Transcript

{ 0:06 }

Welcome to the MVNO podcast, brought to you by cellphoneplans.wiki. Yes, domain names now have a dot wiki. This is the site to help you get the cheapest cell phone service. They continuously monitor carriers and update their various plan Finder tools, giving you access to the perfect plan based on price and features. Coverage. Anything you’re looking for.  Just need basic service or do you need multiple networks while traveling? cellphoneplans.wiki has got you covered.  Now let’s join Pat and Ben and kick off the MVNO podcast.     Hey everyone, and welcome back. Today we’re diving into something that I think a lot of you can probably relate to, like how much we spend every single month on our cell phone bills.

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Seriously though, like sometimes I look at my bill and I’m like, wait a minute, did I accidentally sign up for the like platinum plated unlimited data plan? Like I don’t even use that much data. So that’s what we’re talking about today. We’re trying to figure out if those no contract, no credit check cell phone plans are worth it. And more specifically, we’re talking about MVNO’s, which for anyone who doesn’t know, is short for Mobile Virtual Network Operators. And we’re really lucky today because we’ve got some really great articles about this. But I have to say, cellphoneplans.wiki really outdid themselves with their research on this one. They’ve got everything in here like how MVNO’s work, which ones might be the best for different types of people. I mean, they really went all out. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s back up a little. What exactly is an MVNO?

Speaker 2:  { 1:45 }

So you know how there are the big names in the cell phone world, right? Like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile? Those guys have spent like billions of dollars building out their networks and all their infrastructure.

Speaker 1:  { 1:54 }

Yeah, like cell towers, right?

Speaker 2:  { 1:55 }

Exactly.

{ 1:56 }

So MVNOS are basically like the savvy renters of the cell phone world.

Speaker 1:  { 2:01 }

What?

Speaker 2:  { 2:01 }

Do you mean I mean that instead of building out their own expensive networks, they just lease network space from the big carriers?

Speaker 1:  { 2:08 }

Oh, so it’s kind of like subletting a really nice apartment. You still get all the benefits of a great location and amenities, but without having to fork over a huge down payment.

Speaker 2:  { 2:17 }

100% and because they have much lower overhead costs, MVNO’s can offer their plans for way cheaper than the big guys. We’re talking potentially saving like 50% or even more in some cases.

Speaker 1:  { 2:30 }

OK, now you’re speaking my language. 50% savings is no joke. Yeah, but what’s the catch? Well.

Speaker 2:  { 2:35 }

There are a couple things to keep in mind. Like one of the biggest differences is network priority.

Speaker 1:  { 2:40 }

What does that mean?

Speaker 2:  { 2:41 }

Basically, since MVNO customers are essentially like sub letters on the net network, they might experience somewhat slower data speeds, especially during peak times when the network is super congested.

Speaker 1:  { 2:53 }

So it’s like rush hour on the data superhighway.

Speaker 2:  { 2:56 }

Exactly, you said it.

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It’s not necessarily a deal breaker for everyone, but it is definitely something to keep in mind. Like if you’re someone who’s constantly on their phone streaming movies or playing online games, you might notice a difference.

Speaker 1:  { 3:08 }

That makes a lot of sense. So we’ve got cost savings as a plus and potential data slow down during peak hours is something to think about. What else? I know the articles mentioned that MV Nos are usually more flexible than those traditional carriers. What’s that all about?

Speaker 2:  { 3:24 }

Oh yeah, a lot of them don’t lock you into a contract, which makes them perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to be tied to a long term commitment.

Speaker 1:  { 3:31 }

Yeah, you’re right. I bet students love that.

Speaker 2:  { 3:34 }

Totally. And it’s not just students, it’s also great for like expats or just anyone who’s maybe in a more transitional phase of their life.

Speaker 1:  { 3:42 }

Because who wants to be stuck in a two or three-year contract when they’re not even sure if they’re going to be living in the same city next year?

Speaker 2:  { 3:48 }

You know it. And on top of that, a lot of MVNO’s also don’t require a credit check. Oh, wow.

{ 3:54 }

Which is a huge advantage for students who are new to credit or for anyone who might be rebuilding their credit history.

Speaker 1:  { 4:01 }

Absolutely. That’s amazing. OK, So we’ve got the cost savings, the flexibility and no credit checks. What about the phones themselves? Does that whole leasing network space thing mean that you’re limited in what phones you can use?

Speaker 2:  { 4:15 }

That’s a great question and it’s actually really important to understand the tech side of this just a bit. So basically there are these two main network technologies in the USGSM&CDMAGSM is what AT&T and T-Mobile use, and CDMA is for Verizon.

Speaker 1:  { 4:30 }

OK, I think I’m.

Speaker 2:  { 4:31 }

Following and this is really important because it determines which phones will actually work on each network and most MVNO’s will tell you upfront which network technology they use. So you just need to make sure your phone is compatible before you make the switch.

Speaker 1:  { 4:44 }

Good to know. Is it pretty easy to figure out if your phone will work?

Speaker 2:  { 4:47 }

Yeah, totally. Plus, a lot of phones these days support both GSM and CDMA, so it’s not usually a huge hurdle.

Speaker 1:  { 4:53 }

That’s good. OK. So far we’ve got cost savings, flexibility, no credit checks. Am I forgetting anything? What other benefits are there to going with an MVNO?

Speaker 2:  { 5:05 }

Well, one thing that really stood out to me in the cellphoneplans.wiki article was just how many MVNO’s are out there.

Speaker 1:  { 5:10 }

Like how many are we talking?

Speaker 2:  { 5:12 }

I mean, a lot. And they’re not all just like the same basic thing either, really. Yeah, like there’s Google Fi and they actually have a super unique setup where your phone will automatically switch between different networks to always give you the best possible coverage.

Speaker 1:  { 5:26 }

Wait, that’s kind of genius.

Speaker 2:  { 5:27 }

Right. And then there are MVNO’s that cater to really specific groups of people, like some offer crazy affordable international Calling Plans and some have discounts for military families.

Speaker 1:  { 5:39 }

That’s amazing. Who knew there were so many different options?

Speaker 2:  { 5:42 }

That’s one of the coolest things about MVNO’s. There’s really something out there for everyone’s budget and needs.

Speaker 1:  { 5:47 }

This is honestly blowing my mind. OK, so we’ve talked about what MVNO’s are, why they’re so popular, and even who they’re good for. But now I want to know the nitty gritty details.

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How do you actually decide if an MVNO is right for you? And if it is, how do you switch over without wanting to pull your hair out? We’ll tackle all of that and more right after the break. Don’t go anywhere.   All right, so we’re back and ready to dive into the $1,000,000 question. Is an MVNO actually right for me or they just like better for some people than others?

Speaker 2:  { 6:21 }

I mean, honestly, they’re definitely not for everyone, but for the right person they can be a total game changer.

Speaker 1:  { 6:26 }

OK, so how do I figure out if I’m that right person?

Speaker 2:  { 6:28 }

Well, the first step is to just like, take a look at your own cell phone habits.

Speaker 1:  { 6:31 }

Like what kind of stuff?

Speaker 2:  { 6:33 }

Like how much data do you actually use in a month? Are you a frequent traveler? How important is it to you to have like crazy fast data speeds all the time?

Speaker 1:  { 6:41 }

OK, yeah, those are really good points. I will admit that I’ve definitely been guilty of like going over my data limit before, especially when I was traveling and didn’t have good Wi-Fi.

Speaker 2:  { 6:51 }

And that is actually a great example of when an MVNO might not be the best fit.

Speaker 1:  { 6:57 }

How come?

Speaker 2:  { 6:58 }

Well, if you’re someone who uses a ton of data, or if you’re constantly in areas with spotty coverage, you’re probably going to be better off sticking with one of the bigger carriers.

Speaker 1:  { 7:07 }

That makes sense. So if someone’s using their phone as like a mobile hotspot all the time, they might want to skip the MVNO.

Speaker 2:  { 7:12 }

Pretty much, yeah.

Speaker 1:  { 7:13 }

Gotcha, so in that case then who are MVNO is a good fit for?

Speaker 2:  { 7:16 }

So the articles we’ve got here mention a few different groups like first and most obviously budget conscious consumers are going to love MVNO’s.

Speaker 1:  { 7:25 }

Because of the savings.

Speaker 2:  { 7:26 }

Exactly. I mean, we’re talking serious money here.

Speaker 1:  { 7:29 }

Like potentially hundreds of dollars a year.

Speaker 2:  { 7:31 }

Easily. And we’ve already talked about students and people who are new to credit, but yeah, for those folks, the no contract and no credit check options are a lifesaver.

Speaker 1:  { 7:41 }

For sure. It’s like this whole other world of possibilities opens up for people.

Speaker 2:  { 7:46 }

And we can’t forget about the light data users out there, the people who are mostly using Wi-Fi at home and at work. Like if you just need a phone for calls and the occasional Google search.

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And MVNO could be like the perfect way to stay connected without breaking the bank.

Speaker 1:  { 8:00 }

It’s crazy how affordable some of these plans are.  OK, so let’s say I’ve done like a little self-assessment here. I’ve looked at my cell phone bill. I’ve thought about my data usage. I’ve weighed my options and I’ve decided that yeah, an MVNO is definitely the way to go. Now what? How do I actually make the switch?

Speaker 2:  { 8:18 }

I know it can seem kind of daunting, but honestly switching to an MVNO is usually pretty painless.

Speaker 1:  { 8:24 }

Oh, thank goodness.

Speaker 2:  { 8:25 }

Like the first thing you’ll need to do is just double check that your phone is actually compatible, right?

Speaker 1:  { 8:29 }

Because of the whole GSM versus CDMA situation.

Speaker 2:  { 8:34 }

You got it. You need to make sure your phone supports the right network technology for the MVNO you’re thinking about. And actually cell phone plans. Wiki has this really cool tool on their website. They do? Yeah. It’s super helpful. You just type in your phone’s IME number and it’ll tell you instantly which MVNO will work. Yeah. So that’ll save you a lot of time and hassle.

Speaker 1:  { 8:53 }

No more calling customer service and getting put on hold forever.

Speaker 2:  { 8:56 }

Exactly.

{ 8:57 }

And once you’ve figured out the compatibility thing, it’s basically just choosing the plan that works best for you and then porting your number over and popping in a new SIM card.

Speaker 1:  { 9:06 }

OK, so it doesn’t sound too bad.

Speaker 2:  { 9:08 }

Nope, and a lot of MVNOS let you do the whole thing online in like 5 minutes.

Speaker 1:  { 9:12 }

That’s amazing. Technology is pretty great sometimes.

Speaker 2:  { 9:15 }

I know, right? And you know, one other thing that I thought was really interesting from these articles was how much they emphasized coverage maps.

Speaker 1:  { 9:22 }

Coverage Maps.

Speaker 2:  { 9:23 }

Yeah, like even though you’re technically using one of the big carrier networks with an MBNO, the actual coverage can still be different.

Speaker 1:  { 9:30 }

Right, because not all MBNO’s have agreements with all the major carriers.

Speaker 2:  { 9:34 }

Exactly. And this is something that’s going to be especially important for anyone who travels a lot or for people who live out in more rural area.

Speaker 1:  { 9:41 }

Yeah, you don’t end up in the middle of nowhere with no bars.

Speaker 2:  { 9:44 }

Exactly. So always, always always check the coverage map before you commit to anything.

Speaker 1:  { 9:49 }

Makes sense. All right, So we’ve talked about how to know if an MVNO is a good fit and we’ve gone through the steps of how to actually make the switch.

{ 9:58 }

But I have to ask, are there any downsides? Like you can’t all be sunshine and roses and cheaper cell phone bills.

Speaker 2:  { 10:06 }

Right. You’re right. There are definitely some trade-offs to keep in mind.

Speaker 1:  { 10:09 }

Like what?

Speaker 2:  { 10:10 }

Well, remember how we were talking about network priority earlier?

Speaker 1:  { 10:13 }

Yeah, with the whole rush hour on the data highway thing. Yep.

Speaker 2:  { 10:16 }

So in some cases you might find that your data speeds are slower even when it’s not a peak time.

Speaker 1:  { 10:21 }

What come?

Speaker 2:  { 10:22 }

Because some MVNO’s actually have data caps or throttling in place.

Speaker 1:  { 10:27 }

Even on plans that they advertise as unlimited.

Speaker 2:  { 10:30 }

Yeah, sometimes.

Speaker 1:  { 10:31 }

That’s so frustrating.

Speaker 2:  { 10:32 }

I know it’s like, what’s the point of having an unlimited plan if they’re just going to slow you down anyway?

Speaker 1:  { 10:36 }

Exactly.

Speaker 2:  { 10:37 }

So that’s just something to be aware of, like definitely read the fine print and make sure you really understand what you’re signing up for.

Speaker 1:  { 10:44 }

OK, so always read the fine print.

Speaker 2:  { 10:45 }

Always. What else? Another thing that you might want to consider is the customer service situation.

Speaker 1:  { 10:52 }

Oh yeah, how’s that work?

Speaker 2:  { 10:54 }

Well, some MBN OS are known for having amazing customer service, but others are notorious for having really long wait times and not so great support.

Speaker 1:  { 11:04 }

So it’s kind of a gamble then?

Speaker 2:  { 11:06 }

Sorta it’s like with any service provider. You just never know what you’re going to get. And then the last thing I’ll say is that MBN OS typically don’t offer the same kind of perks that you might get with a traditional carrier.

Speaker 1:  { 11:18 }

Like what kind of perk?

Speaker 2:  { 11:19 }

Like free streaming subscriptions, discounts on international roaming, early access to new phone releases, that kind of stuff. Oh.

Speaker 1:  { 11:26 }

OK. So basically it’s like you’re trading those extra bills and whistles for potentially big cost savings.

Speaker 2:  { 11:31 }

Exactly. So it just depends what’s more important to you.

Speaker 1:  { 11:34 }

Awesome. OK. So we’ve covered a lot of ground here. We’ve talked about the potential savings, the importance of network compatibility and coverage, even some of the potential.  But there’s one more thing I’m curious about. Do we think this whole MVNO thing is the future of cellphone plans? Or is it just a passing trend? Let’s find out what the future holds when we come back for our final thought.

{ 11:57 }

So we spent a lot of time talking about MV and OS, all the good, the bad, like what they are, how they work, who they’re good for, who they’re not so good for. But the real question is, where do we go from here? Like, are MV and OS the future of cell phone plans, or are they just like, a fad? Yeah, it’s the $1,000,000 question, right? Yeah, It’s tough to say for sure, but I do think the articles we’ve looked at give us some pretty interesting clues. OK, So what are we thinking? What’s in the cards for the future of MV and OS?

Speaker 2:  { 12:22 }

Well, one thing’s for sure, the demand for more affordable and more flexible cell phone planes.  It’s not going away anytime soon.

Speaker 1:  { 12:31 }

Yeah, no kidding. Like people are tired of these contracts, right? And being stuck with a carrier they don’t even like.

Speaker 2:  { 12:37 }

Exactly.

Speaker 1:  { 12:38 }

And on top of that, no one wants to pay for a bunch of stuff they’re never even going to use, exactly like all those extra features.

Speaker 2:  { 12:43 }

It’s like, why am I paying for all of this if I never even use it? Exactly. And you know, with how much we all rely on our phones these days, it’s not really a luxury to have affordable data anymore.

Speaker 1:  { 12:53 }

It’s a necessity, absolutely.

Speaker 2:  { 12:54 }

Absolutely.

Speaker 1:  { 12:55 }

So where do NVN OS fit in with all of this?

Speaker 2:  { 12:58 }

Well, that’s where it gets really interesting because with 5G rolling out and becoming more and more available, we’re probably going to see a huge increase in competition between NVN OS. Oh.

Speaker 1:  { 13:08 }

Really. Like even more than there is now.

Speaker 2:  { 13:10 }

I think so, yeah. Especially since 5G is still kind of new and everyone’s trying to figure out the best way to use it.

Speaker 1:  { 13:16 }

Competition is usually a good thing, right?

Speaker 2:  { 13:18 }

Exactly. More options, better prices, it’s a win win for consumers. Love that.

Speaker 1:  { 13:24 }

So you’re saying that 5G could actually be a good thing for MVNOS?

Speaker 2:  { 13:27 }

It could be huge because the technology itself allows for a much more efficient use of network resources, which could actually help close that cost gap that MVNOS have always had with the bigger carriers. Oh.

Speaker 1:  { 13:40 }

That’s really interesting.

Speaker 2:  { 13:41 }

Yeah. So it’s like 5G is shaking things up, Yeah, and creating all these opportunities for new players and new business.

Speaker 1:  { 13:47 }

Models. I’m into it. I always love seeing new technology shake up an industry.

Speaker 2:  { 13:51 }

Me too, and that’s why I think the future of MPN OS is so exciting.

Speaker 1:  { 13:55 }

Because I had to see what happens. Like, will they keep getting bigger? Will the big carriers try to squeeze them out?

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Who knows?

Speaker 2:  { 14:01 }

Totally.

Speaker 1:  { 14:01 }

But either way, it’s a good time to be a customer, that’s for sure.

Speaker 2:  { 14:05 }

You got that right.

Speaker 1:  { 14:06 }

OK, so before we wrap up here, what’s like the main take away for our listeners? What should they do with all this new MPNO knowledge?

Speaker 2:  { 14:12 }

Honestly, I think the most important thing is just to be an informed consumer.

Speaker 1:  { 14:16 }

Yes, love that.

Speaker 2:  { 14:18 }

Like, don’t just blindly sign up for the first plan you see. Take your time, do your research, compare your options.

Speaker 1:  { 14:25 }

100% agree.

Speaker 2:  { 14:26 }

Figure out what’s actually important to you.

Speaker 1:  { 14:28 }

Because at the end of the day, you deserve to have a cell phone plan that meets your needs and fits your budget.

Speaker 2:  { 14:35 }

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Speaker 1:  { 14:36 }

And on that note, I think that’s about all the time we have for today. We’ve covered a ton of ground, learned all about MVNO’s, and who knows, maybe even discovered a new way to save money on our cell phone bills. So as always, thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay curious.

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