Spectrum Mobile Review

So why should you get mobile service from your internet provider? Here are a few good reasons.

Unlimited data plans are where it’s at, especially in this world of data-sucking social media apps, streaming services, and mobile games. Unfortunately, these plans can get very pricey. But if you qualify for Spectrum Mobile, you’re in luck.

The company’s $30 unlimited data plan is among the cheapest in the industry, which is why Spectrum offers one of the best budget bundles. It’s also quite robust.

The plan gives you unlimited talk and text, truly unlimited data (with no caps), access to tons of high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots, free international calling and texting to certain locations, and mobile hotspot access. That’s like two scoops of ice cream with all the toppings.

If you’re the kind of person who buys your toilet paper one roll at a time instead of in bulk, you might be interested in Spectrum’s by-the-gig plan. It allows you to pay for just the data you use in any given month.

Spectrum Mobile customers who opt for the by-the-gig plan pay $20 per month for unlimited talk and text and the first gigabyte of data. Each gigabyte after that will cost another $5.

This can be perfect for folks who use 1–3GB of data a month, but after that you’ll actually be paying more for 4GB or more of data than you would for an unlimited data plan!

Spectrum Mobile doesn’t own its own cellular network. Instead, it uses Verizon Wireless’s cell phone towers to power its mobile service. That’s good news for Spectrum Mobile customers.

Verizon has the strongest network in the country, offering 4G LTE coverage even in rural pockets of the country. We’ll talk more about coverage further down in this Spectrum Mobile review.

Many discount providers and mobile virtual network providers (MVNOs), like Spectrum Mobile, skimp on the perks. But Spectrum offers decent additional benefits for its customers.

One of the most exciting perks that the company offers is mobile hotspot data. You can use up to 10GB of full-speed mobile hotspot data with Spectrum. After that, your hotspot speeds are reduced, making it hard to stream old episodes of Community or download big files.

You also get access to 5G coverage (if you have the right phone), Spectrum’s network of Wi-Fi networks, 2,000 free minutes of calling to Mexico and Canada, and free international texting from the U.S. Great news for those with family members abroad or remote workers interested in working while on vacay.

If you're interested in international plan perks, Tello Mobile offers free landline calling to over 60 countries. Check out our review of Tello vs. Spectrum Mobile to learn more.

Spectrum’s decently priced, high-powered plans are great, but there are a few caveats. Let’s dig into the things we don’t love so much.

As we’ve mentioned before in this Spectrum Mobile review, you have to be an existing customer of Spectrum home internet before you can sign up for the mobile service. Obviously, this is a huge hurdle for potential customers.

Even if you do qualify for the service, you should ask yourself if you want your mobile plan to be tied up with your home internet plan.

If you cancel your internet subscription and still want to maintain your mobile service, it's an extra $20 a month per line, and your Wi-Fi speeds get reduced to 5Mbps. Yikes.

Companies like AT&T and T-Mobile have several unlimited data phone plans on offer. Many MVNO providers, like Mint Mobile, offer a variety of mid-tier data plans. Meanwhile, Spectrum has just two plans: Unlimited and by the gig.

If one of these plans is just perfect for you, no problem. But if you’re looking for a company that offers you, and your family, more options, then you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Spectrum offers internet and mobile bundles for its Spectrum Internet Premier and Spectrum Internet Gig plans.

The Spectrum Internet Premier plan comes with up to 500Mbps download speed and one Spectrum Unlimited mobile line. This bundle costs $50 per month for the first 12 months, and then your internet and mobile plan increase by $30 each, so you end up paying $120 per month in the following year. If you want to add Spectrum’s live TV, Xumo stream box, and advanced Wi-Fi on top of this bundle, you can pay $70 per month for the first 24 months.

On the other hand, Spectrum’s Internet Gig plan with 1,000Mbps internet download speeds can also be bundled with mobile for $70 per month for the first 12 months, and then it goes up to $100 per month. For $10 extra dollars per month, you can add Spectrum’s live TV, Xumo stream box, and advanced Wi-Fi and get a two-year price guarantee.

The whole family uses your home internet service. So why shouldn’t everyone be on the same mobile service? You can add your spouse, kids, siblings, and other family members to your Spectrum Mobile plan.

You can even mix and match plans so that some lines are on an unlimited data plan and others share by the gig data. And don't forget to check out Spectrum's special deals before you sign up. You might snag a nice discount or free streaming service.

The big problem with Spectrum Mobile’s family plans is that they’re not actually cheaper than buying separate lines. So, yes, you can add your two kids to your unlimited data plan, but it will cost you an extra $60, exactly what you’d pay if you just bought them their own plans.

Spectrum Mobile uses Verizon's network to provide coverage. Lucky for Spectrum mobile users, Verizon is the best network in the country, covering 70% of the country.

There’s a catch, though—because Spectrum rents space on Verizon network, Verizon Wireless customers get priority over Spectrum Mobile customers. So if you’re ever in a space crammed with Verizon users, chances are you’ll see your service slow down. Otherwise, you can expect the same great network that Verizon customers enjoy.

Check out Verizon Wireless’s coverage map to see where you can get great Spectrum Mobile service.

Verizon averages download speeds of 32.2Mbps and upload speeds of 10.0Mbps, which lands Verizon just behind T-Mobile in terms of data speeds. Long story short Verizon's data speeds are plenty fast, but since Spectrum Mobile is an MVNO, it's possible that your data speeds can be throttled. Expect your data speeds to only slow down during peak-usage periods (usually in the evenings), but depending upon where you live, you might not experience much throttling.

If you can avoid throttling, you can expect fast data speeds on Verizon's network.

Are you still trying to navigate the world with that clunky, slow iPhone X? Maybe it’s time to upgrade. And the best time to get a killer deal on a new cell phone is when you’re signing up for a new plan.

You can bring your own device to Spectrum, or you can buy one from a Spectrum Mobile store. Here’s a look at the most popular phones that Spectrum Mobile sells.

Quick side note: Verizon uses a CDMA network, which means GSM phones may not work. However, some newer phones are capable of using either technology, so that may not be an issue.

What do real customers think about Spectrum? Smaller mobile carriers, like Spectrum Mobile, aren’t covered by major customer service reviewers, like the American Customer Satisfaction Index. But there are some other ways to evaluate a company’s customer service.

The Spectrum Mobile app, which allows you to check your data usage, pay your bills, and make basic changes to your account, scores well amongst users. It retains a 4.7-star rating in the Apple App Store and 4-star rating on the Google Play store.

But other customer ratings, like those on MoneySavingPro.com, skew highly negative. Most of the complaints seem to revolve around negative experiences with representatives over the phone and issues related to billing.

To Spectrum Mobile or not to Spectrum Mobile? That is the question. You’ll have to come up with the answer for yourself. Here’s a cheat sheet to help you decide.

• Plans: Spectrum offers two cell phone plans: an unlimited data option and a pay by-the-gig option. Both come with unlimited talk and text, a fair price tag, and tons of perks.

• Family Plans: You can add your family members to your Spectrum Mobile plan, but it doesn’t actually get you a discount.

• Coverage: Spectrum Mobile uses the nation’s best wireless network. You get great coverage and fast data speeds in pretty much every part of civilization.

We hope this Spectrum Mobile review has made your decision a little bit easier. If you’re ready to take the plunge, you can sign up for Spectrum Mobile right now.

We worked together with WhistleOut to figure out Spectrum Mobile’s best features and how it compares to other mobile carriers. We compared plans, price, fees, data caps, coverage, phones, and customer service.