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| Picture source uk.businessinsider.com |
In 2017, Almost every major carrier in the United States announced revamped, tweaked, or entirely new unlimited data plans. Verizon, the nation’s largest in terms of total subscribers, brought back uncapped data for the first time in more than five years. T-Mobile and Sprint, both of which offered unlimited data before Verizon’s announcement, removed throttling schemes from their respective plans. And AT&T, the nation’s second-largest carrier, made unlimited data available to customers who don’t pay for DirecTV or U-verse.
We’ve broken down each of the major four carriers’ best unlimited data plans to see which offers the most bang for your buck. But before we dive in, consider this: Maybe an unlimited data plan isn’t ideal for you? We’ve also got guides to the best individual plans and the best family plans. Hoping to save a buck? We’ve got a guide to finding the best cheap phone plan, too.
It’s tough to choose a winner among four imperfect unlimited data plans, but one stands above the rest. We think that T-Mobile offers the best value for your money.
T-Mobile’s One plan is more than just an unlimited plan. Sure, subscribers get unlimited music, high-definition video streaming, and 10GB of tethering data, but they also get benefits that other carriers don’t offer. T-Mobile One customers get texting and data in 140 countries around the globe. Thanks to Binge On, they get the option to stream standard-definition videos without worrying about contributing to their throttle cap. Every Tuesday, subscribers get discounts on fast food, Lyft rides, movie tickets, and more.
And that’s to say nothing of T-Mobile’s excellent network. OpenSignal’s latest rankings put it among the top in terms of speed, 4G availability, and 4G latency.
For $70 a month, there’s no better unlimited plan out there. Verizon comes close. Its unlimited plan’s pricing ($80 for a single line), terms, and geographic reach the rank of best in class. But T-Mobile’s extras — in addition to its plan price with included taxes and fees — put it over the finish line.
| Carrier | Price | Throttling cap | Tethering | Other extras |
| T-Mobile | $70-$180 | 50GB | 10GB | T-Mobile Tuesdays, free Netflix subscription, international data and calling |
| Verizon | $75-$240 | 22GB; video throttled to 480p/720p/1080p or 10Mbps | 15GB | |
| Sprint | $60-$240 | 50GB; music throttled to 1.5Mbps, gaming throttled to 8Mbps | 15GB | Free Amazon Prime, Hulu, Tidal subscriptions |
| AT&T | $70-$190 | 22GB | n/a | Over 30 live TV channels with Watch TV service |
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