Cricket Jail cell Telephone Plans Review 2022

Cricket offers super-cheap wireless prices, but information technology comes at the cost of data speed.

Cricket Wireless specializes in affordable plans with a good network provider. Fifty-fifty though the commercials might be annoying, there are some delightfully inexpensive Cricket Wireless plans. You too get decent coverage cheers to how Cricket uses AT&T'south mobile network.

Cricket unlimited plans

Fix for a . . . limited unlimited.

Cricket does offer unlimited wireless plans— but they're not as unlimited as they sound. Yes, you do have unlimited data, so you lot tin pull upwardly Facebook or Twitter while yous're waiting for the bus without stressing about data, but don't await lightning-fast speeds.

Thankfully, there are no catches with unlimited calls or unlimited texting.

Cricket unlimited plans

Variety isn't Cricket's strongest adapt. The only existent difference betwixt Cricket Wireless plans is whether or not you lot desire to set up autopay.

Here'south a bit of pro advice: yous should practice autopay and save a couple of bucks every month. Exercise that, and you've got yourself a super cheap wireless beak.

The biggest take hold of with Cricket Wireless plans is how your download speeds cap at iii Mbps and streaming speeds cap at i.v Mbps.

Translation: you lot'll accept a slower connection than you would with another mobile company.

Of course, we're talking a few extra seconds when you're googling something. If you're pretty patient with your internet and streaming speeds, you tin can become an affordable unlimited plan.

Is there a Cricket Wireless hotspot option?

Money

You can get a hotspot connexion, simply it'll cost you lot an actress $x a month. Yous'll become decent speeds for the first 8 GB, but afterward that, things will slow to an absolute crawl at 128 Kbps. Yikes.

So, how does Cricket compare with the best jail cell telephone carriers? Let's take a look:

Cricket unlimited plans comparing

Don't yous dearest information technology when you organize search results past price and find there's a super-affordable option? That's where Cricket Wireless comes in.

Earlier y'all get too excited, continue in mind that Cricket'due south wireless data speeds are pretty slow. This isn't, similar, a "Tortoise and the Hare" situation either. Cricket is the tortoise, everyone else is the hare, and in this case, the tortoise loses terribly.

But if you can live with the slower internet speeds and so-so streaming quality, you practise get an clumsily inexpensive wireless plan with a decent network.

Data caps and speed throttling

Light Bulb

If you opt for a Cricket unlimited plan, but know the magic number is 22 GB. After you lot utilize 22 GB in a month, Cricket may slow your information speeds downward even more before (also known as "throttling"). Look for your nearest source of Wi-Fi every bit shortly as possible, friend.

Cricket Wireless family unit plans

Frugal families forever!

At that place are three unlike Cricket family plans, simply you'll probably only want to ignore the Grouping Relieve non-unlimited option, since it's the same price every bit the Unlimited Plan. (Seriously, why would you pay the same cost for less data? Some things we'll never empathise.)

And then, why would you get with a more expensive Cricket plan? The chief difference is speed. With the Unlimited Extra plan, you go 4G LTE speeds—instead of getting capped at download speeds of iii Mbps (existent irksome).

Before yous decide on a plan, y'all should probably make up one's mind how much yous value quick internet speeds. Sure, you can relieve a pretty penny past opting for the slower speed, merely you might be giving up some of your sanity in the procedure. Seconds at a fourth dimension. While waiting for your Instagram stories to load.

At present let's compare Cricket'due south family plans with the other major carriers out there.

Cricket Wireless family plans comparing

Cricket's family unit plans aren't a steal like the individual unlimited plans are. Compared to the competition, the family unit plans aren't significantly cheaper—which is disappointing.

Metro past T-Mobile and Cricket Wireless are essentially the Spider-man pointing meme when it comes to family plans. Both offer similar prices and neither offers lightning-fast speeds. The reward with Cricket is that y'all might salvage some up-front costs compared to Metro.

As for speed, information technology's the same quondam story with Cricket. The Cricket family plans may be cheap-ish, simply the internet speeds are zip to write home about.

Cricket prison cell phones and devices

Good news: you tin get about new phones on Cricket.

Cricket is compatible with most of the flagship phones out there. Or maybe you like Cricket phones less traveled—and if so, you can become Nokia, Motorola, and Alcatel phones as well.

If you're a Google Pixel fan, though, you won't be able to purchase 1 directly through Cricket. But y'all can purchase an unlocked Google Pixel and set upwardly your network that way.

Here are some of the most pop phones compatible with Cricket.

How good is Cricket performance?

Cheers to AT&T coverage, information technology's pretty good.

Data speed will never be Cricket's claim to fame, but its overall service coverage is surprisingly good. Cricket uses AT&T's network, which means it offers the same coverage that y'all'd get with a more expensive carrier. Currently, AT&T covers around 68% of the state with 4G coverage.ane

The merely catch is that your information speeds can be deprioritized in favor of AT&T users in crowded areas. In other words, your internet connection might drop out of the bluish in a crowded Costco considering AT&T's network gives priority to its ain users.

Cheque out the map below to get an idea of what your coverage will be similar with Cricket Wireless.

AT&T/Cricket coverage map

Cricket customer service

Just don't wait too much.

In that location is a treasure trove of awful experiencestwo with Cricket client service agents. And so we decided to detect out for ourselves.

We had a simple question—can we utilise an unlocked Google Pixel telephone with our Cricket account? We were simply on hold for a few minutes, but when we got through, we didn't go much help.

We got the confirmation y'all can use a Google Pixel with Cricket, merely when we asked for boosted information on how to make the switch, they just told us to "look online."

Now, our amanuensis might've just been having a bad day, but in our experience, Cricket customer service is consistent with the poor reviews.

Does Cricket take overage charges or subconscious fees?

Would it be a wireless provider if it didn't have a few hidden fees? Sadly, there are some additional Cricket fees to consider.

The fees are nix egregious, but they are annoying. Who wants to pay a $25 activation fee? No one, that'south who.

Recap: Is Cricket Wireless adept?

Cricket Wireless offers low prices, decent coverage, just the trade-off comes with net speed.

If you have anything from this Cricket review, it's this formula:

Cheap wireless + solid coverage - bad internet = Cricket Wireless.

For some people (like Instagram models), Cricket is probably not the hashtag all-time choice, but for folks who desire a phone more than a smartphone, it makes a lot of sense.

  • Plans: Cricket offers straight-upward plans that are competitive with other providers. Whether you want an unlimited plan or a family unit plan, there's a good hazard Cricket will be your cheapest pick.
  • Coverage: Cricket uses AT&T'south network, so yous tin can expect reasonable coverage if you live and work in a city. Out in the country, though, you're out of luck.
  • Speed: With a download speed of 3 Mbps and streaming speeds of i.5 Mbps, Cricket is no Speed Racer.
  • Client service: Cricket doesn't have the best customer service, but for unproblematic questions, they'll get the job washed.

Overall: Cricket is precisely every bit advertised. It's inexpensive, it works, and it doesn't offer blazing internet speeds. It's a perfect telephone for those who primarily want to talk and text, with minor app usage.

FAQ

Q: I already own a telephone. Can I still sign up for Cricket?

If you lot have an unlocked GSM phone, you tin can switch over to Cricket. Yous can get assist in a Cricket store or by calling its customer support.

Q: Tin can you make international calls with Cricket?

Cricket has 2 international plans—Cricket International for $5 a calendar month and Cricket International Extra for $15 a month. The master difference is that you tin can record video messages with the International Actress program. Both plans come with international texting.

Without an international plan, you can still brand calls to Mexico and Canada, but you cannot make calls beyond North American countries.

Q: Can I keep my phone number if I switch to Cricket?

Yes. You'll just demand to provide some extra information:

  • Current wireless phone number
  • Business relationship login and password
  • Final four digits of your Social Security number
  • Billing ZIP code

Y'all'll get a new SIM carte with your old telephone number. This volition make your life much easier.

Q: Can I transfer my contacts to my new phone?

Aye. First things first, you'll demand to save your contacts using a deject storage service like Google Contacts or iCloud on your current device. Once yous practise that, you tin use that same service to transfer contacts to your new phone.

If y'all're switching from an old-school flip phone to a smartphone, check out the user manual from your old phone. It should have instructions on transferring contacts to a new phone.

Tyler Abbott

Written by

Tyler Abbott

Tyler has been obsessed with watching sports as efficiently as possible since the creation of the DVR. He is always on the lookout for the best tech in TV and wireless so he can watch all the sports and still take enough time to hang out with his infant. He has written about streaming, wireless, and TV for over iii years. He hopes the Lakers volition eventually become better.

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