Tello Mobile Review Shows Reliable Service at Lower Cost
The Story
A Wired journalist tested Tello Mobile, a budget prepaid carrier that uses T-Mobile’s network, and found its service reliable with data speeds comparable to T‑Mobile’s. The journalist, who pays $75 a month for a grandfathered T‑Mobile unlimited plan, switched to Tello for several weeks and ran speed tests in Oregon. No deprioritization was observed even near a sports stadium, but Tello lacks perks like phone upgrades, protection plans, and free international roaming.
Key Facts
- The journalist pays $75 per month for a grandfathered unlimited T‑Mobile plan (not including insurance or phone payments).
- Tello Mobile is a no‑frills, no‑commitment carrier that rents bandwidth on T‑Mobile’s network.
- Tello plans start at $10 a month with limited data but unlimited texts and calls.
- The journalist tested both T‑Mobile and Tello in Oregon and found Tello’s reception reliable and data speeds comparable (though not equal) to T‑Mobile’s.
- Deprioritization was not witnessed even when near a sports stadium.
- Tello does not offer discount phone upgrades, protection plans, free international roaming, or other perks.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Wired journalist (not named in the article)
- Tello Mobile (carrier)
Sources: Wired
