Tello is one of the most affordable and flexible wireless carriers around, letting users customize their plans so you only get exactly what you need. This includes choosing exactly how many texts, minutes, and data you want, with no confusing contracts or hidden fees. Tello operates on the T-Mobile network with access to 5G, so you get all of the benefits of the big carrier without that big carrier price.
But if you're less tech-savvy or you've never used an MVNO carrier before, making the switch can be a little confusing. Let us help by breaking down all of Tello's best plans.
Which Tello plan is best for you
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Tello's most expensive plan is perhaps its best value with unlimited calls, texts, and data for just $29 per month. If you're a heavy data user, this is the perfect plan for your phone.
One thing to keep in mind about Tello's unlimited data is that it's only high-speed until you've used 25GB in a billing period. After that, your speeds plummet to 2G speeds until the billing cycle renews. Unlike other Tello plans, there's no more room to upgrade; so if you're using more than 25GB in a month, Tello may not be the carrier for you.
While 25GB should be enough for most people, it's worth keeping in mind that some other T-Mobile-based prepaid carriers, like Mint Mobile, offer 35GB on their unlimited plans. Still, you can use all of your data in a hotspot if you please and with a little care, there's a good chance you can keep your data under 25GB. When you choose Tello's unlimited data option, you get unlimited minutes for free.
For many smartphone users, Tello's pre-configured Smart Plan is a great starting point, especially if you use your phone on Wi-Fi a lot. With unlimited minutes and 5GB of high-speed data, this plan is can be a great way to save.
Many people simply don't need unlimited data, especially when you remember that using your phone while connected to Wi-Fi doesn't impact your mobile data at all. If you're working from home or your office has Wi-Fi for you to use, you may not need nearly as much data as you imagine. Still, Tello lets you upgrade your plan at any time, so it's a good idea to start small and upgrade as needed. Tello uses T-Mobile's network including 5G, which means that just about any unlocked phone will work with the service, including the best Android phones you can buy. This plan compares favorably to other 5GB plans as well. Mint Mobile, for example, only beats Tello's price if you're willing to pay for an entire year of service.
Whether you're looking for a cheap plan for a backup phone, or just want to try to strip out unnecessary spending, the Economy Plan gets you connected with unlimited calling, texting, and 1GB of data for just $10 per month. This is plenty of data for email, picture mail, and even some occasional social media, though you may quickly find out that a few hours stuck in a waiting room or on a train with busted Wi-Fi can wipe out your data in a flash. Luckily, Tello doesn't charge you for overages.
If you do use all of your data, you'll get 2G speeds for the remainder of your billing period. These speeds will be frustratingly slow for anything beyond receiving messages and emails, so it may be worth it to upgrade your data mid-cycle if you find you're running out of data early.
For many teens, a phone call is the absolute last way they want to be contacted, so why pay for unlimited minutes? This plan is configured with 300 minutes of talk time, which should be plenty for most teens. Tello comes with unlimited texts, so there's no limit to the most important form of communication.
The 5GB data limit may not seem like that much, but with many schools offering Wi-Fi and home Wi-Fi, most people can get by with 5GB if they're not blowing it on streaming video and social media while on LTE or 5G. Still, like other Tello plans, this can be upgraded as needed, with the next step up to 10GB only costing $5 more.
The cheapest plans on bigger carriers can be way more than a senior needs. Tello keeps things in perspective with just 1GB of data to keep the phone working away from home, and 500 minutes to stay connected to the people that matter the most.
Seniors can offset their usage by staying connected to Wi-Fi if they want to video chat with friends or family, and most messaging apps let you choose which video files to download, so there's no surprise data usage.
This plan comes in at just $9 per month, and is a great starting point for someone getting their first smartphone, or who just wants to ditch an unreliable and expensive home phone option. The savings in long-distance charges alone can make the move to Tello more than worth it in just a couple of months.
Don't waste money on data or minutes you don't need
The best Tello plan for you will be the customization you settle on after using the service for a couple of months. Once you get a handle on your actual monthly usages, you'll be able to trim the fat and keep your bill as low as possible.
If you're looking to reduce your usage, you can also start small and upgrade as needed. Tello allows customers to use their minutes like normal to call more than 60 different countries, so even if you have family in Mexico, Canada, China, India, or many others, you can stay connected.
As we saw in our Tello review, the T-Mobile network also makes phone compatibility a breeze. If you're looking to save money on your phone, you can choose one of the best cheap Android phones the next time you upgrade and it will more than likely work great on Tello.
- MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket
