What Is an MVNO? How MVNOs Work, Plus the Best MVNOs

An MVNO might sound like just another technical phone term, but it’s the ultimate secret to lowering your phone bill and getting reliable phone service with a cheaper phone plan.

An MVNO is a mobile virtual network operator, a wireless provider that piggybacks on a major carrier’s network versus building its own. Because it doesn’t have to pay for the cost of expanding or maintaining the cell network, an MVNO can offer phone service for a much cheaper price.  

So, should you switch phone carriers and go with an MVNO? What is the best MVNO? Are there disadvantages to using an MVNO? We’ll help you answer all those questions and more, so you can pick the best phone service to meet your needs. 

Key takeaways

• MVNOs lease network access from the major carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon), so they can provide the same nationwide coverage.  

• MVNO phone plans tend to be cheaper as a result, but without the premium perks that traditional carriers offer.  

• They're less likely to have phone deals or phone financing promotions.  

How does an MVNO work?  

An MVNO purchases access to an MNO’s (mobile network operator) network at wholesale pricing, allowing them to resell service to you at a discounted price.  

While MVNOs don’t own their own networks, they still handle their own billing, support, plan management, and SIM or eSIM activation. So if you’re with an MVNO that leases space on T-Mobile's network — say Mint Mobile for example — you wouldn’t contact T-Mobile about issues with your data or signal, you would contact Mint directly.  

What's the difference between a carrier and an MVNO?

Traditional carriers are mobile network operators, or MNOs, which build and maintain their own network of cell towers. The main ones in the U.S. are AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Their postpaid plans offer perks and phone financing, but cost more and involve a credit check and a long-term contract.

MVNOs, on the other hand, lease space on carriers' networks in order to offer service that costs less. They don't require a credit check, but usually lack perks and phone deals.

MVNO coverage and data speed performance 

MVNOs’ coverage will be the same as an MNO. For example, if you’re on a phone plan with an MVNO that’s using AT&T’s network, you would expect to receive the same coverage as an AT&T plan. The main difference being that MVNOs get lower priority data, so the data speeds themselves are either slower or users may experience slowdowns during times of congestion (like in crowded urban areas). You should always check the broadband fact sheets on a phone provider’s plans for promised data speeds to see if the range is sufficient for your needs (if you’re an avid online gamer, for example).  

MVNO billing  

MVNOs are synonymous with prepaid phone plans, because they all operate on a prepaid billing system, where you pay for the phone service in advance. That's unlike MNOs, which send you a bill after your month of service.  

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

MVNO customer support  

MVNOs’ customer support ranges between different carriers. Most MVNO carriers are online-only, which allows them to offer even cheaper prices, but does also mean they don’t offer in-person support for activations or phone purchases. For those online carriers, you can expect to receive support in the form of a telephone line or an online chat service.  

MVNO phone selection, BYOP, and deals  

The majority of MVNOs offer both new phones and a Bring-Your-Own-Phone (BYOP) option. Some (like TextNow) may only offer a BYOP option, providing SIM cards to activate an unlocked phone on their service.  

Since MVNOs are prepaid services, they can’t offer the same phone financing programs that postpaid plans can, as they don’t run credit checks. There are a few, however, that sell phones on installment plans — either a “lease-to-own" plan or using a “Buy Now, Pay Later” service like Affirm or Klarna — or that offer promotions for phones with a commitment to a required phone plan.  

You can also simply look for an unlocked phone deal to buy a phone outright, then pair it with a low-cost MVNO phone plan to save money.

MVNO disadvantages vs. advantages

MVNOs have a lot of upside: They offer cheaper service with the same network coverage, and let you skip a credit check and long contract. On the other hand, the disadvantages of MVNOs include:

• Data service is usually deprioritized (you may see slower speeds during network congestion).
• No or limited perks, compared to full-price MNO plans.
• Fewer options for phone deals or financing.

MVNO pros and cons, at a glance:

How to set up an MVNO phone plan 

Setting up an MVNO phone plan is very similar to setting up a regular phone plan, with the major difference being that there is no additional credit check or contract to commit to:  

1. Pick the best MVNO for your needs, whether that’s based on coverage, price, or customer support availability.  
2. Pick a plan from that MVNO that meets your needs, whether that’s based on the cheapest phone plan you can find, the cheapest unlimited data plan you can find, the best talk & text only plan, or may the best family plan or senior plan. 
3. Check if your phone is compatible with that carrier via its device compatibility checker to bring your own phone. You might also want to check out phone deals to buy something new, or see if the carrier you picked offers any deals or financing. 
4. Choose whether to keep your phone number or pick a new one.  
5. Fill out your details and make the purchase.  
6. After the purchase is complete, you will either be shipped a SIM card or sent an email with a link or QR code to activate an eSIM.  
7. After you activate the SIM, you can start using the service on the new network. 

Types of MVNOs 

There are over 50 MVNOs in the U.S. Without getting too technical, the types of MVNOs can be broken down simply into which MNO they’re leasing their network from: AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon.  

AT&T MVNOs:  

There aren’t as many AT&T MVNOs, but we still only focused on the most popular ones: 

• Cricket Wireless. A direct prepaid brand of AT&T that’s more expensive than other MVNOS but does benefit from AT&T’s mobile network and offers more premium perks and phone deals.  

• H2O Wireless. A standard MVNO with a small selection of prepaid phone plans and phone promotions.  

• Consumer Cellular. Specializes in plans for seniors and AARP members, while also offering standard plans for everyone else.  

T-Mobile MVNOs:  

There is a considerable amount of T-Mobile MVNOs, so we pulled a list of the most popular ones:  

• Mint Mobile. A low-cost prepaid phone provider that offers plans in multi-month bundles (3-,6-,or 12-months) for bulk discounts. See our detailed review of Mint Mobile for more details.

• Metro by T-Mobile. A direct prepaid brand of T-Mobile that’s more expensive than other MVNOs but does benefit more from T-Mobile's network and offers more subsidized phone deals.  

• Tello Mobile. A low-cost carrier that offers the ability to customize plans with different configurations of data and minutes/texts.  

• Ultra Mobile. A carrier known for its strong international/roaming features – premium perks that aren't usually included in MVNO phone plans.  

• Google Fi. Google’s own phone service that offers unlimited plans alongside a more flexible “pay by the Gig” plan, with both options giving you international roaming access by default.  

Verizon MVNOs:  

Verizon, like T-Mobile, does have a longer list of MVNOs using its network, so we focused on the most popular ones:  

• Visible. Not a fully independent MVNO, as it’s technically “owned” by Verizon (rather than just leasing a network from them), but does come with more premium features as a result. You can read our more comprehensive Visible vs. TextNow review to find out more.

• Total Wireless. A Verizon MVNO that is able to offer premium data (no slowdowns) at more reasonable prices and complimentary perks.  

• Straight Talk. A long-term MVNO that is available in Walmart (online and in-store) for added convenience.  

• Xfinity Mobile. An MVNO that's only for Xfinity Internet customers; you can’t sign up for the phone plan as a standalone.  

>> Read more: Best Verizon phone plans

Hybrid MVNOs (all three networks):  

Hybrid MVNOs are able to access all three networks, giving their customers the choice of the appropriate SIM card that will work best in their area. They include US Mobile, RedPocket Mobile, and Patriot Mobile.  US Mobile also lets customers switch between networks as needed (free on some plans, for a nominal fee on others).

What are the best MVNOs?  

The best MVNOs are subjective – it all comes down to what your needs are. While T-Mobile hosts a majority of MVNOs on its network, their coverage may not be the best for your area (even if the prices of those MVNOs are). So, the best MVNO depends on which MVNO is able to provide you with the best coverage, the most valuable phone plan that is within your budget while providing the necessary data coverage and speeds, and can cover any other essential needs you have (like a dedicated customer service team or high mobile hotspotting data limits). 

Frequently asked questions about MVNOs