Spectrum Mobile, Xfinity Mobile, and Cox Mobile are all hybrid wireless services owned by cable companies Spectrum, Comcast, and Cox, respectively.
The wireless offerings are only available to customers who are using their cable services, and therefore only offered in regional areas where the cable companies provide service.
Spectrum and Xfinity both operate on Verizon's network combined with their respective networks of hotspot locations. Cox's service is still relatively new and being rolled out, but it is operating on Verizon's network as well.
Plan Information
Spectrum Mobile
Spectrum Mobile
Spectrum Mobile is available only to Spectrum home internet subscribers. If you cancel Spectrum home internet service in the future, you can keep the Spectrum Mobile lines, but with an additional $20/month access fee.
Currently Available Plans:
- Unlimited Plus (50GB high speed) - $39.99/month
- Unlimited (30GB high-speed) - $29.99/month
- Spectrum One - $49.99/month - Unlimited phone line (20GB high speed) and home internet bundle
- By the Gig - $14/GB
Plan Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: MVNO
- Plan Types Available: Phone
- Device Types Permitted: Phone
- Unlimited: Yes, but with high speed data caps
- High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: 5GB, then reduced speed
- Unlimited/Unlimited Plus: Reduced to 600 Kbps
- By the Gig: Reduced to 256 Kbps
- Throttling:
- Unlimited Plus: After 50GB, then 1 Mbps down/512 Kbps up
- Unlimited: After 30GB, then 1 Mbps down/512 Kbps up
- By the Gig: After 5GB/line, then 256 Kbps up/down
- Network Management:
- Unlimited Plus: 50GB
- Unlimited: 30GB
- By the Gig: 5GB
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- Unlimited Plus: 1080p
- Unlimited and By the Gig: 480p
- 5G Access: Yes, where available and with a compatible device
- eSIM: Yes
- Device Purchase Required: No
- Plan Period: Monthly
- International Roaming: Users will be charged international roaming rates for talk, text, and data-based upon the country.
- Domestic Roaming: None - use is limited to native Verizon towers (not domestic partners) and Spectrum's Wi-Fi hotspot network.
- Data Roll Over: Base data allotment for the by-the-gig plan does not roll-over.
- Overage Charges: None. If you are not on the unlimited plan, data is $14/GB. Customers can switch to Unlimited mid-month.
- Lines Permitted per Account: 5
- Extras: None
Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile is available to all Xfinity customers with a postpaid subscription to a residential Xfinity Internet service. So if you do not have Comcast cables in a stationary neighborhood, this service is not available to you.
If you cancel Xfinity residential home internet service, you can keep the Xfinity Mobile lines, but with an additional $20/month access fee.
Xfinity mobile also allows tablets and smartwatches for an additional $10/month.
Currently Available Plans:
- By the Gig Plan - 10 GB, $60/month
- Unlimited Intro (20GB high speed) - $45/month
- Unlimited Plus (30GB high speed) - $55/month
- Unlimited Premium (50GB high speed) - $65/month
Plan Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon & Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots
- Carrier Relationship: MVNO
- Plan Types Available: Smartphones, tablets, watches
- Device Types Permitted: Smartphones, tablets, watches
- Unlimited: Yes, but with high-speed data caps
- High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes
- Unlimited Intro: Always throttled to 600 Kbps.
- Unlimited Plus: 5GB
- Unlimited Premium: 15GB
- Throttling: After high speed caps, speeds are reduced to 1.5 Mbps download/750 kbps upload.
- Network Management: Always
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- By-The-Gig plans: 720p phones; 1080p tablets.
- Unlimited Intro: 480p.
- Unlimited Plus and Premium: 720p
- 5G Access: Yes, where 5G is available and with a 5G capable device
- eSIM: Yes
- Device Purchase Required: No
- Plan Period: Monthly
- International Roaming: Yes, but fees apply.
- Domestic Roaming: None.
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: None.
- Lines permitted per account: 10
- Extras:
Cox Mobile
Cox Mobile
Cox Mobile is the newest cable-owned MVNO, owned by Cox Communications. Cox operates in 18 states and only Cox Communications customers are eligible to sign up for Cox Mobile service.
They offer an Unlimited plan and a by-the-gig plan..
Currently Available Plans:
- Gig Unlimited (20GB high speed) - $45/month
- Pay As You Gig - $15/GB
Plan Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: MVNO
- Plan Types Available: Phone
- Device Types Permitted: Phone
- Unlimited: Yes, but with high speed data caps
- High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Not specified
- Throttling:
- Gig Unlimited: After 20GB speeds are reduced to 1.5 Mbps down/750 kbps up.
- Pay As You Gig: After 5GB speeds are reduced to 1.5 Mbps down/750 kbps up.
- Network Management: Not specified, but likely
- Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
- 5G Access: Yes
- eSIM: Not specified
- Device Purchase Required: Yes
- Plan Period: Monthly
- International Roaming:Not specified
- Domestic Roaming: Not specified
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines permitted per account: Not specified
- Extras:
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Here's our video going over ways to get LOTS of data for use in your travels:
But a data plan alone will not keep you online. You also need the right gear, signal enhancing strategy and planning your travels around the options you carry with you. Head on over to our collection of guides:
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