Ultra Mobile Review: 6 Things To Know Before You Sign Up

If you’re shopping for a cheaper cell phone service provider, know that Ultra Mobile has plans beginning as low as $15 per month. The low-cost service provider was recently acquired by T-Mobile, which means you’ll have access to the same great network.

In this article, I’ll take a closer look at Ultra Mobile’s plans and pricing, how to get started and what you can expect from their service.

What To Know Before Signing Up for Ultra Mobile

Ultra Mobile offers cell phone plans beginning as low as $15 per month for one line on T-Mobile’s network. Plans with unlimited data begin as low as $19 per month.

All of Ultra Mobile’s plans include unlimited talk and text; however, each plan has a certain allotment of high-speed data. The $15 plan is capped at 250MB of data total, but the rest of Ultra Mobile’s plans simply slow down to 3G speeds once you’ve reached your monthly high-speed data allotment.

I took a closer look at the details of Ultra Mobile’s plans, coverage, phone deals and more. I’ve also compared the prepaid carrier to other available phone plans and carriers to help you decide whether you should make the switch. 

Table of Contents:

1. Plans and Pricing
2. Network Coverage
3. Activation Process
4. Phone Selection
5. Data Speeds
6. Customer Service

1. Plans and Pricing

Ultra Mobile offers five different monthly cell phone plans that include unlimited talk and text. 

The cheapest plan includes 250MB of high-speed data per month. Once you run out of data on this plan, you’ll either need to upgrade your plan or buy additional data if you need more for the month. 1GB of data costs $10 or you can get 3GB of data for $20. 

Other than the 250MB plan, all of Ultra Mobile’s plans include unlimited 3G data (128kbps) once you’ve reached your monthly high-speed data allotment.

Below, you can see all of Ultra Mobile’s monthly plans: 

Plan	Price	High-Speed Data	Mobile Hotspot
Talk & Text Plan	$15	250MB	None
2GB Plan	$19	2GB	Up to 10GB
6GB Plan	$29	6GB	Up to 10GB
15GB Plan	$39	15GB	Up to 10GB
Unlimited Plan	$49	40GB	Up to 10GB

In addition to unlimited talk and text (as well as unlimited data on most plans), all of Ultra Mobile’s plans include free Wi-Fi calling, a free SIM card and free unlimited talk & text to 80+ international destinations. Additional plan perks include an international calling credit of $1.50-$5 and a one-time $5 international roaming credit on select plans. 

If you’re shopping for more than one line of service, Ultra Mobile offers multi-line discounts for the monthly unlimited plan. Here’s how much you can expect to pay with Ultra Mobile’s Add-a-Line: 

• Line 1: $49/month
• Line 2: $24/month ($73 total)
• Line 3: $24/month ($97 total)
• Line 4: $24/month ($121 total) 
• Line 5: $24/month ($145 total)

To learn more about Ultra Mobile’s Add-a-Line discount, visit the company’s website and note that the “Add-a-Line” savings is only available by visiting a store in-person. 

Ultra Mobile also offers 3-month, 6-month and 12-month plans. I recommend trying out Ultra Mobile for one month to begin with. This is a great way to make sure you have service in your area, and if the service provider doesn’t work for you for whatever reason, you can simply drop them the second month with no further commitment. If you find that Ultra Mobile does work for you, then these longer plans could be a great way to save. 

It’s worth noting that at the time of writing, Ultra Mobile was offering the 3-month unlimited plan for $90 with auto-renewal and promo code UNLTD90. You may find a great deal on cell phone service with Ultra Mobile including discounted rates on plans that are already competitively priced!

To learn more about Ultra Mobile’s phone plans, visit the company’s website.

2. Network Coverage

Ultra Mobile provides access to T-Mobile’s 5G and 4G/LTE networks. If T-Mobile offers strong service in your area, you’ll likely have reliable access to service with Ultra Mobile.

Below, you can see the Ultra Mobile coverage map: 

To see if you’ll have coverage with Ultra Mobile, visit the company’s website and enter your ZIP code on the coverage map.

Since Ultra Mobile runs on T-Mobile’s towers, you can also visit T-Mobile’s website and check out the parent company’s coverage in your area as well. This is a great way to get a more comprehensive overview of the service.

Fortunately, T-Mobile’s 5G network is consistently staying ahead of the competition. If you do have service in your area, you’ll likely have access to fast, reliable download speeds. 

3. Activation Process

There are two ways to initiate service with Ultra Mobile if you decide to make the switch: You can order a SIM card online or buy one from an authorized retailer. However you choose to activate it, Ultra Mobile doesn’t charge an activation fee, and SIM cards are free with the purchase of a plan.

You can find a nearby authorized retailer using the online store locator. Then, you can check out the available phone plans in person and activate your service in the store. 

You can also make the switch online by visiting Ultra Mobile’s website, choosing a phone plan and adding it to your online shopping cart. 

When I went through the process of shopping for a plan online, I noticed that Ultra Mobile never prompted me to make sure my phone was compatible with the plan I was purchasing. For this reason, make sure you take the extra step of checking your phone’s compatibility on your own if you plan to bring your own device.

If you’re buying a new phone through Ultra Mobile, you can shop for the device first online and then select the plan you’d like to purchase before adding the phone to your shopping cart.

The SIM card is included for free in the plan price, but taxes and fees are extra. For my ZIP code, taxes and fees added $1.76, and 2-3 day shipping was free. 

Once you receive your SIM card in the mail or pick it up from an authorized retailer, simply follow the directions included in your SIM kit to activate your service. Then, you can decide whether to keep your existing number or get a new one. If you do want to keep your current phone number, follow Clark’s #1 tip for a seamless switch!

4. Phone Selection

Most people who are switching to Ultra Mobile will want to keep their own phones for the most savings. You’ll just need to make sure your phone is unlocked and compatible with T-Mobile’s network before you get started. You can check your phone’s compatibility online.

If you do want to purchase a new phone through Ultra Mobile, you’ll find several devices to choose from.

At the time of writing, Ultra Mobile was offering 34 different cell phones including popular smartphones. The cheapest phone I saw was a Samsung Galaxy A03s for $189 online. The selection included prices up to $1,499 for a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G. 

You can check out the full phone selection online. For more options, check out our top picks for the best places to buy an unlocked phone.

Whether you choose to bring your own phone or buy a new phone through Ultra Mobile, you’ll also need an Ultra Mobile SIM card. Fortunately, the SIM card is free with the purchase of your plan.

5. Data Speeds

One of the biggest concerns when switching to a prepaid carrier is that your data will be significantly slower. If you’re currently paying for an unlimited data plan from one of the major three cell phone service providers, you may be wondering if Ultra Mobile will be able to meet your data needs.

Ultra Mobile does not offer truly unlimited high-speed data with any phone plan. Instead, most of its unlimited plans include a set amount of high-speed data before deprioritization kicks in. At that point, data speeds will be slower (max 128 kbps). For the $49 plan, that limit is 40GB. For the cheaper plans, that limit ranges from 2GB-15GB.  

While actual data speeds vary based on a variety of factors, Ultra Mobile does rely on the same networks as T-Mobile. Fortunately, T-Mobile is very transparent about expected download and upload speeds on various networks: 

5G Network (on-device)

• Download Speed: Typically between 75-335 Mbps
• Upload Speed: Typically between 8-35 Mbps
• Latency: Typically between 21-35 ms

4G LTE Network (on-device)

• Download Speed: Typically between 19-76 Mbps
• Upload Speed: Typically between 4-20 Mbps
• Latency: Typically between 24-40 ms

Of course, actual data speeds vary based on a number of factors including your location and coverage in your area, the device you’re using, network traffic and more. 

For more information on Ultra Mobile’s data speeds, check out Ultra Mobile’s full terms and T-Mobile’s Open Internet Policy.

6. Customer Service

You can reach a customer representative for Ultra Mobile online or over the phone. 

To speak with a representative online, visit Ultra Mobile’s website and click the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner. To speak with a representative over the phone, call Ultra Mobile at 1-888-777-0446. 

Representatives are available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST. 

If you need in-person assistance, you can visit an authorized Ultra Mobile retailer in your area. To find the nearest locations where Ultra Mobile plans are sold, enter your address or ZIP code on the store locator online. 

While Ultra Mobile doesn’t have any physical stores exclusively for their business, you may find that products, information and assistance are available at authorized resellers nearby.

For more information on how to contact Ultra Mobile, visit the company’s website.

Final Thoughts

Compared to T-Mobile’s postpaid plans, Ultra Mobile is a great way to access the same network for a fraction of the price. 

T-Mobile’s unlimited plans begin at $50 for one line, whereas Ultra Mobile offers an unlimited data plan (2GB of high-speed data) for $19. However, if you are looking for more high-speed data, Ultra Mobile’s 40GB of 5G or 4G/LTE speeds for $49 isn’t quite as good of a deal as T-Mobile’s Essentials Savings plan with 50GB of premium data for $50 per month on one line. 

Compared to other phone service providers that use T-Mobile’s network, Ultra Mobile doesn’t offer the cheapest plans available. For example, Tello Mobile offers 1GB of high-speed data for $10 per month, which is a much better deal than Ultra Mobile’s cheapest plan at $15 for 250GB of data total. 

On the other end of the spectrum, Mint Mobile’s unlimited plan costs $30 for 40GB of high-speed data, which is $19 cheaper than Ultra Mobile’s unlimited plan with the same amount of high-speed data.

If you’re still looking for the best fit, you can find more options on the best cell phone plans and deals available now. No matter which service provider you decide to switch to, be sure to check out our guide to help you step-by-step through the process.

Are you thinking about switching to Ultra Mobile? Let us know in our Clark.com Community or check out the latest conversations around cell phones.