Overview: Red Pocket Mobile, Mango Mobile, Black Wireless, UNREAL Mobile, FreedomPop (Cellular Data Plans)

Red Pocket Mobile

Red Pocket Mobile is an MVNO that offers plans on the Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T networks.

They offer both voice/text/data plans and data-only plans, and their plans can be used on any device that runs on a SIM card. Red Pocket has stated that they will not attempt to block or prohibit the use of any mobile devices.

Red Pocket's plan labeling correlates with the underlying network being used on the plan:

• GSMT = T-Mobile
• GSMA = AT&T
• CDMA = Verizon

They also offer International Data Plans for either $9/ first GB, then $8/GB for 30days or $15/ first GB then $14/GB for 30days - dependent on country of travel.

Plan Information

Currently Available Plans

Smartphone Plans

• 100GB - $50/month (AT&T)
• 50GB - $50/month (T-Mobile & Verizon)
• 25GB - $40/month (AT&T & T-Mobile)
• 12GB - $40/month (Verizon)
• 10GB - $30/month (All carriers)
• 3GB - $20/month (All carriers)
• Annual plans and eBay exclusive plans also available.

Data Only Plans (Available on AT&T only)

• 20GB - $40/month
• 5GB - $25/month
• 1GB - $10/month

Global Data Plans

• Explorer (50 countries): 1GB - $9/month; Additional data can be purchased for $8/GB
• Jetsetter (150 countries): 1GB - $15/month; Additional data can be purchased for $14/GB

Business Plans

• Unlimited Everything - $30/month
• Enhanced Unlimited Everything - $45/month

Business Plans require a minimum of 5 lines and have 25GB of high speed data per month.

Refer-A-Friend Program

In April 2020, Red Pocket introduced a Refer-A-Friend program. Current subscribers who refer a friend will receive an account credit up to $25 (depending on which plan they are on). The referred friend/new subscriber will receive an account credit as well. The referral program is only available on monthly plans, not on multi-month or annual plans. Current subscribers can find their unique referral code in their online account dashboard.

Plan Specifications:

• Carrier Networks Used: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
• Carrier Relationship: MVNO
• Plan Types Available: Phone, Data Only
• Device Types Permitted: Any
• Unlimited: Technically - yes, but with high-speed data caps.
• High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes, all data on plans can be used as hotspot data, but availability depends on the network and device.
  • CDMA (Verizon): iOS devices only.
  • GSMT (T-Mobile) and GSMA (AT&T): Android and iOS devices.
• Throttling: Data is throttled to 2G speeds after plan's high-speed data bucket is used.
• Network Management: Always
• Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
• 5G Access: Yes, on GSMT (T-Mobile) and GSMA (AT&T), on eligible devices only. 
• Device Purchase Required: No. 
• Plan Period: Monthly, annual
• International Roaming: None - 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands only. They do offer separate plans with separate pricing for International travelers.
• Domestic Roaming: No
• Data Roll Over: No
• Overage Charges: None
• Lines permitted per account: 5
• Extras: None

FreedomPop

FreedomPop offers plans on the AT&T network. They were acquired by RedPocket Mobile in 2019.

Freedom Pop has offered many iterations of plans in its history as a company - and plans can change frequently and without warning.

They currently offer one smartphone plan with unlimited data, or a customizable smartphone plan where you can chose either 1, 4, or 10GB of data. 

Plan Specifications:

• Carrier Networks Used: AT&T 
• Carrier Relationship: MVNO
• Plan Types Available: Phone
• Device Types Permitted: Phones
• Unlimited: No
• High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes, but only on certain SIMs
• Throttling: No
• Network Management: Always prioritized behind native postpaid customers.
• Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
• 5G Access: No
• Device Purchase Required: No
• Plan Period: Monthly
• International Roaming: None
• Domestic Roaming: None
• Data Roll Over: No
• Overage Charges: Yes - if you go over your text, voice, or data limit you are automatically billed for extra.
• Lines permitted per account: 10, with all lines on an account sharing in a data bucket. $5 fee per line.

UNREAL Mobile

UNREAL Mobile is an AT&T based MVNO which first began service in June 2018. They were purchased by RedPocket in 2019.

Plan Information

UNREAL offers smartphone-based plans with hotspot data and permits use of their SIMs in hotspot devices.

UNREAL tends to advertise 'unlimited data', but that advertisement really means unlimited 2G speed data. You still need to select a capped amount of LTE speed data and add that cost to the base $10 'unlimited 2G data' price.

Currently Available Plans

UNREAL offers single month, 3-month, or 12-month plan commitments. Plans are available on the AT&T or T-Mobile networks and include 5G access. The 50GB plan is only available on the AT&T network. 

• 50GB (AT&T only) - $60/month
• 12GB (AT&T or T-Mobile) - $40/month
• Also offers 3 and 12 month plan bundles

Be careful when selecting a plan - there is often a 'promo' pricing period, after which costs go up to 'regular' pricing. 

History

Prior to acquisition by RedPocket, UNREAL offered a choice of refurbished Sprint-based hotspots for use with plans offered on the Sprint network. When UNREAL was acquired by RedPocket, Sprint customers were migrated to Ting - and offered a promo pricing scheme on Ting. 

Plan Specifications:

• Carrier Networks Used: AT&T, T-Mobile
• Carrier Relationship: MVNO
• Plan Types Available: Phone
• Device Types Permitted: Can use SIM in any device
• Unlimited: No
• High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes
• Throttling: Data is throttled to 2G (~80kbps) speeds after the plan's data bucket is used.
• Network Management: None
• Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
• 5G Access: Yes, with a compatible device
• Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
• Plan Period: 1, 3, or 12-month plans available
• International Roaming: None - 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands only
• Domestic Roaming: None
• Data Roll Over: Roll-over of 500MB is included in plans over 5GB. Roll-over data feature for 1GB roll-over can be added for $$.
• Overage Charges: There are no overage charges for these plans. Once you use your data speeds are slowed to 2G until the next billing period.
• Lines permitted per account: 1
• Extras: 
  • Adblocking on Android phones
  • Free VPN service (PC, MAC, and Android only)
  • A companion app that allows VOIP voice calls on other devices (like tablets)

Mango Mobile currently offers plans with very small high-speed data buckets on the T-Mobile network. 

History

In early February of 2020, it was noted that Mango Mobile was offering a multi-month plan on the T-Mobile network.

This plan offered 50GB of on-device high-speed data and an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data on top of that.

However, the plan was only available for a few weeks. As of 2/26/2020, Mango Mobile's multi-month plan was no longer available on their site - the multi-month plan had disappeared from their site completely, leaving the largest data bucket available on any plan to be only 3GB.

Multi-Month Plan Details 

This plan is no longer available.

While available, this multi-month plan was could be purchased in increments of 3-months, 6-months, 9-months, or 12-months and was offered with a promotional price of $25/month (normally $40/month). An additional discount on their 6-month plan, brought the monthly cost to only $16.67/month ($100 total). Data on this plan was partitioned - 50GB was available for on-device data, and 20B was available at hotspot data.The multi-month plan also came with unlimited talk/text, and international calling to 50 countries.

Black Wireless

Black Wireless offers plans on the AT&T network.

Currently Available Plans

• 10GB - $30/month
• 22GB - $40/month

Plan Specifications:

• Carrier Networks Used: AT&T
• Carrier Relationship: MVNO
• Plan Types Available: Phone
• Device Types Permitted: Phones
• Unlimited: No
• High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes, all data can be used as mobile hotspot.
• Throttling: Data is throttled to 128kbps speed after the plan's high speed data cap is reached.
• Network Management: Unknown, but likely
• Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
• 5G Access: No
• Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
• Plan Period: 1, 6, or 12-month plans available
• International Roaming: None 
• Domestic Roaming: None
• Data Roll Over: None
• Overage Charges: None
• Lines permitted per account: 1
• Extras:

History

In early February of 2020, it was noted that Black Wireless was offering a multi-month plan on the T-Mobile network.

These plans offered 50GB of on-device high-speed data, and an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data on top of that.

However, the plan was only available for a few weeks. As of 2/26/2020, Black Wireless' Multi-Month plan was no longer available on their site.