers the option of paying in 3, 6, or 12-month increments, providing discounts between 10% and 30% off per month.
Are Ultra Mobile plans actually any good?
Ultra Mobile’s offerings closely align with Mint Mobile and other T-Mobile-based prepaid carriers. The core difference is that there is a greater emphasis on international calling and data.
Mint Mobile, for instance, charges only $15 a month for 5GB of data, around $4 less than Ultra Mobile’s closest comparable plan. However, Ultra Mobile provides unlimited calling to over 90 countries and texting worldwide. Mint Mobile, by comparison, offers free calling primarily to Mexico, Canada, and the UK, along with free roaming in Canada.
As you can see, the differences are fairly subtle, and determining the better deal depends on your specific needs. Mint might be ideal if your international connections are mostly in the UK or Canada, especially due to the bonus of free roaming in Canada.
Ultimately, Ultra Mobile is a niche option best suited to users who benefit from its specific international calling and data features. Customers can expect similar customer service quality to Mint and other T-Mobile sub-brands, all supported by T-Mobile’s robust network.
Not impressed, but looking for a carrier on T-Mobile’s network that offers similar or even better international features? I’d recommend checking out Google Fi, as it offers international roaming and calling features that greatly exceed even the big three postpaid providers. You also get the benefit of higher-priority data access on T-Mobile’s network.
