Net10 Wireless review June 2018 | Prepaid no-contract cell phone plans

Flexible prepaid plans provide talk, text and data coast to coast.

This prepaid provider offers nationwide coverage using four major networks through individual, family and business plans. But watch out for customer service that’s inconsistent at best.

What is Net10 Wireless?

Net10 Wireless is a prepaid wireless phone service that comes with no contracts, no credit checks, no monthly bills, no activation fees and no age limits. Part of the larger TracFone Wireless, it uses four major networks to provide flexibility, value and quality coverage.

What services does Net10 Wireless offer?

Net10 Wireless offers five monthly plans for smartphones, basic phones, home phones and hotspots — and all without the hidden fees you may be used to with other providers.

Monthly service plans

You purchase a plan card to receive unlimited talk and text plus a fixed amount of data at high speed. Once you’ve reached the plan’s data limit, data slows to 2G.

• Budget Data User — $35 monthly. Unlimited nationwide talk and text plus 500MB high-speed data.
• Essential Data User — $40 monthly. Unlimited nationwide talk and text plus 3GB high-speed data.
• Preferred Data User — $50 monthly. Unlimited nationwide talk and text plus 5GB high-speed data.
• Mega Data User — $60 monthly. Unlimited nationwide talk and text plus 7GB high-speed data.
• Preferred Data User International — $65 monthly. Unlimited international talk and text plus 10GB high-speed data.

Pay-As-You-Go plans

Pay up front for a set number of minutes to use over a specified period of time. All but the $25 monthly pay-as-you-go plan come with the ability to carry over minutes and service days.

• $20 monthly. 200 minutes over 30 days with carryover benefit.
• $25 monthly. 1,000 minutes over 30 days with no carryover benefit.
• $30 monthly. 300 minutes over 60 days with carryover benefit.
• $45 monthly. 600 minutes over 60 days with carryover benefit.
• $60 monthly. 900 minutes over 90 days with carryover benefit.
• $100 monthly. 1,500 minutes over 180 days with carryover benefit.

Home phone unlimited plans

Get coast-to-coast home coverage with no contracts or bills.

• $17.99 monthly. Unlimited nationwide calling for 30 days.
• $34.99 monthly. Unlimited nationwide and international calling for 30 days.

Business plans

These no-contract high-speed data plans are built for your business needs.

• $30 monthly. Unlimited talk and text plus 1GB high-speed data.
• $40 monthly. Unlimited talk and text plus 2.5GB high-speed data.
• $45 monthly. Unlimited talk and text plus 5GB high-speed data.
• $55 monthly. Unlimited talk and text plus 10GB high-speed data.
• $25 monthly. Unlimited talk and text.

Data plans for hotspots and tablets

Prepaid hotspots based on the ZIP code you use most.

• $10 for 500 MB for 14 days.
• $20 for 1GB for 30 days.
• $30 for 2.5GB for 30 days.
• $50 for unlimited data, first 5GB at high speed.

*Select plans are available at a 10% discounted price with auto-refill.

Are there any other features I should know about?

• Bring your own device. Net10 Wireless’s BYOD Kit makes it easy for you keep your own phone and purchase a SIM for $0.99.
• Transfer Wizard. This tool assists new users in transferring their data from one phone to the next.
• Wide device selection. Purchase a phone or device outright from a decent selection that includes the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge or roll it into a monthly plan.
• High speeds. Get 4G LTE on LTE AT&T or T-Mobile compatible devices, which is up to three times faster than 3G.
• Many add-ons. Unlike other prepaid providers, Net10 offers voicemail, caller ID and call waiting for a fee.

What to watch out for

Take even a cursory look at user forums and you’re bound to see complaints about Net10 Wireless’s lackluster customer service. Online users complain about Net10 not following through on promotions, failing to resolve issues and either making sure a customer waits long enough to hang up or hanging up on the customer itself.

Until Net10 Wireless directly addresses these problems, take your time when signing up to understand exactly what you’re buying so that you never need to great support. Because we’re fairly certain that you won’t find it with this provider.

How do I sign up for Net10 Wireless?

To sign up, visit Net10 Wireless online or search for a participating retailer near you using Net10 Wireless’s online map.

Bottom line

Net10 Wireless offers significant savings over other providers and coverage on four major networks through individual, family and business plans. But pay attention to every detail when signing up, because if user complaints are any indication, your calls or chats with customer service may be poorly handled.

Common questions about Net10 Wireless

• How long will it take for my Net10 service to be active?

  In most areas, your service is ready for use instantly. In other areas, it could take up to 48 hours for you to be able to use your plan.

• Can I send international texts with my Net10 phone?

  At this time, only select phones like the NET10 Android LG Optimus Net include unlimited international texts as part of a plan. However, you may be able to add on international texts to your plan.

• How does the Net10 30-day plan work?

  Once you purchase a plan card with Net10 Wireless, you’lll receive unlimited talk and text. Depending on the plan you’ve chosen, you may also get a fixed amount of data at high speed (it then drops to 2G for the rest of the month).

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