Tech
Comparing mobile plans without the marketing
Three questions settle most of it, and none of them is about the advertised headline speed.
Coverage where you actually are matters more than any national map. Carrier maps are models rather than measurements, and the reliable test is what works for people at your home and workplace, or a trial period on the network.
Most plans sold as unlimited include a threshold beyond which traffic is slowed at busy times. That threshold, rather than the word unlimited, is the number to compare, along with what the plan allows for tethering.
Smaller operators resell capacity on the major networks, often at substantially lower cost with the same coverage. The trade-offs are usually customer service, deprioritised traffic at congested times, and fewer device deals.
Device financing is a separate transaction bundled into the bill, and leaving a carrier with a balance outstanding brings it due. Separating the two makes both easier to compare.
What to do next. Test coverage where you live and work before switching, and compare the slowdown threshold rather than the word unlimited.
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