What Is US Mobile Dark Star?

US Mobile calls Dark Star its most reliable network. Here's what it is, how to use it, and why you’d want to use it.  

What is US Mobile Dark Star?

Dark Star on US Mobile is that brand's name for its use of AT&T’s network. US Mobile phone plans on Dark Star will access AT&T’s network rather than the Verizon network (what US Mobile calls its Warp network) or the T-Mobile network (which it calls Light Speed).  

As a US Mobile customer, you can pick between the three network options when choosing a plans — and you can also switch between the networks as you need to in order to get the best coverage. Depending on the plan you choose, each time you switch networks you might incur a small fee.

Dark Star vs. Warp vs. Light Speed

Data allotments, data speeds, and some perks vary between Dark Star and the other two networks. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll take a look at the differences for the Unlimited Premium plan, which is $44 a month when paid monthly or $399 paid annually (which translates to $32.50 a month). Periodic sales offer lower prices on both monthly and annual plans.

The US Mobile website offers a good "Compare Plans" page where you can see the differences in Dark Star vs. Light Speed vs. Warp networks. Take a look not only at the amount of high speed data, but also at hotspot data and the data priority level you get. Keep in mind that the QCI ratings for data priority, lower numbers are better. So if data prioritization is more important to you than overall data limits, you might like Light Speed better than Warp because it offers the best priority level among the choices.

>> Read more: How much data do I really need?

Dark Star Pros & Cons

US Mobile likes to tout Dark Star as their most reliable network option, with more coverage than Warp or Light Speed, but depending on your needs, you may find it’s not the best choice for you.  

Who benefits from US Mobile Dark Star?

If you’re looking for a prepaid phone plan as an alternative to the expensive postpaid plans from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, then US Mobile should be in your mix to consider. Its Dark Star network allows for access to the AT&T network (mainly the one reserved for AT&T’s prepaid and MVNO services), offering comprehensive nationwide coverage. If you’re one of the following, then you could benefit from a plan on Dark Star: 

• Heavy data user. Dark Star’s higher data limits will allow for more streaming, scrolling, and uploading before reaching the throttle limit.  

• Gamer. For mobile gaming, latency is a more important factor than speed, and Dark Star offers low latency for optimal gaming conditions. 

• Tablet or laptop user on the go. Whether you’re a student, a remote worker, or a parent managing your kids’ tablet, Dark Star offers higher hotspot data limits, making it easier to hotspot your phone to share data access with other devices.  

>> Read More: Prepaid vs. postpaid phone plans, a comprehensive guide

Who shouldn't use US Mobile Dark Star?

While Dark Star comes with some great features, they’re not worthwhile to everyone. Avoid this plan if you are a:  

• Rural user. If you live in a rural area, most likely the Verizon network (Warp) is the better choice for you.  
• No-frills user. If your needs are simpler, you can likely find a cheaper phone plan with fewer frills elsewhere.  

• Light data user. If you use less than 20GB of data a month (you can find out how much data you regularly use in your phone settings), you likely can find an alternative that is cheaper.  

How to use US Mobile Dark Star

If you’re already a US Mobile customer and would like to switch to the Dark Star network, there are a couple of ways you can do this:  

• Download the US Mobile app (if you haven’t already) and transfer networks through the “Lines” tab in the menu. See US Mobile’s website for more detailed instructions. 
  Note: The app also has a “Teleport” feature, which allows you to switch between all 3 networks whenever you want. (Depending on your plan, network transfers may be free or $2 per.)

• Go to your Account dashboard on the US Mobile website (on a desktop or laptop), click on “My Lines” and follow the instructions there for either an eSIM or a physical SIM card switch.  

If you’re not a US Mobile customer, then you can choose the Dark Star network during your plan selection and purchase online, which will send you a Dark Star activated SIM. Depending on your device, you may need to take some additional steps like setting up APN (Access Point Network) settings. You can find further instructions on the US Mobile website.  

US Mobile Dark Star alternatives

Other than US Mobile's other two networks — Warp and Light Speed — there are plenty of other alternatives that will get you the phone service you need with all the features you want:

• If you're mainly a price-conscious shopper, then you can find cheap phone plan alternatives.
• If you're a heavy data user, there are plenty of other unlimited data plan alternatives.
• If you're looking for flexibility, you can find the best prepaid phone plan alternative that works for you.
• Lastly, if you are a light or no data user, then your best option would be looking for a talk & text only plan (some do come with minimal data as well!)