With carriers from the Big Three (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) to mobile virtual network operators or MVNOs like Spectrum and Xfinity Mobile, introducing new plans every now and then, it's hard to keep up with what exactly they are offering, so wireless services marketplace Navi is here to help.
Entry-Level, which is affordable and offers a large amount of deprioritized data and not a lot of perks, such as AT&T's Unlimited Starter, Spectrum's Unlimited Plus, T-Mobile's Essentials, Verizon's 5G Start, and UScellular's Unlimited Basic.
Value, which is a new category of cheap plans and hooks you up with a generous amount of deprioritized data, such as AT&T's Value Plus, Spectrum's Unlimited, T-Mobile's Base Essentials, Verizon's Welcome Unlimited, and Xfinity's Unlimited.
So, what is deprioritized data and what perks are we talking about?
Data deprioritization happens when the data speed is reduced for a subset of customers during times of heavy network congestion. Customers on deprioritized data plans can expect to enjoy the fastest 4G or 5G speeds during times when there is no network congestion.
Customers who subscribe to premium data plans are prioritized over others and they don't have to worry about slowdown when a network is busy. A good many carriers offer plans which include both premium and deprioritized data.
At the lowest end of the speed spectrum is so-called 3G data which tests your patience with 3G speeds, but such plans usually do also include a limited amount of deprioritized high-speed data.
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Other than what sort of unlimited data you are getting, you should also evaluate plans on the basis of extras such as hotspot data speeds and any included streaming services such as Disney+ and Apple Arcade. Other things to consider include international capabilities such as whether you will be able to call, text, and surf when you are in another country, and whether the overall plan prices include taxes or not.
With me so far? To simplify all of this and help consumers really make an apples-to-apples comparison, Navi has come up with a "Plan Score" and methodology to rank 15 postpaid unlimited plans from the six biggest carriers across seven features dimensions (amount of deprioritized data, amount of premium data, amount and type of hotspot data, video streaming quality, included streaming services, international services, and loyalty programs).
The features were provided a numeric score based on the value provided and each feature score was weighted according to its overall importance. The scores were totaled and adjusted for price, including taxes. The final scores were between the ranges of 0.58 (lowest value) and 1.30 (highest value).
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Navi has identified certain trends that have emerged in recent times. For instance, the Value category, which was introduced by AT&T in March, has risen considerably in popularity, and at one point in time, it was the most popular tier, presumably because people were looking to save money in whatever way they could. Interest in affordable plans still remain steady, and now entry-level and value plans account for half of all subscriptions, up from a third of customers before. This is of course based on Navi's users.
The best carrier for premium and mid-level plans: T-Mobile
After the whole exercise was done, Navi reached the conclusion that T-Mobile's premium and mid-level plans offer more than similar plans from rivals, providing 20 to 25 percent more price-adjusted feature value than similar plans from closest competitors Verizon or AT&T.
Top carriers for entry-level and value categories: Spectrum and Xfinity
Spectrum and Xfinity took the lead in entry-level and value categories. Their plans are only available to those who already subscribe to their home internet plans or new subscribers who reside in an area they serve and are interested in both home internet and mobile plans.
UScellular didn't top any category due to the way it allocates data. The thing with this carrier is that customers are guaranteed to face slowdowns when the network is busy, whereas that's not the case for premium customers of AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile.
Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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