Best Phone Plans For College Students

You’re leaving home and headed off for your first semester at college. There are plenty of things to deal with, and choosing a new cell phone plan might be one of them. There's no need to worry. In this article, I’ll tell you about the best phone plans for college students!

What Do College Students Need In A Cell Phone Plan?

College life will be quite different from living at home. This includes what you need in a cell phone plan. For example, no matter where you are on campus, you’ll usually have access to free Wi-Fi. This will help you cut down on data usage and make an unlimited data plan plan with a high 4G LTE data cap unnecessary.

Below, I'll discuss what college students really need in a cell phone plan.

Unlimited Minutes And Messages

While unlimited data is probably unnecessary, you'll want a plan that includes unlimited minutes and messages. That way, you'll be able to keep in contact with family and friends. The good news is that most cell phone plans include unlimited calling and unlimited texting at no extra charge.

A Plan Compatible With New Smartphones

As smartphones get more and more advanced, you'll want to get a plan that's compatible with the newest smartphones. The major wireless carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon) offer plans that support the newest smartphones, but that isn't always the case the smaller carriers — mobile virtual network operators.

If you already have a phone you like, you can probably keep it. Most carriers allow you to bring your own phone when you sign up for a new plan. Remember to make sure your current phone is compatible with your new carrier's network!

An Affordable Plan

College students have tight budgets. You need money to pay for tuition, student loans, textbooks, and meals when you're out on the town. With all these expenses, you'll probably want to find a cell phone plan that doesn't cost a lot of money.

Most carriers realize not everyone has the budget for an expensive unlimited plan. These days, there's a wide selection of less expensive cell phone plans with no contracts or surprise charges.

Should You Add Your College Student Onto Your Family Plan?

Adding your college student to your family plan has plenty of benefits. It's more convenient to put your entire family on one plan because you only have to remember to pay one bill. Most carriers incentivize signing up for a family plan by offering multi-line discounts. The more lines you add, the more money you typically save.

However, it's important to make sure your wireless carrier has coverage both at home and your child's college campus. It's incredibly frustrating to move to a new location only to find out your carrier doesn't have provide coverage in the area. Check out UpPhone's coverage maps to see which wireless carriers deliver the best service both at home and on campus.

Check out our article on family cell phone plans if you think a multi-line plan is the best option for you!

Does A College Student Need 5G Data?

The answer to this question is dependent on your needs and preferences as a user. To help you make this decision, here's some information on the basics of 5G.

Low-band is the slowest 5G available, and it's becoming more widely accessible. If you see a plan advertising low-band 5G, remember that it can be slower than 4G LTE.

On the other hand, high-band 5G is the fastest speed at your disposal. Currently it's only available in select major cities. Before committing to a 5G data plan, we'd recommend checking if high-band is available in your area.

The third type of 5G, mid-band 5G, could be the perfect combination of speed and accessibility. However, most mid-band 5G networks won't be available to the public for a while. T-Mobile will be the first major carrier to make mid-band 5G widely available, as they plan to roll it out to 100 million people by the end of 2020.

Overall, we'd say that 5G isn't necessary. It's fine if it's included in your plan, but you shouldn't pay extra for it. Still on the fence? Check out more on 5G plans below:

Best Phone Plans For College Students

Verizon 5 GB Prepaid Plan

This Verizon Prepaid plan includes unlimited minutes, messages, and 5 GB of 4G LTE data. You can continue using data at throttled speeds after exceeding that high-speed data cap. Any 4G LTE data you don't use rolls over to the next month.

This plan includes mobile hotspot, allowing you to connect your other devices to the internet even when Wi-Fi isn't available. You can also make unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada as well as send texts to more than one hundred countries.

Check out our article for a more in-depth breakdown of Verizon's 5 GB Prepaid plan.

Tello Mobile Value Plan

Tello Mobile offers 48 different prepaid plans, allowing you to mix and match based on your needs. Our favorite Tello cell phone plan for college students is the Value Plan. It includes unlimited minutes, unlimited messages, and 2 GB of cellular data. Every Tello plan comes with mobile hotspot and calling to China, Mexico, and Canada. With no contracts, it's easy to upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time if it isn't perfectly fitting your needs.

AT&T 8 GB Prepaid Plan

AT&T's 8 GB Plan is the best deal you'll find on prepaid cell phone service. This plan includes unlimited minutes, unlimited messages, 8 GB of 4G LTE data, and mobile hotspot for just $25 / month. You can continue using cellular data 128Kbps speeds after exceeding your high-speed data cap. 128Kbps is very slow, but it'll allow you to connect to the internet when you're in a pinch.

There is a catch — you have to pay for a full year of service upfront. This works out to $300 plus taxes.

This great deal is an online exclusive offer, so you can't sign up for it in a brick and mortar store. AT&T will send you a SIM card in the mail after you subscribe to this prepaid plan. Just insert the SIM card into your phone and you're ready to go!

Check out our other article to learn how to sign up for the AT&T 8 GB Prepaid Plan today!

Mint Mobile Unlimited

The Mint Mobile Unlimited plan is a great short-term month option for users who want a low commitment plan with good features and an even better price tag. For just $30 a month, you'll enjoy unlimited talk, text, and data. With this plan, you'll also receive access to Mint Mobile's 5G network and 5 GB of mobile hotspot data!

Mint Mobile is one of the only MVNO providers to offer unlimited calling, texting, and data on their basic plans. Plus, this is a great option for travelers, as it has free international calling to Canada and Mexico. The three-month plan is also helpful in making sure that you get everything you want out of Mint Mobile before making a longer-term commitment.

Mint Mobile 10 GB Plan

If you like the sound of Mint Mobile's coverage but don't need unlimited data, check out the Mint Mobile 10 GB plan! For just $20 / month, you can access all the same perks as the unlimited plan with a with 10 GB cellular data cap.

We recommend taking advantage of Mint Mobile's three-month Intro Offer to see if the carrier is right for you. If you like Mint Mobile, you can keep the same monthly price by renewing your plan for a full year!

Ting Mobile Set 5 Plan

If you don't need a ton of data, be sure to check out Ting Mobile's Set 5 plan! For just $25 a month you'll receive 5 GB of data, plus unlimited minutes and messages. This plan is contract-free and doesn't charge for overages. Additionally, you're able to add more high-speed data to your plan at any time, ensuring you'll have a cell phone plan that includes exactly what you need, when you need it.

Ting Mobile customers can access both 4G LTE and 5G networks. This plan also includes international calling to over 60 locations, which could be a big help for keeping up with any friends studying abroad. Also, after three months of coverage, you'll receive access to international roaming. Mobile hotspot is also available as part of your 5 GB monthly data allotment, making this an overall great option for college students.

Visible Plan

The Visible Single Line plan is a low-cost option for college students searching for unlimited data and high speeds. For a $40 monthly payment, this plan includes unlimited high speed data, minutes, and messages. Visible doesn't require any contracts or charge for overages. They also offer Party Pay, which gives customers significant discounts if you sign up for a plan as a group.

Upon switching or signing up, users can purchase a new phone or keep their current device. This is a great option for students all over the country because Visible, powered by Verizon, has one of the furthest-reaching data networks in the U.S. As an added bonus, you'll receive unlimited 4G LTE mobile hotspot data as part of your plan!

Off To College!

Now that you’ve read this article, you know about some of the best phone plans for college students. Everyone has different needs and preferences, but this guide will make it easy to decide what’s right for you. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below!