What Is the Mint Mobile Network? A Brief Guide

June 4, 2024 By Janne Smith No Comments 8 minutes

Tired of spending a fortune on your prepaid mobile phone services? That’s where Mint Mobile enters as a total game-changer! While “affordable” network services might not sound like something out of the blue, it’s the longer advance payments garner massive popularity.

What Is the Mint Mobile Network

If you’re unsure if the Mint mobile network is the right option for you, it’s best to avail of their 3-month discounted rates. However, if you’re totally new to this mobile network and love its current buzz, this article is for you.

We’ll cover everything about Mint network provider, its plans, pros and cons, and common network issues, along with troubleshooting steps. Let’s dive in!

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What Is Mint Mobile Network?

Mint Mobile is a prepaid mobile network service offering plans via eSIMs or physical SIM cards. And here’s the catch: The Mint mobile network provider offers long SIM subscriptions that help you save costs. The lowest plan is only $15/month and has premium features, including free texts and calls to Mexico and Canada.

According to Mint Mobile, if your area doesn’t yet have 5G coverage, you can still enjoy fast and reliable service on the 4G LTE network, which currently covers 99% of Americans. That said, here’s what to expect from this mobile network:

An impressive 5G coverage
Download speeds of 70-320 Mbps
Upload speeds of 7-32 Mbps
5G mid-band and 5G low-band

Who Owns Mint Mobile?

Currently, T-Mobile officially owns the Mint mobile network provider, but before this, Ryan Reynolds owned 25% of the company’s shares in 2019. Initially, the celebrity’s face attracted massive popularity.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the deal after T-Mobile promised to allow existing Mint customers to switch providers for 60 days following the acquisition.

T-Mobile is also committed to maintaining Mint’s $15 monthly plan for new and existing customers. This feature is often highlighted there if you’re actively seeing the service’s advertisements of the mint mobile network provider.

What Network Does Mint Mobile Use?

The Mint mobile network provider now uses T-Mobile’s network. This allows Mint mobile users to leverage the network’s extensive 4G LTE and fast-expanding 5G coverage across the US.

Why Is Mint Mobile Special?

The long, affordable plans make the Mint mobile network coverage popular. Despite the plans being as low as $15/month, there are still no cuts on the premium features. Here’s all that makes Mint Mobile network provider special:

1. Flexible Data Options

The Mint mobile network provider features flexible data options that make it convenient for users to pick and choose the monthly data they need. For example, you can always go for a lower plan if you don’t have much monthly usage. Additionally, as a user, you can use your unlocked phone and number on the Mint mobile.

2. Affordable Network Plans

This is one of the most talked-about features and garners massive popularity. The Mint mobile network coverage is cheaper than its competitors without sacrificing premium features.

Meanwhile, users can subscribe to longer plans to avoid the nuisance of updating the plans. For example, you can get the 6-month or yearly plan. Also, you get the data usage email to avoid paying extra for unused data. Sounds like bliss, right?

3. It’s All Online

Worried about walking into a store and paying extra for something that a salesperson convinced you to get? Fret not! Mint mobile network coverage only features online services, i.e., no more walking to stores to resolve the smallest of Mint mobile network issues.

What Phones Will Work on Mint Mobile?

Since Mint Mobile operates on the T-Mobile network, you’ll need a GSM-based mobile phone for it. Generally, all 4G LTE and 5G mobile phones that support physical or eSims work.

The Mint mobile network coverage features a compatibility checker if you’re still unclear about the phone’s compatibility. You can use that by entering your phone’s model number, current provider’s name, or even the IMEI number.

What Are the Mint Mobile Plans

Before diving head straight into the mobile plans, here’s what to know:

All plans feature high-speed data, unlimited talk and text, and nationwide coverage.
Introductory rates apply for the first three months; prices increase afterward, as specified in the table.
Data usage over 40GB per month results in reduced speeds.
Video streams at approximately 480p.
Hotspot data is limited to 10GB per month.
Government taxes and fees may apply.
Service availability varies by location.
A limited-time offer is available for new customers.
Visit the Mint Mobile website for full terms and conditions.

While the Mint mobile network provider might sound like bliss, here’s a brief rundown of the service’s plans:

3-Month Plans

Plan	Monthly Price (after intro period)	Upfront Payment	Data Included
5GB	$20	$60	5GB
15GB	$25	$75	15GB
20GB	$35	$105	20GB
Unlimited	$30	$45	Unlimited

6-Month Plans

Plan	Monthly Price (after intro period)	Upfront Payment	Data Included
5GB	$20	$120	5GB
15GB	$25	$150	15GB
20GB	$35	$210	20GB
Unlimited	$30	Not available for 6 months	Unlimited

12-Month Plan

Plan	Monthly Price (after intro period)	Upfront Payment	Data Included
5GB	$20	$240 (for 12 months)	5GB
15GB	$25	$300 (for 12 months)	15GB
20GB	$35	$420 (for 12 months)	20GB
Unlimited	$30	$360 (for 12 months)	Unlimited

Does Mint Mobile Offer Unlimited Data?

While Mint Mobile features impressively high speeds, the service is also known for its unlimited data. Despite how alluring this might seem, a few users mention a reduced speed after consuming 40 GB of monthly data. Meanwhile, the unlimited data option is only for specific plans, like the 3- and 12-month plans.

The Mint Mobile Pros and Cons

With the market flooded with various mobile network service providers, finding the best of all can be challenging. That’s where analyzing the pros and cons comes as the best solution.

While the Mint Mobile network coverage seems impressive for many, overviewing its positives and negatives allows them to make better decisions. Here’s a comprehensive review of them:

Pros	Cons
Affordable plans while ensuring high-speed data. You always have the flexibility to choose a plan that best aligns with your requirements.	It only features pre-paid services, leading to a high overall bill that can be paid simultaneously.
All T-Mobile phones are compatible with the Mint mobile network coverage, which also features a compatibility checker tool to confirm which devices can support it.	It works great for lower data consumption. However, if you use more than 40GB, you might notice a slower Internet speed.
New customers get a 3-month discount. Following this, you can transition to a 6 or 12-month subscription.	As an MVNO, Mint Mobile’s data speeds fluctuate based on area bandwidth usage. During network congestion, Mint Mobile’s high-speed data is slowed to prioritize T-Mobile’s customers.
An impressive customer support that resolves any problem regarding the network plan.	If you don’t plan to use the service for a complete year, Mint doesn’t give a refund for the unused months.
Mint Mobile provides a straightforward family plan. With multiple lines on one account, each line gets the lowest prices available on Mint’s 3-month plans.	A few users complain about the “not so good” international roaming of the network.

The 5 Common Mint Mobile Network Issues

The Mint mobile network provider offers various great features, but similar to any other mobile network, there can also be issues with this one. If you’re planning to subscribe to the network, here are the 5 common mint mobile network issues:

1. Slower Data Speeds

This is one of the most common Mint mobile network issues. Generally, it’s high-traffic areas, data consumption over 40 GB, and the prioritization of T-Mobile users that can cause this. However, this issue is limited to specific areas and reasons; the overall features are great to leverage.

2. Weaker Signal Strenght

Even the Mint’s official site confirms this is one of the Mint mobile network issues. Signal strength can be affected if you’re located in rural areas, inside a building, or underground. In extreme cases, the signals can also be cut off (depending on the location).

3. Network Fluctuations

As an MVNO, Mint mobile users can face network fluctuations due to congestion. The most common areas where you might face these mint mobile network issues are:

Miami
New York City
Chicago

4. Hotspot Limitations

Hotspot limitations are another widely faced issue with the Mint mobile network. This goes for the 10GB and unlimited version.

5. Limited Coverage

You might face limited coverage in rural or less populated areas. Meanwhile, the populated areas always have higher signal strength and the network’s availability.

FAQs - Mint Mobile Network

Why Is There No Network on My Mint Mobile?

This can be due to the network you’re currently using. Change the current network mode to resolve this issue. Also, ensure that you’re not using automatic connections.

Is Mint Mobile really T-Mobile?

This is a virtual network operator (MVNO) that uses T-Mobile as its network to offer cell service. Overall, Mint mobile network doesn’t own any of the cell towers. Instead, they’re leased from T-Mobile. Mint works as a separate brand, but T-Mobile has officially acquired the business.

What network is Mint Mobile on?

Mint Mobile operates on the T-Mobile network. The latter has also acquired the Mint phone network in a $1.35 billion deal.

Why is Mint Mobile shutting down?

The Mint mobile network is not shutting down. Instead, Mint, a budgeting app that is a different brand, is shutting down.

Is Mint Mobile GSM or CDMA?

It’s a GSM-based network derived from T-Mobile. You must also have a GSM-based phone to use the Mint mobile network coverage.

Wrapping Up

Mint mobile network coverage garners immense popularity for its premium services; however, there are limited drawbacks. Apart from that, the affordable plans and reliable customer support are a hit!

Despite this, you must always ensure complete security on mobile networks. You might only be a few steps away from a MitM attack without knowing about it. For this, it’s best to always opt for a reliable VPN, like Mint mobile network. Connecting to the VPN offers you unmatched data encryption, making cyber threats a tale of the past!