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What You Need to Know About the Best Mobile Phone Plans on the Market
Post Date Apr 13, 2023

What You Need to Know About the Best Mobile Phone Plans on the Market

With so many unlimited cell phone plans and providers vying for your money, it’s difficult to tell which will give you the best cell phone plan for your needs. The best cell phone plans from the overpriced wireless companies all clamber, “Pick me!” with promises of low cost, unlimited cell phone plans. But do you really need an unlimited amount of data?

About data and today's cell phone plans

Woman holding her phone looking to the left

Most of the cheap cell phone plans and the best cell phone plans available today feature unlimited data plans. And the majority of cell phone plans that feature unlimited data all have what’s called as a deprioritization threshold (also known as a data cap).

This cap will temporarily slow data speeds at a certain point and, if you reach it, your activities like web browsing, watching videos on Facebook, etc., might be slower than you’re used to.

But honestly, it takes a lot to reach that cap!

The reality of data and today's best cell phone plans

Woman holding a phone and a bluetooth speaker

The standard data deprioritization (data cap) threshold is 23GB, but most people use just 2-5GB per billing cycle. Even if you’re on the high end, at 5GB, that’s 18GB left on the table. The result is that you end up paying a hefty monthly cost for something you aren’t using.

And that’s a waste of your hard-earned money.

Just ask this customer

Man sitting on a couch and looking at his phone

One of new customers that switched to us from Verizon shared their cell phone bill with us. The customer had one of the unlimited data plans and the cell phone bill showed the account holder paying $70 a month for 8GB of data, plus an extra 6.128GB. That’s just over 14GB of data.

Now, on the bill under shared data the account holder had used just 3.7GB – across three devices – in the past month. (There's no way they'd ever hit the data cap!) With 14GB at their disposal that’s a lot of high speed data left unused for a cell phone plan that costs close to $100.

No wonder new customers are excited to switch over to our cell phone plans!  We offer unlimited talk and text and high speed data for a whole lot less. Because really, how much data do you really need?

The bottom line:

If you’re on a $70 a month plan which gives you up to 23GB of high speed data (remember that's the data cap), this means you’re paying $3.04 per GB of data. And if you’re using just under 4GB a month, you’re paying $57.40 per month for high speed data you’re not using. Ouch.

Are you thinking it's time to become one of PureTalk's new customers? We think so, too!

How to find out how much high speed data you’re really using on unlimited data plans

Couple sitting on a table looking at their phones

Check your paper bill

If you receive a paper bill from your cell phone plan provider, the data information is most likely on the second or third page of your invoice. If your cell phone plan provider doesn’t include it, you can call or go online to request a more detailed bill. You can also do the following:

Log into your account from your computer and check the Usage tab.

Download your provider’s app and check the Usage tab.

You can also call your provider from your wireless phone:

AT&T: Dial *3282#

T-Mobile: Dial #web#

Verizon: Dial #DATA

 Reasons to love data

Two women on a carnival, holding cotton candies and taking a selfie

High speed data lets you check in on your friends and family via Facetime and Facebook. It lets you send pictures of your new apartment to your best friend and get pictures of her new ride via text messages.

Data allows you tune in to your favorite podcasts, stream your favorite music, and watch as many movies as you like. And of course, it lets you read and respond to email, shop online, and even shop IRL – in real life – by getting you to your destination using Google Maps.

High speed data is the secret sauce that fuels almost everything you love to do

Woman sitting on a couch looking at her phone

Data is the secret sauce that fuels almost everything you love to do and because it does, you might think you need a lot of it.

Funnily enough, you don’t. (Really. You're never going to hit that data cap.)

Web Browsing:

Woman holding her phone and acting surprised

If you spend a lot of time on the Internet shopping or doing research, reading, checking sports scores, or making travel reservations, it’s quite possible to believe these activities take up a lot of data.

But the fact is that they don’t.

In fact, even if you spent most of your time on photo-heavy websites, which use more data than those with lots of text, you still wouldn’t come close to the 23GB data threshold. And, more importantly, you wouldn’t even come close to going beyond the 2-5GB most people use per billing cycle. So do you really need an unlimited data plan?

Let's break web browsing down:

One hour of web browsing = 60MB of data

60MB of data = 0.06GB

 Facebook:

Tourist leaning against a blue wall and holding his phone

Once again, it’s easy to assume that because you can easily get sucked into Facebook it uses a lot of high speed data. It really doesn’t.

An hour scrolling through posts from your high school friends, neighbors you used to live next door to, far flung family members (or those you wish were far flung!), and community groups, uses about 80MB of high speed data. That’s more than shopping online or doing research, but only because Facebook has so many photos on it.

And an hour on Facebook watching cat videos, clips of Dancing with the Stars, and footage of puppies so cute you could cry, uses just 160MB of high speed data.

That's not a lot of data consumption which tell us that you don't really need the expense of an unlimited data plan.

One hour browsing on Facebook = 80MB of data

80MB of data = 0.08GB

One hour watching videos on Facebook = 160MB

160MB = 0.16GB

 FaceTime:

Two women taking a selfie

FaceTime is great for dozens of activities. Keeping up with your kids, viewing prospective vacation properties from afar, and staying in touch with family and friends. And, like web browsing, it doesn’t use a lot of high speed data.

One hour FaceTime call = 85MB of data

85MB of data = 0.085GB

Listening to Podcasts:

Man listening to music

The typical podcast uses about 1MB of high speed data per minute. So, if you’re listening to a 60-minute show, you’ll use about 60MB of data. That’s so little data, you might as well listen to several episodes in a row!

One hour podcast = 60MB of data

60MB of data = 0.06GB

 Let’s tally it up:

60MB for 1-hour of web browsing + 80MB for 1-hour of Facebook browsing + 160MB for 1-hour watching videos on Facebook + 85MB for 1-hour on FaceTime + 60MB to listen to a 1-hour podcast = 445MB or 0.445GB

That’s not even half a gigabyte.

And it’s nowhere near the 1,000MB that equals 1GB.

 The best cell phone plan is the one that respects what you really need

Woman listening to music

There’s a reason most people use only 2-5GB of data per billing cycle. And that’s because you’d have to spend every waking moment, 24-hours a day, seven days a week, online to exceed that amount.

The average consumer doesn’t spend 24-hours, seven days a week online.

That’s why the average consumer doesn’t need a $50, $60, or $70 a month unlimited high speed data cell phone plan. Save money and switch to H2O Wireless. Ours are among the best cell phone plans of 2023.

 Why H2O Wireless?

H2O’s premium wireless plans start at just $25 a month!

Just $25 a line. No kidding.

At just $25 a line, H2O Wireless gives you great coverage, more than enough data, and unlimited international talk and text (plus a $5 international talk credit), so you can keep in touch with family and friends around the globe and they can keep in touch with you! Plus, we offer a tremendous selection of the latest iPhones and Androids at prices that let you get the phone you love.

Enjoy Multi-Line Savings

Connect your friends and family to get Multi-Line savings with 2 lines for $50 or 4 lines for $100. Each line comes with 6 GB of LTE data so you can stream, listen, and do what you do at $25 per line.

Here’s Exactly What Every Line Gets...

  • 6 GB of LTE Data
  • Unlimited Data, Talk & Text
  • Unlimited International Talk to 70 Countries
  • Unlimited International Text
  • $5 International Talk Credit

Here’s Exactly What You Don’t Get…

  • Contracts
  • Hassles
  • Headaches!

What our customers are saying…

 “I have been using H2O prepaid service for more than 3 years. I get a good connection in the mid-west and other places I have visited in the US, with no dropped calls. I only recharge when my balance is low and never had any issue with their customer service. I have contacted their customer service on few occasions, and they’ve been most helpful.”

With H2O Wireless, you get the best cell phone coverage for less and the best unlimited plans – not to mention the most cost-effective, realistically priced unlimited plans – anywhere.

Or, choose our 12 month plan for just $8.33 a month!

With H2O Wireless’ 12 Month Plan, you purchase service once and you’re done for the year. No worrying about missing a payment or tracking the expense. You simply make a one-time payment of $100 using your credit or debit card, and that’s it. Our 12 Month Plan breaks down to crazy low $8.33 a month, and gives you an entire year of unlimited talk and text, as well as 1GB of high-speed data every month. There are no other payments to make or additional steps to take. Plus there’s no contract and no hidden fees.

Let’s look at “unlimited data”

With so many cellular phone businesses vying for your money, it’s difficult to tell which you can trust. The overpriced services clamber, “Pick me!” with promises of low cost, unlimited data plansBut do you really need an unlimited amount of data? Will you use all of that data? Maybe. But if you don’t, guess what? You still have to pay for it.

If you’re on a $70 a month plan which gives you up to 23GB of data it means you’re paying $3.04 per GB of data. And if you’re using just 4GB a month (which is what most people typically use), you’re paying $57.40 per month for data you’re not using. Ouch.   

The truth is…

Most people use just 2-5GB of data per billing cycle, and that’s because you’d have to spend every waking moment, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week online to exceed that amount. The average consumer doesn’t do that, and that’s why the average consumer doesn’t need a $50, $60 or $70 a month unlimited plan!

At H2O Wireless, we don’t think you should pay for data you don’t need and aren’t going to use.

That’s why we’re proud to offer you plans starting as low as $18 a month (with auto pay) for unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data.

Need more data one month? Simply go into your account portal and add more. When next month rolls around, if you need less data, you can go right back into your portal and reduce it. Simply log onto PureTalk.com, click on My Account, and select Manage My Data. Make your changes, save them, and log out. It’s that simple.

Plus, H2O Wireless Connects You to the World

Each H2O Wireless Monthly Unlimited Plan includes unlimited international talk to 70 Countries (including China and Mexico), unlimited text to any country in the world, and up to $5 international talk credit depending on the plan you select. 

Purchase these features whenever you need:

International Talk

You can purchase International Talk for your plan for $5 or $10. Simply log into your account to make this purchase.

International Roaming

You can purchase International Roaming for your plan. This can be used for talk minutes, text, or MMS.

5G / 4G Data

You can purchase additional high speed data for your plan. Get 2GB for $10 or 5GB for $20.

Hotspot Data

Share your cellular data via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB using laptops, tablets, and more by purchasing Hotspot Data for your plan. Get 2GB for $10, 5GB for $20, or 10GB for $30.

What our customers are saying:

“I have had H2O monthly unlimited for a few years now. I use WIFI and Data interchangeably, and don't even think about it. My data is unlimited, and even if I stream videos or the news to my phone any time I want, I have never had it slow down.”

More reasons to love H2O Wireless: Refer a Friend

When you join H2O Wireless, you can take advantage of our Refer a Friend (RAF) referral program. It enables you to share the H2O love and lower your bill! Share the H2O love with enough friends, and you might not even have a bill.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Spread the Word

Get your unique referral link, then send it to friends and family.

Step 2: Sign Them Up

Help your friend select an H2O Wireless Plan.

Step 3: Get Rewarded

Once your friend activates their H2O service, you each get rewarded with $20 in RAF rewards points.

RAF Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Refer a Friend Program?

Refer a Friend is the H2O® Wireless referral program in which you and a friend get $20 of H2O points for each activated referral.

When are H2O points applied to my account?

When the person referred activates their H2O Wireless service your rewards points will be applied. Please note: For Port-Ins, points will be received within 1-5 business days.

Do I get referral points if I just tell a friend about H2O?

No. They need to use your referral link.

How many people can I refer?

You can refer up to 10 people per month, which is a total of 120 referrals per year, for thousands of dollars’ worth of reward points. So many rewards points they might pay for your H2O service!

More reasons to love H2O Wireless: Bring Your Own Phone

Have a phone you love? H2O Wireless makes it easy to bring it with you. Simply join H2O Wireless and, at checkout, choose eSIM. Like a physical SIM card, but without the 3-5 day wait for a physical card to arrive, eSIM enables you to use your new service much faster. In fact, you can activate your service right after checking out. Of course, before you select eSIM, make sure your phone is eSIM compatible by reviewing the list below.

Is my phone eSIM compatible?

eSIM compatible phone models include:

  • iPhone XS series
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone 11 series
  • iPhone SE 2nd gen
  • iPhone 12 series

What our customers are saying…

 “I have been using H2O prepaid service for more than 3 years. I get a good connection in the mid-west and other places I have visited in the US, with no dropped calls. I only recharge when my balance is low and never had any issue with their customer service. I have contacted their customer service on few occasions, and they’ve been most helpful.”

“I have had H2O monthly unlimited for a few years now. I use WIFI and Data interchangeably, and don't even think about it. My data is unlimited, and even if I stream videos or the news to my phone any time I want, I have never had it slow down.”

“My phone is an unlocked, international version Samsung. I pay $28 a month at H2O and get a service that is literally unlimited in every way. A special bonus with this plan, is that I get international texting - which I was unable to achieve with T-Mobile, Sprint or AT&T.”

With H2O Wireless it’s easy to stay connected to your family, friends, work, your favorite shows, podcasts, news outlets – your whole world – for less. That’s what makes us refreshingly. different. wireless.

See for yourself today!