Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Cricket Wireless Buyer’s Guide

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A growing number of US consumers are becoming familiar with Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) like Metro, Boost Mobile, and Straight Talk. They operate using the towers and infrastructure from the big players but have their own rates, customer service, and phone selection.

Let’s take a look at one of them in particular: Cricket Wireless

About

Cricket Wireless (Cricket) initially launched in 1999 and is a US-based prepaid wireless service provider; it’s a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. It offers its own lineup of GSM phones, many of which are also found at other carriers. As one might expect, it uses AT&T for its coverage.

Does Cricket have any special deals?

Currently you can find a number of phones discounted with new phone numbers, upgrades, and porting your existing number. Some models are even free with the right combination of port-in and signing up for a particular rate plan.

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For a limited time, Cricket subscribers can purchase the Samsung Galaxy S9 for just $275, which normally runs $600.

Additionally, Cricket has discounted phones from Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung with some of them (Galaxy J2 Pure, Moto E5 Cruise) free with a plan.

What are Cricket rate plans like?

Cricket rate plans are no-contract, meaning you can go month-to-month with no long-term agreement or cancellation fees. Moreover, they do not charge for going over your allotted data and taxes are included in the cost.

  • $30/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with 2GB of high-speed data
  • $40/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with 5GB of high-speed data
  • $55/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with unlimited data
  • $60/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with unlimited high-speed data 15GB mobile hotspot

Customers can get the $40+ rate plans for $5 less per month with automatic bill payment. Cricket Core ($55) data speeds are limited to a max of 3Mbps while the Cricket More ($60) includes up to 15GB Mobile Hotspot data per line per month.

Can you get family plans with Cricket?

Customers interested in family plans or multiple lines can do so with discounted pricing. On the $55 Unlimited Plan you can add more lines at the following monthly rate:

  • 2 Lines – $80/mo ($30 discount)
  • 3 Lines – $90/mo ($75 discount)
  • 4 Lines – $100/mo ($120 discount)
  • 5 lines – $125/mo ($150 discount)

It’s worth reinforcing here that this is not the all-out, high-speed 4G LTE stuff you might expect. Rather, you’ll find it’s capped at 3Mbps speeds. This may be more than sufficient for many of you, especially if you’re not primarily using your phone for watching streaming videos.

Which major prepaid carrier has the best $40 rate plan?

Are there any other Cricket features or offerings?

Cricket offers a handful of other options to its customers, most of which can pair with the aforementioned rate plans. Details here include international calling, insurance against lost and stolen phones, extra data, and mobile hotspot.

Cricket also sells Data Only options with 3GB, 10GB, and 30GB buckets for $25, $35, and $70, respectively.

What phones are available at Cricket?

Taking a look at the current lineup of phones offered through Cricket we find familiar names from brands like LG, Samsung, and Motorola. There are also devices from the likes of Nokia, Alcatel, and Coolpad, too.

Like most prepaid providers, phone selection skews toward affordability as opposed to performance. With that said, we do recognize there are some compelling devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the Moto G7 Supra.

Can I use my own phone at Cricket?

You can often use your current GSM phone, especially if it was previously paired with AT&T. Head to Cricket’s website to check whether your specific model is supported. You’ll want to ensure that your phone is unlocked prior to purchasing the SIM card kit currently priced at just $10.

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