business mobile plan extra small

Home > Services > Phone

The 5 Best Business Cell Phone Plans of 2023

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *AutoPay Discount included: -$5/mo. per line. Plus taxes & fees.

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure .

Business.org’s 5 best business cell phone plans

At&t: best full-featured plans.

Looking for a broad choice of bells and whistles? As a telecom behemoth, AT&T has plenty of cell phone features and packages to offer a business—around 20 plan variations, small to large. All plans include free US roaming, unlimited talk, and text messages, as well as unlimited texting outside of the country. Basic features like call forwarding, voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, and conference calling also come standard with all AT&T business cell phone plans, along with bring-your-own-phone support.

AT&T's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Business Unlimited plan prices start at $35 a month per line, and there is a new perk where unlimited data is included in the unlimited talk and text plan. This means there is no need to worry about overages or data caps. 

 AT&T business plans can also accommodate up to 10 lines per account, and they come fully loaded with perks—like Stream Saver. This feature optimizes streaming video on your phone to 480p so you can watch webinars on-the-go without dealing with a blurry picture.

Each plan also includes a decent array of iOS and Android smartphone options and even a few good ol’ flip phones. A 15% military veteran discount can be applied to the Business Unlimited plans, as well as AT&T-owned DIRECTV services (because, again, telecom behemoth).

Users are eligible for a discount if they elect for autopay and paperless billing but this discount is only applied until after two pay periods. We don't know why the discount cannot be applied earlier in the billing process but we do find it frustrating. 

T-Mobile: Best flexible plans

Not sure exactly what you’ll need in a mobile plan besides future adaptability? T-Mobile, the third-largest wireless service in the US, offers four Magenta® for Business plans, all packed with unique features that set T-Mobile apart from the rest. The German-owned company has also earned a reputation for stellar customer service and was the first to eliminate annual contracts (an idea that stuck—none of the plans reviewed on this page require contracts). In April 2018, the company announced its intention to merge with Sprint under the T-Mobile banner.

T-Mobile's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *While using AutoPay.

All of T-Mobile’s Business cell phone plans offer the same basic features:

Unlimited talk and text

Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data on our network

• Unlimited mobile hotspot
• Scam Shield

Unlimited calling and texting to Mexico & Canada

Unlimited video streaming

In addition, all T-Mobile Business plans include DIGITS, which allows you to access up to five phone numbers on a single device. That means you could answer calls to your work number and your personal number on one device—no more packing two phones in your bag every day. DIGITS also lets you share your phone number across multiple devices, so you can answer on your phone, smartwatch, tablet, or computer.

T-Mobile users with a Business plan can also add the PlusUp add-on and get extra features, like Voicemail to Text, HD streaming, 20 GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi, caller ID, and double the data speed when roaming internationally.

Keep in mind, though, that T-Mobile’s Business plans are available only on plans with two to 13 lines. If you need more than 13 lines, you’ll need to sign up for the 13+ Plan ($285 per month for 13 lines, plus $25 per month for each additional line).

T-Mobile plans also allow bring-your-own-device convenience, or you can buy phones up front with a single payment (there are nearly 40 iOS and Android phones to choose from).

Now that T-Mobile and Sprint have been merged for almost six months, some significant changes have taken effect. T-Mobile’s website is now the only place businesses can sign up for Sprint or T-Mobile business phone accounts.

Sprint still has an active business website for previous users but all new plans will be sold by T-Mobile on its website.

By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Verizon: Best growing business plans

Serving over 150 million customers, Verizon isn’t just big, it’s BIG. Such a mobile mammoth might not seem like the obvious choice for a small business, but for what it lacks in a personalized customer service reputation, Verizon more than makes up for by offering every cell phone feature there is, as well as dominant US, and near-dominant global, coverage. Like McDonald’s and Marvel movies, Verizon is everywhere.

Verizon's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *With 4+ lines

While business owners can get business cell phone plans with limited data, we recommend choosing an unlimited plan if you have multiple employees (or do a lot of work via cell phone).

Verizon’s Business Unlimited cell phone plans are scalable from four employees up to and over 40. And with plans starting at just $40 per line, Verizon Business Unlimited plans are an attractive option whether you’re running a tiny company with no expansion plans, a medium-sized business with an eye toward growth, or a large enterprise with heavy cell phone requirements.

Verizon Beyond Unlimited plans also include unlimited mobile hotspot use, though your speeds are limited depending on your plan. Plus, you get unlimited calling and texting to Mexico and Canada—not to mention unlimited calling, texting, and data while in those countries. And naturally, you also get unlimited talk and text as part of your Beyond Unlimited package.

Verizon doesn’t skimp on device choices either. There are nearly 100 iOS and Android phones and tablets available—including the Verizon Jetpack, a mobile hotspot device that can connect 10 devices to its 4G LTE network and an additional five to 3G.

If your company requires truly “unlimited” cell phone service and scalability to grow and is in the position to pay for functionality with frills, Verizon Business Unlimited is the way to go. Bare-bones operations, however, might want to look elsewhere.

Each of our recommendations has its strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the most difficult part about finding a phone system is determining exactly what you need and don't need. The best place to start is separating your needs between installing a new system, replacing a system or expanding system.

If you are having trouble sorting out exactly what your phone needs are, use this tool to help you understand what the best options are for your unique needs. 

MintMobile: Most affordable plans

We are sure you’ve seen the commercials with Ryan Reynolds talking about this new phone carrier business with a fox logo called Mint Mobile. In fact, a lot of Mint customers were drawn to Mint because of Ryan Reynolds Hollywood looks, but that’s not the only thing Mint has to offer. 

Mint is inexpensive and transparent, compared to other cell phone carriers with hidden fees and seemingly random regulations.

MintMobile's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7 /22 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

T hese are the prices for new customers and will last up to three months. After the third month, you are eligible to sign up for a 6- or 12-month contract on one of the tiered plans, all less than $35/mo/user, which is astronomically less than other providers. 

MintMobile is no fuss, and you really do feel like you must be tricking the rest of the world with its pricing. The only issue is that MintMobile is fairly new, launched in 2015, coverage is not completely everywhere. There are still a couple of coverage gaps in the West, namely Utah, Nebraska, Idaho and Nevada. If you are east of the Rocky Mountains, you are good to go!

Teltik: Best perks plans

If you’re a strapped startup, New Jersey’s Teltik can get you up and running on the cheap. Teltik is a reseller service operating on T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network, meaning it can offer the reliability and reach of a giant provider at smaller-company prices. Teltik also has the advantage of being completely US-based, with 24/7 local customer service that’s not outsourced overseas.

Teltik's business cell phone plans

3 more (non-business) cell phone plans reviewed by business.org.

Teltik appears to have a dozen plans, but they’re mostly just variations of the essential plan that offers all the expected basics. Not coincidentally, the features mirror those of T-Mobile, as they’re on the same network.

The most basic plan starts at $20 a month and includes unlimited calling and texting, mobile hotspot service, and unlimited data—with a 2 GB cap on 4G LTE speeds (meaning your speed gets throttled to 128 Kbps if you use more than 2 GB of data in a month). From there, you can upgrade your plan to include more 4G LTE data and more mobile hotspot data. Upgraded plans cost anywhere from $30 to $40 per month, and they all include one cloud-phone VoIP line—perfect for small businesses looking to save on all their telecommunications needs.

One distinctly entertaining feature (pun intended) of Teltik’s business plans? You get unlimited media streaming from over 40 music services (including Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music) and more than 100 video services (including YouTube, Netflix, and any other channel you can think of). That means you can stream as much TV as you want without it eating into your data. It’s almost as if Teltik doesn’t want you to get any work done.

Another thing you need to know: Teltik doesn’t sell phones. Instead, the company operates on a strict bring-your-own-device basis. Any unlocked phone will work with its network, as will any T-Mobile device, of course. However, you will have to spend $10 plus shipping and handling to buy a new SIM card for each of your devices (unless they’ve already got brand-new, unused T-Mobile SIM cards).

The takeaway

Assess your company’s current cell phone usage, and projected future needs, before diving into any plan. What looks like a great deal could turn out to be more than you actually need—or you may have initially underestimated your business’s cell phone requirements. Also, if your company has both cell phone and regular office phone needs, check into bundling. The larger telecom providers offer both types of phone coverage, and bundling services is an easy way to save money in the long run.

Don’t want to carry around separate phones for work and personal calls? With the right VoIP service, you don’t have to. Check out our favorite business VoIP providers to see which ones offer on-the-go business phone capabilities.

Business cell phone plan FAQs

If you have several employees working outside of the office on a regular basis, desk-bound phones obviously aren’t going to work for them. Some may be only calling and texting while others will be checking email, using GPS navigation, and accessing the internet for work, but a cell phone is a must for employees in the field.

If you’re a one-person operation accountable to only yourself, you could get by with a personal cell plan. Keeping track of multiple employees’ hours, data, and providers, however, would be an extra headache you don’t need. For streamlining and collaboration purposes, a business cell phone plan would be the easier route.

Most of the plans we’ve reviewed here offer unlimited data—domestically, at least—so hitting the data ceiling won’t likely be an issue. But if you want to forecast how much data your business uses every month, providers make data plan estimators available on their websites. Or you could use a third-party calculator app.

BYOD stands for bring your own device . Another common term is BYOP for bring your own phone . These can mean that employees are using their personal phones, tablets, or laptops on their own carrier plans for work or that they’ve put those devices on the company’s plan. The upside? Less expensive than buying devices. The downside? Extra security concerns.

In the annoying absence of Wi-Fi, you can use a cell phone signal to connect a wireless device to the internet by switching on the mobile hotspot option and simply treating it like a Wi-Fi router. For multiple device connections, a dedicated hotspot (such as Verizon’s Jetpack) can provide a faster, and more stable, connection.

Business owners weigh in

Methodology

To find the best business cell phone options, we considered pricing plans, customer support, and data limits. We also looked at the variety of contracts and whether these plans were flexible with discounts. 

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

5202 W Douglas Corrigan Way Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Accounting & Payroll

Point of Sale

Payment Processing

Inventory Management

Human Resources

Other Services

Best Small Business Loans

Best Inventory Management Software

Best Small Business Accounting Software

Best Payroll Software

Best Mobile Credit Card Readers

Best POS Systems

Best Tax Software

Stay updated on the latest products and services anytime anywhere.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use  and  Privacy Policy .

Disclaimer: The information featured in this article is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. All information is subject to change. Pricing will vary based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the customer’s location, package chosen, added features and equipment, the purchaser’s credit score, etc. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase.

Our mission is to help consumers make informed purchase decisions. While we strive to keep our reviews as unbiased as possible, we do receive affiliate compensation through some of our links. This can affect which services appear on our site and where we rank them. Our affiliate compensation allows us to maintain an ad-free website and provide a free service to our readers. For more information, please see our  Privacy Policy Page . |

© Business.org 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Office Technology | Buyer's Guide

6 Best Business Cell Phone Plans of 2024

Published January 18, 2024

Published Jan 18, 2024

REVIEWED BY: Corey McCraw

WRITTEN BY: Sam Dadofalza

This article is part of a larger series on VoIP .

• 1 Best Business Cell Phone Plans Compared
• 2 Verizon: Best for Mobile Hotspot and Premium Data
• 3 RingCentral: Best for Streamlined Call Distribution
• 4 AT&T: Best for Mobile Security
• 5 Nextiva: Best for Toll-free Calling
• 6 T-Mobile: Best for Global Communications
• 7 Google Voice: Best for Budget-conscious Freelancers
• 8 How We Evaluated the Best Business Cell Phone Plans
• 9 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• 10 Bottom Line

The best business cell phone plans offer unlimited calls, texts, and mobile data, support remote work via mobile hotspot access, and enable communications with overseas contacts. They provide robust mobile security through proprietary apps for spam call detection and safe browsing. The plans have valuable add-on features such as subscriptions to streaming services and business tools. In this article, we outlined our top picks for business cell phone plans:

• Verizon : Best for mobile hotspot and premium data
• RingCentral : Best for streamlined call distribution
• AT&T : Best for mobile security
• Nextiva : Best for toll-free calling
• T-Mobile : Best for global communications
• Google Voice : Best for budget-conscious freelancers

Best Business Cell Phone Plans Compared

Verizon: best for mobile hotspot & premium data.

What We Liked

• Unlimited calling and texting in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
• TravelPass offers 24 hours of unlimited talk and text in overseas locations and 2GB of high-speed international data
• Huge discounts on tablets when subscribed to the Unlimited Pro plan

Where It Falls Behind

• Expensive subscription plans, with the entry-level package starting at $70 per line, per month
• Caller ID and personal block list feature are not available in the base-level plan
• Mobile security requires a separate activation fee of $5 per device

Verizon Monthly Pricing*

• Business Unlimited Start 5G: $70 per line for unlimited talk, text, and data, unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data, 5GB of 5G and 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, call filter, and 480p video streaming
• Business Unlimited Plus 5G: $80 per line for 100GB of premium smartphone data and mobile hotspot data, enhanced security features, up to 4K video streaming, and TravelPass for two days (24 hours of unlimited talk and text, 2GB of high-speed international data, and then unlimited data at 3G speeds thereafter)
• Business Unlimited Pro 5G: $85 per line for unlimited premium smartphone data, 200GB of premium mobile hotspot data, TravelPass for four days, and 50% off on tablet plan

*Pay only $35, $45, or $50 per line for the tiered subscription plans when you get five or more lines. Secure $5 savings per month when you sign up for Auto Pay and paper-free billing.

Verizon is our top provider in this list of the best business cell phone plans, offering a generous allotment for mobile hotspot and premium data. This allows on-the-go professionals to have fast access to the internet wherever they are. The provider features 200GB of premium mobile hotspot data in its most expensive plan. While its direct competitor, AT&T, has the same maximum cellular data, Verizon’s mobile throttling speed is more tolerable.

AT&T slows down the speeds to a maximum of 128Kbps when you reach the data usage threshold. Verizon, on the other hand, reduces the speed to 600Kbps for 4G LTE and 5G and 3Mbps for 5G Ultra Wideband. Meanwhile, its premium data has no cap and won’t slow down based on the data used. On top of the excellent data offerings, Verizon has a range of business cell phones for small businesses, carrying top brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google.

The downside of using Verizon is that some of its call filtering features, like caller ID and personal block list, are not available in the entry-level plan. You must upgrade to the second-tier package, which costs $80 per line, monthly, to access those tools. Other business cell phone plans providers have these call filtering capabilities in their base-level subscription packages. You’ll save more with RingCentral , for instance, as it’s priced at $30 per user, per month.

Verizon Features

Block high-risk calls automatically using Verizon’s spam filter. (Source: Verizon )

• Call filter: Screen and block incoming spam calls and those from unwanted numbers. Upgrade to Call Filter Plus to access caller ID for robocall control and total spam protection.
• Business Mobile Secure: Get alerts when a device tries to connect to unsecured Wi-Fi. It protects your phone against phishing and other cybersecurity risks.
• Bring your own device (BYOD) : Verizon allows users to keep their smartphones and numbers when switching to the provider. Simply check your eligibility, bring your smartphone and number, and activate them with one of Verizon’s unlimited business plans.

RingCentral: Best for Streamlined Call Distribution

• Free local and toll-free numbers in all plans
• 99.999% uptime guarantee, which translates to less than six minutes of annual downtime
• Up to 200 video meeting participants
• Only offers up to 200 business texting credits per user
• Phone rentals are only available for those tied to a multi-year contract
• Unlimited storage for files is locked behind the most expensive plan

RingCentral Monthly Pricing*

• Core: $30 per user for unlimited domestic calling, local or toll-free numbers, 100 toll-free minutes, 25 short messaging service (SMS) credits, and multi-level auto-attendant
• Advanced: $35 per user for 1,000 toll-free minutes, 100 SMS credits, advanced call queues, automatic and on-demand call recording, and up to eight-digit phone extensions
• Ultra: $45 per user for 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 SMS credits, and unlimited storage for files, messaging, and recordings
• Free trial: 14 days

*Save up to 33% by paying annually. Volume discounts for 50-plus users are available.

RingCentral ranks second on our list of the best small business cell phone plans, most suitable for teams wanting to improve call management. Its wide array of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) features route phone calls to team members more efficiently. For one, the multi-level auto-attendant automatically directs calls to the right departments based on the caller’s key presses. Its call queue accommodates up to 25 waiting calls.

The VoIP phone system supports various call routing modes: round-robin, sequential, and simultaneous. Aside from organizing the flow of inbound calls, these distribution methods ensure you won’t miss important customer queries.

Before choosing RingCentral, note that it only provides a maximum of 200 SMS credits per user. If you frequently send texts for marketing or customer service, explore other best cell phone plans businesses use, like Verizon and AT&T , which offer unlimited texting.

RingCentral Features

Get an overview of all your voicemail messages on RingCentral. (Source: RingCentral )

• Visual voicemail: Access and manage your voicemail through RingCentral’s admin portal. Instead of listening to audio files and playing them repeatedly to get the details of the message, read the voicemails. Users have the option to preview, delete, and forward these messages.
• Team huddle: Let team members hold spontaneous virtual meetings that resemble face-to-face, informal huddles. Easily host audio and video conferences where participants come and go as they please.
• Video conferencing: Host virtual meetings for up to 200 participants. If you get the large meeting add-on, your sessions will be able to accommodate a maximum of 500 attendees.

AT&T: Best for Mobile Security

• Unlimited texting from the U.S. to 200+ countries
• All subscription plans feature mobile app security
• Waived activation fees for new customers who buy plans and devices online
• More expensive subscription plans compared to other providers listed here
• 5G+ is available in limited parts of select cities only
• Hotspot data speed slows to a maximum of 128Kbps when your allotted data is consumed

AT&T Monthly Pricing*

• Standard: $70 per line for unlimited talk, text, and data within and between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, 5G/5G+ access, 5GB of mobile hotspot data, basic ActiveArmor security, and standard-definition video streaming
• Advanced: $80 per line for 100GB of mobile hotspot data, advanced ActiveArmor security, and high-definition 1080p video streaming
• Premium: $90 per line for 200GB mobile hotspot data, high-definition 4K video streaming, and unlimited talk, text, and data in Latin America

*Pay only $40, $45, or $50 for the tiered subscription plans when you get six or more lines. Secure a $10 discount when you sign up for AutoPay and paperless billing.

AT&T is the best cell phone plan for businesses prioritizing the privacy of confidential company information. Among the providers mentioned in this list, it offers the most comprehensive mobile security through the AT&T ActiveArmor app. This app offers spam risk call blocking, safe browsing, public Wi-Fi protection, and identity monitoring. The last one involves tracking the dark web for your personal information.

On top of these key features, you’ll be able to receive data breach alerts, run reverse number lookups, identify unknown caller details, and get information about your Android smartphone if it gets lost or stolen. While AT&T offers excellent mobile security among the best cell phone plans for small businesses listed, its data offering may be a deal-breaker. It slows down the hotspot data to a maximum of 128Kbps when the user hits their data cap.

In contrast, Verizon’s mobile throttling speed is 600Kbps, a more acceptable speed for professionals who need to stay connected. Consider this option if you need internet access when working remotely. The provider offers some valuable mobile security features as well, such as Wi-Fi protection and robocall blocking.

AT&T Features

Turn on data roaming when traveling internationally. (Source: AT&T )

• Video streaming: Watch shows on your smartphone in standard definition, high-definition, or ultra-high definition, depending on your plan. To control data usage, AT&T’s Video Management feature automatically renders streaming video in standard definition.
• International roaming: Call, text, and use mobile data in Latin America with no usage limits. This lets you communicate with colleagues and customers whenever needed, wherever you may be.
• Mobile hotspot: Plug your devices into your hotspot and secure your internet connection instantly. With AT&T’s broad coverage nationwide, you’ll connect and work remotely without the hassle.

Nextiva: Best for Toll-free Calling

• High-definition voice is featured in all subscription plans
• Number porting is free of charge
• Lets users bring their own device
• Only allows a 45-minute duration in video calls
• SMS isn't available in the entry-level plan
• Users must upgrade to the most expensive package to access call recording and voicemail transcription

Nextiva Monthly Pricing*

• Essential: $30.95 per user for free local and toll-free numbers, up to 1,500 toll-free minutes, auto-attendant, and call history
• Professional: $35.95 per user for up to 3,000 toll-free minutes, multi-level auto-attendant, voicemail-to-SMS, and a maximum of 1,000 messages sent and received per user
• Enterprise: $45.95 per user for up to 12,500 toll-free minutes, call recording, a maximum of 2,000 messages sent and received per user, and voicemail transcription

*Save up to 33% by paying annually. Volume discounts are available for more than four users.

Nextiva is included in this list of the best cell phone plans for small businesses, ideal for companies catering to a national client base because of its generous toll-free minute allowance. It offers a maximum of 12,500 toll-free minutes, allowing customers from different parts of the country to reach out to the business without any charge.

The provider’s call management features, specifically the multi-level auto-attendant, call queueing, call park, and five-digit phone extensions, make accommodating several customer queries easier. The threaded conversations, which put all customer interactions from different channels in one interface, help users be more organized in addressing concerns.

One disadvantage you need to know before subscribing to Nextiva is that its video calls only last for 45 minutes. Consider other best cell phone plans for businesses if you frequently go on long video calls for client and team discussions. RingCentral is a good option, as its video meetings have a duration of 24 hours.

Nextiva Features

Set your status on Nextiva to let colleagues know if you’re available for a call. (Source: Nextiva )

• Call recording: Capture phone calls and store the recordings to secure a reliable reference for business deals and agreements. These files may serve as training materials for new customer service representatives in the future.
• Call presence: Know who among colleagues is available for calls. The phone system’s presence displays user status: available, on a call, unavailable (do not disturb), or offline.
• Call pop: See who’s on the other end of the line before answering a call. Refer to the call pop feature to know the customers’ last interaction, account value, and experience score or customer sentiment.

T-Mobile: Best for Global Communications

• Offers valuable productivity tools, like Microsoft 365 license
• Add-ons, like extra high-speed hotspot and high-definition streaming, offer flexibility when users need additional data
• All plans have dedicated customer care services
• Wi-Fi for traveling isn't available in the entry-level plan
• Reverse number lookup tool is only available at the most expensive subscription package
• Netflix subscription is locked behind the Ultimate plan

T-Mobile Monthly Pricing*

• Select: $60 per line for 50GB of premium data, unlimited mobile hotspot with 5GB of data, unlimited international texting and up to 5GB of data in 11 countries, and unlimited calling, texting, and data in Mexico and Canada with up to 5GB of data
• Advanced: $70 per line for 100GB of premium data, unlimited mobile hotspot with 50GB of data, four full-flight Wi-Fi sessions a year, and secure Wi-Fi without additional charge
• Ultimate: $85 per line for unlimited premium data and unlimited mobile hotspot with 100GB of data

*Pay only $25, $30, or $40 per line for the tiered subscription plans when you get six lines.

T-Mobile is our top pick for international communications among the listed small business cell phone plans, given its attractive travel benefits. For one, you’ll have access to in-flight Wi-Fi with streaming on select airlines, namely Alaska, American, Delta, and United. To use the service, you must have your Wi-Fi calling settings enabled. The in-flight solutions cover video streaming, text and picture messaging, visual voicemail, and over-the-top messaging.

On top of that, you have unlimited international texting and data in more than 215 overseas locations. The high-speed data is capped at 5GB per month, and the unlimited data is up to 256Kbps. If you’re traveling to Mexico or Canada, maximize the unlimited talk, text, and data of up to 5GB.

One downside of choosing T-Mobile is that the business cell phone plan has a more expensive subscription when you want to secure unlimited premium data. You must upgrade to its highest-tier package, which costs $85 per line, monthly. Verizon is slightly more affordable at $80 per line.

T-Mobile Features

Block spam calls automatically using T-Mobile’s Scam Shield app. (Source: T-Mobile )

• Microsoft 365 access: Higher T-Mobile plans like the Advanced and Ultimate packages come with a single Microsoft Office license. Access popular productivity tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration features, such as Microsoft Teams and OneDrive (1TB cloud storage).
• Scam Shield: This feature automatically identifies and prevents spam calls, which may put your security at risk or negatively affect productivity. It features a caller ID that displays callers’ information even on numbers not registered on your contact list. Additionally, it provides a proxy number to keep your real phone number private.
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get exclusive access to free offers and attractive deals from different brands on T-Mobile’s app. The perks include prizes and discounts on food, fuel, hotel stays, gadgets, and app subscriptions.

Google Voice: Best for Budget-conscious Freelancers

• Service level agreement (SLA) is offered in all subscription plans
• Offers seamless access to other Google apps, like Calendar and Meet
• Google AI blocks spam calls automatically
• Doesn’t have call recording in the entry-level plan
• Users must subscribe to the most expensive package to access advanced reporting
• Lacks advanced VoIP features other providers offer, like toll-free minutes and call monitoring

Google Voice Monthly Pricing

• Personal: Free for one user, local phone number, unlimited calls and text messages within the United States (U.S.), and voicemail
• Starter: $10 per user for up to 10 users, calls to the U.S., Canada, and most European countries, unlimited text messaging within the U.S., voicemail transcription, and integration with Calendar and Meet
• Standard: $20 per user for unlimited users, multi-level auto-attendant, ring groups, and eDiscovery for calls, voicemails, and text messages
• Premier: $30 per user for unlimited international locations, advanced reporting, and automatic call recording

Google Voice is our top-recommended small business phone plan for budget-conscious freelancers, as it’s the most affordable solution in this list. For only $10, you’ll have unlimited calls within the U.S., Canada, and select European countries and unlimited texts within the U.S. Solopreneurs who only need a second phone number and unlimited domestic calling will benefit from the Personal plan, which is free of charge.

The VoIP provider is likewise an excellent option for freelancers who are already working with other Google products. It seamlessly integrates with Calendar and Meet, so if you need to switch to a longer huddle with colleagues and clients, the video conferencing feature is easily accessible.

But unlike other small business VoIP services , Google Voice doesn’t have advanced VoIP tools like toll-free minutes and call monitoring. RingCentral is your best option if these features are essential to your business communications. It offers up to 10,000 toll-free minutes and call monitoring tools, like whisper, barge, and takeover.

Google Voice Features

Get spam call alerts from Google Voice. (Source: Google Voice )

• Multi-level auto-attendant: Send callers to different departments by letting them choose from a phone menu. Record your greetings using Google Voice’s text-to-speech tool or uploading a professionally recorded audio.
• Enhanced spam protection: The phone system automatically labels spam calls as such using advanced artificial intelligence. On top of this, it marks suspicious text messages on Android and iOS devices.
• Ring groups: Delegate a ring group to a specific Google Voice user. A ring group manager will be able to configure the ring group members, call routing rules, ring duration settings, and working hours.

Manage your VoIP costs better by exploring pay-as-you-go and prepaid VoIP options. Take into account your business and communication priorities as you consider the providers mentioned in our buyer’s guide.

How We Evaluated the Best Business Cell Phone Plans

To assess the providers objectively, we developed a scoring rubric that takes into account companies’ considerations when choosing business cell phone plans. These factors include subscription costs, essential features like unlimited calling, spam call blocking, and international calling, and customer service hours. The popularity of each vendor was likewise a part of our assessment.

Learn how we evaluated the top cell phone plans for business by clicking on the tabs below:

• General Features
• Advanced Features
• Ease of Use
• Customer Support
• Expert Score

20% of Overall Score

To determine if the vendors have an accessible pricing point, we considered the entry-level plan’s fees and the number of subscription packages offered. We assigned higher points to those providing annual and volume discounts and free plans.

25% of Overall Score

The general features we looked at were unlimited calling, call forwarding, and call routing. Similarly, we assessed how robust the third-party integrations are.

The niche features include tools improving security and international communications. We gave more points to those with spam blockers, in-flight texting, and international calling support. Those with video meeting features earned more points as well.

10% of Overall Score

Since not all users are tech-savvy, we considered how easy it is to set up accounts and maximize the features offered by the provider. We checked if the vendors’ proprietary apps’ interfaces are beginner-friendly.

The customer support channels we included in our evaluation were live chat, phone, and email. We considered the schedule of customer service, giving more points to those with 24/7 operations.

15% of Overall Score

The vendors’ standout features and ease of use were part of our expert score. We checked third-party review websites to evaluate their level of popularity among professionals. In addition, we evaluated the feature inclusions for every subscription plan to determine if they provide great value for money.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the best cell phone carrier for coverage.

According to the Federal Communications Commission’s national broadband map, AT&T and Verizon have the broadest 4G LTE coverage, covering 56.95% and 55.9% of the country, respectively. Meanwhile, T-Mobile covers 35.3%. AT&T and Verizon are excellent options if you prioritize coverage.

How fast is Verizon’s 4G LTE?

Verizon 4G LTE can accommodate download speeds between 5 and 12Mbps and upload speeds between 2 and 5Mbps.

How do I choose the best cell phone plan?

In a nutshell, these are the factors you must consider when comparing cell phone plans:

• Data and voice coverage: Check the carriers’ coverage maps to see if your business areas are included. Ask contacts as well which providers work well in different locations.
• Device options: If you plan to get a new device, see if your carrier offers your preferred brands and models. Meanwhile, if you plan to stick to your existing phone, ensure your phone plan provider supports BYOD.
• Plan inclusions: Compare the high-speed data limits for each provider’s unlimited data offerings. If you frequently travel for work, check if there’s mobile hotspot access included in the plan. Those traveling overseas should benefit from a package that features international coverage. If you choose VoIP platforms, check if the plan includes a toll-free minute allowance and robust call routing tools.
• Subscription rates: Determine how much you will spend on your mobile plan each month. When comparing quotes, consider the taxes and fees on top of the subscription rates. Note that some providers offer discounts for bulk lines and enrollment in AutoPay and paperless billing. VoIP vendors provide discounted prices for those who choose annual billing.

Bottom Line

Your cell phone plan of choice ultimately depends on your calling and texting habits, travel frequency, and monthly budget. The best providers offer affordable packages, unlimited calling, and essential features like call forwarding and call routing. They offer robust support for remote work and mobile security and make availing new devices easier.

In our evaluation, Verizon reigns supreme over the best business cell phone plans, especially for on-the-go employees who need reliable internet connection wherever they are. With its broad coverage nationwide, premium data offerings, and unlimited talk and text features, you’ll be able to stay connected to your customers and colleagues, regardless of your location.

Visit Verizon

About the Author

Sam Dadofalza

Sam is an office tech writer at Fit Small Business, covering various topics including virtual phone systems, contact center platforms, and unified communications tools. She produced content for the digital marketing campaigns of small businesses from different industries and countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Join Fit Small Business

Sign up to receive more well-researched small business articles and topics in your inbox, personalized for you. Select the newsletters you’re interested in below.

• Best Mac Apps
• Unknown Caller

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best small business cell phone plans

Just as one shoe size can’t fit all, there’s no single cell phone plan that will suit every small company. But there are numerous high-quality plans that are worth considering as they strive to meet the needs of different types of businesses. To settle on the best cell phone plan for your business, you first want to figure out what kind of plan best fits your company.

How to choose a plan

Big four basics.

Business owners generally buy and pay for employee cell phones or plans or both when workers spend at least some part of their time off-site. With employees, you may want to track hours and data. In that case, to streamline operation and collaboration, a specialized business cell phone plan might be optimal. Today, more American businesses are accommodating work-at-home schedules that avoid meetings and travel, but note that quarantines and shelter-in-place orders will not last forever, so it’s a good idea to take the entire spectrum of your business activities into account.

• Best iPhone 15 deals: How to get Apple’s latest iPhone for free
• Best iPhone 14 deals: Unlocked and refurbished
• The best tablets in 2024: top 11 tablets you can buy now

There are numerous factors to reflect on when choosing a cell phone plan for your small company. Here are some major issues you’ll want to consider.

Business design: Is your proposed plan built for businesses and scaled for business customers? If you’re a solopreneur or an extremely small company with just a handful of employees, you may be able to get away with a personal friends-and-family-type plan, as opposed to a bona fide business plan. But once you have more than a couple of employees, start to think bigger about scalabilities such as multiple lines, unlimited options on talk, text, and data, data-only plans for companies that don’t need talk or text, and discounts for more lines or devices.

Network coverage: Consider sound quality, data speeds, coverage, and overall dependability. Make sure the plan you choose has good coverage in the area where your employees are located or are traveling. If your employees travel internationally, choose from plans that have good rates for the target countries. Also, don’t forget about airline coverage and in-flight texting services.

Security:  Some cell phone business plans offer virtual private networks, encryption, and other features to protect your company’s data. That could be quite valuable, as it relieves you of having to research, choose, and pay for additional services.

Hardware: If you need to supply employees with handsets, consider the kinds of phones offered with the plans you’re considering, or whether employees prefer to use their own smartphones.

Hot spot: Some business environments just don’t have usable Wi-Fi, but you can use a cell phone signal to connect a wireless device to the internet with a mobile hotspot. For multiple device connections, look for a dedicated hotspot with a fast, stable, secure connection, as well as other services like call forwarding, voicemail, call hold, analytics, and call queuing.

Data: Business plans should be generous with data, but unlimited is best — unless you really do not need data to conduct business.

Customer service: Count on problems arising, and when they do, you or your employees will want someone reliable to call before customers and clients get restless.

Price: Price is always a factor, and sometimes the cheapest plans offer just the service and features you’re looking for. But for something as critical as your business communications, do not buy on price alone.

Just in case you’re also looking for the best all-around mobile cellular deals, have a look at our survey of the  best cell phone plans of 2020 and our report on the best prepaid cell phone plans . Meantime, below are some of the business-oriented plans available now.

AT&T offers several variations of its Mobility Rate Plans — Mobile Share Plus, Mobile Select Priority Pooled, and Business Unlimited Elite, plus several in between — tailored to your budget for $50, $55, and $85 per line per month. Designed for small- to medium-sized businesses, the Elite plan offers unlimited data, talk, and text for up to 10 devices. The Pooled plan gives employees a data allowance alongside pooled data within a single account. The Plus plan lets you share data across up to 10 or up to 25 business devices. All plans feature unlimited domestic talk and text and unlimited talk from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada, plus unlimited texts from the U.S. to over 120 countries, along with high definition video streaming. The Elite and Pooled plans also feature 5G . Data speeds may slow down with congestion past certain data points.

Verizon markets the Plan for Business, Business Unlimited, the New Verizon Plan, and the Flexible Business Plan specifically for small companies. The Plan for Business starts at $175 per month for up to 25 lines, with data plans ranging from 25GB to 200GB for various prices and topping out at $1,000 per month. All plans include carryover data, safety mode, calling to and from Mexico and Canada, use of your device in Mexico and Canada, and data boost costing $15 per 1GB. With all business plans, you can turn your device into an internet hotspot and send unlimited messages to more than 200 countries worldwide. Additional smartphones cost $15 per month.

Simple Choice for Business by T-Mobile costs $50 per line per month up to $110 per month for up to five lines. You can add $10 per line per month for 6 to 12 lines and up to 2GB of 4G LTE Data. You can call and text from any Wi-Fi connection, as your unused LTE data (up to 20GB) rolls forward for 12 months. The plan features unlimited calling and texting to and from Mexico and Canada, plus you get up to 5GB of data at 4G LTE speeds. If you’re looking for a more streamlined option, T-Mobile Essentials only costs $30 per month per line for four lines. It offers unlimited 3G mobile hotspot data, unlimited talk, text, 2G data in Mexico and Canada, and unlimited texting and flat-rate calling at 20 cents per minute in over 210 countries. An additional 10GB of high-speed 4G LTE mobile hotspot data will cost you $10 a month. For a more robust plan, the Magenta for Business plan is available for two, four, eight, and 12 lines for $60, $40, and $30 per month per line, respectively. It features 5G service, 3GB of 4G LTE hotspot data, plus unlimited 3G data, in-flight texting and data, unlimited data and texting in over 210 countries, and unlimited talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico. The included Digits program eliminates the need for separate work and personal phones, allowing you to access up to five numbers on one device and use one number across several devices.

RingCentral

RingCentral is a VoIP system that functions extremely well in an office setting. It supports unlimited calling and conferencing toll-free numbers and a customizable caller ID. Functionality is its primary priority; It supports useful features, like texting, online meetings, and faxing. When you use RingCentral, incoming calls go through the same call-routing system as your office phones. It helps make your office number into a portable communication system. You can call, text, and fax from your business number on any mobile device. The service could be used by two users to 1000 and offers four levels: Essentials, Standard, Premium, and Ultimate for $20, $25, $35, and $50, each with a free trial.

Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless is a highly-rated and widely-used prepaid wireless service that prides itself on its affordability. It typically costs users from $30 to $60 per month. With Cricket Wireless, users can build their own custom phone plans. If you prefer a more basic plan with talk and text and no data, that’s manageable. You can build off that basic plan by adding data (2GB, 5GB, or unlimited), unlimited talk and text, picture messages, a mobile hotspot, and SD quality video streaming. If you often travel or need international coverage, that’s also manageable. You can add coverage for Canada and Mexico and unlimited text to 37 countries, HD Voice, and Wi-Fi calling from a compatible phone. Data-only plans of 20GB and 40GB are available for $35 and $50 per month, respectively, with Mexico and Canada coverage in the mix.

Republic Wireless

Consider Republic Wireless for your business if you don’t exactly need a phone network, but you do use a significant amount of Wi-Fi. This plan functions more like a virtual network than other cellular providers. The vendor relies on T-Mobile and Sprint networks when Wi-Fi is unavailable. The base plan is incredibly affordable, starting at $15 a month or $150 a year for unlimited talk and text. At this level, Republic Wireless charges $5 per gigabyte of data, up to 15GB. Fortunately, Republic won’t let a person’s bill skyrocket if they start to use too much data; Instead, the company disables data before you stretch past your limit. Using their data plan, users can also opt to make their smartphone a hotspot. One feature we enjoy about Republic is their Extend Home service. This feature allows people to connect their cell phones with their home phone to access contacts, receive calls, or make calls from one direct number using either of their phones.

Editors' Recommendations

• Best phone deals: Save on the iPhone, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and more
• Best cell phone plan deals: T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Mint Mobile and more
• The best Android tablets in 2024: the 11 best ones you can buy
• Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513
• Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals: Grab the foldable phone for $700
• Buying Guides

The Apple iPhone is likely the most popular smartphone of all time, and even older models are still seeing impressive sales. This popularity can make it difficult to find iPhone deals, but there are quite a few hanging around out there right now and some of them could be considered among the best phone deals currently taking place. And while you can always shop refurbished iPhone deals to ensure some savings, we think we’ve found some iPhone deals worth taking a look at right now. They include the newest model iPhone 15, so whether you’re looking for the latest and greatest or an iPhone that simply gets the job done, read onward and start shopping the best iPhone deals going on right now. iPhone 15 128GB (AT&T) — $730, was $830 (plus up to $700 off w/ trade-in)

The Apple iPhone 15 finally brings with it Dynamic Island which we’ve only previously seen on the Pro range. It’s a real game changer at times and is very convenient. Alongside that, the Apple iPhone 15 has the Ceramic Shield front to keep it more protected while its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display promises to be up to two times brighter than the iPhone 14 in the sun. There’s also a 48MP main camera with 2x telephoto lens to help you take great shots. The A16 Bionic chip has plenty of processing power to aid with software adjustments.

There are lots of different types of ring lights, but they all have the same primary purpose -- provide a steady light source that will illuminate your subject, whether that's an object, another person, or yourself. If you need a ring light for your phone, there's also an overwhelming number of options, so to help you out, we've rounded up the best ring lights for phones right here. We're going to take you through our recommendations, their advantages over other ring lights for phones in the market, and our selection process that resulted in our top five choices below.

Whether you're a travel vlogger, a video game streamer, or any other kind of content creator, and you prefer using your phone over a dedicated camera or webcam, then you should check out the best ring lights for phones that we've gathered here. Even if you're only going to use it for your personal photos and videos, it's always better to have nice lighting that will simply make everything look nicer, especially in low-light environments. Not everyone needs a ring light for their phone, but for those who do, read on to determine the one that would be perfect for you. The best ring lights for phones in 2024

Buying the best tablet for business isn’t quite as simple as just buying something from our look at the best tablets. Business users have specific needs which mean they don’t have to worry so much high-end gaming performance or a particularly sharp and speedy display. Instead, it’s mostly about strong number crunching ability, plenty of storage, good cameras for calls, and those kind of responsible considerations.

That’s why we’ve specifically picked out the best tablets for business below. Further down, we’ve also gone into greater depth about how we came to our decisions but rest assured, we’re experts in the field and know exactly what a business user needs from a great tablet. For some of you that may mean one of the best iPads but for others, it means an Android device or even a hybrid laptop/tablet setup.

• Business Internet
• Voice and collaboration
• Contact centers and CX
• Internet of Things
• Fleet management
• Solutions by industry
• Small Business
• Public Sector
• Smartphones
• Business Devices
• Mobile plans
• Business Unlimited
• Bring your own device
• Fios Business Internet
• 5G Business Internet
• LTE Business Internet
• Mobile deals
• Internet deals
• Contact overview
• Request a call
• Wireless store appointment
• Virtual appointment
• Real estate inquiry form
• Support overview
• Register for My Business
• Store locator
• Fios order status
• Tasks without logging in
• Verizon Enterprise Center
• Public Sector support
• Accessibility
• Wholesale and reselling
• Partner network
• Systems Integrator partners
• Technology partners
• For property managers
• Device trade-in
• Wireless return policy
• Executive Briefing Program
• Refer a business
• Our company
• Corporate responsibility
• Verizon Foundation
• Why Verizon
• Resources and insights
• Report a security vulnerability
• WEA Compatibility
• Service Guide
• facebook-official

• Sign up for email alerts
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• California Privacy Notice
• Health Privacy Notice
• About Our Ads
• Open Internet

We use Cookies to optimize and analyze your experience on our Services, and serve ads relevant to your interests. By selecting Accept all, you consent to our use of Cookies. Learn more in our Cookie Policy .

Pricing & Other Info

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Requires Comcast Business Internet service. Up to 20 lines. Equip., intl. and roaming charges, taxes, and fees, including reg. recovery fees, and other charges extra, and subj. to change. $25/line/mo. charge applies if one of the following services not maintained: Comcast Business TV, Internet, or Voice. Pricing subject to change. In times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic. After monthly threshold included with your data option, speeds reduced to a maximum of 1.5 Mbps download/750 Kbps upload. A minimum $15.00 charge applies per month, per account for By the Gig lines, regardless of data usage. Charges apply to each GB or partial GB of shared data. No rollover data. Actual savings vary and are not guaranteed. For Comcast Business Mobile Disclosures visit:  

BIG BENEFITS WITHOUT THE BIG PRICE

Mobile service, just right for business needs, new ways to save.

Get Unlimited with 5G included for $30/mo per line when you get 2 lines.

Stay connected

The most reliable 5G network nationwide included at no extra cost and access to millions of WiFi hotspots.

Flexibility & control

Switch lines between Unlimited and By the Gig data anytime and only pay for what you and your employees need.

Unlimited data options that fit your business

Benefits of Unlimited

Multi-line pricing.

Get Unlimited data for yourself and get a great price. Or add lines for your team and take advantage of multi-line pricing.

Match your needs

Mix Unlimited Intro, Unlimited Plus, Unlimited Premium, and shared By the Gig data options based on what your business needs.

Freedom to switch

Collaborating more at work, or traveling less? Visit your account online to switch any line to By the Gig, anytime.

Benefits of By the Gig

For yourself, your team

By the Gig’s shareable data can work for everyone: you or your employees.

It’s okay to go over

No problem if you or your employees use more than your chosen amount. Additional data is $15 per GB, or switch any line to Unlimited.

Data options that grow with your business

Needs can change in an instant. You can adjust your data amount, switch to Unlimited, or mix and match data options.

Compare your options

Explore Comcast Business Mobile

We’ve got you covered with 5G, LTE, and WiFi.

Find out how much you might save when you switch.

Save even more with our latest deals and discounts.

Meet with the team on a bigger screen.

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Switching Phone Carriers in 2024: What to Know Before Changing Providers

Before you switch your wireless service, make sure you have the answers to these six questions.

Switching wireless providers isn't easy. Although there are three major networks in the US, the actual number of wireless carriers and plans is significantly higher. Sifting through this big, confusing mess can be overwhelming, but we want to help make this process a little easier. Here's how to choose a cell phone plan in 2024.

Which network works best for you? 

In the US there are three major networks: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. All three offer services directly and have robust nationwide networks that offer 4G LTE (fast) and 5G (really fast) data. 

The most important aspect of choosing a network is finding one that works in your area. This makes it hard for us to give a blanket recommendation of any one carrier. For example, T-Mobile's service in New York may be excellent, but if you're in rural Iowa, Verizon is more reliable. 

While your mileage may vary, the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, particularly as the three major players continue to try and blanket the US with 5G. It's quite possible that a decade ago you left a network complaining about its sparse service, but now it has beefed itself up because of that arms race to acquire customers.

If you know any friends or family in your area that already use the carrier you're considering, ask about their experience. You could also go to a carrier's store and see if they offer any free ways to try out the service before switching over, such as  T-Mobile's Network Pass  which lets you sample T-Mobile's service for free for three months. Verizon  offers a similar 30-day "trial" program  while the Cricket prepaid service  has its own trial offering  that lets you try out parent AT&T's network.

Then, of course, there are the plans themselves. Below is a comparison of some of the latest plans from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. For this chart, we focused on each carrier's cheapest plan, as well as their respective "middle" options that we think could make sense for most people. 

It is worth noting that some plans, like T-Mobile's Go5G include streaming perks like Netflix while Verizon lets you add perks like the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu) for $10 per month if you have its latest Unlimited Welcome, Plus or Ultimate plans. 

Most Verizon and AT&T unlimited plans (with the notable exception being AT&T's Value Plus VL) also don't require you to have every line on the same plan, so if only one of your family plan's lines needs extra hotspot data, you can drop the others down to cheaper options and save a little there. 

If you're looking for multiple lines on T-Mobile and its cheapest rate, you're better off going with its regular Essentials or Essentials Saver plans. A promotion the carrier is doing has it available for $100 per month for four lines. 

Wireless plans compared

Know the smaller and prepaid players.

Visible, Google Fi and Mint Mobile are just a few of the many MVNOs that rely on larger networks. 

While AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon operate the major networks, other smaller providers offer service on their airwaves. First, there are the prepaid brands each carrier owns. Verizon has Visible, AT&T has Cricket and T-Mobile has Metro and now Mint Mobile . All use their parent's respective networks for service. 

Smaller players also rely on the larger networks for service. Google Fi, for example, uses T-Mobile's network, while cable companies Comcast and Spectrum rely on Verizon for their respective Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile brands. 

Boost Mobile, which is owned by Dish , uses a combination of T-Mobile and AT&T while Dish builds out its own 5G network . Dish has started offering its own service that rivals the big carriers, which it calls Boost Infinite .

The benefit of these smaller carriers -- many of which are known as mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs -- is that you can get access to the larger provider's service at a more affordable rate. If you found that Verizon works best where you live but its service is too pricey, switching to Visible, Spectrum Mobile or Xfinity Mobile could potentially allow you to keep similar coverage but pay a bit less (although you may lose out on some other perks like free streaming services). 

We've broken down a few of these providers , including which provider uses which network and explained some of the trade-offs you'll want to keep in mind. 

Know how much you owe on your installment plan

Getting a new iPhone at a deep discount from a carrier often requires a big commitment.

Two-year contracts have largely disappeared from the US wireless market. Unfortunately, they now seem set to be replaced by increasingly longer installment plans.

AT&T and Verizon now consistently only offer 36-month installment plans for the latest devices from Apple, Google and Samsung. T-Mobile, meanwhile, still has options for 24-month installments with plans like its Go5G Plus offering better upgrade deals every two years and Go5G Next offering deals every year.

With these longer timelines you can get a flagship phone for significantly less, but you need to stay on that carrier (and potentially with a pricier unlimited plan) for two or three years. If you leave before that time has passed, you risk needing to pay out the balance owed on the phone, which some providers require before they "unlock" the device to be used on other networks. 

Major carriers often offer several hundred dollars when you switch, which can help subsidize the price of the change. You'll want to check your account online or go into your carrier's store to find out how much you might still owe on your phone before you leave. 

Decide if you should keep your current phone

The modernization of phones and networks means your existing phone will probably work just fine on a new carrier. All the major wireless carriers offer a similar assortment of the latest devices, particularly when it comes to the iPhone and the Galaxy lines.

To make the most of any switch you'll probably want to take this opportunity to upgrade your device, particularly if it's a few years old and lacks modern features like 5G. There are often extra deals when adding or opening a new line to help pay off any installment plan or get you to a better device. 

If you'd rather keep what you have, your existing device will probably work just fine so long as it's unlocked from your prior provider.

Know your discounts

Keep in mind that all of the carriers offer additional savings, which you could be eligible for depending on your employer, military status, student status or even age. If you're on a family plan, a family member could qualify even if you don't. 

First responders, military members, veterans, nurses and teachers, in particular, can get discounts from every major carrier.  Verizon offers discounts for students and a range of professions, while T-Mobile's Work Perks could knock 15% off Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plans and AT&T offers a similar program for its Unlimited Premium PL and Elite plans  that it calls Signature. 

If you're 55 or older, you may also be eligible for a discounted plan: T-Mobile offers discounted plans nationwide for as low as $55 a month for two lines, while Verizon and AT&T offer similar options but only for Florida residents.

We break down the discounts in greater detail here, for  AT&T , Verizon  and  T-Mobile .

This could save you money if you switch, or potentially lower your current rate a bit and save you the hassle of changing providers.

Understand the perks

If you have the right Verizon plan you could get free Disney Plus. 

Many of the major carriers bundle in perks for using their higher-end unlimited plans, particularly streaming services. Verizon offers the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus) as a $10 monthly perk for its latest unlimited plans while T-Mobile offers Netflix Standard (with ads) on its Go5G branded offerings and also includes a subscription to Apple TV Plus and Hulu (with ads) with Go5G Next. 

Even prepaid and smaller carriers like Cricket (HBO Max with Ads) and US Mobile (a variety of options) offer perks with their unlimited plans. 

In addition, Verizon has perks for services including Apple One, Walmart Plus and a Netflix/Max bundle while T-Mobile's Go5G plans also offer in-flight Wi-Fi and unlimited data abroad. T-Mobile's Metro offers 100GB of Google One storage and one-year subscriptions to ViX Premium while AT&T gives six months of free gaming with an extended trial of Nvidia's GeForce Ultimate . 

If you're already paying for one or more of these subscriptions, switching to the right provider could be a way to help you save even more.

We'll continue to update this with more cell phone plan tips.

Mobile Guides

• Best iPhone
• Best Galaxy S24 Deals
• Best iPhone Deals
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Review
• Best Android Phones
• Best Samsung Galaxy Phone
• Pixel 8 Pro Review
• iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max Review
• Best iPhone 15 Deals
• Best Foldable Phones
• Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review
• OnePlus Open Review
• Best Galaxy Z Flip Deals
• Best Wireless Earbuds
• Best Noise Canceling Headphones
• Best Headphones
• Best Over Ear Headphones
• Best Wireless Earbuds and Headphones for Making Calls
• Best Headphones for Work at Home
• Best Noise Canceling Wireless Earbuds
• Best Sounding Wireless Earbuds
• Best Cheap Wireless Earbuds
• Best Wireless Headphones
• Best iPhone 15 Cases
• Best iPhone 14 Cases
• Best Power Bank for iPhone
• Best Airpods Pro Accessories
• Best Magsafe iPhone Accessories
• Best Speakerphone
• Best Wireless Car Charger and Mount
• Best iPhone Fast Charger
• Best Portable Chargers and Power Banks for Android
• Apple Watch Series 8 vs Series 7
• Best Apple Watch Bands
• Best Android Smartwatch
• Apple Watch Ultra Review
• Best Smartwatch
• Best Prepaid Phone Plans
• Best Cheap Phone Plans
• Best Unlimited Data Plans
• Best Phone Plans
• Best Phone Plan Deals
• Best Senior Phone Plans
• Best Family Phone Plans
• Best Travel Phone Plans
• Best Verizon Plans

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Australian federal budget 2024: what we know so far and what to expect

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has promised more cost-of-living relief in his 14 May budget as well as spending for students and health

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast

On 14 May the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will deliver his second full-year budget.

Chalmers has promised more cost-of-living relief in a budget that he says tackles inflation but sets Australia’s economy up for growth – neither scorched-earth nor a free-for-all of spending .

A second surplus is within reach, but that’s just speculation. Here’s what we know already about what is in the budget.

Tax cuts and cost of living

The biggest element of the cost-of-living relief in the budget is the changes to stage-three tax cuts, a $359bn 10-year tax cut package announced by Labor in January and legislated in February with opposition support.

The package means all Australian taxpayers (earning over the tax-free threshold of $18,200) get a tax cut, doubling the benefit for an average income earner compared with the Coalition’s original stage three proposal.

Labor says 84% of taxpayers are better off under its proposal, although those earning more than $146,486 would have received more under the Coalition’s model.

There will be other cost-of-living measures the government claims won’t add to inflation, which might point towards extending energy price relief .

Jim Chalmers has poured cold water on the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee’s call for jobseeker to rise to 90% of the age pension, although he and the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, have seemed more open on increasing rent assistance. Chalmers has confirmed there will be “additional steps” on poverty reduction and “new initiatives for housing”.

Education, skills and Hecs

The government will wipe $3bn from student debts by indexing Hecs and Help debts to the lower of the consumer price index or the wage price index, backdated to June 2023.

The government will also pay student teachers, nurses, midwives and social workers $320 a week during their mandatory work placements , starting from July 2025. These two measures are aspects of the government’s response to the Universities Accord, but there will be more in the budget.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

The government has announced $90.6m to boost the number of skilled workers in the construction and housing sector, creating 15,000 fee-free Tafe places and 5,000 places for pre-apprenticeships.

School funding will also rise as the federal government negotiates with the states to cover the 5% funding gap, most recently offering to lift its share of funding from 20% to 22.5%. This is estimated to cost $6bn over five years, although Chalmers has been coy about whether estimates will be reflected in the budget or only be added after education and health agreements are finalised.

There is no question childcare workers will be receiving a pay rise in this budget – the only questions are how much and how it will be distributed. With the industry in crisis due to staffing shortages, which have been exacerbated by staff leaving to work in aged care after that sector’s pay rise win , the government is expected to make wage increases for childcare workers a centre piece of the budget.

But it’s unclear whether the government will pull the trigger on scrapping the activity test, which sets a subsidy rate based on employment. It has indicated it wants to get rid of the measure as part of its plan to make childcare in Australia “universal”, though it’s not clear whether it will happen in this budget.

Health and aged care

Public hospitals are expected to get more funding, as the federal government works to finalise a new five-year agreement with the states to start in mid-2025. The commonwealth has reportedly offered to lift funding by an extra $4bn in 2025-26 and $13bn over the whole five years.

The government is also increasing funding for its medical research future fund over 13 years, with $1.1bn for existing projects plus $150m million to investigate rarely survived cancers, and $150m towards reducing inequalities in the health system. A further $500m will go to other research schemes.

The government is also yet to outline its response to March’s aged care taskforce report , which suggested new ways to pay for the system – including asking Australians with more wealth to pay more for the cost of their care.

The health minister, Mark Butler, also announced $49.1m would go toward offering longer consultations of 45 minutes or longer for endometriosis sufferers.

Among a total of $15.4bn in “unavoidable spending” to continue programs from the previous government is money set aside for palliative care, cancer supports, public health chronic conditions, and alcohol and other drug treatments.

Defence and foreign affairs

The budget will confirm that Australia’s defence spending will increase from 2.1% of Australia’s economic output next financial year to 2.4% by 2033-34, driven by a range of big-spending projects including the Aukus nuclear-powered submarines.

There will be some cuts to programs, however, with the government announcing last month that it would free up about $73bn over 10 years by cutting, delaying or changing the scope of some defence projects.

Even after these cuts are taken into account, the government says it has committed a net increase of $50.3bn for defence over the next 10 years. This includes a net increase of $5.7bn over the immediate four-year budget cycle.

This immediate funding includes $1bn over the next four years for long-range strike, targeting and autonomous systems.

In foreign affairs, the government has promised $492m for the Asian Development Fund’s 2025-28 pledging round, to “help respond to the needs of the region and deliver transformative development projects across the Indo-Pacific”.

Infrastructure

So far, western Sydney is the biggest winner in infrastructure after the minister, Catherine King, announced $1.9bn in funding for 14 road and transport projects. Those include road upgrades, planning projects and extra money for a business case to extend the train line into the city’s south-west.

Cyclists will also get a boost with $100m being set aside to build and upgrade bicycle and walking lines in cities and regional centres.

Canberra will also get a $50m injection to extend its light rail line from the northern suburbs past Parliament House and into the city’s south.

The nation’s capital are getting a good deal because $249.7m has also been announced for Australian Institute of Sport as the 2032 Brisbane Olympics inches closer.

The quarter of a billion-dollar sum will go towards refreshing the ageing site with new accommodation, an all-weather sports dome and a new training centre.

Beyond Canberra, road safety data from the states and territories will also be better harmonised with a $21m funding announcement to set up a national data hub.

Future Made in Australia

The government has announced funding for a range of projects under its Future Made in Australia policy, which aims to directly support Australian industry and innovation, particularly in green energy. These commitments include:

$1bn for the Solar Sunshot production of solar panels in the Hunter

$1bn to PsiQuantum to build the world’s first fault tolerant quantum computer in Brisbane

$840m for Arafura’s rare earth metals production in the Northern Territory

An export agreement to sell armoured vehicles made by the German defence manufacturer Rheinmetall

$566m over 10 years for GeoScience Australia to map what is under Australia’s soil and seabed

$400m in new loans to Alpha HPA for Australia’s first high-purity alumina processing facility in Queensland; and

$185m to Renascor Resources to fast-track the development of stage one of its Siviour Graphite Project in South Australia; and

$100m to speed up environmental approvals, including assistance for business.

Gender equality

The government has committed $925m for the leaving violence payment, a payment of $5,000 to help meet the costs of leaving a relationship. The existing trial will be extended and the new permanent program available from mid-2025.

The government has also said that parents will receive 12% superannuation – or about $106 a week – on their publicly funded paid parental leave from July 2025, full costings for which will be in the budget.

Indigenous affairs

The government has not foreshadowed any new major spending commitments in the Indigenous affairs space, but the budget will contain details and funding for several large programs in that portfolio that were recently unveiled.

The Closing The Gap commitments from February, including a $700m remote jobs program, and March’s announcement of a $4bn remote housing program for the Northern Territory, are expected to be the major components of the Indigenous affairs portfolio. Most of the new commitments in Indigenous affairs are typically contained in February’s Closing The Gap document rather than the May budget.

Attorney General’s Department

The government has pledged $161.3m to establish the national firearms register , and $11m for an app alerting Australians in real time if somebody tries to use their data to commit fraud.

The government will invest $166.4m to implement reforms to Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime.

• Australian budget 2024
• Australian politics
• Australian economy
• Jim Chalmers (Australian politician)
• Cost of living crisis
• Labor party

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

Raspberry Paradise

View prices for your travel dates

See why so many travelers make Raspberry Paradise their small hotel of choice when visiting Rostov-on-Don. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers an array of amenities designed for travelers like you.

As your “home away from home,” the small hotel rooms offer a kitchenette, air conditioning, and extra long beds, and getting online is easy, with free wifi available.

Guests have access to room service while staying at Raspberry Paradise. In addition, Raspberry Paradise offers a pool and free breakfast, which will help make your Rostov-on-Don trip additionally gratifying. And, as an added convenience, there is free parking available to guests.

Close to some of Rostov-on-Don's most popular landmarks, such as Muslim Mosque (1.3 mi) and Sculpture Lions (1.3 mi), Raspberry Paradise is a great destination for tourists.

While in Rostov-on-Don be sure to experience nearby barbeque restaurants such as Bekon & John, Tamada, or Shashlychny Dvor.

Looking to explore? Then look no further than Sculpture the First Water Pipe (1.1 mi), which is a popular Rostov-on-Don attraction – and it is conveniently located within walking distance of the small hotel.

We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Raspberry Paradise as you experience all of the things Rostov-on-Don has to offer.

• Excellent 0
• Very Good 0
• English ( 0 )

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

RASPBERRY PARADISE

SMS this link

Enter a phone number and we'll SMS a link to this page.

Please enter a valid Australian mobile number

The link has been sent.

Information about the service

Telstra will be switching off 3G in 2024. Before switch off, you can use handsets supporting 3G on 850MHz and 4G minimally on 700MHz and 1800MHz. See telstra.com/device for more information. After switch off you will still be able to access the Telstra Mobile Network provided your device is 4G voice enabled and 4G 700MHz compatible. Find out more: tel.st/goodbye3G

No Excess Data Charges In Australia

Once you exceed your included data allowance, your speed will be capped at 1.5Mbps, and slowed further in busy periods. This means it is not suitable for HD video or high speed applications and means that some webpages, videos, social media content and files may take longer to load, but you can still stream video in standard definition, listen to music, browse the web and access social media, even if the experience is slower sometimes. Heavy data users (users in the top 1% of all data users) may experience slower speeds than other users during busy periods.

Eligible Data Share

You can also share data with other eligible plans on the same account. Eligible plans can be found in our customer terms at  telstra.com.au/customer-terms

Existing services on your account

If you have existing shareable services on your account, and you connect a new, or change an existing shareable service to a Telstra Business Mobile or Telstra Business Data Plan, we will automatically:

• change your existing eligible shareable services to have no excess data charges in Australia. This means that when you exceed your included data allowance your speeds will be slowed
• remove Business Demand Data from your existing eligible shareable services. 

See Our Customer Terms for a full list of eligible services.

Accessory Repayment Options

You can choose to repay the cost of eligible accessories over a fixed period of time. This applies to accessories with a cost of $120 or more and can be paid over a 12 month period. The charge for accessories will appear as a separate line item on your bill. There are 4 tiers available and if the total value of the accessory is more than one of these tiers, you’ll need to pay the difference upfront. If you cancel your accessory repayment early or cancel your service(s), your accessory repayment will also terminate and you will be required to pay out the remainder of your accessory repayments.

What happens if I cancel my plan early?

You'll need to pay out any remaining device and accessory payments. If you receive a monthly credit and cancel your Plan or Device Payment Contract early, you will lose your credit and must pay the balance of any remaining device repayments on your next bill.

Changes to your plan

From time to time we may make changes to your plan or add-ons (including price and inclusions), or we may move you to a new plan (which may cost more). If we reasonably think that a change is likely to be detrimental to you, we'll tell you at least 30 days before making it. If you don't like the change you can change or cancel your plan or add-ons and just pay out your device, accessories and services in full.

What happens if I go overseas?

If you are moving your existing service and it currently has International Roaming blocked this will continue to apply on your new Plan, otherwise, International Roaming and International Day Pass are activated by default on your plan. You can deactivate them using the MyTelstra app (data charges may apply), or by calling us between 8am-7pm AEST Monday to Friday on 125 109 from within Australia or +61 439 125 109 outside of Australia free of charge from your Telstra service. For an additional charge per day an International Day Pass lets you make and receive unlimited standard voice calls and SMS and includes 1GB data for use each day (AEST) when travelling in Eligible Roaming Destinations. If you use more than the International Day Pass data allowance, we will automatically add extra data in blocks of 1GB for $10 each.

Calls/SMS/MMS will be charged at international roaming rates (refer to telstra.com/overseas) and mobile data at $3 per MB (charged per KB or part) if you:

• use your service outside of Eligible Roaming Destinations 
• choose to opt out of your International Day Pass

Eligible Roaming Destinations

Visit telstra.com/overseas for the latest list or for more information on using your device overseas.

Bill Payment Charges

• Direct Debit is our preferred payment method, you can set it up anytime at  telstra.com/directdebit
• Electronic payments – Free
• Payments made in person or by cheque – Extra $2.50 (some exemptions apply)
• Paper bills are issued unless you set up paperless billing. Set up Email Bill at  telstra.com/emailbill or for more information on your billing options visit telstra.com/fees-on-payment-methods

Understanding my bill

When you start or change your plan part way through a billing period, your first bill will have part month charges.

How can I monitor and manage my usage?

You receive SMS alerts in near real-time when you reach 50%, 85% and 100% of your Monthly Data Allowance.

To check your usage:

• Use the My Telstra app on your compatible smartphone or tablet 
• Login to My Account at telstra.com/myaccount
• Visit My Plan Manager at telstra.com/mpm from your device's browser (select the 'My' tab to view details)

Find out more at telstra.com/myusage

FairPlay Policy

You must comply with our FairPlay Policy and not use your service in an unacceptable, unreasonable or fraudulent manner, or in a way that detrimentally interferes with the integrity of, or causes significant congestion to, the network. We may take action if you breach the FairPlay Policy, including suspending or cancelling your  service.

Need help? We're here for you

Visit telstra.com/contactus for our support options. Call 13 22 00 or 133 677 (TTY), or +61 439 12 5109 from overseas, to speak to someone about your plan or to obtain a copy of this summary in an alternative/accessible format.

If there’s something you’re not happy with and you wish to make a complaint, visit telstra.com/complaints . We like to make every attempt to resolve any issue but you can contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman by phone on 1800 062 058 or visit tio.com.au/about-us/contact-us if you'd like an independent investigation.

This is a summary only. The full legal terms for this plan are available at telstra.com/customer-terms

MOSB3095-Sun Oct 18 00:00:00 AEDT 2020

Download a printable copy

Rostov-on-Don Hourly forecast

Morning temperature of 9 °C, afternoon 16°, evening 11° and night 8°. Morning temperature of 48 degrees, afternoon 61°, evening 52° and night 46°.

Overcast, evening and night cloudy.

Updated 5/13 8:41 AM 08:41

The hourly local weather forecast shows hour by hour weather conditions like temperature, feels like temperature, humidity, amount of precipitation and chance of precipitation, wind and gusts for Rostov-on-Don.

Last visited

Nearest observations.

Dewpoint 2° 36°

Rel. hum. 58 %

Feels like +10° 50°

Pressure 1015 hPa 30 inHg 761.2 mmHg

Visibility 20000 m 12 mi

Kuscevskaja

Dewpoint 1° 34°

Rel. hum. 67 %

Feels like +7° 45°

Pressure 1014 hPa 29.9 inHg 760.2 mmHg

Visibility 10000 m 6 mi

Nearest observations show current weather observations from your nearest weather stations.

Your favorites