Does anyone have a good experience with coverage in rural areas ( like Iowa for example) with a PAYG plan? Also need a text capability.
Any suggestions, recommendations would be appreciated.
Given that the MVNOs are still reliant on the major company’s networks, the approach should be to look at Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint coverage maps for the rural areas in context.
From that, make an order of which is most to least preferred. Then look up which MVNOs operate on their network.
@mike808 Also Net 10 and Straight Talk. I have used both of these. Net 10 is owned now by Trackphone. Straight Talk can use Verizon or AT&T depending on the sim you buy. I pay $35/mo for 2gig of data and unlimited calling with Straight Talk. I used to use Net10 but it was $10 more a month once Straight Talk dropped their rate. With that I think they use which ever network is stronger where ever you are using it (might want to check that).
Rural areas can be a crap shoot. When I lived in my friend’s shed in the boonies it was 0 bars regardless of whom inside the house, 1 bar outside (and internet was 3mbps) with dead areas. That was on any network. Here (also rural but at least there is a town and small college) I get 2 bars and sometimes 3 on AT&T via Straight Talk, although in my apt it can be 1 and at work it can be 0 to 1) with some dead areas outside of town. Verizon apparently has even a worse problem around here according to others.
As was suggested by someone else, find out the coverage and then work backwards to your choices.
How rural and what part of Iowa? I use a factory-unlocked S7 on Tracfone with the AT&T sim card in southern Iowa with little problem of coverage. (There is an area nearby that only seems to get US Cellular reception though).
FYI: PAYG = pay as you go
Think old-school tracfone type things with a prepay or reloadable balance. I remember redeeming minute cards…
Given that the MVNOs are still reliant on the major company’s networks, the approach should be to look at Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint coverage maps for the rural areas in context.
From that, make an order of which is most to least preferred. Then look up which MVNOs operate on their network.
Only then can the aspect of deals be made.
^^^ This. Where I am, AT&T is great. So we’re on Cricket. $100/mo for 4 lines. AT&T owns Cricket, so it is its own MVNO.
Others are US Cellular, Virgin, TracPhone, Rocket. I think T-Mobile’s MVNO is Boost.
@mike808 Also Net 10 and Straight Talk. I have used both of these. Net 10 is owned now by Trackphone. Straight Talk can use Verizon or AT&T depending on the sim you buy. I pay $35/mo for 2gig of data and unlimited calling with Straight Talk. I used to use Net10 but it was $10 more a month once Straight Talk dropped their rate. With that I think they use which ever network is stronger where ever you are using it (might want to check that).
Rural areas can be a crap shoot. When I lived in my friend’s shed in the boonies it was 0 bars regardless of whom inside the house, 1 bar outside (and internet was 3mbps) with dead areas. That was on any network. Here (also rural but at least there is a town and small college) I get 2 bars and sometimes 3 on AT&T via Straight Talk, although in my apt it can be 1 and at work it can be 0 to 1) with some dead areas outside of town. Verizon apparently has even a worse problem around here according to others.
As was suggested by someone else, find out the coverage and then work backwards to your choices.
@mike808 Wholly owned MVNO subsidiaries:
Boost = Sprint.
Cricket = AT&T.
MetroPCS = T-Mobile.
Straight Talk = Walmart
Virgin Mobile USA is a no-contract mobile provider on the nationwide Sprint network. The provider is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sprint Corporation.
I have had great success with Virgin Mobile’s $35 unlimited plan.
I’m very very rural and the only thing that works where I am consistently is Verizon. And only with a Motorola phone.
How rural and what part of Iowa? I use a factory-unlocked S7 on Tracfone with the AT&T sim card in southern Iowa with little problem of coverage. (There is an area nearby that only seems to get US Cellular reception though).